SMALLSTUFF LRB & Split Enz for Nambassa

Rip It Up, Issue 18, 1 December 1978, Page 2

SMALLSTUFF LRB & Split Enz for Nambassa

Neil Young's never been one to take the conventional route when there's a less wellbeaten track offering and his just-completed U S. tour has run true to form on that score. Throughout the show oddball characters such as the Jawas from Star Wars (the small hooded scavengers from the film) wandered onstage to the bewilderment of the bulk of the audience. On the musical front Young presented a twohour show divided between an acoustic and electric set, the rock ’n’ roll segment being performed with Crazy Horse . . . Other West Coast weirdness: Jonl Mitchell recently played a concert in Berkley accompanied by Herbie Hancock. During the concert La Mitchell unveiled some of her new compositions based on melodies written by jazz bassist/composer Charles Mingus. One of these was Mingus’ well-known piece ‘‘Goodbye, Pork Pie Hat” . . . meanwhile Elliot Roberts, manager of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Crosby, Stills and Nash, has added to his stable those weirdos from Akron, Ohio, Devo . . . it’s now definite. Grace Slick has quit Jefferson Starship. To add to her troubles, Grace has been placed on two years probation for being publicly drunk while already on probation. She was warned by the court that she could be jailed if apprehended while publicly drunk again, furthermore she was ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous sessions and was not to leave California during the period of her probation ... I wonder if he still doesn’t want to go to Chelsea? Elvis Costello who railed against This Years Girl on his last album has lately been seen in the company of a lady who's a prime candidate for just such a title. Bebe Buell is the ex-wife of Todd Rundgren and companion of (draw deep breath) Rod Stewart, Jimmy Page, Keith Richard, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler (of Aerosmith) and John Oates, to name but several. Elvis is believed to be divorcing his wife. Also the boy’s new album is slated for release early next year. It’s rumoured that Elvis has set a tentative title of Emotional Fascism for the set. His record company are believed to oppose such a title . . . due for December release is Todd Rundgren’s new solo album the follow up to his most successful album in years, Hermit of Mink Hollow. The newie includes guest appearances from Stevie Nicks, Daryl Hall and John Oates and Rick Derringer. . . Todd is also set to produce the second album from Britain’s Tom

Robinson Band . . . also going into the studios is early sixties rock legend Del Shannon. He’s to be produced by Tom Petty and backing will be provided by Petty’s Heartbreakers but perhaps the most interesting feature of the project is that the album will include a song co-written by Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen . . . Tom Petty has also written the next single for Bonnie Tyler. It’s titled "Louisiana Rain” . . . while on the subject of producers Roy Thomas Baker is already set to produce the second Cars album and is currently working on a solo album with Ron Wood . . . Baker will also be working on the live album Queen are recording on their current US tour . . . also trekking round the States are Bruce Springsteen (his second tour of the States this year), Van Morrison (who’s just completed his first tour in a number of years) and the Rick Danko Band which now includes Gary Busey, star of the movie The Buddy Holly Story and recently seen here in the film Big Wednesday . . . another Band member Levon Helm confessed to one reporter that he’d like to see The Band functioning as a working unit

again but was content to "let things fall together” . . . meanwhile Helm’s RCO All Stars, which includes such luminaries as Duck Dunn and Steve Cropper, are preparing for a tour of Japan ... the latest Melody Maker Readers Poll either confirms how out-of-date that paper is, or how in touch with the masses. Their poll voted Genesis best band, best live act and best composers and arrangers, while Genesis’ Phil Collins took the best drummer award. Yes waltzed off with most of the other accolades: Steve Howe best guitarist, Rick Wakeman best keyboard player, Chris Squire best bass player and Jon Anderson best vocalist. Thin Lizzy took the best album award for Live and Dangerous, Gerry Rafferty took Best single with "Baker Street” and top female singer was Kate Bush . . . Yes, bless their benevolent macrobiotic hearts, have agreed to donate 10 cents from the sale of their single "Don't Kill the Whale” to Project Jonah . . . Pink Floyd are working on a new album which is tentatively titled The Wall and set for June release a film of the same name. The Floyd are planning a British tour for next year but as most venues there cannot hold the band’s 45 tons of equipment and 45,000 watt P.A., they’ve decided to take their own hall on the road. It comes in the form of an inflatable tent that holds 5000 and takes a day to erect . . . other ambitious tour plans include those of Mike Oldfield who plans to take 72 musicians on a European tour early next year. The tour will promote Oldfield’s first double album Incantations which was recorded at Oldfield’s home studio in Gloucestershire and features Oldfield playing most of the instruments included . . . Keith Richards, after his lenient sentence at the hands of the Toronto court, popped up at New York’s Bottom Line to play with Rockpile, the band that features both Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds. Rumour hath it that Richards will use Rockpile as backing band for the concert the court ordered him to give for the blind. It’s further rumoured that Nick Lowe could be producing the next Stones album . . . and while we’re on the subject of Stones’ rumours is it true that Mick Jagger and Robert Altman are to make a film together? . . .

