Thorogood Blues

Rip It Up, Issue 18, 1 December 1978, Page 13

Thorogood Blues

George Thorogood and The Destroyers Stockade George Thorogood is a white American kid from Wilmington, Delaware, who's sort of a throwback. He plays blues. Not blues-based rock music, not slick urban shuffles, but stone blues, circa 1955, electrified country blues, like Elmore James and John Lee Hooker. He first began to contemplate a music career after seeing John Hammond Jr in 1970, and there is more than a passing similarity to his hero, who is also an acknowledged favourite of Rory Gallagher.

Thorogood's reputation has been spread by the likes of Nick Lowe. Lowe’s comment was, "He’s just one of those guys you get a feeling about you think, ‘‘Yeah, he’s got it.” He’s got it alright. A slurring snarl over a bitch of a beat, searing slide guitar, and a stomp it to the bricks approach that doesn’t quit. His debut album, George Thorogood and the Destroyers fully endorses the hearsay. The ferocity of the opening cut, Earl Hooker’s “You Got to Lose”, will rock you in your socks.

Thorogood has mastered the whine of the Elmore James bottleneck style and he includes two of James’ pieces. “Madison Blues” is done to a turn, the “dance” style lyrics being more suited to Thorogood’s punky slur than James’ tense wheeze. James’ “Can’t Stop Lovin’ ” is also rendered admirably. The show stopper on the album is an elongated (eight and a half minutes) version of John Lee Hooker’s jivey “One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer.” It's maybe a mite long, but Thorogood’s got the humour to carry it through. His affection for fifties R&B is displayed in Bo Diddley’s “Ride On Josephine.” It’s a long time since anyone dared work out the old “shave and a haircut” rhythm. To use a favourite expression of Diddley’s, the album’s a “pumper.” To close the record, Thorogood trots out a slide guitar workout, “Delaware Slide”, a real bag of tricks showstopper.

The Destroyers are a small unit, just guitar, bass and drums, but it’s a one-man show. The drummer’s okay and the bass player no more than adequate, but Thorogood doesn’t need them. His careering energy drags along the other two (Jeff Smith on drums and Billy Blau, bass), but there is a certain bareness here and there on the record.

While he’s an ace on electric guitar and has a sure touch on acoustic, Thorogood’s two acoustic numbers, Robert Johnson’s “Kind Hearted

Woman” and the traditional “John Hardy” (featuring Dylanish harmonica) lack authority. Both sound prim and a little fussy, worlds away from the ginmill swagger of of his band songs. He’s the hottest white bluesman since Johnny Winter came out of Texas, but Thorogood’s decision to work in a relatively esoteric field may keep him from the wider audience. Of course, what the future holds for Thorogood remains to be seen. He’s young (barely 20, according to some sources, but there is confusion) and plays with an uncompromising energy uncommon in any age, let alone the soporific seventies. He leaves the notes ringing in the air, this boy, and if his rhythm section could foot it with him this debut album could have been as good as anything you ever heard. As it is, it's just short of brilliant, A real mutha. Ken Williams Steel Pulse Handsworth Revolution Island Handsworth, Birmingham, is the home of Steel Pulse. The roots are African, the upbringing is, of necessity, British. Steel Pulse make reggae music that melds the two influences into

something very potent indeed. Handsworth Revolution is a milestone in music, since it establishes a sound that is both black and British. What it lacks in raw energy that can only come from Trenchtown, it makes up for in its relation to its surroundings; terraced homes, allotments, fish and chips, betting shops. The debt that Steel Pulse owe to the Wailers manifests itself in lead singer David Hinds, whose phrasing and delivery strongly recall Marley. This is not criticism, since what this world needs is more vocalists who can emote in the same way as Ras Bob. Hinds can move just as profoundly, at his best. But don’t go expecting another Natty Dread here. Steel Pulse aim for the head, rather than the feet. Rhythm is not neglected, but it takes repeated listenings to appreciate the strong points of this album. Lyrically, Steel Pulse recall Gil Scott Heron and other musical philosophers. They have a strong Biblical message and while their Rasta faith comes across strongly, they manage to avoid cliches adroitly. Their melodies etch themselves on the brain very easily, with Hinds’ superb vocals emphasising their strength Ace producer Karl Pitterson does his thing with inimitable style, stamping Quality' all over this disc, and making it well worth everyone’s time. Duncan Campbell

Dire Straits Dire Straits Vertigo Formed last year by brothers Mark and David Knopfler, Dire Straits have since attracted considerable attention, particularly around London, for their brand of laidback confederate rock. When anger and aggression were drawing record contracts guitarist Mark Knopfler was writing J.J. Cale influenced songs and playing his Stratocaster as if the so called new wave didn’t exist.

