LATE NEWS

Rip It Up, Issue 18, 1 December 1978, Page 4

LATE NEWS

The Canadian Justice Ministry intends to appeal against the light sentence given to Rolling Stone Keith Richards for possession of heroin. The one year's probation, together with an order to give a benefit concert for the blind, was considered too lenient by many Canadians who flooded the Attorney General’s office with protesting mail. It's understood that Richards could have received up to a seven-year sentence . . .

a coroner's report has ruled that Keith Moon’s death was not suicide. They determined that Moon died after taking thirty-two anti-alcholism tablets . . Sid Vicious, currently out on bail awaiting trial, is searching for musicians to back him. The former Sex Pistols bassist has also been bad-mouthing his one-time colleagues for the treatment meted out to him on the ill-fated tour which saw the breakup of the Pistols. Says Vicious: "I was dope sick and they done their best to break me. They wanted me to kick while I was playing. It just wasn’t possible” . . . meanwhile relations between Johnny Rotten’s new band Public Image and their record company, Virgin Records, are believed to be shaky at best. Seems that Lydon (nee Rotten) sent Virgin's order for tickets for the band’s debut gigs back to them with a suggestion that they queue for tickets like everyone else ... its now Elvis Costello’s third album will be ‘released in January. Title is Armed Forces . . .

Roxy Music have definitely reformed and joining existing members Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson is band The Vibrators. It's believed a keyboard

player will be invited in to replace the now unavailable Eddie Jobson. Some rumours suggest that Eno is in line for the job. The Roxy Music reunion album is now completed and set for release early next year. Thereafter a world tour taking in the South Pacific is planned . . . WEA Records in New Zealand have picked up the rights to the Sire label which means that the second Talking Heads album. More Songs About Buildings and Food, and The Ramones live album, Road To Ruin, are now assured of pre-Christmas release here. The debut album from successful Scottish band The Rezillos will hit the streets early in the new year . . The Eagles are all set to compete with Boney M in the Christmas single stakes. The Eagles, however, have staked their fortune on a less obviously commercial product than their competitors. The Eagles’ single is in fact a remake of the old Charles Brown blues "Please Come Home for Christmas” but is backed up on the flip side by a new Frey/Henley composition “Funky New Year”. The B side also features the vinyl debut of Glenn Frey on saxophone. Both tracks were recorded with new bass player Tim Schmit and will not be featured on the group’s album due for March or April release . . . Bruce Springsteen is believed to be in conflict with his producer/manager Jon Landau as to whether his next release should be a studio or a live recording. CBS and Landau favour a live album, Springsteen favours going back into the studio. Either way Springsteen plans to record the oldie "It’s My Life” on his next studio set . . . Mi-sex,

NZ band based in Sydney, seem to be making good progress there. Now settled in, they’ve acquired a manager and a strong following. Their only NZ single has attracted interest there and the band have ordered 500 copies to be sent over . Peter Asher is to produce the next Bonnie Raitt album . Todd Rundgren is currently at work producing newies from Meatloaf and the Tubes Paul McCartney has now left Capitol and EMI and thus a greatest hits package covering the years 1971-1978 is set for December release . . . UK, the super-group formed by four British star musicians, has now lost drummer Bill Bruford and guitarist Allan Holdsworth. However the remaining members John Wetton and Eddie Jobson have replaced Bruford with ex-Zappa drummer Terry Bozio and are currently at work on their second album . . Bay City Roller’s singer Les McKeown has been fired from the tartan laddies for his wayward activities with the ladies