RUMOURS

Rip It Up, Issue 34, 1 May 1980, Page 4

RUMOURS

Marching Girls will have a single released in Australia on Missing Link’s Au-Go-Go label. It may emerge here on Ripper. The tracks are "First In Line" and "True Love”.

The band nearly split in March after an incident in a pub involving Johnny, 13 stitches, a girl and a glass. The band intended to be working again by May and to tour NZ in June or July. Below is part of a rave live review in Melbourne music mag, Juke by Adrian Ryan. "Marching Girls give new substance to the tired adjective ‘minimal’. They’ve taken the stripped-down stance of the Police and the original Talking Heads, made it simpler and injected a heart-felt energy into it that makes them hard to resist.”

The first night Toy Love played the Stage Door, it was held up by masked gun-men. The band are banned from two suburban venues due to misconduct on stage by the lead singer. Sometimes Jamrag, Tina from Butch Slags and Scum's guitarist have opened for Toy Love as the 1977 Memorial Society, I mean, Vince Link and the Secret Chimps performing "I Don't Care”, "Teenage Kicks” etc. Toy Love on Sunday April 27, recorded 15 demos at ATA studios, Glebe. They may record the album at ATA, May 23 to June 6. Probable producer is Todd Hunter. He will work with a top Sydney engineer. The EP is out, 2JJ is playing "Rebel” and both Roadrunner and Aussie Rolling Stone have done stories on the band. In fact, Chris Knox told RS, "England’s always been the goal, and still is. We’d like to be there within nine months.”

Breaking into the Sydney scene is proving tough financially but Toy Love have the work, including a Friday residency at the Civic. Expect NZ raid and the album in July. Also returning in July are Citizen Band who as a three-piece have been working small Sydney venues. But in early May they played Fj-ench's, Stranded and Astra. Just arrived from NZ is Cerwin Vega gear and soundman Andrew Lovrin. Zanier news is that Brent Eccles is singing "Protection". When RIU expressed doubts about even the ex-bassist’s singing of the Parker tune, Eccles replied, "I sing it better than he does." New Zealanders making a living in New York are Drongoes. In the band are Richard Kennedy (ex-Country Flyers), Tony Drongo (exMcMaster, was in Wonder Ones and Red Mole), Jean-Marie Pomme de Terre (ex-Red Mole) and Stanley John Mitchell (ex-Straite and Salty Dog). They arrived in NY, April last year. They now play the leading NY rock clubs, Bitter End, CBGBs and Max’s. Stay tuned as negotiations are underway for Drongoes to record. THE CORPORATION

CHRISTCHURCH The Comics are away again, Timaru-Dunedin-Timaru. They return to the Aranui for four week spot in mid-May, when Simon Darke’s Newz goes North. The Comics are laying down demos for a North fsland visit around July.

Mike Waldegrave (Cowboys) has had two guitars stolen. One’s a Psalm, the other is a Sunburst Les Paul. Any clues? Mike’s phone number is 852-370 ... despite an impressive

