L1

A MONTHLY TRIP
THROUGH MUSIC'S
GOLDEN YEARSTHIS ISSUE:1969

STARRING...

THE ROLLING STONES"It's going to blow your mind!"

CROSBY, STILLS & NASH
SIMON & GARFUNKEL
THE BEATLESLED ZEPPELINFRANK ZAPPADAVID BOWIE
THE WHOBOB DYLAN
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Welcome
to i
AWORD MUCH in use this year is "heavy". It might apply to
the weight of your take on the blues, as with Fleetwood Mac
or Led Zeppelin. It might mean the originality of Jethro Tullor King Crimson. It might equally apply to an individual- to
Eric Clapton, for example, The Beatles are the saints of the
1960s, and George Harrison an especially "heavy person".
This year, heavy people flock together. Clapton and Steve Winwood join up in
Blind Faith. Steve Marriott and Pete Frampton meet in Humble Pie. Crosby, Stills
and Nash admit a new member, Neil Young. Supergroups, or more informal
supersessions, serve as musical summit meetings for those who are reluctant tohave theirwork tied down by the now antiquated notion of the "group".
Trouble of one kind or another this year awaits the leading examples of thisclassic formation. Our cover stars The Rolling Stones this year part company
with founder member Brian Jones. The Beatles, too, are changing - how, John
Lennon wonders, can the group hope to contain three contributing writers?
The Beatles diversification has become problematic. While 1968 began with
their retreat with a spiritual advisor, the Maharishi, this year begins with their
appointment of a heavyweight financial advisor, the American businessman
Allen Klein. Their spiritual goals have been supplanted by the desire to resolve
some intractable fiscal problems.

Making sense of it all, (even providing a sounding board for increasingly
media -aware stars), were the writers of the New Musical Express and Melody
Maker. This is the world of The History Of Rock, a monthly magazine that reaps
the benefits of their extraordinary journalism for the reader decades later, one
year at a time. In the pages of this fifth issue, dedicated to 1969, you will findverbatim articles from frontline staffers, compiled into long and illuminating
reads. Missed one? You can find out how to rectify that on page 144.

What will still surprise the modern reader is the access to, and the sheer
volume of, material supplied by the artists who are now the giants of popular
culture. Now, a combination of wealth, fear and lifestyle would conspire to keep
reporters at a rather greater length from the lives of musicians.
At this stage, though, representatives from New Musical Express and Melody
Maker are where it matters. Mutilating plastic dolls with John Lennon. Meetinga rail -thin David Bowie, hearing his views about skinheads. Preparing for theHyde Park concert with Mick Jagger.
Join them there.As Mick says: "It'll blowyour mind."

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

3

1969
MON

$1 MONTH

Contents

News

6 The Beatles get anew member,
Allen Klein. We meet songwriter
Randy Newman and the group
Yes. A new menace- "new mods"- are profiled.

3n Blind FaithlAr Eric Clapton joins forces
with Steve Winwood - but for an
uncertain length of time. How will
he commit to a group, wonders
Clapton, when he can't evencommit to a hairstyle?

lb Dylan

12 The man's Nashville sound 3a Fleetwood Mac
and his workwith Johnny Cashexplained by musicians andproducer Bob Johnston.

II Peter Green and bandreturn from en eventful
American tour, and enjoy the
success of "Albatross".

Dusty Springfield

16 The inside track on her
new record Dusty In Memphis
and its follow-up, recorded with
Gamble &Huff.
SinglesPeter Sarstedt reviews
the singles, and the debut Led
Zeppelin album is reviewed.

20

The Kinks
Ray Davies defends his"Plastic Man" single and talks
about downsizing from his
country pile to a terraced house.

22

13

2 The compelling pianistand singer brings her devastatingpresence to England.

4n Small Faces/Humble PielAr Steve Marriott and Ronnie
Lane part ways, but as Marriottputs it, "two good things" will
come of the Small Faces split.
His is Humble Pie.

45

Letters

Pete Townshend leaps tothe defence of RayDavies, Spike
Milligan on his "plastic guru" andother correspondence.

46'

Simon &Garfunkel win
a Grammy for "The Boxer", while
we meet Jethro Tull and guitarist
John Fahey. Mick Jagger heads
to Australia to play iron -helmeted
villain Ned Kelly.

Serge Gainsbourg
and Jane Birkin page 118

Fairport

52 Convention
The folk-rock band
turn tragedy into
triumph with acouple of classic
albums. How long
can the band stay
together, though?

60Frank Zapp
andCaptain BeefheartFrank comes to London for
an inflammatory trip with theMothers, and then afterwards
in the company of his new
signing, Captain Beefheart.

64

The WhoPete Townshend develops,
explains and launches his long talked -about rock opera, Tommy.
"Some of the songs are bloody
hard," comments Roger Daltrey.

Inv

Singles
Keith Moon reviews the
newwaxings ("Can I have thatone?"). There are new albums by

DrJohn and George Harrison.

70 The Beatles
Ringo charms on his film
set, while John Lennon enthuses
about Beatle creativity. "We could
put out a double album a month..."8n Janis Joplinu

The singer arrives in
London in a frazzled state, but putsin an explosive performance withher Kozmic Blues Band and getstheAlbert Hall dancing. "Ain't thisall so silly?"

Melody
Maker

VEGAS

=

JOHN

FOR

CreedenceJohn Fogerty phones in from theUSA, where he imagines his musictaking place "In Louisiana, in1807... before computers."

thousadollars
for a

give

their
side

of thestory.
pagefour

MM POLL WINNERS CONCEI
FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON, 9
THIS SATURDAY. SEE YOU T

in anAustralian hospital.An
interviewwithAllen Klein: "I amruthless," the Stones/Beatles
manager confesses.

9Q Led Zeppelin
JimmyPage and band takeonAmerica, and triumph at
Camegie Hall.
StonesKeith Richards andCharlie Watts look back on HydePark and forward to the releaseof their new album. "Abetter play,"ponders Charlie.

n nntn n in onaiin

Brian Jones has left The
Rolling Stones. Nonetheless, theband prepare to play Hyde Park,with a new guitarist, MickTaylor.

U A coup by young
promoters on the Isle Of Wight
brings Bob Dylan to the UK
mainland for the first timesince 1966. A "super -session"?
"Great," says Bob. "Great..."News
Brian Jones is dead.

116 Mick Taylor reviews theMarianne Faithfull is recovering

singles. Meanwhile, there are

8fi Rolling Stones

V

94

I

Hundr,

104111311ing

8 Clearwater RevivalsSinglesIffER- RIC
CLAFT111

E III
..:

E WHINnano

47 'w avo..
(.1 ArkAri

RT AT

PM.
'HERE

new albums from Fairport
Convention, Crosby, Stills & Nash
and... The Beatles.
News
BBC won't budge on"Je T'Aime", and we get a trip inside
the walls of San Quentin prison in

118

ft David Bwrir,

12 wAvoyage into

outer space with the "Space
Oddity" hitmaker. Arts
labs. Strong opinions.
There's more to this singer
than being good-looking,he explains.

the company ofJohnny Cash.

13A

132Singles
122 Fira°sshb%gOit%
and The Hollies

The harmonising trio gain a newmember, Neil Young. In the UK,
the "He Ain't Heavy" hitma kers
can't stop talking about theirformer colleague, Graham Nash.

Jimmy Page reviews selections
from releases new and old.
Meanwhile, Eric Clapton
introduces Delaney& Bonnie,
while a review of the new John
Lennon and Yoko Ono album
causes amusement to the artists.

oiling Stones"'In the wake of shows in
America, reported to have beenchaotic, the band returns to the UK
to play live dates. Mick Jagger is notof their long and winding
road. Are they drifting
apart or simply four people too
talented to remain in one place?
"Do they buy it because it's worth
it," wonders a self-questioning
John Lennon.

amused by the crowd's reaction.

1

138

to the Melody Maker review of theirmost recent album. And farewell,
Fairport Convention...

-he Beatles

The band approaches the end

Lettersu John and Yoko respond

On it
Time Inc. (UK) Ltd, 8th Floor, Blue Fin Building, no Southwark St, London SE1 OSU I EDITOR John Mulvey, whose favourite song from 1969 is A Sailor's Lifeby Fairport Convention DEPUTY EDITOR John Robinson Can't Find My Way Home by Blind Faith ART EDITOR Lora Findlay Time And Love by Laura Nyro
PRODUCTION EDITOR Mike Johnson Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud by David Bowie ART DIRECTOR Marc Jones Everybody's Talkin' by Harry Nilsson DESIGNER
Gary Payne You Can't Always Get What You Want by The Rolling Stones PICTURE EDITOR Kimberly Kriete Girl From The North Country by Bob Dylan COVER

PHOTO Alan Messer at Rex Features www.badcocksgallery.com THANKS TO Helen Spivak MARKETING Charlotte Treadaway SUBSCRIPTIONS Sonja Zeven
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Ed Beale MANAGING DIRECTOR Paul Williams COVERS PRINTED BY Polestar°recycle
Wheatons TEXT PRINTED BY Polestar Chantry I WWW.UNCUT.CO.UK

lime Inc.

