The very Latest RUMOURS

Rip It Up, Issue 10, 1 April 1978, Page 4

The very Latest RUMOURS

I’d like to be proven wrong, but there seems to be a lack of news from the Wellington live entertainment scene. Spatz are packing up their gear and moving through to Auckland ‘‘where there’s some work". They are continuing to write new songs and have hopes that the shift up north will also lead to a recording contract. The Flyers, Schtung! and Rough Justice are all in Auckland too, though Rough Justice were around for a series of dances

during varsity orientation. The Rodger Fox Big Band and the 1860 Band held a very successful concert a few weeks ago in the State Opera House to subsidise their trip through to the Tauranga Jazz Festival at Easter. Next in the way of live group performances are Hello Sailor on Wednesday 12th April in the Opera House it’s part of the national Students Arts Council tour and the first half of the show is to be by Night Music from Christchurch; Rockinghorse are also doing an Opera House concert on Sunday 16th April, and this should see the start of a series of good winter Sunday night shows. EMI are getting back into the local recording acts in a big way Dave Fraser has arranged and produced the Yandall Sisters single "Broken Hearted Melody" and it has come out all disco; Kim Hart’s "Changed Man" was written and produced by Mike Harvey as was the rest of her new album which will be released later on. They also have albums ready to go from Gray Bartlett, Mike Harvey and Jodi Vaughn. Bartlett produced Jodi’s album and she’ll be taking part in the Country Music Week at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville. Steve Gilpin and Fragments of'Time have put their punk single down under the name of Mysex, and that’ll be out soon before they leave for Aussie, and Rockinghorse are also currently putting tracks down at the EM I studios for a single. Lynne Attwood

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TV One have been in Auckland recently filming for Ready to Roll. Citizen Band, Chapman and White and Rick Steele are among these soon to be screened. Citizen Band are also on the Entertainers which screens April 9. They will be performing their new single "I Feel Good" . . . Schtung are doing demo tapes of new material and will be playing at the University Maidment Theatre, April 21st and 22nd . . . The remnants of the Country Flyers will be called the Flyers. They are working on a soundtrack for Skin Deep, a film produced by Geoff Stevens. The Country Flyers performed their last gig at the Hillcrest Hotel, Hamilton on March 25 . . . The Suburban Reptiles are playing Palmerston North this month so you farmers watch out for your daughters . . . Zwines, the new Auckland punk club (or gay/macho haunt if you're into decor) got off the ground with a sweaty night. Apologies, to the Headhunters who were turned away, but after all boys you did have frightful 8.0. . . . Watch out for the Tourists ... Paul Crowther is now drumming for Bamboo following the demise of Cinema . . . Diamond Dogs has reverted to disco. The obvious solution if you're an impatient promoter . . . Special announcement: This years winner of the ‘Grooviest Interior Design Award’ goes to the Windsor Castle Hotel, Auckland's sliding rock venue. Especially noted by the judge, Mr A. Holl, was the continued use of photos of the Society Jazzmen who used to be resident there six years ago . . . Eddie Rayner will be playing on Manzanera’s soon-to-be-recorded album. Mike Chunn is unable to fly over for the sessions as it is his son’s birthday soon . . . Shona Laing still hasn’t reached the top five in the singles charts in the U.K. Perhaps next year . . . Now that Split Enz have lost Chrysalis Records it is envisaged that their manager John Hopkins will be tossed into the Thames . . . Rumours that Tim Finn is joining a splinter group with members of Rush, Ted Nugent and Black Sabbath are untrue . . . Hello Sailor are working in several studios with different producers before deciding where they will record their next album. Their Student's Arts Council Tour, April 6-16, will include public concerts . . . Split Enz are going to record their next album at studios in Poland, Hungary, France, America (New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Atlanta), Australia, Cook Islands and India. They will then decide which of the eleven albums they prefer and then release that. The release date is at this stage predicted to be 1988.

L.B. Sands

Schtung play two dates at Auckland University’s Maidment Theatre on April 21 and 22. The band will be previewing material which they will be recording in May and June for inclusion on their second album. Schtung will also be playing concert dates in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Lunchtime concerts will be run on an occasional basis at the Maidment Arts Centre, Auckland University by Campus Arts North. These are free to the public and the first concert will feature Citizen Band on April 24 at Ipm. Later performances will feature Hello Sailor and Limbs. The Suburban Reptiles bass player Bones has decided to quit and form his own group The Assassins. Filling in with the Reps at the moment is Roland from The Stimulators. A workshop that will examine aspects of writing, arranging and recording songs has been arranged by Campus Arts North. It will be conducted by Dave Calder and will take place over the weekend of April 29 and 30. Further details can be obtained from Elizabeth Vanneveld do Auckland University Students Association. We all knew that Saturday Night Fever was going to be huge but already it’s bigger than . . . just about anything. While the Bee Gees hold the top spot on the NZ singles charts, the soundtrack album has entered the sales chart at Number 1. A feat that has been accomplished only once and that was by Neil Diamond’s Beautiful Noise. Rocking Horse, who have for many years been based in Wellington, are now believed to be moving to Auckland. Though they will be based in Auckland, they will begin work recording new material in EMl’s Wellington studios in early April. A new rock venue has been opened by the members of the band, Godley Head. Christened the Headquarters Rock Cafe and situated at 54 Upper Queen St, the Cafe will feature live music Wednesday to Saturday and rock movies on Monday nights. In addition to the music activities, the Cafe will operate as a coffeebar from 11 am each day. Featured groups so far have included Godley Head and Taylor Made. A special feature will be on Tuesday nights when new groups and solo artists will be able to play for door takings. Singer Mike Lesbian quit The Scavengers late last month but within three days the band was operating as a three-piece with bassist Ronnie Recent handling lead vocals. But a replacement lead singer is a possibility under consideration is the vocalist from Christchurch band, The Vandals. Schtung will not be playing the Royal International Hotel after the first two weeks of April. The band has been drawing large crowds to the Cascade Bar but bar have not been large and the hotel management has decided to replace Schtung with a disco.

The Force

Living Force are to leave New Zealand in mid April and move permanently to the Phillipines. The group havebuilta largefollowing throughout the country and recorded one album which was released by WEA. Guitarist Harvey Mann feels the NZ scene is apathetic and that the band is unappreciated here, so when an offer to work in the Phillipines arose, they leapt at the chance. Living Force see the Phillipines as a stepping stone on the way to Japan, one of the world’s largest markets for rock music. Living Force played two farewell concerts at the Island of Real at the end of March and are working on recording 5 or 6 songs before they leave, which may be used for a new LP for the Phillipines and possible NZ release.