Rumours

Rip It Up, Issue 116, 1 March 1987, Page 4

Rumours

Dunedin The expiration of the PEP schemes employing three fulltime workers at Chippendale House means the music/art venue will now be run on a voluntary basis. Anyone wanting to help out or use the house’s facilities, ring 770-412 or write to P 0 Box 1742, Dunedin. Regular film evenings are now on the Chippendale agenda. Three hundred people attended the recent Chills gig there. Plans for an overseas foray by the Verlaines this year may have to be redirected following Graeme Downes decision to pursue a doctorate in music at Otago University ... Look Blue Go Purple will record live favourite 'I Don’t Want You Anyway’ and play farewell gigs in April before disbanding.

Meanwhile all-women bands the Delawares and Cassandra’s Ears have both been sussing out QE2 grants for recording... a new Bats video by expatriate Pat O’Neil has been rejected by Sydney televison for being “too dischordant.” Strange ... Straitjacket Fits are working on four-track demo tapes with Terry Moore in preparation for the recording of a debut EP at Auckland’s Lab studios next month.

Former Bird Nest Roy Dom Stone and keyboardist Christine Voice have joined Peter Gutteridge and Alan Haig in the

Phromes ... the Moon will record in Auckland during their Orientation tour ... with student radio back, Radio One has moved into new buildings complete with revamped eight-track recording fa-

cilities ... Strawberry Studios, meanwhile, plan to go from eight to 16-track this year... hailing from Port Chalmers and brand new are the Dead C, featuring Michael Morley (guitar, vocals) Bruce Russell (guitar) and Verlaine Robbie Yeats on drums. The Cartridge Family Christchurch While the music scene in Christchurch suffers from a bad case of general apathy, there are a few stirrings that indicate better times ahead. The Playroom is organising a battle of the bands-type event for late March, with prizes probably being a trip for the winning band, recording time, etc. Anyone interested phone John at 522-270... Running Promotions will be booking the Playroom on Monday and Tuesday nights and look like basing themselves at Mike Waldeigrave’s Soundman office.

Prodigies have lost bass player Mike Smith, who has moved to Wellington. Lighting technician for the band Alan Clark (ex-Southern

Front) will take Mike’s place ... Audio Access are definitely struggling to stay open. Everything may rest on the studio’s compilation album that should be out soon.

While taking a break various Dance Exponents are holidaying in Christchurch. Jordan has got together a covers band, Jordan and the Argonauts; Eddie is looking for a band, and Chris is jamming with Anton Jenner. Anton’s ex-Wastrel partner Peter Cooke (now based in Auckland) has got together with Nick Crowther (exPrime Movers) and they are hoping to get some material recorded soon.

Bands worth keeping an eye on at the moment include Boy (resident at Blenheim Rd), Verve (recording at Audio Access) and the Jay Clarkson band Breathing Cage... Rhythm Agents have split, as have the McGoohans, who have splintered into various other bands.

On a sad note, Christchurch’s best lighting technician Greg “Bags” Hickman died in early February after a short illness. Bags had been based in Sydney where he had been making his name touring with the likes of the Divinyls, the Church and the Hoodoo Gurus. Our condolences to his family. Bags will be sorely missed. John Greenfield

UK & USA Topper Headon appeared in court recently charged with supplying heroin. He was released on bail ... Wang Chung’s video for ‘Everybody Have Fun Tonight,’ banned by the BBC because its editing techniques might cause epilepsy, has been nominated for several video awards, including best editing and special effects...

Siouxsie and the Banshees have released an album of cover versions, including Iggy’s ‘The Passenger,' Dylan’s ‘This Wheel’s on Fire,’ Billie Holiday’s 'Strange Fruit' and the Doors’ ‘You’re Lost Little Girl.’

