RUMOURS

Rip It Up, Issue 40, 1 November 1980, Page 4

RUMOURS

George Kay

Wellington Big event of the last month was heats for the Radio Windy Battle of the Sounds. First heat saw Mockers beat Backstreet, Protons and Argosy. In the second, Subjects beat Syko Subs, Condemned Sector and Hot Spoons. In the third the Red bested Wallsockets, Innocent and Saboteurs. In the last Taste of Bounty were too much for Domestic Blitz, Raw Deal, Reply and Scanners. After Heat Three, posters appeared claiming the contest was fixed in favour of Subjects, and naming Phil O’Brien as villain. There were also anonymous telephone threats of violence. All-in-all a disgusting spectacle. Last Resort, under new management, and Willy’s are to reopen as venues for touring bands. With the current operators of the Rock Theatre (the Ratana Church!) allowing the use of the building as a rock venue on an ad hoc basis, the capital is back to a healthy state for venues Nite Site, formerly Slack Alice, is currently operating a new format which involves guest spots by rock acts. Lost and Found Dept ... Backstreet have parted with bassist Don Mackay, and may work in the meantime as a 3-piece with Chris West on bass ... Hot Spoons are again drummerless following the departure of Jim Newman ... Puppetz are back to full strength with guitarist Dave Berry and pressing on with plans for recording and touring in the new year. Steroids back for a couple of months ... Mockers single available now ... the Red’s disasters continue. Their new van lay down and died a day after purchase ... Rodents are steadying themselves for big tours December/ January ... Subjects have been recording demos at Sausage. New bands this month: Rose Bayonet, an heavy metal group with a quickly-gained following; and Reserves an R'n’B band who look suspiciously like last year’s the Ducks. The final of the Radio Windy promoted Battle of the Bands has been won by Taste of Bounty. The five piece band Roy Fuimoana (guitar), Kevin Hodgson (guitar), Elliot Fuimoana (bass), Mahia Samvuals (vocals) and Tai Fuimoana (drums) played an all original set combining elements of guitar flash heavy rock, sixties soul, and contemporary funk. Bounty simply had too much polish for other finalists. The Red, the Subjects and the Mockers, the latter having been effectively sunk by technology gremlins. The special prize for the best original song went to Greg McKenzie of the Subjects for ‘Book Theatre’. Les Crew Christchurch Androidss are recording several tracks for possible single release. New titles are 'Maddest, Gladdest, Man In The World’, ‘Labels’ and ‘Gorgar’... Newtones plan to record a single or an EP. Likely tunes are Tony Peake's ‘Christchurch Part 2’ or Mark Brooks’ ‘Drive Me To Tears’. After sound problems at Cave Rock Gutterband are now resident at New Brighton Tavern ... Heatwave at Jellie Park, November 30, will feature Crocodiles, Pop Mechanix and Newz ... Doodles will now open at 10pm and not open on Sundays. Zero Bars are new ... Brent Williams (ex Jet) as joined the Hoovers ... the Cowboys are selling speakers, horns and a few amplifiers. See them at the Carlton ... Narcs may do stint althe Aranui when the Newz tour. The Newz definitely leave for Australia in February. Playing with Alan Park are Leigh Perry, Martin Copeland and Paul Parkhouse ... Road Angel thunder into the Gladstone Nov 26-29 ...

the new Comics line-up will debut late November. A North Island tour will start in February ... coming to town soon are Crocodiles, Coup D’Etat, Airstrike and Blam Blam Blam. The British in Lyttleton are booking new bands. For details phone Alan Park 287-350. JW Dunedin Line-up changes: Wayne Elsie, bassist, has left Bored Games and is replaced by Terry Moore. The band won a hundred dollars first prize in a recent Kaikorai Valley High School talent quest judged by Roy Colbert ... the Drones under the influence of guitarist Lee Wood, have changed their name to Satan’s Children. Drummer Brent Alexander has left the band but is replaced by ex-Same member Paul Baird. Broken Models, with ex-Lear Jet and Tibet members, made a promising debut at the Hatchcover. They could fit into the void left by the demise of the Heavenly Bodies ... another new band Bootleg has been formed, with ex-Velvet people, Will Stockman and his wife, and guitarist Stan Powley. Mother Goose keyboards’ player Steve Young is in town drafting new members for his own band before he returns to Australia in January to record another Mother Goose album which, apparently, will be under the auspices of another record company. Andy Coombe has relinquished his positon with This Side Up because he has too many commitments with Scooter but ex-Shuffle Steve Finnerty has joined as well as Richard Hall and ex-Pipeline Dave Wescott. The Knobz whose single ‘Culture’ was on their own Bunk label will be returning to EMI to record a new single this month.

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