Rumours

Rip It Up, Issue 78, 1 January 1984, Page 24

Rumours

Carolyn Murchison

UK & USA The Clash are back in business and have announced UK gigs in early Feb. No details of who else will join Strummer and Simenon

... meanwhile redundant Clash axeman Mick Jones will not actually join ex Beat combo General Public but will work with them in the studio. Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger have gathered musicians for an upcoming live debut. It seems that Jones will form his own band with former Gen X man Tony James ... Pete Townshend has officially announced his departure from the Who, apparently in reaction to recent statements from Roger Daltrey that the Who was a going concern. It now transpires that the band had not spent recent months recording as was thought. Townshend will carry on a solo recording career and the future of the other members is unclear ...

guitarist Brian Robertson (who replaced the legendary Fast Eddie) has left Motorhead amicably. Bassist Lemmy explained that the liaison with Robertson "hadn't worked out" live ... Siouxsie Sioux has recorded a four-track EP, The Chandos Players, with several members of the London Symphony Orchestra ... Phil Lynott is set to play Jimi Hendrix in a new film about Hendrix's flamboyant manager Kit Lambert ... Michael Jackson, sensitive about his appearance prior to the nose job (narrowing) he had between Off the Wall and Thriller, has ordered pre-job pix struck from Mark Bego's upcoming biography ... to mark the third anniversary of John Lennon's murder, two LPs, Milk and Honey (featuring the last six songs Lennon recorded, never previously released and six by Yoko) and Heartplay: Unfinished Dialogue (featuring 42 mins of dialogue with the Lennons, taken from the last inteviews with them' have been released ... the Cramps are seeking a new guitarist, Ike Knox apparently not having worked out ... Janie Jones, the London madame of the Clash song has

YFC: (L-R) Michael Daley, Robert Horsnell, Johnny Ogilvie.

recorded a song by Joe Strummer 'House of the Ju Ju Queen'. Strummer also produced and played on the record. Flip is a cover of James Brown's Sex Machine'... Slade have rereleased their 'Cum on Feel the Noize' in response to Quiet Riot's huge US success with the song.

> Albums: Black Uhuru Anthem, Gregory Isaacs (recently out of prison) Out Dell!, Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith, Cure Japanese Whispers, Chic Believer, Peter and the Test Tube Babies The Mating Sounds of South American Frogs, Captain Sensible The Power of Love, Tracey Ullman You Broke My Heart in 17 Places, . Carole King Speeding Time, John Martyn Philanthropy. Auckland Mixing is almost complete on Mockers debut album. No title as yet but due for release on Reaction in February ... new Chills single 'Pink Frost'/'Purple Girl' has been completed at Progressive. The songs are remixes of older recordings "with bits added"... Children's Hour recording fab 'Washed Away'/'Stuck Pig' at Progressive for their next single ... Marginal Era have 'Mystery Girl' recorded for a single. They have a full lineup again and will recommence live performances soon ... Flying Nun roadshow, featuring Children's Hour, Chills, They Were Expendable and Double Happies gets underway in Feb and

covers Uni orientation functions and quite a bit else besides. See Coruoa Calendar for details ... new Herbs singer/guitarist is Willie Hona, who replaces Spencer Fusimalohi. Negotiations are continuing for a top overseas producer to work on the band's next album.

Dave McArtney heads to Europe soon to work for five weeks as a sound recordist with a film crew at the Winter Olympics ... fellow Flamingo, bassist Paul Woolright, has had a tentative offer from fellow Kiwi Chris Thompson to join Thompson's own band and then Manfred Mann's Earth Band in Europe ...

Dienike Jansen and Mark Webster of Flak also heading to Europe soon, in this case Holland. They'll travel round for a while and then look for a drummer to start playing again there ... among the big Unsung-axis exodus to Britain in the very near future are Miltown Stowaways and Tim and Carol Mahon ... say bye-bye also to Robert of Eight Living Legs God, there'll be no one left to write about! ChCh's Youth for Christ (YFC for those of tender sensibilities) well-received at the Windsor just before New Year. Recorded some tracks for release at Progressive ... Great Unwashed will be coming to Auckland for some new recording soon ... Car Crash Set have promised another rare live performance in the near future. Ivan Zagni, Peter Scholes and the recently returned Don McGlashan now working together, live debut will be at the Christchurch Festival in March ... 55 Polish Workers have split and from the ashes have risen Grocer Man (Van? Than?) Jack; previous members Lance (drums), Anthony (guitar/bass) and newcomer Andrew (bass/guitar). Workers have a posthumous tape Happy Times Baby out soon on Industrial. The Grocers feature along with Phantom Fourth at 'Mr Pope's Party' at the'Globe Jan 24. Limited to 100 tickets; ph Paul 685-924 or Anthony 602-947.

The Lab Studios in Anzac Ave now has a 16 channel English Dynamix desk. This gives them 16-into-8 track recording capability. Mixdown and EQ equipment has also been improved ... new jazz magazine Passages ("a natural

extension of Jazz News") will be on the streets soon. Contact at 19 Stott Avenue, Birkdale, Auckland 10, ph 437-258 ... Infectious are Andrew Boak (ex No Tag) guitar, Yoh (ex Meemees) drums, Peter Towers vocals, Tony Ryan bass. They've been playing about town but are taking a rest to write more songs. The 1984 School of Audio Engineering at Harlequin runs March 3-11. There is room for a maximum of 20; enquiries to the studio ... soundtrack to David Blyth's Brain Damage horror flic! being recorded at Harlequin .. Progressive has new carpet. Russell Brown Dunedin Martin Phillips' new band, A Wrinkle in Time (now wisely renamed the Chills, sounds familiar?) made a promising start at the Empire last month. The Double Happies were scheduled to support them but decided to give it a miss because of fears of over exposure. Both bands N plus Children's Hour and They Were Expendable begin a national Flying Nun tour early in the New Year.