Frankie GTH are giving away condoms with their single Watching the Wildlife.’ "They absolutely recommend the use of condoms throughout all forms of love-play,” said a spokesman ... Chicago bluesman Willie Dixon, seen on the Grammys recently, received an out-of-court settlement from Led Zeppelin, after he claimed their

‘Whole Lotta Love' ripped ocff his 1962 song ‘You Need Love’... Lew Lewis, R&B singer for Stiff Records, goes to court soon charged with holding up a post office... Husker Du’s manager and close friend, 24-year-old David Savoy, died after jumping from a bridge in Minneapolis. “I don't believe AIDS is the wrath of God,” says born-again Sylvester, “people have a tendency to blame everything on God”... the Streetsounds label, home of hip hop in Britain, has folded ... the third Razorcuts single has been released on Flying Nun in Britain. They share a bill with the Chills and Ed Keupper in London on March 19 ... Michael Jackson, who refused permission for the Beastie Boys to cover the Beaties ‘l’m Down,’ has allowed the Fat Boys to cover ‘Baby You’re a Rich Man’ ... Dennis Edwards has reportedly rejoined the Temptations.

North Now a five-piece, Soul on Ice will go on a short national tour to promote their ‘Summer Love’ single, followed in April by school lunchtime concerts in Auckland... Chrome Safari recently gave some slick performances at Wild Life, assisted by Mockers Tim and Brett ... Australians Deadly Hume containing ex-Hunter and Collector Greg Perano play the Gluepot on March 19-21... IQU’s first live performances will be as support for Shriekback’s North Island gigs. Recording at Progressive recently have been Indigo Underworld for an EP, a Pop Mechanix demo, a Screaming Pope EP, and LPs for Ebony Sye and Jules Riding... Paul James after experience in Sydney and London, is building a rehearsal/recording studio to open this month offering PA hire, engineering, portastudio facilities and road management. Ph (09) 658-245. Gisborne’s F Star Records have released ‘Hick Hate,’ a Wasp Factory EP, send $4.99 to Mark Revington, 110 Stout St, Gisborne

... also from Gisborne comes The Captains, a fanzine with articles on Jesus & Mary Chain and why musicians leave town. Write Grant McDougall, 64a Russell St, Gisborne ... Neville Hall has left Peking Man, delaying their shift to Oz ... top LA jazz horn players Bill Reichenbach and Gary Grant play

the Gluepot with Rodger Fox Band on April 10 & 11 ... Helen, exParadox, is the new lead singef/keyboardist in Maya... Gary Verberne is playing with the Specific Band.

Skank Attack who played several Auckland gigs recently, have a debut EP out on Skank Records this month, plus When the Wind Blows, a compilation of eight Wellington bands... Wellington’s Ranchsliders have a six-track cassette out on Eelman, send $5 to Mosman, P 0 Box 1986, Wellington. In Palmerston Nth, Radio Massey have an ad in the Australian Pater awards, the first NZ student station to do so ... ex-Polar Bear bassist Robert Thirtle is now in Cement Garden, while drummer Lawrence Driscoll is now in Iceland Bars ... Fletch Jones are looking for a fourth member, phone Gerard (063) 66-381... the Sloths and Rex Rampart have disbanded ... out on Meltdown soon are Pterodactyls EP, ex-Crocodile Fane Flaws Australian LR and a Three Leaning Men LP ... Palmerston's Superliquorman wants to book touring bands, ph Peter Shepherd at (063) 71-682 ... a benefit for Dolphin studios is planned for March/April ... accolade’s to Sue Dempsey for Massey’s longest Orientation in years. Imahit Records plan to release a compilation of New Plymouth bands.shortly ... New Plymouth’s Pilcrow have self-released ‘Poetical Licence,’ send $3 to Mark Airlie, 20 Dawson St, NP... Whangarei holds a battle-of-the-bands type event on March 29, with S3OOO plus recording time to the winner. For details phone (089) 480-717, or write to Freepost 79, Box 773, Whangarei. Wellington’s Modern Bastards despondent after Eurythmics support fell through. But Jungle Mice scored the spot and were paid enough for 100 chocolate bars... new in Wellington are Acid Reign, China Blue, Microwave Babies ... Clyde Quay are taking bookings on (04) 845-498, ask for Bev... Putty in Her Hands have a debut EP entitled ‘Trick of the Light’... Robert the Record featuring the ? Fog crew available now ... Flesh D Vice have just completed new recordings and will support the Damned in Auckland in what may be the final appearance of their four-year-old lineup.