Tina to forsake touring

Press, 10 February 1988, Page 24

Tina to forsake touring

NZPA-AAP Melbourne Tina Turner says she wrote her first book so she could I avoid talking about former hus- •• band, Ike, at press conferences. The success of that autobiography, “I Tina,” and of the “Mad Max III” movie has pro- - moted her to declare her pre- ” sent “Break Every Rule” tour her last. The so-called “grandmother of rock” — who actually is not a grandmother — told a press Z conference she would put aside ’ touring in favour of writing, science fiction movies and, she hopes, a life of high adventure. Although she will still make records and music videos when Z this tour ends next month, the woman the reviewers call sexy, hot, even sizzling, will be weeding her garden and waiting for - good film-script offers. “I want to do science-fiction and action-packed movies because I want to learn to work

the camera and get to know everything there is about acting, so if I can take the less serious roles ... it will be perfect for me to use it as a vehicle of learning,” Turner said. She said experience and lessons she had learnt in almost 30 years of touring could teach young people about the difficulties of the rock music business and would be the subject of her next book. “Then, I would like to write about some spiritual things I have been learning,” said the woman who has been a Buddhist for 14 years. She was a Baptist, but converted to Buddhism after deciding its philosophy of taking control of one’s life and making changes had much to offer. She is also a convert to homeopathic medicine: “I am sure I am much stronger because of that; I have not taken

an aspirin for the last seven years.”

Turner bounced into her press conference wearing a short black dress, black footless tights and low-heeled shoes and surprised no-one when she said turning 50 in November next year held no fears for her.

“I think the idea of the number is more frightening to a lot of people than the physical aspect,” Turner said.

She refused to discuss Aboriginal rights, saying: “I don’t like to really get involved in politics at the moment.” She also dislikes discussing Ike, with whom she split in 1975, later alleging in her book he had physically abused her for many years. She is a professional and press conferences are part of the job. “It is part of the business,” Turner said.