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 I 5

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1969
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FLEETWOOD MAC,
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD,BOB DYLAN AND MORE

86 I HISTORY OF ROC

April28, mitiq: Allen Klein
takes questionsfrom
reporters with John andYokoat the Apple off ices
onSavile Row, London"The Beatles
asked... Mr Klein
accepted"
MM FEB 8 ISUI1111g Stones manager Allen Klein

takes on a new client... The Beatles.
ROLLING STONES BUSINESS managerAllen Klein is to takeover the business affairs of Apple, The Beatles' company.
In a statement to MM on Monday, a spokesman said: "TheBeatles have asked MrAllen Klein of New York to look into theiraffairs and Mr Klein has accepted."
This means that Klein, the man who has steered The Rolling

Stones to international success, is the secret businessman that
The Beatles want to streamline their organisation and put it on an
economic footing. Two weeks ago, John Lennon said that unlessthey stopped losing money, Applewould go out of business.
Apple press officer Derek Taylor told MM on Monday that The
Beatles had recorded 160 hours of film and sound.
"This will be edited down to several items, which will include
a documentaryand their next album releases," he said. They
still have more recording to do, he added, describing the music
theyhave written as "very tight, togetherand fantastic -evenbetter than their last double LP."HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 17

"I don'treally havemuchambition":
Randy Newman:who
has been writing
songs professionally1969

since the age of 16

JQNUPRI-MARCH"I don't seek it out. I have never tried
to meet anyone," he says."1made a half-hearted attempt to meet Paul McCartney,
but I didn't follow it through. I don't want
to become a Beatle-maniac. Yes, I would
have liked to meet him, but I don't wantto push."Paul, in fact, phoned Randy in Los
Angeles to offer him his congratulations
on his new LP, Love Story, released by Pye

this month.
"I think I would have tried to see Alan
Price, though, anyway," said Randy. "He
has said some very nice things about mein the papers."
His visit here last week was mainly forpleasure, and Randy admitted that he wasfeeling a bit lonely since his wife Roswitha-they have one son - returned home a few
days earlier."I am lost without her," hesaid,"She looks after me. Make me soundjolly," he asked and smiled.
OK.The jolly Mr Newman's story makesa pleasant change from the usual uphill struggle tales. In fact, everything about
him is the opposite to what you'd expect.
He started writing when he was at highschool and got a job writing songs at16.
Since then, he has always been undercontract to somebody or another. He
regrets in a way that he didn't have thetraditional showbiz struggle. H e doesn't
enjoy his work, and works only when he has"got so lazy he feels guilty about it".
"It is a suffering for me," he says. "It'sgetting to the point where I may think ofgetting into pool cleaning or something.
I meet people who are jolly and love theirwork. But to me it is still unpleasant," hesaid -with jollity.

int"That thing
about music
being in the
blood is rubbish"
Jan 21 Randy Newman, songwriter for Alan
Price, Cilia and more, introduces himself in the UK.

PASSING MYTIME in the London traffic
on my way to see American hit writer
Randy Newman on Friday, I got tothinking that there is no popular image of what
the songwriter should be like or look like as
there is, say, of the poet, pop star, journalist, etc.
Songwriters, it reasons, must be a pretty

faceless company of people -or else theyneed a better public relations service. If all
songwriters are like the reluctant, retiring
Mr Newman then I am not surprised. Randy
agreed with my observation, and I got the
feeling that if he had his way he would remain
totally anonymous.
He is in fact a chubby 26 -year -old native of
Los Angeles who looks older, wears heavy
spectacles and a neat moustache and is areluctant traveller who has met only one of themany stars he has written hits for. Attention
makes him feel uncomfortable and he reacts
with disparaging frankness and modesty-_. about his work and with statements like:"I don't really have much ambition. I havenever done anything on my own initiative.
Someone has always had to hold a gun to myhead. In a word, I'm boring."
As depreciative as he is of his work, I wastold - not by Mr Modesty himself -that thefirst thing the late Brian Epstein always did
when in New York was to visit Randy's
publishers and ask what new songs he hadin. Brian raved over Randy's work -and so do
The Beatles today.
That work includes hits
for Cilia Black, Dusty, Pet
Clarke, The Animals, Gene
Pitney and Alan Price. He
wrote Alan's No 2 hit "Simon
Smith And His Amazing
Dancing Bear"and Mr Price,whom he saw in a London
restaurant on this visit, is the
only one of the stars he has
written for that he's met.

He works only when he has

RANDY

He feels he is missing some of his
early enthusiasm and is patiently waiting
for it to return."1've always beenmoderately well off," he says."1've never
had the enjoyment of working in a bankand making it. Which is possibly why I don't
have the enthusiasm today. I haven't got that
age-old compulsion to write or anything likethat. All that thing about music being in the
blood is rubbish."He depreciates most popular music but
admires The Beatles, Ray Charles and Bob
Dylan. He sees Hendrix and Cream -type
music as the trend of the future.
"I would have liked to see it happen with anorchestra -then I heard Hendrix, who could
make more noise than ahundred men. He could filla room with one guitar. It
had to be the hardest rockever written, and I knew it
would be enormous."
But he sees no part in
the trend for him."I havewritten a little like it, but it issynthetic to my ear because
I am not a guitar player."
I rose to leave, expressed
my hope that his enthusiasm
returned and wished Mr
Newman well -the jolly
Mr Newman, that is.

"I meet people
who are jolly andlove their work.
But to me it is still
unpleasant"a gun held at his hea

N EWMAN-RELUCTANTd he'sHIT WRITERDASSING my tome in the London trafficI
hit writer R$nele Ne
on my way to see Arnerocanvernon on Friday
is
got to thinking that there
popular
image
of
what
the
songwrolcr
shouldos thnoree. is, 14y, of a poet.
0 pop Mfr. 0 jos/main', etc. be like or look like
Stongwriters, t
etaSons, mutt be

Nick Logan

Robin Gibbon stage
with the Bee Geesat the London

Palladiumintgag

WEEK

2

1

(Work ending Wednesdny, 1-wury ]2nd, 1069)
ALBATROSS.....Fleetwood Mu( ( Blue Horizon)I

2

OB I A -DI OB IA DA

wal

6

3

FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE

54

SOMETHING'S HAPPENING

Stevie Wonder (Tombs Motown)

3

Herman's Hermits (Columbia)

6

4Foundations (Pye)

9
11

1

PRIVATE NUMBER

William Bell & Ludy Clay (5tox)

9

7

a

BLACKBERRY WAY

Move (Regal lonophone)

3

a

9

FOX ON THE RUN

Manfred Mann (Fontana)

4

9
6

5

BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP

3

6

LILY THE PINK.

9

7

20
13

8 10

SABRE DANCE7URBAN SPACEMAN

1Love Sculpture (Parlophone)8...... Bonro Dog Don Ooh Band (liberty)

104....Johnny Nash (Major Minor)

3

12

16 12

YOU GO1 SOUL

10 13

SON -OF -A PREACHER MAN

15

STOP HER ON SIGHT

14

12 15
11

7

4

Scaffold (Parlophone)

4

I

Marmalade (CBS)

16

17 1/

Dusty Springfield (Philips)

14

Nina Simone (RCA)

13

4

-

LOVE CHILD

Diana Ross & the Supremes (Iamb Motown)

9 1)..Bedrocks (Columbia)

6 17

Toni Tones (Decro)

9 12Isles( Brothers (Tomb° Motown)

2 19

I GOT LITE

OB-LA-DI OB-LA-DAA MINUTE OF YOUR TIME... ...

26 19

I GUESS Ill ALWAYS LOVE YOU

70

6

AIN'T GOT NO

17

18

10

Edwin Starr (Polyclar)

DANCING IN 1HE STREETMartha & the Vandellas (Tani la Motown)

20

23 21

PLEASE DON'T GO

Donald Peers (Columbia)

3 21

14 22

ONE TWO THREE O'LEARY.

Des O'Connor (Columbia)

9

29 73

SOUL LIMBO.

29 74

HEY JUN.

11 25

GUICK JOEY SMALL

28 26

.

2

Booker T. & the M.G.s (Sfax)

2 23

Wilson Pickett (Atlantic)

2 24

Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus (Buddah)

723.Danny Lo Rue (Page One)

4

26

MOTHER KELLY'S DOORSTEP.

27 GOING UP THE COUNTRY....
78 TO LOVE SOMEBODY
LOVE STORY

Canned Heat (Liberty)"I feel very strongly
about the whole thing"
MM Feb 15 Lift Gee Robin Gibb vs management.
AMAJOR ROW BLEW up this week between Bee Gee Robin Gibb andthe group's manager, Robert Stigwood, over his decision to put out"First Of May" coupled with "Lamplight" as the group's new single,
to be released tomorrow (Friday).
Robin told MM: "'Lamplight' is the strongest thing we've ever written
and should have been the single. IfFirst OfMay' goes out it should havea different B-side.
"I feel verystrongly about the whole thing. 'Lamplight' should come off
the album and not be the B-side. I will go even further and take mysongs
off the album if Mr Stigwood doesn't want to see eye to eye.
"I think'Lamplight' would be No 1 for weeks, 'First Of May' might makea No 10. I've neverbeen wrong on singles. I felt dubious about 'Love
Somebody' and 'Jumbo' [both chosen by Robert Stigwood)."
Robert Stigwood told the MMon Monday: "We've neverhad a Bee Gee
single that every member of the group has been happy about. It's very

difficult for a group for every member to share the same opinion; it's
always left to me to make the final decision. We believe in putting out thestrongest possible single."

27

Nina Simone (RCA)

28

Jethro Tull (Island)2

rfolumbia 1

1I

ISILS.79)7"No steps can betaken until Brian
Jones returns"
NME Feb 8.

Hi the Stones tour in 1969?

THE ROLLING STONES have still notdecided whether or not to undertakea worldwide concert tour in the spring- despite constant reports of dates having been
set for them in America and Europe. Latest
developments include an announcement in the
US magazine Varietythat the Stones will open an
American tour on March 21 -and a statement issued
by A&M Records in Hollywood claiming that one of
their attractions, the Flying Burrito Bros, will tour
Europe with the Stones in mid -March. But a spokesman
for the Stones told the NME: "At this stage, nothing is signed oreven decided -and no steps can be taken until Brian Jones returns from
Ceylon. The confusion regarding the Flying Burritos probably stems
from the fact that one of them, ex -Byrd Graham Parsons, is a goodfriend of Keith Richard's and Keith may produce the groups' next LP."CC A 1:VvrlcrcrN

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 19

"A lot relies on being in the rightplace at the
THIS ISTHE time of the year when pop
journalists start surveying the scene
for groups or singles likely to make an
impression in the coming year. One suchgroup who are shaping up to do just this are
Yes, a fairly new five -piece group. Although
the group itself is new, the members areexperienced group musicians.
Jon Anderson, lead singer, was with the Gun
and a group called the Sleep -In, Chris Squire
was formerly bassist with The Syn. Drummer
Bill Broomfield [sic] worked with Savoy Brown.

