Letters

Rip It Up, Issue 23, 1 June 1979, Page 18

Letters

POST LETTERS TO RIU PO BOX" 5689, AUCKLAND 1. While watching TV recently, my ears were numbed to hear Tracy on Good Time Sounds speak of Cheap Trick as a new band, "just formed”. That, plus two Olivia Newton-John Specials and a recent John Denver Special has ended with my distrust of TV music policy. Congratulations to Dr Rock on Radio With Pictures for sticking to his guns, and letting some people know that new wave does exist, even though it has caused programme organisers to place it in a late slot. Please note that Ready to Roll disco zombies get the choice spot of the evening. Ready to Roll makes me ready-to-chuck. K.Barry Tauranga P.S. Somebody tell TV about us! In May Auckland Rumours column there is piece about Toy Love in New Plymouth and bottles that were thrown at them on Saturday night. The thing is only one or two bottles were thrown, the rest of the audience on all four nights really enjoyed Toy Love, and would have them here a lot more often if we could. That little piece of writing could be just enough to stop any more good bands coming down here, and we don’t want that. More Toy Love please. Brian Wafer New Plymouth Dear Rip It Up (except Kay and Tannock) My friend and I work in a factory. It’s boring. We saw Toy Love about a month and a half ago. Since then we’ve filled in time discussing

their virtues, without hesitation, deviation or repetition. We’re still going strong. Toy Love are alone in NZ in doing original songs of such brilliance and melodic intensity that they are a world-class band. If the rest of the world don’t know it, that’s their stiff cheese. _ “No pacing” whine Dunedin's answer to Parsons and Burchill. True, it’s rock'n'roll from start to climax, no shit added, adrenalin music right through. If you can’t take it, go listen to Supertramp. The Big T Christchurch I wonder why Dominic Free should write such a good review for your magazine about Electrabeat. Could it be that guitarist (Ben Michael) is also one of Mrs Free’s lovely little boys. This review should not have been printed! I mean if I was to write a review on my brother’s band could you print it knowing that my brother was the bass guitarist? (If it was a slagging it would be alright). Also Free reviewed Mi-Sex and Th’Dudes at the Maidment Theatre. Myself and a few others indulged in heckling Th’Dudes. The Auckland Star and Craccum mentioned us but Free did not. He was sitting right next to us, perhaps he figures that it was immature behaviour by people less intelligent than Dominic Free. If he classes that as immature, how does he class writing a rave review on a crappy band like Electrabeat, just because his brother plays in them. Harry Ratbag Auckland George Kay in his singles column seems to have enjoyed McCartney’s and Spark’s latest pallid, plastic outings, while describing Parliament and Dan Hartman (and presumably Earth, Wind and Fire, Commodores, Ohio Players, Emotions, Jacksons, Rose Royce and War?) as

a “funk-by-numbers formula”. Did Kay accidentally get it the wrong way round? If not, I suggest the problem is in his head, stemming no doubt from his monogamous musical diet, a straight line no doubt from the Beatles, Stones, Neil Young, The Who (and all the other sixties hippy heroes) right up to the new wave of Parker, Costello, Cars and Talking Heads via Roxy and Bowie. Such a puritanical approach could be easily cured by burning all those Melody Makers and Rolling Stone magazines along with the narrow musical values they continue to expound, and simply, listen with your feet! He who feels it knows it, believe me! I know this is all very un-hip but you all could do yourselves a musical favour with a funk enema. Funk not only moves, it can remove, dig? So funk it up, get down, get your boogie shoes on and start to feel right. Your musical constipation will just fart away. If it feels good to do it. Funk wants to get funked up so hit me with your bop gun you unfunky new wavers. The Funk Connection Wellington

What a great mag you have got! But to keep dudes like ‘Club/Hotel Musician’ (May Rip It Up) happy, maybe you should include a column on The Stagnated Old Rock'n'Roll Scene around Auckland. Then we would know where to go when there’s no punk or new wave on. And even better than that, how about a column on the disco happenings around Auckland. Then we would know where not to go, even when we were so bored, we wrote a letter to Rip It Up. Steely Dan and Doobie Bros are so boring and disco sucks, so let the new wave roll. Zark Auckland

I’ve got a gripe. Why did you print that letter from Johnny Volume? It was just free promotion for them. Also, at this point may I ask if John nicked his name from Max Volume (aka Garry Roberts) of the Boomtown Rats? Cos 'Johnny Volume' doesn’t have any meaning where as ‘Max Volume’ does.

Another grumbling noise. To ‘Prissy Punk some disco is less repetitive and mindless than some punk. Don't be so closed-minded. I like “Instant Replay”. It’s aging pop stars like Paul McCartney and the Bee Gees that give disco a bad name. Please, more publicity for the Only Ones and a good word for Another Planet when it’s released. Regardless Alice P.S. Th’Dudes should drop the ‘e’ in the second word too.

After reading your letters section I thought I’d like to tell you that I like disco and punk. I don't see why people argue over which is best. I go to discos on Saturdays sometimes, but I can get in to punk as well. I love Elvis Costello. I despise the Bee Gees but I quite like black singers like Donna Summer. Rory Northcote * P.S. I would like to know what punks generally think of blacks.

Thanks to Grant G. of Christchurch for the great poem. I've stuck it on the wall and chant it everyday. I heard the other day that the Bee Gees described themselves as “the second Beatles". Christ, I nearly passed out. One of the Listener critics described them as “Fruity, Dopey and Baldy”. Quite right, but I wonder which is which? Ann Wellington Horris Horrible, I feel sorry for you, I’m 15 and my mother says: “I wish you wouldn't cut your hair so short, Pill.” Are there any punks in Lower Hutt other than Mike and the Civil Servants? By the way Mike, better get out of Hutt High so we can hear the band, ok? Will the Pill The Dead City of Lower Hutt P.S. Please get your magazine back to the old high standards because it’s the only one I can afford.

I’ve got this punk friend in London who writes to me on puke green paper. The following excerpts are from her letters. “What a life I really enjoy being unemployed, sleeping in, then punking around town till it’s time to come home to feed and wotch tele. “Christ it’s cold! The other day I went for a walk and started throwing snowballs at cars. I got 2 one woz Joe Strummer from the Clash! I'll swear it was him (it f**kin woz). When he looked to see wot hit his car I woz just standing there looking all innocent. After a large rum and coke I had ta be dragged 'ome coz ya don’t arf get knackered walking through the snow. “Went to the Public Image Ltd gig on Xmas day bleeding knockout! There’s plenty of clubs like Zwines over 'ere and so far I’ve seen Richard Hell and the Voidoids and Elvis (I don’t mean the one that snuffed it). I can’t get into a Sham 69 gig without loosing a few teeth as the skinheads will beat blacks, Jews, little old ladies and punks shitless. You’d love the punks in Portebello Road. Spikey hair all colours, lots wear Clash trousers with zips, bondage strides, chains beetlecrushers, winklepickers etc. Actually punks are more accepted now, personally I haven’t had much trouble except the lady at the newspaper stand won't serve me and I’ve been shouted at a few times and called a bloody freak. Hope ya like the tie and badges. Suzi London, via M. Mutant Pakuranga P.S. My 6ft brother has determined that not publishing my letter may be dangerous to your health.