start, the Hoovers (Lance Parkyn, Steve Ward and Murray Couling) will take a couple of months off for rehearsal ... will Bob Ogilvie join Vapour and the Trails when the band returns mid-June. Heavenly Bodies return to the Gladstone May 14-17. Crocodiles and Street Talk both hit town in June. The race is on for the first single. The Gordons are now in the running. New bands include the Gordons’ guests, the Bonnets and the Guitars ... we have it on good authority that Frank Steentjees has had that haircut and that members of the Androidss return to town shortly. Has Auckland run out of Drambuie? JW WELLINGTON Current developments of interest centre on venues rather than acts. Willies Wine Bar is now under new management. It is to become a six nights a week rock venue, and hopes to attract top NZ acts. Acts booked include Midge Marsden and a return appearance by the Tigers. At last Wellington will have a first rate licensed venue. The Rock Theatre is indeed, as rumoured last month, under new management. Billy The Club is the new name and opening the club are Newz (May 14 & 15) and Flight X-7 with Ambitious Vegetables (May 16 & 17). Noteworthy also is that over the last few months, the Thistle Ballroom in Cuba Street has evolved into the Capital’s punk HQ, with the Spies and Shoes This High performing. Ambitious Vegetables also performed there recently after their northern excursion. They have done a clip for Radio With Pictures and still intend to release a single in the near future. Dead but not forgotten dept: Bad Breaks disintegrated following difficulties mentioned last month ... while passing through Pop Mechanix recorded a number at EMI for TVNZ. R. SOLEZ AUCKLAND April’s surprise was Th’Dudes’ premature demise, just as "Bliss” hit the stores with a B side labelled "On The Box”. Final fling at Mainstreet featured lan Morris wearing only his guitar, and uncompromising Auckland new wavers, Karl and Chris (Features) and one Elginon joining Th’Dudes on stage for “All Along The Watchtower" ... new Street Talk album is titled Battleground Of Fun and will be in stores early June as the band commences an extensive national tour (Dunedin too) ... Th’Dudes are in the studio completing a surprise second album of tracks recorded since Right First Time. It is entitled Where Are The Boys? The Swingers will cross the Tasman first week in July and immediately record a single for Mushroom Records. In mid July the band will commence a four week tour of Australia as support act for the Sports. After the tour the Swingers will be based in Melbourne and if all

goes well, record an album. Mushroom boss, Michael Gudinski will visit NZ in May to finalise details. Incidentally, the band's stay in Australia will coincide with producer David Tickle's visit to record the Enz’s follow-up to True Colours. Talking of sport, here's some soccer news. The Swingers ably assisted by Dudes Morris and Urlich, slaughtered SI lightweights the Newz, April 16 on the latter's homeground. The score was Swingers 10, Newz 2 ... more importantly top Christchurch bands hit Auckland soon. The Pop Mechanix play Station Hotel (May 15-17), the Gluepot and Kicks (May 29-31) and Newz head north selling their debut album, playing the Gluepot (May 20, 21) and Windsor Castle (May 22-24). By the way, Pop Mechanix were known as Splash Alley, Newz were known as Bon Marche, and, they are known to our typesetters as the Newtz. Also from the flat city, Steamshack play Mainstreet May 29-31 and Wellington's Last Resort June 12-15. On the eve of their first excursion south, the Features had half of their equipment stolen. A Ludwig drum kit, ACI3O Vox, mics, an echo unit and leads. If you can help find the gear, phone Auckland 606-287. The Features and Spelling Mistakes 45s on Propellor are out soon ... in the stores now are new Rippers by Swingers, Terrorways/Proud Scum and Brazier/Chunn with respective friends. Graham Brazier is back in town, as is Paul Hewson ... late April Dave McArtney demoed four songs for Polygram Records. Ex-Sailors and Jan Preston helped out ... the Preston, Harry Lyon, Neil Hannan and Steve Osborne band, Coup D’Etat (ex-Wolfgang) is going down a storm. The band and friends are planning some beer-less concerts with loads of guests, at Maidment Theatre, May 23, 24 & 25 ... by the way, Ricky Ball is busy, drumming in Jilly’s band (with Peter Woods, Beaver, Eddie Hansen and Paul Woolright) and opening a boutique, Madame X, 17 Swanson Street. The new Furys line-up is Dave McLean, Simon Elton (bass), Mike Cooney (guitar) and Steve Butler (drums)... Auckland band the Gor-

don Bennetts have been thrown out of their third practise room in three months ... bands recording at Mandrill in July include Pop Mechanix, Airstrike, Trooper and Cruze ... the Techtones have impressed many with their new songs and fun covers, Honeycomb?’ "Have I The Right”, Beatles' "You Can’t-Oo That”, and Hollies’ “I'm Alive”. Techtones "have recorded two new numbers, "Shed A Tear” and "Hi-Flying” at the new Harlequin studio. Kim Fowley writes from Paris that he is "still waiting for something great to produce from NZ.” Kim is back in LA May 5, so post a

