A WINNER

Rip It Up, Issue 14, 1 August 1978, Page 5

A WINNER

What is a Hot Chocolate freak? Is it a child with a drinking problem or a youth with a transistor radio lodged in his ear? This confusion has been evident since 1969 when multi-racial British band Hot Chocolate released their version of “Give Peace a Chance” on Apple Records. In July the band’s lead vocalist, Errol Brown, visited New Zealand to promote Hot Chocolate's new album Every I's a Winner and examine the possibility of a tour here in October. Errol Brown has been the main songwriter for Hot Chocolate since the departure of Tony (“I Like Your Style") Wilson in 1974. Brown, resident in Britain since childhood, regards British rock’n’roll as important an influence as that of black vocal groups on the Hot Chocolate sound. “I like to be free to do anything”, Brown says emphatically, stressing his desire not to be placed in any restrictive category. So just what direction is the band heading in? "I cannot tell you now what will happen in the future,” says Brown, “I write songs and I will keep on writing songs". But Brown has not yet commenced writing for Hot ( Chocolate’s album to be recorded in February 1979. One factor is certain. The band will continue to work with hit making producer, Mickie Most. Brown regards Mickie as “a vital part of our set up and very important to Hot Chocolate's success.” After an initial 4 years of playing in the clubs, discos and ballrooms of Britain, Errol Brown is pleased by their recording success. It has allowed Hot Chocolate now to perform in concert halls and put more energy into their songwriting and recording. Murray Cammick

RIP IT UP No. 14 August 1978

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Some Girls, is well on its way to becoming the Stones’ best-selling album in recent years. But the title track has caused some black radio stations to ban the album from airplay for the “racial attitudes" they claim are revealed in its lyrics. There are reports that the Stones American record company, Atlantic Records, is pressuring the band to drop the cut from the album. There also appears to be a strong possibility that several of the celebrities pictured on the sleeve of Some Girls will apply to the American courts for an injunction to have it withdrawn from release. Raquel Welch has already sent an angry letter to Rolling Stones Records. As a result of this, many collectors in the States have been buying large quantities in anticipation of its withdrawal. Despite such pressures or perhaps be-

cause of them, Some Girls has made Number One in the States, breaking Saturday Night Fever's six month run in that position. Similarly in NZ, the album reached the Number One Spot in its second week on the charts. Meanwhile, the Stones tour of the States rolls on. The band has continued its policy of interspersing its eight scheduled outdoor concerts with a few 10-15,000 seat venues and a select number of surprise small shows. After the first few small dates, rumours of supposed Stones appearances were rampant. In New York they played the 3,000 seater Palladium Theatre. Two radio stations announced a lottery for tickets for a Stones’ show somewhere in a three state area, interested persons to send in postcards with a phone number. Several hundred thousand postcards were received overnight, the winners were drawn at random and then phoned and told of their identification numbers and of the three loca-

tions where they could purchase tickets. Only when they paid for the tickets did they find out the location and time of the concert. The Stones have also revealed a new stage specially built for the outdoor dates. Large panels on the top and sides of the stage form a giant mouth, while a tongue-shaped runway extends from the front. Some new material has been added to the song line-up reported last month. Additions are Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen”, the Elvis Presley/Big Mama Thornton oldie, “Hound Dog", and, surprisingly, "Satisfaction”. The tour has not been all plain sailing. At the date in St Paul, Minnesota, Bill Wyman fell off the stage as the band was exiting. The fall rendered him unconscious for about 10 minutes but only required his hand to be taped up, and he made the following night’s performance. The estimated gross takings from the tour are $6 million.

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