SMALL STUFF

Rip It Up, Issue 2, 1 July 1977, Page 1

SMALL STUFF

RIP IT UP

Little Feat, Split Enz, Kiss, Dr Feelgood, Eric Clapton, Ray Davies Wailers, Jethro Tull and lots more.

First of all. congrats to our most successful musical export Split Enz for placing 13th in NME's Most Promising Emergent Act section in their readers poll. That may not sound so hot, but if you consider that in 12th place was Joan Armatrading and 14th were AC/DC, then I reckon they did all right. Well done and all that . . . similarly in a poll taken at prestigious gig, the Friars Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, the Enz were voted best support band of 76; and the Jack the Lad/Split Enz tour was voted 2nd most enjoyable gig of the year ... Oh My God!! Marvel Comics who brought you Spider Man, Captain America and innumerable other wonders is to start production of a series of Kiss comics based on the painted quartet of the same name. Just to add a suitable grisly note, the members of Kiss actually poured some of their blood into the vat of red ink that will end up on the pages of the first run of Kiss comics . . . theme for the upcoming James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me is to be sung by Cariy Simon . . . while we re on the silly stuff; since David Bowie's last album was entitled Low, ex-Brinsley Schwarzer Nick Lowe, has decided to call his new EP, Bowi. (D'you get it??) The EP will include such wonders as version of Sandy Posey s 1966 hit, Born a Woman'' .. . Linda McCartney’s solo single is called

Seaside Woman" and released under the pseudonym of Suzy and the Red Stripes. It's produced, of course, by hubby, Paul . . . Kiki Dee has put together a new band for her latest US tour. It includes such well known names as Dee Murray on bass, together with Jerry Aiello (keyboards) and Donnie Dacus (guitar), both from the Stephen Stills band . . . following in the footsteps of New York and London, comes a flood of New Wave bands from Los Angeles. The legendary Kim Fowley (father of the Runaways, among other things) predicts; Hollywood will have a new wave summer similar to the summer of love in 67 San Francisco." The LA bands include: the Screamers, the Weirdos, Backstage Pass, Boys in Bondage, the Zippers, the Zeroes and Dirty Diapers . . . replacing Wilko Johnson as lead guitarist in Dr Feelgood is John Mayo, who seems to come from an unknown background. Singer Lee Brilleaux swears that Mayo has now been a professional musician for three weeks . . .

rumour of the week / month / year / decade is still that Lowell George is to

quit Little Feat. These stories have been reinforced by George s absence from the new album and the fact he is working on/has completed his first solo album. George s declining presence on the last two albums is apparently part of a conscious decision, on the band s part, to aownplay his role in the group. They felt the press they were getting was putting too much emphasis on George, to the point where they were almost becoming known as Lowell George and Little Feat. That s what they say, anyway . . . ace pedal steel player Red McKelvie has put down a steel instrumental, "Can You Feel It" for release as a

single. It's produced by Murray Grindlay and recorded at Stebbings in Auckland . . . the new album from Yes is

Going For the One. Yes again feature keyboards player Rick Wakeman on this, their first album in about three years. It includes 5 tracks recorded in Montreux, Switzerland and produced by the band . . . Boxer, who originally started as a reformed version of Patto, have announced the latest in a long series of personnel changes. This time round the group includes: Mike Patto on vocals, Chris Stainton on keyboards, Tim Bogart on bass, Eddie Tuduri on drums and Adrian Fisher on guitar. . . Hooray! Dusty Springfield is working on a comeback LP. Regrettably, it's with Queen's (over) producer Roy Thomas Baker. . . Emerson, Lake and Palmer are to play two nights at Edinburgh Castle (that's not a pub, by the way) supported by the Royal Philharmonic and a ballet company. Then the complete entourage moves on to Earls Court, London for a full week of performances. They’ll play all the material from their new album

Works Vol 1 , as well as selected highlights from earlier albums. . . . Eric Clapton has gone on record as saying that he wished he had stayed with John Mayall and never invented Cream . . . Ringo Starr (quoted on Sergeant Pepper's) said he found recording the album an unsatisfactory experience, "like playing on someone else s ses-

sions . What s more he says the Beatles didn't feel like a band again until the White Album and Abbey Fload. which is his favourite . . . lan hunter’s new band is called Overnight Angels It features Earl Slick on guitar. Rob Rawlinson on bass. Peter Oxendale on keyboards, and Curly Smith on drums.

Their new album, Overnight Angels, is produced by Roy Thomas Baker (this boy gets around) . . . Bob Marley and the Wailers are on the road promoting their new album Exodus. Attending their concert in Paris were: Pierre Cardin, Yves St Laurent, Jean Paul Bemondo, Francois Truffaut, Alain Delon, Ahmet Ertegun and Bianca Jagger (phew) . . . the Wailers this time out are the Barrett brothers rhythm section, keyboard player Tyrone Downie, and on guitar, American Junior Marvin . . . the New Riders of the Purple Sage were flattered at the news that a fan recently gave birth to a baby girl while listening to a NRPS album and thus christened the child, Sage. Drummer, Spencer Dryden, wrote to the lucky lady, saying, “Congratulations on a healthy birth and your good taste in music' . . . Stevie Winwood’s long awaited solo album is to be released soon. Featured musicians include: Willie Weeks, Andy Newmark, Jim Capaldi and Alan Spenner; all the material is Winwood originals . . . another album not-too-far-off is the new Doobie Brothers’ one, Living On the Faultline . . . Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys) is currently working on a solo album with producer Earle Mankey. It apparently features a heavily orchestrated approach ... a rock musical is to be made out of the Kinks' Preservation. Written by Ray Davies, it will play on -Londons West End later this year, but it will not include the Kinks. However, Ray Davies will be involved in casting, production and will also contribute new musical arrangements. A theatre cast album of Preservation may ensue; a film is also being considered . . . Led Zeppelin’s tour of -the States earlier

this year played to an estimated 700,000 people and one source predicted a gross taking of $lO million . . .

Stone the Crows have reformed. Guitarist, Miller Anderson replaces Les Harvey who died on stage several years ago and was replaced at that time by Jimmy McCulloch who is now with Wings. Got That? . . . now for the super small stuff . . . Mick Taylor is recording a solo album for Atlantic . . .

The Rumour of Graham Parker and fame are to record an album on their own . . . new wave/punk band The Jam are managed by the guitarist's dad . . . next Jess Roden album to be produced by Joel Dorn . . . Kenny Passarelli, ex Joe Walsh and Elton John bass player, is now with Hall and Oates . . . new Elvin Bishop album to be a double live Raisin' Hell . . . Felix Cavaliere, a founding member of the Young Rascals, has a new band called Treasure . . . Neil Diamond’s Live At the Greek is the first album in New Zealand to ship double platinum. That is, advance orders of 30,000 copies according to Cashbox . . . Genesis have just completed 3 concerts at London's Earls Court stadium to a total of 51,000 people. Something tells me they're popular... as you’ve probably noticed Nina Simone didn’t tour here. Sorry if we put anybody wrong but the tour was on at the time we printed. Honest . . . also cancelled are the Jethro Tull dates in August. Seems the cost of transporting 37,0001 b of gear and 18 people makes playing here totally uneconomic . . . but as a substitute, a date is now set for Fleetwood Mac to play here. It’s November 29 at Western Springs stadium, Auck-

land ... also on the cards is a visit from Jackson Browne in October . . . and Little Feat are now said to be coming in February. OK?? but no promises. That’s just what we’re told . . .