Guitarist Peter
Banks is also an

YESgetting good
exposure, including
appearances at theRoyal Albert Hall,a charity concert
and the recent
Cream farewellshow -and dates
at major London

TOY

venues such as the

THIS IS the time 01 year when
Pop jouinalisis start sus
erying Ike scree for gsaups
Orsingles

likelyiniptestion

10

Inaba.

an(Plc Cooling year
group
shapingsuch
up In if0 lint who aYesa fairlyarr
nag five piecealthaugh the Vann
it
One

,

new Ikemembers ate es
orrienred group
John And SSSSS entilielAhs
was wills Int Gun kid singr,

tIlers

%Mine

the

ass.

ex-Syn-ner andTony Kaye, organ,a former Winston's
Fumbs sideman.
Yes are already%/fit,and
in a growl.
Corn

s_

Marquee andBlaises. One of
their first breaks
was at Blaises,

the London
discotheque. They
were dragged outtime"mM

January 4 itroaucing... Yes,oi ierring guuu vocals, well backed".

of their beds just roundchanges, we've started
the corner from the club
doing new things."
in South Kensington to
Says Chris, about the
deputise for Sly & The
group's harmony -style
Family Stone.
vocals, "This was the
SWEETNESS"We did an hour's spot
original conception of theat Blaises," recalls Jon
group. You get groups
Anderson. "There werewith powerful backing anda lot of people waiting to
bad vocals or good vocals
hear Sly. We played andand faulty backing. We
got a good reception."wanted something
Among the people they
between the two -good
impressed was the club's
vocals well backed."major-domo, Roy Flynn, who
As yet Yes have nohas since become theirrecording plans and aremanager. The group first
more interested in
got together in July andestablishing themselvesbegan by playing mainly pop
as a good performing group.
numbers in out -of -London"We don't want any
gigs to see the reaction toaggravation with that kind of
the group."Chris and I
thing yet. Roy Flynn is doing
decided that we would bea good job looking after thatpoppy but not doing Top toside of things," says Jon."It'sstuff. Although we were
nice to know people areplaying pop -type numbers, we tried to do
thinking about you.John Gee and Jack Barrie
them differently," says Jon.
[host at pop -scene drinking club La Chasse]"We started off on a 5th Dimension kick,"have also helped us a lot. John has been kindadds Chris. Although they were pop -oriented
enough to give us residency at the Marquee.
the group became involved in arrangements,"But a hell of a lot relies on being in the rightwith particular reference to vocal work. "Nowplace at the right time. And having the right
we are writing our own material and playing it
people in the group. We are all friends and we
rather than other people's," explains Jon.
are concerned with creating on a friendly"We'll do other people's numbers but usingbasis. You can have a group of good musicians,
our approach. We've been watching people
but if they don't get on you can't create
like The Nice. They do that kind of thing well.
anything. But the main thing is to think on theNowthe group is together again after thelines of entertaining the public."W.;"We'll do otherpeople's numbers
but using ourapproach. The
Nice do that well"Close -cropped hair is

obligatory

Rolling Stones
guitarist Brian
Jones'appeal
against a conviction
on a drugscharge

MM Feb 8sAteloeol ktheatctahpepneedxtbogeons

WHAT ISA mod? A mod has no roots,

tradition or culture, unlike the othermajor tribesmen loose in the jungleof British teenage society- the rockers.
The mods are not interested in preserving
rock'n'roll, worshipping idols or riding,
doctoring, feeding and loving motorcycles.

andall.eration

was dismissed on

Monday.The three
judges in the
Appeal Court said
there were no
grounds forjackets to be a fribbler. You onlyneed a pairof big boots to be a mod.
"How else does one recognise these mods?"
wail seriouslyworried judges and leader

interfering with thewriters. The instantlyrecognisable uniformof the mod is bleached jeans with red braces,
and heavy red boots with steel toecaps.
Other mods preferblue mohair suits, andverdict. Jones had
been fined £50 for
possessing
cannabis resin at
this flat in the King's
Road, Chelsea lastMay. Counsel for
Brian Jones said
the jury might havebeen prejudiced
by Jones' "bizarre
appearance."

Mods are apathetic, to the point of total
ignorance, of rock'n'roll. Theyidolise nobody,are often referred to as "suits". Theyand if theywant to travel anywhere they go by
are usually the more dangerous
breed. Particularlybus, scooter or early models of the Ford Zephyr.
They have no burning idealism like the hippies,
frightening are suits whorockers or fribblers. The hippies yearn for the
sport horn -rimmed spectacles,
future, rockers for the past and the fribblers
because these give a curiously
merelyseek a jolly time in the present.
false impression of intelligence.
Mods are divided into two camps -the
Close -cropped hair is obligatory.
aggressive and the non -aggressive. The
This gives the wearer clearer vision
former take the lead in committing acts offor "nutting" people- the art of hitting
unwarranted violence, while the latter areothers with one's cranium. Language ismerely those youths who approve of their dress
highly restricted. Although cartoon
fashion and taste in music and drugs.
beatniks are supposed to utter "man" andIt is a curious thing that whenever a judge,
little else, real life mods utter "f-k" andnewspaperleader,
writer, headmaster or otherlittle else. Favourite drugs are pills and brown
pillars of our Bewildered Societywants to castale. Suits drink excessive quantities of vodka
stones in an attempt to keep
orwhisky. Cannabis isseething, frightening andnotorious for its pacificmysterious youth at bay,effects -how can one go
Reggae and ska
they instantlystart burblingaround beingviolent feelingare the kind of
about LONG-HAIRED louts/
groovy? Musical tastes areyobs/delinquents/hippies/
strictly ska and soul. Evenbeats to be seen
students, etc.
soul is regarded as a little
Yet anybodywho has
now, and bluebeat,clomping boots to passé
to venture on the streets
reggae, rocksteady and ska
outside the safety of a Rollsare the kind of beats best toRoyce will instinctively know they havebe seen clomping boots to.
nothing to fear from the long-haired youth, who
The mods are "doing their thing" in a kindmerelywants to turn on in peace to his favouriteof helpless lurch towards finding an identityinband and chick. The sight of cropped heads anda societywhere the approved alternatives are
the sound of heavy boots entering the midnight
marrying a Hire Purchase agreement andWimpy bar or dancehall is the real cause forsettling down to a life of paralysis in front ofsinking feelings in the pit of the stomach.
television sets. Yet strangely, the mods are
The harsh clamourof clipped, oath -ridden
more likely to settle down
speech, the maniacal, humourless laughter,than anyother tribes,
the black, staring eyes seeking a victim,
because they don't
should be worrying our Lord Protectors
really believe inmore than the harmlessearthy
hippyor.
rocker.
anything, including
But the Lord Protector, with the strength ofbeing a mod. Perhaps that's
Fleet Street, the House Of Commons and law
why society prefers them to the longcourts around them are aware onlyof thehaired thinkers. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da activities of the literate and eloquent members
life goes on! Chris Welchof teenage society.
The sullen grey hordes of mods areoutside their consciousness, despite
the war clouds that loom over the mods'
lebensraum in south and east London.
Not all mods are necessarilyviolent inword and deed, but the uniform gives
manyyoungsters an opportunity tochannel their aggressions andfrustrations and obtain the everelusive
personal identity. You have to be a
Grammar school chuck -out and havethe ability to read heavy paperbacks to

MM JAN18

r ',W., repel of A.A....ame, 4era.,

PINK FLOYD
ay MO MI III.
'w. 74. KW. let,

The Pink Floyd
playa solo concert
at the Royal Festival
Hall on April mand
will be introducing
their Azimuth
Co-ordinator,a piece of apparatus
that projects soundfrom anyand every
part of the venue.
On February 21 they
fly to Bordeaux,France totake
part in a concert
with Roland Kirk.
MM FEB15NOW IT'S A
MOD, MOD, MOD
MOD WORLD

be a hippy. You have to like cider, trad,

Marty Feldman and candy -striped

CHRIS WELCH discerns a

new threat to our Societyalhurr.urics%

1a V9h'Guitarist Johnny
McLaughlin flew
to America on
Saturdayto record
an LP with Miles
Davis' drummer
Tony Williams.
Drummer Jon
Hiseman- withwhom McLaughlin
isfeatured on a new
album with Jack
Bruce and Dick
Heckstall-Smithsays Williams asked

McLaughlin to go

tothe Statesafter
receiving ravereports from
American musicians
who heard him inGermany recently.
MM FEB8HISTORY OF ROCK 19 69 I 11

1969

JANUARY -MARCH"He asks about
the weather...
itsthen he'll
fix
the
session',i" I ""4"BOB JOHNSTON

the he on me work
BOB DYLANJOHNNY CASH

anu uncovers theprofessionalism
at the heart of the
Nashville sound.
"On the West Coast,
everything isplanned. In Nashville,

it's improvising."- MELOur mAKER MARCH 15 T IS GOING to wipe the whole world out, it's
incredible," said Bob Johnston, producer of the latest
Bob Dylan album, which was completed in Nashvillerecently. Describing Johnston asthe producer is not,as far as he is concerned, correct. He sums up his job

quite simply. "I turn the damn machine on- hemakes the music," he said in London last week.
About the session he says, "I don't know whether it was a week or a year.
I went to Nashville, cut an album. It's finished and it will be released. I
can't tell ifit's different from the last. They're all newsongs. I can't say
what they're like. They're just Dylan."
Bob wouldn't be drawn about the backings used on the album. "I'drather not say," was all he would allow. As regards the LP title he said,"I don't know if he has a title yet or not. He has full charge of it, complete
control. I'm just there. Really all you should say is Dylan went in, Man
album and it's going to be released. ft's a gas being there. I don't think
about the voice -the songs are so great. The only thing is, I get to see
12 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

Bob Dylan in 1969,

developing the style hehad explored on John
WesleyHardingand
going "fu II country"with NashvilleSky/ine