On this their debut album Muff Winwood has been unjustly criticized for his over clean production and subdued mixing of David Knopfler’s rhythm guitar. The album has its faults but they don’t lie in the production, they lie instead in the weakness of the songs on the first side which can boast only the snappy “Down to the Waterline” and the brooding bluesy “Six Blade Knife” as effective tracks Side Two is a different story; beginning with their anthem “Sultans of Swing” which proves they are just that, Dire Straits led by Mark Knopfler’s Dylanish vocals and tasteful restrained guitar breaks, cruise through “In the Gallery” reggae-style and pay homage to John Martyn with the smoky vocal delivery of the great “Wild West End”. Mark Knopfler deserves to make it for this track alone.

With Knopfler’s potential song writing ability and talent for wry lyrics the next Dire Straits album should be the realisation of the promise present on this debut. George Kay

Dion Return of the Wanderer Lifesong Dion DiMucci is one of rock’s survivors. He has been at the top (with and without the Belmonts), and at the bottom, has beaten heavy drug problems, and has beenversatileenoughto challenge changes in musical fashions. After forays into blues, folk-balladeering and a one-off collaboration with Phil Spector, Dion’s wheel has turned full circle. The greatest Wop Doo-Wopper returns to street pop, the sound of the city in heat. So many early rockers still treading the boards are almost pathetic figures living in the fading glow of long ago success. Here Dion shows that like his artistic godson, Bruce Springsteen, he was born to run. The album includes the superb “looking back” fantasy, “Midtown American Main Street Gang,” as evocative of street corner singing and subway echo as anything you’ll hear. He also does Tom Waits’ “Heart of Saturday Night,” Dylan’s “Spanish Harlem Incident” and

the Spoonful’s “Do You Believe in Magic?” (I'd like to hear Dion tackle “Summer in the City”). The other songs are Dion’s compositions, written with members of his seamless Streetheart Band (kudos to Lee Foy for his heartbreak saxophone). The bitter-sweet “(I Used to be a) Brooklyn Dodger" says it all I Used to be a Brooklyn Dodger But I ain't a hitter anymore You know I had a reputation I loved to hear the home crowd roar

I’m happy to say The Wanderer is well and truly back. Ken Williams Santana Inner Secrets CBS An old Zombies song recently proved Santana’s first top 20 single in five years so it’s understandable that more gems of yesteryear should be sought for repolishing. Here material from the Four Tops, Classics IV, Traffic and Buddy Holly is given that smooth, straightforward treatment, continuing the band’s aim at mass accessibility. Devadip’s guitar is less dominant now. Those sustained single-note lines are still present but often it is Greg Walker’s singing which characterizes the sound. (His similarity to Steve Winwood is emphasized by the inclusion of two numbers Winwood has recorded.) Production is no longer under Santana’s control but in the veteran hands of Lambert & Potter, a team with a reputation for making jaded or specialist acts sound commercial. The duo also contributes half the song-writing. It seems the leader (and only original member) has submerged his role in the interests of popular success. Yet it would be simplistic to regard Inner Secrets as a sell-out. The possibility of spiritual interplay with Mahavishnu no longer exists and the Caravanserai has long since passed by. Santana has become a soulful, somewhat laidback band seeking hits. On the strength of the performances here it deserves them. Peter Thomson

Peter Tosh Bush Doctor

Rolling Stones Records

Bush Doctor is Peter Tosh’s third album since his departure from the Waiters and his first for Rolling Stones Records. For the Stones it’s a particularly good omen, as Bush Doctor is thoroughly excellent and represents their label’s first major acquisition. Peter Tosh is quite outrageous, Rasta sophisticated, literate and a true roots musician and songwriter. He now has to be the leading contender for the heavyweight crown of Bob Marley.

