RUMOURS

Rip It Up, Issue 136, 1 November 1988, Page 34

RUMOURS

UK&USA Wet Wet Wet will release an album of sessions recorded in Memphis with legendary producer Willie Mitchell ... new LP from New Order is titled Technique. The band will also be composing the soundtrack and theme tune for BBC series Making Out ...Morrissey plans to record hi? second album with all the members of the Smiths except Johnny Marr, who is recording with The Pretenders instead ... Lloyd Cole is working with Peter Buck of REM in New York... Johnny Cash appears opposite Julian Sands in new film Tennessee Waltz... Terence Trent D'Arby is working on a new LP ... Sean O'Neill of That Petrol Emotion is taking six months off from the band to become a dad (didn't think it took that long). Lou Reed appeared on stage with The Tom Tom Club in spontaneous . New York, he sang 'Sweet Jane', 'Psycho Killed and a song which he wrote for TlC's new LP ...Def Leppard are the first act to ever sell seven million copies of two albums in the USA... Madonna is working out material for her new LP with producer Patrick Leonard now that her acting season in Speed The Plowis over... Velvet Underground members Lou Reed and John Cale will gig together as a tribute to the late Andy Warhol. Reed's new album is co-produced by Scritti Man Fred Maher

... a stabbing death and assaults at an Eric B & Rakim concert at Long Island's Nassau Colisseum has moved promoters to ban rap acts from the venue. Don Was ofWas Not Was is producing tracks for the B-525. The wonderful Sara Lee (ex-Gang Of Four) is on bass for the sessions, the group's first in two years... on stage in Brazil, Sting challenged that country's government to arrest him for speaking out against the destruction of Amazon rainforests. Sadly, they didn't ...new Julian Cope single is 'Five O'clock World'... Judas Priest were ordered by a US Court to hand over a tape of their new album Stained Glass so that it can be checked for subliminal messages "that may have prompted teenagers to indulge in a suicide pact"... Christchurch Well thank goodness October has finished and we can start cleaning up after the month's disasters... Breakout 88 the concert at the Town Hall organised by South Sound to raise money fortheir million-dollar recording complex at Kaiapoi, turned outto be an embarrassment with only 100 or so people attending... Crystal Promotions 12-hourßed Rock concert also suffered the same fate... makes one wonder where everyone is going, especially as the lounge barscene is also suffering. Things at Subway have been slightly marred lately by a singular violent incident but things are continuing... around 300 people (per night) turned out to see Jean Paul Satre Experience play their last

weekend before they join the exodus to Auckland.. fortunately there are a few good up and coming bands to keep the flag flying down here. Other bits: The Axel Grinders won the Blue Factory recording competition, the prize being recording time at Audio Access... Alphabet Recording and Jay Tee Promotions have called it quits after attempting to organize various local acts... Standard Promotions may have the same fate with numbers at Georgie's Bar struggling to reach double figures... Inner Sleeve have moved to the Playroom to take over from Point Blank who took over from Fat Sally... Fat Sally are currently playing at the Marine, King George and the Cariton, though they may be slipping in the popularity stakes ...The Rock Shop has suddenly disappeared from Cashel St... Woll are looking for a new bass player (ph 656-712)... Grunt Records' Student Radio Heavy Metal show has been postponed till laterthis month... new bands around include Blue Flesh Syndrome and Big Trouble (who look suspiciously familiar!)... and news from overtheTasman — Johnny Velox, of Vauxhalls fame, has a new band who are making waves overthere and they (This Cage) hope to tour here soon. Grant Ettrick (Art Union, Blades, etc) has a new band in Melbourne called Hip Singles... Oh, NO! J.Greenfield Wellington Stranded In Paradise is now due in the shops later this month after delays

caused by the loss of material being sent from Australia. The book's title, by the way, comes from a 1978 Street Talk song'A Record With Pictures From NZ' co-written by Kim Fowley. The allstar book launch gig has been postponed because of the closure of venue the Rising Sun... rumour has it that next Tex Pistol single will be a cover of the Underdogs" Sitting In The Rain'. It could be the third number one in a row... Look out for the Pagan Xmas party to be held in the capital this year as the label's most successful acts this year have been based here. Both the Holiday makers and Chicago Smoke Shop impressed at the J?VVPIive to air (a first— more are planned). TVNZ even came to the party by providing wine, beer, juice and sandwichesforthe audience. The Holidaymakers were very tight as a result of their regular gigging and had a full sound not noticing the absence of songwriter/guitarist John McDougal. Chicago Smoke Shop's live dynamics were a treat as the debuted their new single 'Mind On My Sleeve' with an extended horn section that included ex-Backdoor Blues Band Grasshopperon trumpet and James Daniel on sax. Donft miss Smokeshop on tour with Robert Cray. New studio band Alien consisting of Lee Palmer, Diana Beaufort and Steve Elliot (vocals), Peter Hayes (keyboards/bass), Todd Varley (guitars), John Steele (drums), Dave Sullivan (sax) have a single 'Solo Hello' b/w 'Eighties Lover' produced by Paul Lloyd out this month and deserves radio play...