HISTORY OF ROCK 1968 113

1969

4-44126
SP ISOOSS
3:21

JANUARY -w"

a live performance which a lot of people would pay
millions of dollars to see."
Texas -born Johnston may sound a bit aggressive. In
fact, he's friendly, enjoys his workvery much, and ishappy to be workingwith not only Bob Dylan but Leonard
Cohen, JohnnyCash and Marty Robbins as well. "Dylan,
Cohen and Cash have got the freedom to go in and do their thing.
They've got their music and their musicians. I don't think I reallyput
things together. I have put records together in the past, but these people
have to be allowed to go in and do what theywant to do."An indirect connection with Bob Dylan has brought Bob Johnston overto London. He is to record Georgie Fame, and two Dylan songs are on thecards. "They're a couple of old Dylan songs. I'd rather not saywhat thetitles are as the record will be released quite soon and somebodymay
jump on them. They are already on albums, but I've other material
besides Dylan. But I think all we're going to do are the Dylan songs."
Bob came over at the instigation of Ches Millican, Epic Records' newly
arrived London representative. "He asked me to come across andproduce the record. It'll be for British and American markets. We release
it as soon as we get it. I don't like to wait on records because the market
changes so much -unless it's certain people with a certain style."
The second Leonard Cohen album is due out soon. Said Bob, "It's great.
It's all songs, but his songs are poetry. It's a little simpler than the last one."
Bob recorded the Johnny Cash Folsom Prison album, reckoned one of
the best "live" albums ever made. He decided that Cash's idea was a good
one and just went ahead and arranged the details for taking a recording
unit into Folsom Prison. Cash has since followed this best-selling album
with hisHo6/LandLP, but there is anotherprison album on the stocks.
"I cut Johnny at San Quentin Prison. All the songs are different from theFolsom album. San Quentin is a maximum -security prison. It's where
they have the gas chamber."
Unlike a lot of producers, Bob Johnston isn't a finger -clicking woweewe-must-get-it-together-man type. He is modest about his recording
achievements. His main concern is that the artist gets what he wants andhow he wants it when it comes to cutting an album.
It's refreshing to meet someone who takes this attitude in a studio. And
obviously, as his growing list of album credits prove, his methods get
results. Good ones, too. Tony Wilson- NME MARCH 29 pREPARE TO HAVE your minds blown and your senses tickled
by the coming together on one album of two of the world's
greatest musical talents- Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. It's anopen secret that they have recorded together, but it's not so well known
just how it came to pass.
In pursuit of knowledge I went to the London Hilton to meet mygood
friend Ches Millican, the head of Epic Records over here, and, more
importantly, Dylan's recording manager, Bob Johnston. Johnston is notvery tall, well built, bearded and obviouslyTexan. His manner is easy, his
language colourful and his attitudes confirmed. He showed a marked
reluctance to discuss Dylan, saying byway of explanation, "He has been
misquoted so often, and so have I, that I'd rather people talk to him. If he
has anything to say, he'll sayit. He's not only a good friend, but I havethree sons to feed." Which seemed reasonable enough.
He relaxed a little, however, in due course and told me, "The record
companycalls me up and says, 'When can we have a Dylan record?'And
I just tell them that when he's ready, he'll go into the studio and do one. Herings me and asks me about theweather, and I tell him about the boat andall that garbage, and he says 'so long' and that's it. Then he calls me andtells me he wants to record and fixthe session."
It just so happened that when Dylan decided to
cut an album, Bob had fixed to do a Johnny Cashsession. So he slyly arranged for Dylan's to run
from two -five and Cash's from six -nine. Casharrived early, walked into Dylan's studio andjoined in the proceedings. The end result, I haveit on the highest authority, is something that has
to be heard to be believed.
The Dylan album took three days to complete
and word of Cash's involvement began
spreading almost immediately. Johnston isplaying it cool, though, and denying all,SCP)

/ Dylan, Johnston says, is easytoworkwith. He knows
what he wants, when he wants it and how he wants it. In
the studio, he is all set to go and there's no messin. One of
the tracks on the new album was written in the car between the
motel and the studio. I was played Burl Ives' new album, which
Johnston has produced. It contains a movingversion of "The Times They
AreA-Changin'". Again, the Dylan connection.
Dylan crops up again in Johnston's purpose in visiting London, which isto record Georgie Fame. He came over at the invitation of Ches. As wewalked through the Mayfair backstreets for lunch, Bob explained, notwithout a touch of laughter, "Ches called me and said would I like torecord Georgie Fame and I said 'sure'. I told CBS I'd give him a Top 10
record, and then give him one in the States. They said would I like to putthat on paper, and I said ! would. I've got a couple of Dylan's songs for him
and we'll make the final choice from three I have in mind."
Jack Bruce has been on some sessions with Georgie and it is to be hopedthat young Fame will get his hit with something better than the awfully
contrived "...Bonnie & Clyde" gimmick.
Ches, who resembles a pop gypsy, who likes clubbing, who is as easygoingas the German railwaysystem and who claims Irish ancestry,though he is asAmerican as the west side of Grosvenor Square, replied,"Because he's the best record producer," when ! asked whyhe selected Bob
for the Fame job. Perhaps this is borne out by a look at the people he hasrecorded. Apart from Dylan and Cash -and surelythat is recommendationin itself -he handles MartyRobbins, Flatt & Scruggs, Canada's poetlaureate, Leonard Cohen, and, until recently, Simon & Garfunkel.
He dropped the latter duo because "they can take 300 hours on a single,
and although I'm not denying their talent, I have neither the time nor the
inclination to spend that long on one record".
We talked of chain gangs and the terrible justice eked out by Southern
authorities (something that both Bob and Ches have painful, if funny,memories of) and got round to Cash's prison recordings. The Folsom
Prison album has been certified as a gold disc and sales are in excess of
900,000, which is going some. Cash and Johnston had it in mind at thetime to do a similar thing in San Quentin and Bob told me about it.
"They are both maximum -security prisons and San Quentin has thegas chamber," he pointed out without neglecting his turkey. "Johnnywrote a song about San Quentin and he told me he'd sing it last because of
the effect it'd have. I said that was OK, then we could hightail it out of
there. When it came to the show, he sang it second and I thought there
was going to be a riot. Some of those guys are really tough and theywere
yellin' and hollerin' so that the guards had a real tough job quieting them
down. I was ready to run."
Johnnyhad been sent a song by a prisoner there three years before and heasked thewarden if he was still in. He looked at the records, but the guy had
been released on parole. That same afternoon that Johnnyarrived, notthat morning or that evening, the prisoner was readmitted for parole
violation and he was sitting in the front row at the concert. How about that?
Which is what a lot of people are going to be saying, though in far
stronger terms, in a few weeks' time when the Dylan -Cash album isreleased upon an unsuspecting public. Richard Green- MELODY MAKER APRIL 5 NASHVILLE HAS FOR many years been the centre for recording
the many artists of the big country music industry in America.
The recording side of the business is such that it commands its
own album and singles charts and often a number of these singles andalbums make the national pop charts. But
more recently the Nashville studios have been
invaded by artists from outside the country
field- Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen among
them. Dylan finished an album there recently
and laid down tracks with Johnny Cash.
CBS producer Bob Johnston came to London
some weeks ago to record Georgie Fame. He
produced the Dylan album and records JohnnyCash, Marty Robbins and Flatt & Scruggs.
"The basic thing about the Nashville studios
being so great," says Johnston, "lies in two
factors- the studios themselves, and the"We went inand did mostthings in one
or two takes"

14 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

preferring to wait until the DJs put the needle on thefirst groove. Then will come the explosion.

Producer Bob Johnston(right),juggling daily
recording sessions withboth Bob Dylan (Nashville
Skyline)ens1JohnnyCesh(1111o, rmJohnnyCash)in

NashvilliNFbruary1969

engineers and musicians. Not only are the musicians good but they take a
pride in their work. There is no such thing as watching the clock down
there. In other cities, when it's time to stop, theydo. The Nashvillemusicians have got so much pride in their work, that's what makes it.
"I think it's so easy recording there. Sometimes you can do sessions inthree hours.Anotherof the reasons is that the groups, like Flatt &Scruggs,
have been playing togetherfor years. Nashville has become the secondlargest recording centre in theworld-that speaks for itself."
That's the producer's side. Joe Butler, bass guitarist and singer with The
Hillsiders, the Liverpool country band which has the distinction of being
the first British countrymusic to record in Nashville- in August, 1967 puts the musicians' side. "One big difference we noticed was that when
we record in England, the backing tracks are put down first, then the
vocal tracks are added. Then the final reduction is done a few days later.
In Nashville, they do it all at once and the reduction is done at the sametime so you can hear how it's going and then the best 'take' is chosen."
In Nashville, The Hillsiders recorded forRCA Victorunderthe
supervision of ChetAtkins, guitarist extraordinaryand one of thecompany's chief producers. "Over there the engineers work much closer
with the producer. We had ChetAtkins produce us and the engineerJim
Malloy. He and Atkins worked as a team. They talked about thearrangements and listened to them, but over here recording seems verymechanical. There it was like doing a performance. When you played,
everyonewas involved and therewas a veryrelaxed atmosphere. Basically,
they have the same equipment as British studios - but a lot more of it."
The engineers themselves reveal the Nashville secret. Selby Coffen,
who has taken hundreds of sessions for Columbia, says, "It's a little likebaking a cake. Not too much flour, not too much sugar -just the rightingredients to come out with a tasteful product."Jim Malloy, who produced The Hillsiders' sessions, adds, "There is nodifference in the Nashville balance, just in the sound. On the West Coast,
everything is pre -planned. In Nashville, it's nearly all head arrangements
or improvising on prearrangements."
The unique Nashville Sound is making itself heard in theAmericanmusic industry- and not just in the country music world.

week for a working holiday, playing on tracks being laid down by Epic
recording artist Philamore Lincoln. As well as being a working musician,Charlie also produces sessions. He has cut albums with The
Youngbloods, ex -Youngblood Jerry Corbett and a couple of groups
nobody's heard of. Currently he is working for Sincere Productions, anorganisation run byDylan's producer, Bob Johnston, which is how hecame to be involved on the NashvilleSkylinerecording dates.
"To be perfectlyhonest, Bob Johnston just thought I'd fit in with whatever
Dylan was doing," said Charlie, when I asked him about the sessions. "Bobwasvery nice to me. He's one of the biggest talents in theworld and it was anhonourtoworkwith him. I'd sayit was the high spot of mymusical career."
Was Charlie surprised to find that the sessions were on things that werebasicallylove songs written in a countrymusic style?"I couldn't say I was.
I was so amazed just to be playing on a Dylan session that ! didn't worry
what it was going to be." Of the album Charlie said hewas "tickled to deathwith it. I love it. I didn't playon the JohnnyCash track; I wasn't therewhen
theydid it. I played Dobro guitaron "Nashville Skyline Rag". This is the firstever instrumental on a Dylan album, a sort of countryblowing session."
Charlie mentioned that everyone was knocked out with the acoustic
guitar solo, flat -picked in the Doc Watson manner, played by Norman
Blake. Charlie also paid tribute to regular Dylan session -man Charlie
McCoy. "He's a fantastic talent for having around the studio. He just has tohearthings and he can write them down, nothing's too fast for him. Ifyou
have any doubts, you can just walk across and have a look at his chart. And
he plays just about every instrument."
The sessions took place in Columbia's StudioA, in a new section of their
Nashville studios. "We recorded, I think, in three sessions," recalled
Charlie. "They had a lot of sessions booked that theydidn't use."

