SMALL STUFF

Rip It Up, Issue 31, 1 February 1980, Page 2

SMALL STUFF

Latest Japanese export is Paul McCartney. He was deported after being arrested and detained for possession of marijuana. The lucky lad was not charged, but Wings were forced to cancel concerts in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. In a London concert, Elvis Costello dedicated a song to the captive McCartney (“Accidents Will Happen"). Another former Beatle John Lennon is thought to be recording in LA with pianist Nicky Hopkins. By the way, in the sixties, the Fab Four recorded two songs by Larry Williams, the writer of Bony Moronie” and “Dizzy Miss Lizzy’-’ etc., shot himself on Jan 10, in his LA home... more bucks for the new wave. The next Linda Ronstadt platter, Hot Love, features three Costello songs (“Girls Talk”, “Talking In The Dark” and “Party Girl”), three songs by the Cretones (new LA band), a Neil Young one and some revivals... a Gallup Survey of USA teens reveals that their fav band is Styx, second is Bee Gees, third is Led Zeppelin and fourth is Kiss, but Male fav is Kiss and female fav is Bee Gees... while in the clink Chuck Berry did a 75 minute show with the prison band before 500 inmates. The lights were low, and Berry forbade cameras... Joni Mitchell is editing film of one of her Mingus tour concerts. In the band are Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker and Jaco Pastorius. All the songs are from her last three albums and nonconcert footage includes film by Amelia Erhardt... Toto keyboardsman, Steve Porcaro needed six stitches in his face after an accident while shooting a videotape to promote the new album, Hydra... XTC are currently on a six week American tour, to promote Drums and Wires. At their New York gig were Gene Simmons, Hunter & Ronson and Talking Head, Jerry Harrison... George Clinton did his final gig as Dr Funkenstein at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. He is quitting live work to concentrate on his new label, Jam Records and a possible Broadway show, Popsicle Stick. First Jam signing is the ex-Spinners vocalist Philippe Wynne. The Clinton girls, Brides of Funkenstein have a new album out titled, Never Buy Texas From A Cowboy. Competition on the funk scene comes from New Yorkers, James White & the Blacks, who describe their bag as No Wave... in studios: Chic stars, Niles Rogers and Bernard Edwards will spend March completing albums by Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, Chic and new waver, Sheila B. Devotion... Robert Fripp is producing Roches demos and a solo Daryl Hall album... Cars will record again in April. Ocasek has just completed producing the Suicide debut... Roy Thomas Baker is producing the next Alice Cooper. Phil Manzanera plays on the new Creme and Godley... Petty, Ramones and Deadboys guest on the new Ronnie Spector album, Happy Birthday Rock’n’RoH. Producer is Genya Ravan... the Herbie Mann newie features ex-Santana vocalist Greg Walker and Carlos himself. .. Toots and the Maytals are set to record in the Jamaican prereggae idiom, Ska... new guitarist in Thin Lizzy is Snowy White, who has recently completed session and tour work with Pink Floyd... Kris Kristofferson has filed for divorce from Rita Coolidge... Richard Hell and the Voidoids have split... Virgin Records phenomena, the Flying Lizards have a hit single in the States with “Money”. It’s on the Cashbox Popular charts at 34 and it’s 21 on the Disco chart... Donna Summer is sueing Casablanca Records for 10

million dollars in damages for alleged misrepresentation of its role in her career and for breach of contract... latest acts to be fired by record companies are Culture (dropped by Virgin after disagreements over production), Ron Wood (CBS), Joe Cocker (Electra/Asylum) and Rico (Island). Rico is likely to join 2 Tone. Cocker and earlier Warners sackings, Rootboy Slim and Leon Redbone have been signed by smaller labels... big on the UK charts are Ska acts, Specials, Madness and The Beat. But the very biggest new act is the Pretenders, fronted by Chrissie Hynde. Their single, “Brass In Pocket”, knocked Pink Floyd off the top spot and the album The Pretenders entered the chart at three... by the way, the number ones in the NME readers’ poll were Jam (Best Group and Best Album, Setting Sons), Specials (Best Single, “Gangsters” and Best New Act), Sting (Best Male Singer), Kate Bush (Best Female Singer), Johnny Rotten (Face of the Decade), Gary Numan (Image of Year and Creep of Year), Quadrophenia (Best Film), Jam’s Paul Weller (Best Songwriter) and PIL (Best Dressed Sleeve, for Metal 80x)... new albums coming: Boz Scaggs Middle Man, Iggy Pop Soldier (with Bowie song “Play It Safe"), Lou Reed Growing Up In Public (recorded at George Martin’s Bahamas Studioj, Phil Lynott Solo In Soho, Wreckless Eric Big Smash, The Knack Little Girls Understand, Lene Lovich Flex, Sparks Terminal Jive, Warren Zevpn Bad Luck Streak In Chinese School, Ramones End of the Century (producer is Phil Spector, first single is Ronettes’ “Baby I Love You”), Graham Nash Earth and Sky, Utopia Adventures In Utopia, The Steve Howe Album (second solo), Marianne Faithfull Broken English, Elvis Costello Get Happy, Clash London Calling, Madness One Step Beyond, The Selector Too Much Pressure (on Specials' 2 Tone label), Ronnie Hawkins The Hawk (with Band’s Garth Hudson and Paul Butterfield), and Aerosmith Night In The Ruts, Rolling Stones Emotional Release and Bruce Springsteen (March release in States, single studio album, possibly titled The Tie That Binds), John Foxx (ex-Ultravox) Metamatic, Captain Beefheart Shiny Beast, Mekons The Quality of Mercy is Not Strnen, Sex Pistols Flogging A Dead Horse (14 track best of), Jam Setting Sons (mid Feb), Roy Buchanan Live In Japan, Nico Chelsea, Millie Jackson & Issac Hayes Royal Rappings, Styx Hooper (Crusaders) The World Within, Atlantic Rhythm Section Are You Ready, Eno Discreet Music,. McGuinn Clark & Hillman City and a Kinks Live Double.