Bush Doctor, produced by Robbie Shakespeare and Jagger/Richards as the Glimmer Twins, features Keith’s guitar on several cuts and Jagger on vocals for the single “Don’t Look Back”. (Tosh supported the Stones on their recent American tour as the cover, Tosh is such a spunk girls’, testifies). To cut it short, Bush Doctor creates just the right ambience Rolling Stones association, Tosh in great voice, some of the best musicians currently playing, great songs an unreserved buy.

Now if only the Stones will pick up Culture and Winston Rodney. Rasta fari! Roger Jarrett

Rod Stewart Blondes Have More Fun Warner Bros It’s getting hard to remember but there was a time when Rod Stewart was an important songwriter. But more and more Stewart today has defined his territory and refuses to move

outside. The titles of most of the songs here make his stance clear combination stud and hooker on "Da Ya Think I’m Sexy”, "Attractive Female Wanted” and "Dirty Weekend” and heart-broken fool on "Ain’t Love a Bitch”, “Is That the Thanks I Get” and "The Best Days of My Life”. Yet while his taste for innovation may have disappeared, Stewarts melodic gifts have not deserted him. Many of the most lightweight songs here still ride along on attractive melodies. And there are successes: the venomous, Dylanesque "Is That the Thanks I Get”, the rocking "Blondes Have More Fun” and the flashes of humour on “Attractive Female Wanted” where Rod confesses “I may not be Warren Beatty or Muhammed Ali” and that "All of my family think I’m gay”. But there are unforgiveable lapses too. A totally hamfisted version of the Four Tops’ “Standing in the Shadows of Love” and the rowdy, plodding rock'n'roll of "Dirty Weekend” expose the deficiencies of Stewart’s band. In the end though it’s inevitable that the constant publicity given to Stewart as the carousing playboy of the Western world (publicity which Stewart exploits in his songs and on the cover of this album) colours one’s reaction to Blondes Have More Fun. But to me, what once was affecting now seems affected, and what once was natural seems to have developed into a pose. Alastair Dougal

Kate Bush Lionheart EMI Kate Bush is the latest in a long line of unusual vocal stylists (no-one has commented how similar her style is to that of Linda Lewis) and the new album shows explorations of new territory only hinted at in the first album, The Kick Inside.

Her range as a songwriter is impressive—the single "Hammer Horror" is a reggae as only Kate Bush could conceive it, and "Coffee Homeground” is a strongly Weill-influenced song, inspired by meeting a taxi-driver who told the lady of the many and various plots on his life. These stand against other songs such as "Fullhouse” or "Symphony in Blue" which are lusher in style, or "Kashka from Baghdad” which uses a range of exotica from strumento da porco, mandocello, panpipes and joanna strumentum in its backing. The title song, "Oh England my Lionheart” is Kate’s contribution to boost Britain’s ego, and is a dramatic pastorale after "Don’t Push Your Foot on the Heartbrake” which is quite a rocker on its own terms.

Probably one of the best albums of the year. Give it a listen. William Dart Chicago Hot Streets CBS

Would it be altogether too morbid to suggest that the untimely demise of guitarist Terry Kath

has injected new vigour into Chicago? Since their first album nearly ten years ago the group has slipped steadily into a middle-of-the-road bland-out. What once seemed innovatory became convention and finally cliche.

No doubt Kath’s death led to some reassessment on the part of the band’s other members. They appear to have determined to stick with the highly rewarding Chicago formula yearning ballads, often with unspeakable lyrics, set in backgrounds so tight as to verge on the mechanical, punctuated by their signature horn arrangements but here, too, is a vitality Chicago seems to have lacked for a long time. To play with a new member guitarist/vocalist Donnie Dacus may also have provided new challenge. After all, the personnel remained unvarying (percussionist Laudir de Oliveira joined in 1974) from the beginning.

