RUMOURS

Rip It Up, Issue 36, 1 July 1980, Page 4

RUMOURS

AUSTRALIA . Ronnie has left the Marching Girls. Des and John (who have written all but two of the band’s songs) intend to find a vocalist and a bassist to replace him. They did their last gigs just as Au-Go-Go Records released "True Love’T’First In Line”. The label is confident that it will sell over 1000 Marching Girls singles. In NZ the single will appear in pic sleeve on Propeller Records about mid-August. Ron’s starting a PIL-ish band. Toy Love have completed their debut album, with Todd Hunter producing, at .the EMI 301 Studio, Sydney. The four songs available in NZ now are not on the album. Track listing is "I Don’t Mind’’, “Swimming Pool", "Death Rehearsal", "Bride of Frankenstein", "Toy Love Song”, "Photographs of Naked Ladies" and "Bedroom". All that is on Side One. On two is "The Crunch", "Ain’t It Nice", "Cold Meat”, "Don’t Catch Fire", "Pull Down The Shades" and "Frogs”. Likely album title is Toy Love. Expect ’em in NZ for four weeks from August 5. The three piece Citizen Band is playing Sydney with eight new songs, a few covers and old CB numbers. Roland Kileen is doing some singing, including new song "Judy Are You Ready To Go Now". CB did Enz and Mental As Anything supports in July and will soon demo new material. Split Enz did their final Aussie gig for a while at the Melbourne Festival Hall. The under-18, budget priced gig drew a capacity crowd of 6,000. The band is currently rehearsing material with producer David Tickle. Later in the year they will tour UK & USA to promote True Colours and "I Got You". (August RIU will - publish details, of Split Enz’ official fan club 'FrenzOf The Enz’.) Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons left Oz July 4 on a promotional tour that will end in NZ on August 4 at Mainstreet, after they’ve played London, Montreux, Amsterdam and major US cities. His follow-up to Screaming Targets is out in Oz late July, it’s entitled Hats Off Step Lively ... touring Oz from July is Renee Geyer and backing band, the Ideals. New single is "Hot Minutes”, produced by LA man, Rob Frobroni ... new CBS Australia signing is Outline ... on Regular Records is amazing debut single from the Flowers titled "I Can’t Help Myself”. (A rockpop number.) THE CORPORATION CHRISTCHURCH Though rumours of a Hoovers split still persist, the band will be guesting with the Eels (Newz sans Simon 'Nodules’ Darke) at the Aranui ... speaking of Darke, he is resting the throat, appearing with the band at the weekends only. The Newz album is in the shops now, buy it. ..... John Halvorsen, ever optimistic Gordon, says the Gordons may well skip Auckland and go direct to London ... Alan Parke is away to LA. Will he guest on the next Linda Ronstadt album? ... Narcs guitarist, Garth Sincock will leave shortly to start a new band. Andrew Dickson will replace him ... ex-Newz soundman, Steve McNally is now sitting behind the Hoovers’ desk ... Fred Kramer, ex Vapour and the Trails soundman will work with Newtones ... new are Playthings, split are Plastic Impact ... John Purvis is settling in well with Comics. Christchurch’s own mod band, Pop Mechanix return here first week of August. Will "they drop the Bedford van in favour of Vespas? ... favourite longtime stayers, the Vauxhalls, look set to reform with John Perrone on guitar, Mark Brooks on bass and Martin Archbold on drums ... the Cowboys have settled into a semiresidency at the Carlton ... nearly famous entrepreneur, Martin McPherson, will stage a series of benefit nights to hopefully recover monfey lost at the last Brevet Club outing where. punters decided not to punt. Lollies execute the finest graffiti job we have seen. Perhaps the Features would be in front, if they hadn't been arrested in the act. JW DUNEDIN The Features had a hard time Dunedin. They were fired from the Cook they believe because manager Gary Reddington double booked them with Billy TK. Reddington maintains that he fired them because they drove the crowds away on Queen’s Birthday. Take your pick. That same week their university stint with the Clean and Bored Games was closed down by police because of underaged drinking on the

premises. Only the Clean managed to play a full set, the Features didn’t get to play at all. The following night they played in the South Dunedin Town Hall but the PA was messy and the crowd small. Not a memorable week. The Crocodiles pulled ’em in at the Sheraton but their sound was tinny. Fane Flaws said that’s always been their problem. The Mi-Sex concert left a trail of broken chairs, bad publicity and an anti-dance ban at the Regent. Some people are easily upset. Rockylox have changed their name to Knobz and have a single, "I Like It” out soon and the follow-up is ”Telepath”. Steve Gilpin has asked the band to support Mi-Sex in Australia during November-December sometime ... bassist John Pringle has left Le Contrebande and is replaced by Trevor Dacres (ex-Stillwater). The band who are now fully professional are on the verge of a South Island tour... Heavenly Bodies are planning a North Island tour at the end of the year and so are the Clean who are also planning to buy a new PA in the near future.

That’s all. GEORGE KAY

AUCKLAND

Crocodiles debut album Tears will be released in Australia on Stunn Records, a label distributed by Seven Records. New Crocodiles drummer is lan Gilroy of the Whizzkids.