There is plenty of tour news for February and March. The big tours are the Police three centre tour, Split Enz’ nine city tour and the two Fleetwood Mac concerts, March 20, Wellington and March 22 in Auckland. But there is also plenty of action on the pub circuit. Hello Sailor and Citizen Band are both working in New Zealand during March. Midge Marsden has his band Kiwi Connection on the road from mid-Feb and the band Midge has just left, Phil Manning Band is also touring NZ in February. Also performing in NZ in Feb and March are Red Mole. Special guests are Mainstreet Thrusday and Friday Feb 21 & 22, are the Russell Morris Band. Though Morris is best known for his early seventies hits, his current band has a new album out, Foot In The Door on Mushroom Records (it’s reviewed on page 12). Check ’em out. Probably the most popular new rock act to emerge in the last year or so is Police a three piece that’s had three big singles "Roxanne”, "Can’t Stand Losing You" and “Message In A Bottle" and two hit albums, Outlandos D'Amour and Regatta de Blanc. (Frontman Sting, will also be seen here soon in the Who’s second movie Quadrophenia.) The' first Auckland show is already sold but (March 1) but there will be a second show March 4. Police play Wellington March 2 and Christchurch Feb 29. Split Enz are touring the country just as their remarkable new album, True Colours, hits the stores. The tour’s called Trooping The Colours’. Dates are Hamilton Founders Theatre Feb 14, Auckland Town Hall Feb 15, Wanganui Oceanview Rock Concert Feb 16, Napier Municipal Hall Feb 18, Wellington Town Hall Feb 19, Palmerston North Opera House Feb 20, Christchurch Theatre Royal Feb 22, Invercargill Civic Theatre Feb 24 and Dunedin Town Hall Feb 26. A few listens to True Colours suggests that

Enz could be doing a bit of work in Europe and the States in 1980. Catch ’em downunder while you can. For more info on touring acts, see Rumours and Late Extra. LATE NEWS Tom Petty has cancelled half of his UK tour to ensure that he doesn’t overtax his voice prior to a tonsils operation... Howard Devoto’s band Magazine has a single out soon, "Song From Under The Floorboards”, and an album scheduled for April. After UK dates in April, the band will tour Europe, USA, Japan and downunder (that’s us!)... rockin’ country gentleman Joe Ely is support act for the London Clash concerts... Bob Seger is still mixing . his newie. But there’s a single, "Fire Lake”, out in Feb... David Bowie has discofied/revamped or done somethin’ with “Space Oddity”. The flip is the previously unreleased "Moon of Alabama”... the Strawbs are back on the road, with a new album, Heartbreak Hi 11... Paul McCartney is fine. McCartney told press, "I’ve been in jail 10 days, but I didn't go crazy because I wasn’t able to have marijuana.” He added, "I think we could decriminalise marijuana, and I would like to see a really unbiased medical report.”... the owners of the star infested disco Studio 54 gotlhree and a half year prison sentences for tax evasion to the tune of $500,000... Generation X are now two, rehearsing with James (bass) and Idol (guitar) is mate Terry Chimes (ex-Clash) on drums... Lynn Goldsmith claims she is not sueing Bruce Springsteen. The New York Times fabricated the story said lensy Lynn... NME claim Elvis Costello earned SIOO,OOO in royalties from the Linda Ronstadt recording of "Alison” (on Living on the USA). (And he’s got three tunes on her new album.)... yet, another bag for labelmongers ‘funktry and western’. When do you use it? Once you’ve heard the new Brides of Funkenstein album, Never Buy Texas From A Cowboy.