Dacus is a deft guitarist and seems quite capable of filling Kath’s chair. His singing is unexceptional, but he manages to invest "Ain’t It Time” with a fire that has scarcely touched Chicago since they re-worked Stevie Winwood’s “I’m A Man" on their debut album.

"Alive Again”, the first single from the album, is prophetically titled. It’s the same old Chicago but here they’re driving, not taking a back seat. Ken Williams

Lou Reed ‘Velvet Underground’ Patti Smith Group ‘Set Free’ Arista (12” and 45rpm singles) These two special releases courtesy of EMI are designed to be turned up louder than man or . dog was designed to tolerate, so you can take full advantage of the extra textra of the sound due the groove having more room to, like, move. And that’s great! One of them features Lou’s “Street Hassle” from his last album running all down one side, and when Bruce comes in for his bit it’s like having the future of rock sitting on the end of your bed. The Velvets’ stuff is well if it were up to me to pick two tracks one of them would have been "Waiting For My Man” and it’s here in all its ultimate garage band glory. “Venus In Furs” is the other and who’s going to complain? The Patti Smith record has “Privilege” and “Ask The Angels” from her second and third albums, a live recording of “25th Floor” which starts-out warm and builds into a firestorm, and a poem called Babelfield which sounds okay to me (how the hell would I know). If these sound like your cup of meat you can buy ’em both in the record shops of our nation today. Terence Hogan

Dave Edmunds Hot Tracks on Wax 4 Swan Song Like the title says this is Dave Edmunds’s fourth solo album proper and like its predecessors it shows how a Welshman has mastered :he art of producing and performing the various facets of fifties rock 'n' roll without leaving the confines of his Monmouthshire Rockfield studios.

Nick (if it’s worth listening to it’s worth nicking) Lowe who wrote the classic “I Knew the Bride” for Edmunds's last album Get It, weighs in with the humorous “Television” and a superfluous yet-another-version of “Heart of the City” identical to the one on his Jesus of Cool album. Cheap trick, but all is forgiven on the two Lowe/Edmunds collaborations, “What Looks Best on You” a country ballad probably inspired by their involvement with Carlene Carter, and “Deborah" full of teenage wetdream drama which begs to be a single. There’s plenty of convincing Edmunds rockin’ out, the best being guitarist Billy Bremner's “ Trouble Boys” and Chuck Berry's “It’s My Own Business”. Not even Chuck Berry does Chuck Berry as well as Dave Edmunds. Edmunds has held fast to the essence of rock ’n’ roll ever since his breakthrough single in 1970 “I Hear You Knocking”. You don’t have to drag our your old fifties 45’s or put up with unimaginative album compilations of that era when Edmunds can deliver the whole deal with so much verve and dedication. Bringing you the spirit of the fifties today. George Kay

Weather Report Mr Gone CBS A friend of mine has this theory that every 3 or 4 albums Weather Report's music reaches a stylistic synthesis of the best ideas they'd previously picked up along the drive for progress. Thus Sweetnighter was the culmination of the early work and last year’s Heavy Weather brought together the various strands of the prior three albums.

Accordingly Mr Gone should mark a new beginning, yet much of it seems familiar The first track has those “African tribal’ influences that stem back through "Black Market" to "Nubian Sundance." Harmonically the album offers nothing new. although Zawinul generally employs harsher voicings than las time. There are changes though Latinized percussion has been forsaken for orthodox drumkit (courtesy of. among others, Tony Williams, Shorter's old colleague from the Miles Davis days.) Perhaps there are a few hints of new directions For example the beautiful "And Then” briefly utilizes guest vocalists Maurice White and Deniece Williams Also the album is less tightly organised than its predecessor, allowing some blowing to stretch out But I guess it's too early to say if Mr Gone fits my friend's theory suffice that, while everyone should own Heavy Weather, Mr Gone is more an album for devotees of the contemporary musical forecast. Peter Thomson

