Peppers & McCallum

Rip It Up, Issue 16, 1 October 1978, Page 4

Peppers & McCallum

Ex-patriate New Zealanders The Red Hot Peppers are finishing off their second Australian-recorded album and contemplating quitting Melbourne early next year for North America. Singer Marion Arts says nothing is finalised but the group is getting itchy feet after 18 months in Melbourne, and is thinking of a move to Canada or the United States. Meanwhile, they have a few more weeks of work on the album, Stargazing, which is being produced by John Wood, who has previously worked as an engineer for the likes of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, the McGarrigle sisters, and Richard and Linda Thompson. There’s another Fairport connection: Australian-born Trevor Lucas, now back in Melbourne after the death of wife Sandy Denny, has done back-up vocals on the album. Marion, back in New Zealand for a brief respite from recording, says the Peppers are working steadily. Her only gripe is that most of the work as for most Australian bands is in pubs, and the group is expected to tailor its repertoire to the generally beery atmosphere. “We did more concerts in New Zealand than we have in Australia. The audiences don’t seem to like listening without a jug of beer in front of them.” Also recording in Melbourne: former New Zealander Malcolm McCallum has completed an album, Naked to the Sky for CBS. McCallum was signed after his demo tapes impressed CBS A&R men Peter Dawkins and Alan Galbraith (now where have we heard those names before?) The album has already been picked up for release in Canada, and McCallum is taking his material to the Australian hinterland with a tour of New South Wales as support to Jon English.