Kim Hart has a hit in Australia with “Love At First Night”. It's 16 nationally (and climbing) and 4 in Sydney. Kim returns to Oz in August to complete an album for release prior to Xmas. Since recording the single in March, Kim has made three Countdown appearances and completed a three week tour to promote the single. Next single is a ballad “You’re The One” by Oz writer, Gary Page. The Swingers join Aussie rockers, the Sports on The Big Kiss-Off Tour of Aussie Pubs, from July 15 to-August 24. Then Swingers go to Perth and Sports tour tour NZ. "One Good Reason” will not be released in Oz but new tracks will be recorded in Australia. A Mushroom Records press release suggests that “the Swingers will be the best thing to come out of New Zealand since Split Enz.” By the way, Sports have a new drummer, Fred Strauks of the now defunct Skyhooks. New Sports material includes tunes written by Strauks. Ex-Primmer Cliff, and friends Steve and Jules are looking for a drummer. If interested phone 765-892 ... new and recording at Innovation Studios is Lix a four piece featuring ex members of P’zzazz and Torpedo. Surprise 45 for July is “I’m So Up”, a nifty little pop song (1976 vintage) written by Phil Judd and performed by ex-CBs, Greg Clark and Mike Chunn. The flip is a dub-and-a-half, a remix-up of the same number, entitled “I'm Souped”. The 45 is in a pic sleeve and on the CBS label. New band in town is the Survivors starring

guitarists Eddie Hansen and Harvey Mann and drummer Glen Absolum, all ex members of Living Force. They are managed by Joh Langereis, who published Pop Score ... Kommittee have recorded "Luxury Three” at Harlequin ... Trooper are looking for a vocalist and a bassist. If interested phone Hamilton 80431. Trooper play Mainstreet July 17-19 ... Auckland band Lip Service have just completed their first album. It’s on CBS Records. Entitled simply Lip Service, it was engineered and produced by Englishman Graham Myhre at the Mandrill Studios in Parnell. Every effort was made to maintain a clean live sound. The only additional instrument used, was an acoustic guitar, on some tracks. The twelve tracks, all originals, include older material such as "Eating Out”, "Rush Hour” and new tunes, "Elim N 8", "Cover Girl" and instrumental track, "Good Morning Jim". The band is supporting the Cure in all six centres. Auckland radio listeners will hear Lip Service live from Gluepot on July 24 on Radio Hauraki. The Valentinos have demoed six Paul Robinson songs at Harlequin Studios. New guitarist is ex-Sniper Simon Lynch. Original Valentinos guitarist, Gary Havoc, has reformed his Hurricanes. The line-up is Gary, Dale Combes

(bass) and Peter van Gent (drums). Last gig for Whizzkids is as support to the Ramones at Logan Campbell Centre. Dick Driver has left Pop Mechanix and it is thought that Andrew Snoid of Whizzkids may join the Mechanix . Techtones support Ramones in Wellington and play Last Resort July 24-27. Both Propeller Records 45s hit the sales charts. The Features got to number 32 and the Mistakes made it to 29. The Features will soon record a second single for,Propeller ... meanwhile expect the Spelling Mistakes / Whizzkids Ripper Records single soon. Ripper plans to release 45s by Red Mole and Marilyn Waring. The National MP will record John Lennon’s "Working Class Hero” ... out now is Dave McArtney’s first single, "Virginia” / "Lonesome Old Star" (Polydor)... Coup d’Etat have recorded four tracks at Marmalade Studios, produced by Steve Robinson and engineered by lan Morris. First single out in August and album in September ... Flight X-7 are recording a new single, "Waiting For The Red Light". Top Scientists have recorded four demos at Harlequin Studios ... Tigers are currently touring with Jon English. The band have been signed to EMI in Australia, though "Red Dress” may not be the first single release. The Tigers were pleased with EMI Australia’s remix of "Red Dress” ... by the way, Andy Yavasis from NZ EMI is now Label Manager for Capitol, UA & EMI-America in Australia ... ex-Ponsonby lawyer Stephen Dudding and Bruce Kirkland (ex-NZSAC & Evans-Gudinski) are in America setting up Stiff Records USA. Neil Young film Rust Never Sleeps hits your town soon. July 25 it opens Hamilton, Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Gisborne and Hastings. Other centres get the flick in August ... there is an exhibition of rock’n’roll photos at Closet Artists’ Gallery, 520 Queen Street, starting August 18 ... the Windsor Castle has got a new stage, lighting facilities and a genuine dance floor. (Toy Love must be playing there.) Street Talk manager Brian Jones told RIU that Street Talk cancelled final dates on their Battleground of Fun tour, to go to the Rip It Up birthday party. Hammond’s ill health was incidental. Anyway, the lad has recovered and Street Talk plug live-to-air from Mandrill Studios on July 13. Their new single, "Feminine Minds" (written by Andy MacDonald) is out now ... Rip It Up third birthday party with the Swingers at XS was a ripper... by the way, RIU is looking for a new Wellington 'Rumours’ writer. Write to Rip It Up, P.O. Box 5689, Auckland 1, if you are interested.

THE CORPORATION