Alice Cooper’s new album From the Inside tells the story of his alcoholism in songs as written by Cooper, Bernie Taupin and guitarist Dick Wagner. And-he-may-be-a-drunk-but-he’s-got-friends-in-high-places-dept: Alice Cooper has also just become an honorary memmember of the Hollywood Rotary Club ... the debut album by John Lydon (Johnny Rotten)'s band Public Image is set for December release in Britain. The group’s first concerts are set for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. When tickets for the two shows went on sale in London, the police were called in to keep order . . . The Motors second album Approved by The Motors is to be re-issued in Britain with a different cover. Seems the lads’ ugly mugs were putting prospective purchasers off, so a cover less likely to meet consumer resistance is to be used instead . . . new albums for The Clash and The Jam have been released in Britain. Both The Clash’s Give ’em Enough Rope and The Jam’s All Mod Cons have been received with ecstatic reviews. The Clash are set to perform a benefit concert to raise funds for Sid Vicious’ defence

. . Boney M, ever a group with an eye on the commercial main chance, have recorded their version of Harry Belafonte’s 1957 hit “Mary’s Boy Child” for pre-Xmas release ... a new Doors album featuring Jim Morrison is soon to be released. An American Prayer features several tracks from an album of poetry readings Morrison had recorded, to which Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore have added music. The album also includes a live version of The Doors’ "Roadhouse Blues”

. . . ex Sensational Alex Harvey Band guitarist Zal Cleminson has joined British hard rockers Nazareth bringing their strength up to five . . . Dylan's next album Live at the Budokan, as recorded on his South Pacific tour, is believed completed and ready for release ... a live album is also next from Bob Marley and the Wallers. Title: Babylon by Bus. . . Cat Stevens releases Back to Earth, his first album in almost two years . . . the newie from the Grateful Dead, Shakedown Street , is produced by Lowell George . . . ELP deliver Love Beach. Side two of this, their first toally collaborative effort in some year is taken up by a suite "Memoirs of an Officer and Gentleman” . . . the next Generation X LP is to be produced by lan Hunter ... a reformed Guess Who releases a single on ABC soon. However the group does not include either Randy Bachman or Burton Cummings . . Going into the studio soon are Stranglers' bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel to lay down a solo album . . . Eric Clapton’s back-up singer Marcy Levy Cheap Trick to put down their fourth album . . . Crazy Horse to be produced by Neil Young . . . and Warren Zevon whose album will be produced by Bruce Springsteen's manager and producer, Jon Landau . . . Consumer Warning: This is the last Rip It Up till February 1979. See you then . . .

After the success, both artistic and financial, of last year's Nambassa Festival, an even larger festival is planned on the same site for the 27, 28 and 29th of January 1979. Organiser, Peter Terry asserts that they learnt a lot from last year’s events and that the 79 organisation "will be ten times better’. Furthermore he says this will be the last Nambassa festival for three years.

The star musical attractions booked to appear over the weekend (and playing nowhere else at this time) are the Little River Band from Australia and Split Enz, home from Britain. It is also hoped to bring the Red Hot Peppers over from Australia. Local artists appearing include Golden Harvest, Schtung, Citizen Band, Rick Steele. Mahana and Living Force. In total thirty bands and solo acts are booked to appear, though a final, confirmed list of the additional artists appearing will not be available till January Ist.

In addition to the musical presentations on the main stage, at least 18 other musical/threatrical or children's acts will be featured on the main and the secondary stage. There will be twelve hours of music on each of the three days in three sessions morning, afternoons and evenings. All the musical events will be recorded and it’s hoped that a double album and film of the activities may result. But it was more than just music that made last year’s festival such a success. And once again the workshops and demonstrations, the religious groups and the village market’s craft stalls will make their contribution.

Tickets for the entire weekend will cost sl6 and admission for part of the time at a lesser rate will be available at the gate.