VER WONDERED WHAT it is like to work on a Bob Dylan
recording session? Well, the answer is "a hell of a lot of fun",Was there a verystrongsecurityplaced on the studio during therecordings? "Well, they had a rent -a -cop outside the doorall the time, butthere were no problems. People were aware that Bob was in town, ofcourse. They put up a 'Closed Session' sign on the door. Nobodytried togatecrash; people were real nice about it and respected the situation."
About the actual sessions, Charlie said, "Everything came together
beautifully. We'd do so much each day and then do some more the next.
But I think Bob could have been writing all the time. With most of thethings, after they'd got the balance we just went straight in and did themaccording to Charlie Daniels, who worked on the sessions thatin one ortwo takes."- MELODY MAKER AUGUST 2 _Fproduced Bob Dylan's latest album, NashvilleSkyline. "I've never had
so much fun, it was just a ball," he added.
Born in North Carolina some 30 years ago, Charlie was in London last

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 115

Apri111,1969:

Dusty Springfield,
photographedbythe
EveningStandard

16 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

`America
seems tofit me"niISTY SPRINFIRD

spends much of 1969

in the USA. First,

recording themagnificent Dusty In
Memphis with Jerry
Wexler. Then later in
Philadelphia, working
with Gamble & Huff.
The pace of herschedule neverthreatens to rattle
her, though. "I justsat around drinking
tea," she says.

- NME JANUARY 11 _DUSTY SPRINGFIELD HAS a tendency to biteyour head off at the drop of an undesiredquestion - true or false? I had heard it wastrue, but after two meetings with the NMEvoted "World's Top Singer", both under far
from ideal conditions, I say it is false.
Some degree of ill -humour could have been expected when
I spoke with Miss Springfield on Friday. It was her first press
interview fora month. As you may recall, the poor girl has been
taking rather a battering from fate of late, with an injured nose
gathered on Christmas Dayto add to the black eye she acquired
while falling from a hostile Tennessee tree awhile back.
Add to that the facts that her superb "Son OfA Preacher Man"
was then not doing all that was expected of it; her house in
Kensington was still not ready to receive its eager owner, and her
accident had put paid to a well -deserved holidayin the Bahamas.
She would have had good reason to feel that life wasn't giving her
her fair share of breaks.
But, through all the unpleasantness fate has conspired tomuster, Dusty is still able to manage a smile. She is morebewildered than angry that "Preacher Man", which many
consider her best recording to date, seems to have become
bogged down in the middle regions of the NMEChart into the
No 12 position. "This really chokes me," she said then, "because
I know sales are high, a lot more than other tunes which have got
higher. Perhaps it is the Christmas boom. It went in quicklybut
seems to be making no progress.
"Usually! just make a record and hope. In fact, I am usually
very sceptical about the chances, but everyone was so bowled x.
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 117

1969-0"

Dusty on thesmallscreen in
1969: "The bestof American TV

J4 N

ismuchbetter
than Britain's"

overby the sound of "Preacher Man". They kept tellingme how good theythought it was and I think they
convinced me."Does Dusty think it is her best to date? "I am pleased
with some aspects and in some respects it is; I'm notsure, though. I like the overall sound. But it is very
difficult to say it's my best because it sounds different
every time I hear it.""Preacher Man" was one of the earliest sides Dusty cut
during her week of recordingwithAtlantic in Memphisand she believes she was still inhibited when she made it.
So what the last, least -inhibited tracks are like really
stretches the imagination! "The sessions were all taken
veryeasily," she recalled. "Theyused to take six hours to
get a rhythm track right. Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd andArif
Mardin record as a team and theywork so well together.
Jerryoverseas everything and has an incredibly accurate
earfor all that is happening and Tom Dowd is just agenius with the control knobs. I was veryinhibited at
first, but the thing is that theyspend such a longtime on
the rhythm tracks that you get time to unwind.
"I went to some sessions and didn't have to sing a note!
I just sat around drinking tea and talking and getting toknow people. It gives you time to get into a session. At
some places, you go in, take off your coat and they expect
you to open out just like that."
Would she describe Jerry Wexler as a demanding
producer? "He is not a temperamental producer in any
way," she replied. "He doesn't appear to be demanding.
But as everything he produces is of a pretty highstandard he knows that he has that standard to keep up,
and in that way I suppose he is demanding. But he is very
patient and thoughtful; he doesn't mess around. He has
been steeped in his own traditions of music for so long."
Recordingwith theAtlantic outfit was one of Dusty's
life-long ambitions. What new horizons does that leave
for her to conquer?
"There's a lot more ground to be covered in the States and everywhere.
I have felt trapped in the States by my old label, but that is no reflection on
mylabel here. I was choked by the old label there and I feel a lot safer now.
Even if the records don't sell millions -and 'Preacher Man' is Top 20 in theStates -if theyjust go on selling like that it will be fantastic. But Atlantic
are not going to keep me within the confines of a soul singer. Theywant
me to sing in different languages. They are not fools; they know theirmarket. Theyare not going to push me into anything."
Dustyadmits that she appear to be accident-prone at the moment.
"There was that business in Memphis which nobodyseems to believe,"
she said. "We had just finished what was a pretty arduous session andI did something! have never done since I was a child. I climbed this tree
and just went up and up and the branches were slippery from a shower.
I fell and ended up with black eyes and a cut head."Acase of losing too many of herinhibitions, I suggested. Herlatest
misadventure happened when she spent Christmas Dayat her mother'shome. Theyhad just finished their big meal and Dustywas out in the paved
garden fetching more wine. Two of the guests, singer John Rowles andEchoes bass player Dougie Reece, were "larking about"; they came rushingout and inadvertently knocked Dusty down a 3ft 6in drop onto concrete.
"I wouldn't have minded but !wasn't doing anything," she protested.
Required to stay in Britain for doctor's treatment, Dusty has decided to
devote the month to tidying up various jobs she would have had to rush
through had she taken her Bahamas holiday. One is to move into thehouse she has bought in Kensington.
"It was ironic that ! have waited so long for this so-and-so house and8 now I will onlyhave a couple of weeks in it before !have to go away for
8 three months!" she mused. As one who has long been recognised as astaunch propagandist for soul, does Dusty hold the popularview that thebest of the soul output has gone and what is being produced now ismainlymanufactured and samey?
"No, I don't think so," she replied. "It went through a battering during
psychedelia, but now it is really strong. It is of interest to see Motown
musicians, people likeArthur Conley, doing 'Ob-La-Di' and Wilson
Pickett doing 'HeyJude'. And some of the musicians are admiring theCream. It's great to see this kind of integration of ideas ; things are moving
both ways now."
The Chambers Brothers were mentioned as an example of "psychedelia
mixed with soul", and Dustysuggested Jimi Hendrix as another good
example. "Motown is samey," she continued, "but it still produces somebeautiful sounds. But they seem to be doing alright in the chart to me,
and it really pleases me to see someone like Stevie Wonder with a hit,
Marvin and Tammi's is another good one. I don't particularly like Wilson
Pickett, but 'HeyJude' is a good record."
Just before we finished, Dusty brought up the subject of the importanceof hits to her. "A lot hangs on them," she said suddenly. "I'd hate to do thatcornyroutine about people sayingyou don't need hits because you areestablished. I love having records in the charts. If it stopped, I would
accept it and I could do without them from the point of view of work. But
I want to go on having hits as long as I can." NickLogan

RIGHT OR WRONG, it still lingers- the image of most record
company chiefs as Big Men in Big Offices with Big Cigars...
businessmen who put the money first and the good sounds
next. Recently, however, a new breed of record executive has been
making itself known on the chart scene - involved, thinking andcreative people like Paul McCartney, Herb Alpert and the man who
now records Dusty Springfieldin the US as well as ArethaFranklin: Jerry Wexler.
Jerry is one of the top men atAtlantic, the man who brought
Dusty on I -'4.:;.'n,::::-,;:; .- ,-- Aretha out of the doldrums, andthe man who personally produced

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DUSTY SPRINGFIELD

Dusty's soulfully stirring "Son OfA Preacher Man". He feels proud and hehas every reason to do so. I spoke to him on a slightly erratic telephoneline to Freeport in the Bahamas recently, and he told me that recordingwith Dustywas one of the greatest pleasures of his career.
"She knows so much of the technical side of recording," said Jerry,"but not at the expense of the soul. And Dusty reallycares so much inrecording 'Son OfA Preacher Man' and the other tracks on her
forthcomingAtlantic LP. She put in a lot of hard work and made at least
four trips between Memphis and NewYork and back."
According to Jerry, not all of the numbers he's waxed with Dusty are in
the "Preacher Man" mould. He added: "There are a good many morecharacteristics of herrepertoire, and for her next single we are also
thinking of an uptempo, very hard -driving rock'n'roll thing. He addedthat one of the songs they'd recorded together was either "Breakfast In
Bed" or "Beautiful In Bed" (I said the line was bad!), but whatever the title
it still sounded interesting.
Jerry firmly believes that British pop has found a permanent place in the
US charts. He speaks with great satisfaction of his label's association withCream in the US and places great faith in Led Zeppelin (risen from theashes off he Yardbirds) and in Scotland's Cartoon. "We are lucky in thatso many of our artists are contributory," he adds, explaining, "However
great theirtalent, some artists do not contribute to a session apart fromthe performance. But what DustyandAretha have in common is thatboth of them are full of ideas and interest in what's going on, and they
really make the whole thing come alive. Remember, producers don't
really make records great... it's the artist.
"Another big hit we had was Wilson Pickett's 'HeyJude'. Wilson took a bitof convincing he should do it, but boy... once he got into it there was no
holding him back. It was a particularly great kick to find it go into the
British charts, but in some ways expected becauseAtlantic have always
had a verywelcome response from the British public. I think fora longtime we were kind of a hip cult, but that the public is now generally
coming to accept our artists."
To give you some idea of the good company in which Dusty finds
herself since signingwithAtlantic, it's worth a reminder that in 1968 thecompany enjoyed the greatest year in its history. Sales went up by 85 percent over the previous year, and during 1968 it earned no less than 23
Gold Records -more than anyother label before.
"Oursecret weapon is my partner and recording associate Tom Dowd,"
says Jerry. "But then, with stars like Dusty and Aretha and Wilson, we've
got some big guns to back him up!" Alan Smith-NME OCTOBER 4 -cc