Nazgul have finished recording their debut album at Crescendo, titled Mistress Death, it will be released by Jayrem. Nazgul play the Cricketers Bunker on NOv 27 with New Plymouth's Sticky Filth who have just released their mini album' Weep Woman Weep on Imma Hitt. Harry Death have recorded a mini-album Beautiful and are working on a, full-length LP To The Daylight Raining Through The Clouds for next year... hardcore thrashers Sub Dominants are no more; bassist Allana left for London last month, guitarist Graeme goes next month... Out Of The Compost will have their new album out on Ode, their Scrappings & Peelings is still selling well ...look out for Cattlebirds' What's A Public Bar Without A Jukebox' coming on RWP, single to be released on cassette with extra live tracks... new covers band Peer Lynt are playing the pub circuit ’ with 60s & 70s covers. The Soul Fillets have taken a residency at the 1860 until Xmas... former Chicago Smoke Shop harp player Terry Casey is joining the new Neal Jones and the Heaters lineup... Rachel Laing, Perry Piercy, Carrie Wainwright and Diane Cooper have been interpreting the songs of Bruce Springsteen in their 'Born To Bruce' production at Cira, boasting "no electric guitars or Marshall amps".„ A . large (over 20) contingent of local nominees headed north for the NZ Music Awards... Bouncers is now touring after a very successful season at the James Cabaret. Funny Business are due at the James on the 24th ...Golden Horn ►

► Sound have bought Frontier Studio and are renovating and updating that will include DAT... The Builders have been impressive live lately with the temporary addition of Jonathan Besser on keyboards. Bill Direen has a book of poems due soon ... Besser's project with Ross Harris, the Free Radicals tour north early Dec. Peter Jackson, writer, director and star of Bad Taste is in Spain casting his new film and also in the pipeline is a film about NZ Beatles collectors and fans... Radio Active are to build a new studio over the summer break and not before time as the current one is falling apart. It is also time to return all those "borrowed" records thankyou. The excellent Port Chalmers tape label Xpresway is now available through Solid Air Records. John Pilley Auckland City of stars for the last fortnight; no-one turned up to meet Mick Jagger at the airportwhen he arrived otherthan a heap of security guards, photographers and journalists... sadly Mandy Smith also missed bumping into Mick by about a day. Every man and his dog still fried to bump into Mandy at the NZMusic Awards, tho', a terrible sight... the Pacific Cafe (ex-Last And First) is now booking bands, interested

should phone Paton 836-7827 or 792-877... The Beads have recorded two tracks at Airforce and working on another 2 at BFM studios foran Onslaught EP. An anonymous caller updated our NZ Bands 1979-82: Where Are They Now? update; Gary Charlton is "in Worthing in a van" and No Tag members are gigging in North London and planning to change their name... Dead Famous People are also in London, rehearsing new songs with new drummer Gill Moon ("no relation to Keith"). Gigs with Sneaky Feelings and The Chills are planned and there's a distant rumourthat the DFP's might record with ex-Smiths producer Grant Showbiz, who likes their stuff. Loaded Tapes are to release three more cassettes: Battling Strings, Weta A-Go-Go and The Osterbergs (whose guitarist Lorna is recovering after contracting Lockjaw)... the Naff Awards, the concert held atthe Power Station as an alternative to the Music Awards, went well with lots attending and enjoying themselves. Good news for the Power Station, too, which has been struggling as of late ...The Loud Lounge are still interested in the possibility of a synth/sampler player, and if one does exist he/she might like to join the

band, call them NOW at AK 763-329... Mandrill have a summer special recording deal for local artists: SBS per hour including all outboard equipment & engineer, 24-track with Dolby SR, computer mix-down. Reaction Records wantto hear it when you're finished, too, as they're looking to audition new groups for 1989 release. And keep your ears and eyes peeled for a serious warehouse party in the central city Nov 26,1 guess if they told us where it wouldn't be a warehouse party, but beware, dancing to Acid House is about as easy as throwing cheesecakes under water... Palmerston North Local venue for original bands, Superliquorman, has enjoyed a steady stream of local and visiting acts... Three Leaning Mean have reformed in Auckland, new name is Way Out West ... Capacity have changed their name to The Carousers... Bassett Road are waiting on the QEII council to see if they can record... a council-backed scheme called Creative Music Inc recently opened with a night of Palmerston's best original music. The centre offers courses, practice sessions, tuition and the option of Sunday gigs... Meltdown Records plan a new

compilation featuring Earwigs, Under Fire, The Trenchsisters, Time Travellers, Bassett Road, The Carousers and Primitive Best. Most of the recording will be done at Writhe and release is planned for early 1989.

Rick Bryant’s 21st Singer Rick Bryant celebrates 21 years of NZ R&B at a special concert at Auckland's Gluepot, Saturday 26 November. Bryant will perform with his 12-piece band the Jive Bombersand a small army of special guests: Josie Rika, Trudi Green, Sam Ford, the Living Daylights, Hamin Bamboo, Sound Shock, lan Watkin and Al Hunter. lan Watkin, former M.C. for Blerta, will preside at the Bryant 21 st in the same capacity.