Rodger Fox Big Band Time Piece Ode Records Time Piece is the band's third album and best

yet. As in the past, the scores are divided between the use of established big band charts, rearrangements of familiar tunes and original material. You don’t have to be a jazz fan to appreciate the band’s live performance; with fourteen brass instruments riffing, filling the room, the effect is exhilarating. However, without the magic of the moment to stun the senses, the flaws and limitations become apparent here. The cuts themselves veer toward MOR and Fox tends to overuse the full ensemble, sometimes at the cost of individualism. Rodger's influences appear to be Ferguson, Herman, Rich and other white American band leaders; there’s no trace of the Jones/Lewis and Bolan/Clarke bands who take a more adventurous approach to big band jazz. These complaints aside, there’s enough here to encourage the band to continue. The fivepiece rhythm section ranks with any in the land and the brassmen have some great soloists, particularly Fox himself on trombone, Colin Hemmingsen, tenor, and Tony Noorts, alto. The band wouldn’t create any big ripples on the international scene but they do make a valuable contribution to NZ music and deserve the public’s support. John Dix

Elton John A Single Man Phonogram Well, Reggie Dwight’s first album for a wee while, and a rather mixed bag, As Rolling Stone once commented about a James Taylor album, if it hadn’t been by James Taylor, it wouldn’t even cause a slight ripple in the New Records pool.

Elton has a new lyricist in Gary Osborne whose way with words is a little less intense

than Mr Taupin, but there is still a glimmer of the old Taupin Americana in "Georgia". And "Madness" is just a little embarrassing in its catchpenny apocalyptics. On the musical side, some of the songs dither a little. “Georgia” makes very little impact, “Song for Guy” is a trek back into "Funeral for a Friend” territory, and "Return to Paradise” is a sort of tame calypso number. On the credit side, "I Don’t Care” sounds like Norrie Paramor on speed but is burdened by sub-Hair rhetoric. “Shooting Star” has a relaxed jazzy feel, and “Big Dipper” is Elton’s first overtly gay song about picking up sailors and eyeing big dippers . . . William Dart

Jethro Tull Bursting Out Chrysalis I suppose it was inevitable that a band as long established as Anderson and employees should feel the necessity to join the ever-growing ranks of artists issuing double live albums. Ever since Frampton’s ridiculously successful Comes Alive the double live album has become the commercially accepted means of conveying a live concert, yet very few acts can sustain interest over four sides of. vinyl. Bursting Out fails even to arouse interest and instead accentuates the redundancy of Jethro Tull in the current rock scenario. At best it captures Anderson’s partially successful' flirtations with folk-rock especially in “Hunting Girl”, but "The Whistler” should have been included as an example of his best foray into this idiom. Old chestnuts “Sweet Dream” and “It’s a New Day Yesterday” sound as good as they ever did and serve to remind us how original Anderson was before he became infatuated with concepts and rock music as art. The decline started on Aqualung, three tracks from which occupy the fourth side of Bursting Out and although they are well performed they have failed to survive as

songs. It’s about time that Anderson realised that creatively he has reached an impasse and that Tull is nothing more than an anachronistic old warhorse. Too old to rock and roll, sure, too young to retire, never. George Kay

Frank Zappa Studio Tan Reprise After twelve years Zappa is in danger of being institutionalised as rock’s resident cult figure. A familiar name to rock fans, he has however failed to capture their mass support. Enjoying brief commercial success with a more accessible rock format in the early seventies, he has since returned to the elitist music forms (with influences ranging from Satie and Varese to Coleman and Dolphy) which his cult followers prefer. Zappa has said that each of his albums forms part of the whole. Studio Tan supports this with familiar characters and musical passages popping up, strengthening the esoterica of his music. You either like the man or not anyone with more than four of his albums is likely to own the complete 23 record set; thus appreciating the recurring themes. This record has arrived with no info so one has to guess the sidemen. Recognisable is ex-Mother Roy Estrada amongst others; Ruth Underwood is present as always while Zappa himself plays as impeccably as ever. The trademarks are all here rising arpeggios, polyrhythms and intricate time signatures. Studio Tan won’t place Zappa back in the superstar bracket but the converted won't be disappointed. John Dix RIP IT UP No. 18 December 1978 Postal Address PO Box 5689. Auckland 1 Editor Alastair Dougal Ads & Design Murray Cammick Thanks to Daryl Sambell for assistance in getting the David Bowie interview and photographs. Rip It Up is typeset by City Typesetters and printed by Putaruru Press.