UTTING YOU THROUGH to Miss Mary O'Brien now,
London." I heard a mischievous giggle in the background,which for nine o'clock in the morning and thousands ofmiles away, sounded very full of life.
"Hi, Dusty, how are you?" I greeted. "I hope I haven't got you out of bed.""You did," she laughed, "but I'm glad you did.
I've got to leave for Philadelphia this afternoon
for California orNew York, and I won't know
which fora few hours. I've got to meet a man
about a dog. No, I've got some business talks
with a man and he's never in one place for morethan a dayor two."
I then decided to so the honourable thing andtell Dustyher single "Am I The Same Girl" hadentered the NME Chart this week. "What!" sheyelled across theAtlantic. I told her again. "Oh,that's great," she squealed, "you've put me ina good mood for the rest of the day. And I'm extra
thrilled because it's something different forme.
Ooh, I'm so pleased."
I asked her if she had been at all apprehensive as
two or three weeks have gone bywithout the record
making much impression. "No, not really; in fact thisis quite speedy forme. I always seem to take ages toclimb up the charts, but I worry like mad anyway
whenever I have a record out."
Dusty left London forPhiladelphia twoweeks ago
to cut an album of songs byKennyGamble and Leon
Huff. Howwas the recording going? "Going?" shereplied. "It's gone, it was fantastic. I onlyspent two days putting on the
vocals, but I've been very busyall the time since I arrived hearingthe
songs, team ing the words -you know the trouble I have doing that -andlisteningto the musicians doing the tracking. The rhythm section is thebest I'veworked with, they reallyare somethingelse. Theywork as a unit,
very tight.And theyplayso loud, which I like. The thing is, there are somanymusicians inAmerica, onlythe best survive and the have to bevery,
very good. The fellows I've been workingwithwere all ex -road musicians
who have decided to settle down and stick to studio work.
"The drummer has toured with Marvin Gaye fortwo years, andsomebodyelse has onlyjust stopped workingwith Stevie Wonder. And
the songs Kenny and Leon have come up with... too much. Theywrite asort of melodic R&B, but it's very much their own style. I hope the album
will be released in Britain before Christmas, and everybody seems tothink there are at least two potential singles on it.""So you haven't had too much time for seeing the sights?" I asked.
"I haven't had anytime at all," Dustysighed. "I've walked the 50 yards
from my hotel to the studios in the morning and the 50 yards back again
in the evening. I badlywanted to catch 5th Dimension, who were in town
last week, but I didn't make it. There are quite a lot of things I meant to dowhile I was here, but I came with the idea of working hard, and that's what
I've done.
"I've been bymyself a lot of the time, intentionally, so there would benothing at all to distract me. Homesick? Well, I do get a bit morbid when
I'm left to my own devices, but I've really been too busy to think about it."
Apart from her business talks, Dusty has three TVshows and a holidayto
undertake before she returns to Britain on November 8.
"The holidaywas meant to be three weeks, but it's been slowlywhittled
down to 11 days," Dusty said in mock annoyance, "...and that's not longenough, folks. I'll probably go to Puerto Rico to see some people! know,or perhaps I'll go to California, even if I have to go to NewYork. I know
hundreds of people on the West Coast now, and then the sparks will
really fly.
"I hate lazing about on the beach on holiday, it seems such a waste, but
I suppose it's a task that's got to be done. I get brown very slowly, and I haveto take my time about it or I frizzle up."
I asked Dusty if she ever wearied of the pace at whichAmericans seemto do everything. "I haven't been pushed at all," she answered, "but ifanybody tried, I'd tell them to slowdown. They do workvery fast, buteverything is so well regulated and arranged that there are virtually nohassles. I couldn't spend a lifetime working live here -that would age mevery quickly.
"TheAmerican television! find better than at home, on the whole,mainly because there is such a choice. A lot of it is bad -juvenile, andsome stations do cater all daylong for the lowest common denominator,
but the best ofAmerican TV is better than Britain's. Their big variety
shows are brilliant, and I don't think we have hope in catching them up,
but theydon't have Spike Milligan, so theycan neverquite hope to
improve on our comedy. While The Flying Nun is on one channel, you canswitch over and see The World OfWilliam Blake"The rhythm

section is thebest I've
worked with...
very tight"

on another, and their educational stations arevery good.""There's something aboutAmerica which
seems to fit me. Things like waking up in the
middle of the night and knowingyou can walkround the block and buy food in a supermarket.
That's it, just being able to do things when you
feel like it."

When Dusty comes back to Britain, the firstthing she'll do is take off for Germany!
"Only for a few days," she added hastily, "thenI'll be back to appear on a Tom Jones TVshow,
and then I'll be doing a two-week spot at theGolden Garter Club near Manchester. I'mlooking forward to that, because I don't get many
chances to appear in that part of the country."
With that, I left Dusty to get dressed, find out
which part of the countryshe would be in a few
hours later, and jump about with glee overyet

another chart entry.
"Take care," I said.

"Thanks forwaking me up," she replied
Gordon Coxhill
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1 19

Peter Sarstedt: Peter
Cook is"very good"and Marianne Faithfullsounds "feeble"

very much. This should build
up the legend even more.
I think that's Barry Gibb singing.
He's a better singer than Robinand he's the nicest looking one.
That guy has got to be one of thebest singers in pop. That's alovely tune as well. They always
write good material and thatshould bridge the gap between"Massachusetts" and now.
World Of Oz
DER AM

Is that what it's called "Willows"? Harp? I couldn't
begin to tell you who it is. I quite
like the words -to see yourmaker's face is a good idea. It's
refined rubbish, really. I'm not
crazy about the song and it won't
be a hit, in my humble opinion.
Max Bygraves
PYE

Feb 22 'Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)" singer
eter Sarstedt reviews the singles sight unseen.

SINGLESPeter Cook le Loneliness Of.Aying Record.

Cliff Richard
tioou i imes wetter Times)
COLUMBIA(Laughter) Fantastic lyrics.
Cliff Richard, is it? I neverthought it was at first. I justmanaged to get a clue from his
voice. I don't like his voice. It
seems they have brought him
a commercial song to do, andhe's said "I'll do it" and it has
put Cliff Richard right in thesoup. I didn't like the lyrics orthe arrangement.

It's Peter Cook, isn't it? He dida very good imitation of John
Peel on Cilia's TV show. I don't
mind satire on pop, but I think
the Bonzos do it best. They
seem very much down on the
middle class -the people theycall "normals." But I think theytend to go a bit far in putting
everybody down. They're liable
to stop a lot of people- likepoets - from doing anything.
They attack everything very
hard. But I likePeter Cook he's very good.

" rrrSIMON DUPREE &FA

BEE GEEAS
ia

PRIVATE EYE

The Bi Sound

Simon Dupree& The BigSound
DI WWII 1-11:d1 ICU

Pirates
PARLO PHONE

Well, my firstreaction is it's
written bysomeone whomust write

It's got to be Engelbert. Oh
what a... No, this is not Engelbert,
it's Max Bygraves. Could I hear
the first couple of bars again?
Just what I suspected - theywould never allow a drummer
to come in early like that on
an Engelbert record. Thissounds like a hit to me. It would
be beautiful if this was doneby the Bonzos -just slightly
imperfect. It would be great if
they did a big switch and did thiskind of stuff seriously.
Andy Forray

Sun Shine In
hundreds of songs like this.
FONTANA
It's just too obvious. You know
exactly what's coming next.
It's from Hair, the American cast.
The whole thing is a cliche- one
I saw the show three times. I
cliche after another. If that's
really like it, but his is a rather
their idea of the pop businesswatered-down version. It doesn't
good luck to them, but it's
not the idea of what a pop
single should be. I canimagine them saying,"You've got to have someseagulls in there, boy,and fade in the sea." I findit a little fey.
sister morphine something betteMarianne Faithfull

Bee Gees
POLYDORBee Gees - beautiful. Thereseems to be a Bee Gees
revival going on. I like that

SINGLES & ALBUMS

along a totally different trackfrom the basic "underground"experimentsand is equallyseem right. I prefer the English
cast version. This doesn't comeacross to me. The best songfrom the show is "Aquarius"
by Vince Edwards. This seems
a bit lethargic, and I can't see it

worthwhile. MMMARCHI5
Beach Boys

as a hit.

Marianne Faithfull
Solueti
DECCA
Sounds like the musicians are
slowly walking out of the studio
one by one. The drummer sounds
really uninterested in this piece.
Dear me -thank you very much.
It's going to fade out, isn't it?
Well, I've no idea who she is, but
she's English -got to be. It's aterrible production for a start.
If you're going to produce
a record, you've got to do it
properly. It's obviously her
first record, and her voice isa bit feeble. I couldn't really
understand what the song wasabout. Did she write it herself? Is
it Yoko Ono? Who is it? Oh, no!
Perry & Kingsley
The

VANGUARD

I knew the Chipmunks would do
an instrumental one day. It's
definitely Chipmunk music. It's
not really music at all and !don't
like it too much as I come fromthe paranoid generation. Thereis a place for this in classicalmusic, but I'm always suspiciousof music without instruments.
This is very funny but it will nevertake the place of steam -radio.
Supposing the Moog synthesizer
took the place of pop stars andstarted making personal
appearances all over the country
and getting in on Blind Date. Thisis just an exercise. It can't mean
anything at all.

THE DAVE
CLARK FIVEAULIIMY Tiff
SMALL TMU

Dave Clark FiveThe Mulberry Tree
COLUMBIA

At first I thought it was Zoot
Money having a laugh. Now
I realise it's serious. Is it Zoot
Money? It also sounds a bit like
The Love Affair. Dave Clark!
Mike Smith singing? Well, you
can't get me to like that. It's so- oh my God. I don't like it andit can't be a hit.

IA
ALBUMS
Led Zeppelin
ATLANTIC

Jimmy Page triumphs! While long hailed as oneof the British guitar -slinging heroes, he has beena rather mystical figure to British fans, having
spent such a long time either in recording
studios working as an anonymous session man,or in America with the late, lamented Yardbirds.
Now, with his own group,the legend comes tolife, and his work on guitar, acoustic, electric,
and pedal steel varieties can be studied. He proves
to be technical, tasteful, turbulent and torrid.
His band is imaginative and exciting. Robert Plant
is a new singer of stature, and John Paul Jones(bass, organ) and John Bonham (drums, tympani)are more than adequate.
Their material does not rely on obvious blues riffs,
although when they do playthem, they avoid theemaciated feebleness of most so-called British
blues bands. Production byJimmy and Glyn Johns
is excellent.This Zeppelin is really in a gas new bag!