cassette to Kim Fowley c/o 6000 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California 90028, USA or to Kim Fowley c/o Southern Music, 48 Security Building, 198 Queen St, Auckland. ... a USA reader has sent us the address of the Bruce Springsteen Fanzine Thunder Road. To subscribe send $6 (or $lO for airmail) for four issues to Thunder Road, West Coast Office, PO Box 861, Cypress, California 90630 USA. Hamilton band Suss-Spex will reside in Auckland ... Masterton readers, take care! Two 'new wave’ bands are at large in your town, Anti-Bodies and Sid Scab and the Pusspots ... hot in Hastings are Steel Mice (stars Eddy Swing, Double Standard and ever popular 254. T). Watch for Napier four piece Stop D. Standard tells us, they are "comparable to PIL but a step ahead.” Split Enz are super big in Oz at the moment. Their album True Colours and the single "I Got You” have both been number one on sales charts for four weeks. Next single is Tim’s composition “I Hope I Never” ... John Batchelor's band Socket Set has split... Toy Love purchased an ex-Post Office van to provide additional transport for the band. But thiefs nicked a wheel, so it’s out of action. The band have several new songs and “Bedroom” is a favourite. After doing a radio interview that the DJ loved, the station does not want Toy Love back due to the polite Lovers’ inability to say nice things about every Oz band mentioned and the odd pun or joke at the expense of mankind, and Australians ... Toad Hall Rare Records, a specialist mail order service, has been closed down by Perth police due to breachs of the copyright act. MRA Records are also closed. Two recent live-to-air shows were Crocodiles on Radio Hauraki from Mandrill Studios and Spelling Mistakes at Mainstreet, live on Radio B ... speaking of Mistakes, they won the Wind- ; sor Castle Rock Quest. Second was Flicks and Modes and Extras were third ... open again is the Island of Real site in Airedale Street. It’s under new management, is now named XS and is open Thursday to Sunday, Bpm to 2am ...

also new in town is Starship 1 an expresso coffee bar in Vulcan Lane with light meals and amazing life size superheroes by Paul Pattie and a Dick Frizzell Superman triptych ... Mainstreet is now open early with five bands a night from 6.30 p.m. You can see rock bands before and after the movies and check out Jazz Alley, paying only once ... Red Mole play Mainstreet Sunday May 18, with Whizz Kids and Paul Robinson’s Valentinos plus NZ 16mm films. The Mole show is titled I’ll Never Dance Down Bugis St Again.

Billy TK will release a 45 shortly. Tracks are "Rhythm of Your Love" and "Sail Us Gently", both recorded during his 18 month stay in LA. Persons involved in the recordings included Mark Curry (Eagles engineer) and Chick Corea’s drummer. Keen to record with his own band, Billy TK will record at Mascot in June. The band is Ara Mete (drums), Pihana Tahapehi (guitar), Johnny Tihirahi (bass), Reggie Rutene (percussion/vocals) and Kaupa McLeod (vocals). Billy TK is currently touring NZ but will leave for overseas later this year. Work in the US is likely as Billy TK is managed by Alan Goodman, owner of ‘One Step Up’ studios, Hollywood. Squeeze in Fanshawe Street is featuring moire bands. Headliners coming up are Tigers CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 DUNEDIN

New bands: first up Pipeline who are really an off-shoot of Hampton with the exception of North Islander Dave Westcott. Second Medium Wave who have been boasting "a fantastic female vocalist” feature guitarist Allan James (ex-Task and Hampton) and a Mr and Mrs Will Stockton. Last, Andy Coombe finally has a band on the circuit by the name of Scooter with Lloyd Wheeler (bass, exChasebank), Murray Williams (covals? ex-Ear Supply), Ross Walters (keyboards, ex-Trooper) and Bob Kennedy (drums, ex-Thoroughbred). Coombe is also playing occasionally with exShuffles Julian Finnerty and Richard Hall under the name of This Side Up.

Heavenly Bodies preparing original material for a Radio With Pictures video ... Rockylox have completed a clip for Ready to Roll. They are playing at Christchurch’s Aranui in the first two weeks of May.

Rumours of a Clean reunion in the Coronation Hall along with Bored Games and new band the Drones who have yet to go public ... the Stains seem to have disappeared. GEORGE KAY