The Jumpers have split up and bassist John Dodd has no definite plans. Anybody need a good bassist? ... Subvert, now called the Wake are down to a four-piece after firing guitarist Sheridan Orr ... the Verlaines are still looking for a drummer. New bands include Love in a Gas Oven and Martian Picnic ...

the Rip will now not dissolve following the arrival of Newborg Jeff Harford. Fraser Batts' Newborgs look likely to split up instead.

And finally, Auckland Walk drew a meagre 50 to 60 people in their Concert Chambers stint last month. Significant? George Kay

Christchurch Gordons in the process of arranging national tour, playing as many smaller venues as possible and using local support bands. They require a lighting person, ph 67-870 ... Wastrels doing an extensive South Island tour to promote their new single 'Out to Sea'/'Slutty Mole' ... local music/theatre trio Stiff Glue have just released a C 45 cassette with 12 original songs. Available for $8 from Stiff Glue, PO Box 845 ChCh.

AEB plans a hall gig and a free concert with two all-women bands at an as yet unconfirmed venue. Bands are Barbaric Bunnies (from Wellington); Erica (vocals), Merlene (guitar), Rachel (drums); and new local band Straight Out; Katrina (drums), Penny (bass), Jenny (keyboards, vocals) and Katherine, ex-Clients, (guitar, vocals).

Eugene has left Evasive Action. Remaining band members will choose a suitable new name and have recruited an ex-Client ... the council's Summer Times free entertainment programme ends Jan 28 with the Big M Local Rock Concert. Bands are White Boys, Manna, A Fragile Line and Jantoba ... Music War 84 is being planned now and bands interested in entering should contact Mark Cassin at PO Box 12-015. Cassin is looking for more local bands to play the Hillsborough, Timaru and Dunedin's Cook. Zoo Room was short-lived as a venue for "subversive" bands; now

features two cover bands late week: Thurs, Fri the Hendrixorientated Outcasts and Saturday an MOR band for an older audience. However, Thursday now features Dole Day Afternoons from 3pm till 6pm, all beer cans a buck, pool tables, video games being installed, etc. Mike Davidson on lookout for professional, keen, out of work musos interested in forming band for resident gig, venue assured. Drummer Steve Ward and Bill Kearns already signed up. Write to PO Box 12-015 ... Dunedin's Pretty Idles at Glad mid-Feb and will then tour to promote forthcoming EP ... expect regular underage rates at town hall from mid-Feb ... don't forget the "Day in the Park" Feb 6. Geraldine Gerrard

Wellington Split Enz played two concerts in Wellington on Jan 11. They played at the Showgrounds because of high winds at Athletic Park and city council's continued refusal to allow rock concerts at the new town hall. So much for the hall being an asset for all to enjoy ... TOM magazine the fortnightly calendar of local music events, with reviews, interviews, etc. will be available again from Feb 10, so long as advertising is forthcoming. It is hoped to broaden the magazine's focus to cover activities unrelated to music ... both the Pelicans and the Body Electric have completed successful tours of the northern half of the North Island. Sales of their records have increased correspondingly. Jayrem will possibly release four tracks by the Pelicans and six by the Spines. The latter was recently recorded at Last Laugh studios in Auckland by John McLeary and a band formed for the purpose. More tentative; a waxing by Rick Bryant's Jive Bombers, Circus Block 4, Steve Wilson, and Dunedin's Pretty Idles. Still no final release date for Naked Spots Dance LP but Neighbours Live at the Gluepot will be available Feb 20.

In early Feb Mark O'Connor, a 22-year-old American multiinstrumentalist will be making a short tour of NZ (see Coruba Calendar for details) including a workshop in Wellington on Feb 10. He's primarily known for his

country and blues work, in particular as fiddler and picker, but has also been involved with jazz and rock outfits. Past associates include Dixie Dreggs and Stefan Grappelli. David Taylor Hamilton

Morrocan Mould supported Coconut Rough at their recent Hamilton gig. The band is a reformation of Schnapps, with guitarist Denis Anderson, Tony Van Der Putten (drums), Wayne Buckley (bass) and newcomers Rod Pomfrett (vocals) and Karen Blackburn (keyboards). Hamilton fanzine Ha Ha Ha is now distributed up and down the country by Ima Hitt and Flying Nun and has of late spawned a band of the same name. The mag's worth contacting at Ft 3, 55 Albert St, Hamilton. Grant Pukurau (ex Good Question) is new Kix drummer ...

guitarist, Simon Mcßeesh, has joined Real Men replacing Mark Taylor ... Capstan Band debuted at the Uni Andrew Rule (drums), Mark Munz (guitar), and ex Merchant Force Members, John Moore (bass), Mark Harris (guitar), and Gavin Beere (vocals). Politicians single, 'Baghdad', is due out soon. The band is aiming towards a slightly different sound with the arrival of Paul Alderton's Simmons electronic drum kit. Wa Kupa is leaving the band, so Politicians are currently auditioning bass players. New venue Metropole is proving itself to be a worthwhile venue for bands (local and touring) and public, with licensing to hold 900 people.