CAPITOLBest from the group in a long while, if still not up
to the pioneer standards of PetSounds, that epic
of long ago and far away. While they have notsunk back into the depths of "Smiley Smile", thebrilliance of Pet remains unbeatable. At least they
have returned to good melodies and pop simplicity
with a minimum of freaking out, a policy shown to
be valid by the success of two of the tracks assingles,"Do It Again" and "I Can Hear Music".
The rest of the music is patchy and generally
attractive. The mysterious title refers to The
Beach Boys' 20th album release and a human's
normal vision. The inside cover is an eye test card.
MM MARCH 29

MM MARCH 29

Bee Gees
POLYDOR"It's going to be sad album, but listen to the words,"
Barry Gibb warned us recently. Indeed the moodof their monumental work -it'sa double album -is
basically one of despair and desolation.The strings
surge over the Gibb brothers' melodies, which areoften very good indeed. Two of the tracks are hitsalready,"First Of May" and "Lamplight", whichgive a good indication of the quality of the rest of
the set. They have a sense of the dramatic and liketo draw on large subjects - disasters or worldshaking events.There are titles like "Seven Seas
Symphony", "With All Nations (International
Anthem)"and "The British Opera". Not all thetunes are slow-paced. There is the sprightly "Never
Say Never Again" and arranger Bill Shepherd must
be congratulated
on his widescreentype musical scores
which cope withall the Bee Gees
moods.The covermatches thegeneral air of lush
extravagance. It
is probably themost striking andtasteful produced,
in red velvet. The
Bee Gees can beproud of theirachievement; itmoves pop forward

Cream Goodbye
POLYDOR

Goodbye, Eric,Jack and Ginger. Hello, Clapton
Bruce and Baker! So the Cream have gone. But they
were always there before: Ginger and Jack roaring
with Graham Bond, Eric being beautiful with Mr
Mayan. So they were together for a while and now
they are apart. But something else will happen. For
many they represent five years of British music
history and more. They also represent the future.
Here are some superb bonus tracks to Wheels Of
Fire. Three were recorded live in America -"I'm So
G lad","Politician" and "Sitting On Top Of The
World" - while"Badge", "Doing That
Scrapyard Thing" and"What A Bringdown"
are studio jobs. On
these,Jack plays bass,
piano, organ andvocals and producer
Felix Pappalardi sits inon bass or mellotron.
Sadly, Ginger does notplay any solos, but Ericand Jack are on top
form. Incidentally,note carefully the Alan

Aldridge cover -it'smarvellous! MMMARCH I

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 121

thINUM11-0"

1969
45;

4

4

I_

'ES

I

"What would
I want with a
Rolls-Royce?

I'd rather ridea horse"W
Many feel the new

Kinks single "Plastic
Man" goes too far inberating the littlegu

RAY DAVIES

explains IIIS uuinuiig("nobody likes

truth") and talks
about downsizing toa terraced house.
"There won't beenough room for thebilliard table," hesays. "Never mind."-urn n" ii urn JANUARY 25 -HEN THEY DECIDED to release my new

single, I looked at the chart and nearly
died," said Dave Davies. He giggled into his
pint and went on: "There was The Scaffold
at No 1, Donald Peers and Des O'Connor.
I thought, 'How can you follow that?'
The whole pop world seems to have gone mad." Dave refused a dgarette,announcing that he had given up smoking, and talked about the single.
"Isupposeyou'dcall it asortofslowcountrything.I'vealways liked country
music, particularly HankWilliams. 'Hold MyHand' seemed the natural next
step after'LincolnCounty'.I'm also working on an album.I'vegot to do a few
more tracks, but it will probablybe released in February, dependingon how the
single goes. I've w ritten seven songs for it and Ray has done acouple he wants
metodo and which I like."
What, I wondered, wereT he Kinks doing? Dave gave up giving up smoking
and took a cigarette. "We are doingsomesongs for the Eleanor Bron TV
shows. I think it's a series of six shows and Ray is writing a song a weekwhich
we will be playing."
Brother Ray is busysongwriting. He did the theme for the film of 7YUDeath
Ds DoPartand is to do the music for another major movie, The Virgin Soldiers.
Dave has his solo singles. I wondered howdrummer MickAvory and bassist

Pete Quaifewere making out.
"They have an interest in our company that has accumulated money over
8 theyears," said Dave. "I don't think Mick and Pete mind being in the
background.Actually, Pete has started writing now. He's been chatting to a
fewgroups about his songs and, who knows, 1969 mightbetheBigYearOf
5 PeteQuaife." I said I thought The Kinks' Village Green Preservation Societyx

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 123

7

May 1,1969:John Dalton(left),who played bass
for The Kinks when

Pete Quaifewasbadly
injured in a car crash in
1966,joins Ray and Dave
Davies and Mick Avory

asafull-timemember

album was the best thing theyhave done, and Dave agreed. "I think thereason it came out so well was that we weren't taking the mickey for once,"
he said. "It may not sound like it, but we meant all of it and none of it ismeant as a send-up. Originallywe wanted to release a double album forthe price of one, but theywouldn't let us. We also wanted to release an EP,
but the company didn't want to know. I don't understand why EPs are notsupposed to sell these days. I would have thought theywere good value formoney. Theycertainly sell a lot of them on the Continent."
Dave was, surprisingly perhaps, enthusiastic about The Kinks' recent
cabaret debut at the Fiesta, Stockton. "I admit I was apprehensive before
we did it," he told me. "But we really enjoyed it. Everybody at the club was
great. It took a bit of getting used to, but now, if I had to work solo in
England, I'd like to do cabaret. There are none of the big hang-ups you geton concerts... bad sound and people rushing about in a panic. At the
moment, though, I've got TVdates in Germany and Holland. I may also
do some stage work in Germany. I'm not sure about a backing group yet.
I shall have to look around fora trio or something."
MELODY MAKER APRIL 12-

pLASTIC FLOWERS, PLASTIC teeth, plastic food, cups andsaucers- plus plastic smiles- may not have been the only
thoughts in the mind of Ray Davies when he wrote The
Kinks' latest single, "Plastic Man".
But as the record indicates- and a conversation emphasises the

PLASTIC MAN

point -Ray has some pretty deeply held views on the accoutrements
KING KONG
1:311
of modern life.Ask him to be more specific about his recorded
outburst, and he merely smiles enigmatically and says, "It's like theDanish waitress said in a Muswell Hill cafe: 'Just look around you.'"
Rayhimselflooked around at the instant decor of the cafe where he
was taking a cup of tea and a toasted cheese sandwich -which came in
Fora successful songwriter whose latest commissions include an opera
a plastic envelope. Also done to a nice shade of brown.
for Granada TV plus songs fora film version of The Virgin Soldiers, Ray is
You throw that away, I said with masterlysuperfluity. "It seems a pity,"
singularly detached from the trappings of fame. In fact, he's planning tosaid Raywith a mysterious smile. He expanded on the new "Plastic Man"sell his large house at Elstree to move into a terraced orsemi-detachedsingle: "This record has outgrown what a pop record can be. This recordhouse. "So there won't be enough room for the table tennis and billiard
has more love forpeople. Sometimes you love a person so much. But he'stable. Never mind," says Ray philosophically.
got himself in a hole, and the only thingyou can do is to kick him to get him
More important to him, it seems, is an unpretentious environment. He
out of it. People have had a go at me for using the word plastic, but it's theshakes his head somewhat sorrowfully about those professional antionlyword you can possiblyuse. You couldn't call a man a pathetic man."establishment figures who, at the first touch of King Midas, rush out toAnd how does Ray categorise plastic people?
buy a Rolls-Royce. "What would I want with a Rolls-Royce?" asks Ray.
"A)," he says -giving measured consideration to the term- "they're"It does only about 12 miles to the gallon. Anyway, driving frightens mephoney people. People who always succeed in saying the right things.
to death. I'd ratherride a horse."
Theygive the right buzz at the right time. You just can't get anything
And fora pop star -and Raywould probablyloathe the term if you used it
genuine out of them. And b), they're products of 1968 and '69. They've
to his face- he is distinctly contemptuous about Radio One. "It terrifies
been conditioned to things. They've got commitments to meet like heavyme," he says. "It's conditioning people. It makes them listen to one thing.
mortgages, for instance. But if theytake a drink they have got to be careful
There's no competition. I listen to Radio Four or Any Questions. I'd much
not to be arrested. Otherwise they'd lose theirjobs. And theycan't afford
rather listen to that. The people on Radio One become little tin gods."
to do that. 'Plastic Man' not only summarises myfeelings. A) -it's my
He might have said plastic gods. But he didn't. Laurie Henshaw
feelings and b) -it's the group. A and B equalX-The Kinks.""What is important is that it's the first 'group' record that has been made- NME APRIL 26 fora long time. It certainlyexpresses mybrother Dave's feelings. But it's apart of each one of us. Somebodytold me off the otherdaybecause the song
RAY DAVIES IS a storyteller. I am sure that if he had been born
did not have a hanging line, like building up for 16 bars and then going into
about 200 years ago he would have been seen wandering abouta catchphrase. But thewholethingis a catchphrase. Certain people dislike
playing a mandolin, entertaining the peasants with his musicalit because they get certain truths about themselves. Nobody likes truth.
tales. All The Kinks' hits have one thing in common -apart from being
But I admit the truth. It's probablynot the greatest sonevewritten and notstraight pop records, they tell a story. None of the old "moon" andthe greatest song I'll ever write. But it's the only songl could havewritten at"June" or "walk" and "talk" for Ray; there has to be a definite theme.
this time. Even though I hated it when I first heard the acetate!
"I think a lot of people are annoyed about this," confessed Ray's brother"But ! think it could be a hit. It does botherme
Dave. "I know a lot of people in the business
if I don't have a hit. But only because! feel I've
don't like it. They say, 'What right have The
made somethingwrong. But then I listen again,
Kinks got to make social comment?'
remember whyl did it -and I then know I'm not"But the thing is, we're not. Raywrites how
wrong. Those same people who run 'Plastic Man'he feels at the time. Whatever he's thinking
down are goingto play it sometime. Then they'll
about at that period comes out in his writing.
get somethingout of it they did not realise before.
'Plastic Man' isn't knocking anyone; it's really"The onlything that upsets me is that people
something in all of us, we're all a bit plastic at
may think twice about anything else I do. A songtimes. You can go into a pub all dressed up
doesn't have to be a hit, but it's got to have an
and behave flash to impress people, then you
impact. The way record sales are going now,
go back to your wife and kids in front of the telly
there aren't many real hits. The charts just have-it's all hypocritical."to be filled up each week. There's got to be a No 1
Dave brought the new Kink, 22 -year -old Johnand climbers. I understand that certain records
Dalton, along to meet me. With them also wascalled hits are sellingvery low figures."
MickAvory. Raywas inAmerica producing

THE KINKS"It terrifies me.
The people on
Radio One
become little
tin gods"

24 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

THE KINKS- MELODY MAKER MAY 3 ATHREE -LETTER WORD HAS led to a ban on The Kinks

performing their new chart single, "Plastic Man", on Top
OfThe Pops. At the risk of corrupting a million MM
readers, I can reveal that the word is "bum", which appears in aline of the lyric -"Plastic legs that go right up to his plastic bum".
"We did anAmpex for Top OfThe Pops and theyhave decided not
to use it," said an embittered Ray Davies this week. "They listened to
the words and when ! reached that word they shifted the camera off
me. It's all very childish and I'm sure everybodywho watches Top Of
The Pops already knows what a bum is. They even asked me to sing'thumb' instead. It was all so ridiculous and very upsetting. Whatmakes it so absurd is that we did it on Dee Time and the record isgetting played on Radio One without anycomplaints."- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 27 -some new Riffles records. John has played with The Kinks before, so heknows theirmusic; in fact he replaced Pete Quaife fora fewweeks when
Pete had an accident a couple of years ago.
"I've been playing in little groups since," John told me. "I don't feel any
different beingwith The Kinks as I've played with them before."
Pete's departure from the group was not exactlyexpected and Mick
told me why. "He said about three months ago that he was going to leave,
but I didn't take any notice. The first time! found out he had left was when
I read it in your paper and saw that picture of him with his new group."
So if anyone's thinking of leaving theirgroup, tell us first and we'll let thegroup know about it the next Friday!
Right now, The Kinks are working on an album which is going to bea sort of pop opera. "I don't knowwhy it's being called an opera," Davecommented. "It's not the sort of thing most people know as an opera; it'san LP that tells a story. A bloke wrote the story and Ray's been writing themusic. We're doing it for Granada."
Dave, who was behaving unusually quietly for one whose boning
habits are known the length and breadth of everyalehouse in the land,
has a personal thing about country& western music. His last solo single,"Lincoln County", meant a lot to him, and he even went so far as tothreaten never to make another if that one didn't take off. It didn't, andI asked him if he would keep to the threat.
"No, I'm doing an album now of my own songs with the rest of The
Kinks playing on it," he revealed. "I have to write songs and most of them
are country& western types. I don't write anything like Ray and hedoesn't write anything like me. Though we're brothers, we're not all thatalike; I'd like to be more like him and he'd like to be more like me. We seeeach other's faults, then look at ourselves and think, 'I wish ! could dowhat he does.'"
Now that "Plastic Man" has made the hit parade, The Kinks are all set tostart appearing in the press again. It is an odd thing about The Kinks thatthey hardly ever get a mention unless they have a hit on their hands.
"We do work a lot, but never get any mentions until something like Peteleaving happens," confirmed Mick. "We've never bothered about getting
a publicist until now, so I suppose he'll start inventing all sorts of things
for you to write about."
At that very moment in walked the said publicist and everyone kept
schtum. He noticed the obvious silence, but before he could say anythinga large pint was pressed into his ever -receptive palm.
"Come on," Dave said tome, "have another drink." Then he added:"I really hope this record gets in your charts."
Well, you see what buying a drink for me does foryou, Dave!
Richard GreenACONTEMPT FOR THE establishment -conditioned
people of 1969 has emerged all too clearly in the songsof Ray Davies and The Kinks. It has earned them areputation as intolerant mockers of the little man. "Plastic Man"
attacked phoney people and now "Shangri-La" is devoted to life
in suburbia. But it looks as if Ray's obsession is drawing to an end
with the release of their latest single and new album, Arthur.
Bass playerJohn Dalton, who replaced Pete Quaife when he left
The Kinks, explained, "I think it's something Ray's had a bee in hisbonnet about for about a couple of years, but now the album's
finished Raywill probablygo onto something else." People may
think that with ourpop operaArthurwe've copied The Who as
they've done a similar type of album, but Ray started writing it years ago.
We've been recording it forages.
"Shangri-La" is one of the tracks from the album. There are 12 tracks inall and the album tells the story of a middle-aged man named Arthur
whose son decided to go toAmerica. This makesArthur realise what he'sachieved in life, that he's still living in the past in some ways. He realises
what he's been missing all his life. There are a lot of good tracks on thealbum and they'd all make singles. Ray couldn't really make up his mind
which trackwe should use as the single."
John, who had his own group Mark Four before finally joining The
Kinks, will be making his first trip to the States next month when The
Kinks start a two -month tour of a countrywhere theyare regarded ina totally di fferent light than in Britain. "We're regarded as a sort of'underground' group in the States. Our last album, Village Green
Preservation Society, is a big 'in' record with the hippies. We'll be playing
all types of places, from the colleges to all the progressive gigs like theFillmore East and West. It's a complete coast -to -coast tour. Obviously
some places are bigger than others, but we intend to use brass and stringson this trip. We'll be using a lot of material from Arthur, so we'll need thebrass. It should be great workingwith that big sound behind us and it will
be different to look at and hear."
When in the States John hopes "to do the whole tourist bit as I've heard
so much about it from the other boys" and to meet two of his biggest idols,
Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis. "It seems to me that Tom Jones has broughton this return byElvis. I think perhaps Elvis is a bit jealous and afraid that
Tom Jones will take over his crown."
Elvis apart, John believes thatthe current return to rock bya lotof groups has come about becauseof a lack of original material.
"People have run out of ideas of
theirown and there are so very few

good songwriters around thesedays, so they've had to revert backto the old stuff.A lot of people whoare playing the old stuff are theso-called supergroups something I wouldn't call them.
As individuals they might bevery good, but they tend to clash
onstage and you end up with one
person trying to dominate thegroup." Royston Eldridge

A quick
look roundthe plastic
world
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1969
JANUARY-M","When I die,I want to haveleft somemark of my
own"

NINA SIMON' arrives
in Europe as "the highpriestess of soul",
her 'Huff Said! album
already a classic. Her
message is love, but
Simone represents far
more. "First of all I'm acoloured woman," shesays. "Coloured artists
don't have to take backseats any more."

26 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

- NME FEBRUARY 8 sHE SITS THERE straight-backed in her chair, proud and dignified,
as impressive a figure in person as she is on stage. Bearing nosigns of the several tiring hours she has just spent on the plane,
she handles her interviewers with dexterity and wit, turning backon the questioner that which she does not wish to answer withfirmness tempered by charm - all round she is a most impressive
lady, the one called Nina Simone.
Nina came to England in December. And since then what had always been a large
devoted following from these shores has mushroomed into a sudden surge of pop
interest, with the result that, last week, Miss Simone found herself in the positionof having two NMETop 30 hits afterwaiting more than a decade to make her British
chart breakthrough.
"To Love Somebody" leapt an amazing 15 places -the highest jump of the week-while "Ain't' Got No" was still hovering in the lower regions of the chart after
reaching No 4. And, on top of that, the Philips double -sided re-release of Nina's
superb earlynumbers "I PutA Spell On You"/ "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" isalso sellingwell.
There are some neat twists of ironyin "To Love Somebody", which is, of course,
a Bee Gees original from the pens of Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb. One lies in
the fact that the number was a still largely unexplained flop in Britain for the
Bee Gees themselves, and coming as it did, sandwiched between their initial hit"NewYork Mining Disaster" and their No 1 "Massachusetts", it might have proved
a fatal setback.
"We did have a hit with it elsewhere," said BarryGibb this week, "but not inEngland, because! think they just didn't want those kinds of songs at the time."
Paradoxically, "...Somebody'" has since become one of the most recorded of all the
Gibb compositions, and according to Barry, Nina's hit is only one of 200 otherversions. A second touch of irony arises from the fact that Barry, Robin and Maurice

"Popularity
doesn't meanthat much tome.
Nordoes money.
Music is my life":
Nina Simone.

October 300666

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 127

1969

JANUARY -MARCH

A certain
detachment

ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL

-LONDON --LIVE!

have made as much out of the song from royalties off the coverversions as
theywould have done if the Bee Gees themselves had got it to No 1!
"Nina seems to have a lot of interest in our songs," says Barry. "And thisreally knocks me out because it really is an honour. She has been a star forso long and it is tremendous."
Flip of "...Somebody" is also a Bee Gees song, "I Can't See Nobody", andthe group's "Please Read Me" and "The Morning" compositions areamong the tracks on Nina's new RCA album 'Nuff Said.
The LP was recorded live before a capacity audience at the Westbury
Music Fair, Long Island, last summer, just 48 hours after the assassinationof Dr Martin LutherKing, and one of the highlights is the songwritten thesame day by Gene Taylor, Nina's bass player, titled "Why? (The King Of- MARCH 22

MM March 29

la Simone drawn on blues,
talk and soul during a moving,
entertaining performance in London.
MOSTARTISTSGO on stage and project themselves to theaudience. Nina Simone is one of a rarer breed who makes
the audience come to her. She works with a certain
detachment and delivers her songs deadpan, although as theevening progresses she allows herself the occasional smileandgets up from her piano and executes some shuffling dancemoves across the stage.
Her concert at London's Royal Festival Hall last Saturday was,to say the least, successful. To many, she appears to be somespecies of Black Goddess. Several young white fans succeededin getting on stage
and sitting at her feet,transfixed, towards
the end of her show.
Backed by organ, guitar,bass guitar and drums her usual group -Nina
worked through a varied,often moving and always

Love Is Dead)".
Also on the album is a live version of Nina's hit from Hair -"Ain't Got No-I Got Life", a new treatm ent of the earthy "Gin House Blues" and "The

Backlash Blues", a number especiallywritten for Nina by Langston
Hughes, one ofAmerica's greatest poets, just a few months before his
death. On there too is a fresh styling of "I Loves You Porgy", the song thatgave Nina her first US No 1 over a decade ago.
Aged about 35 - though she turns aside questions on her age -Nina
was born Eunice Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina, the sixth of eightchildren. By the time she was seven, she had taught herself to play both
piano and organ and recalls, "Bythat age I had acquired a deep andintense devotion to sound."But at an early age her musical career was almost strangled at birththrough her family's lowly financial status and saved onlyby a local
music teacherwho realised the child's potential and offered to train her
along classical lines at no charge.
By this help, the young Nina was able to attend high school in Asheville,
North Carolina, and to continue her musical training for a year and a half
at the Juilliard School Of Music. When her familylater moved toPhiladelphia she became an accompanist forvocal students and gave
private piano lessons to finance her own studies with VladimirSokoloff
at the Curtis Institute Of Music.
At 19, she went job hunting and was offered work in an Atlantic City
nightclub on the stipulation that she sang as well as played piano. "I was
stunned," she recalls. "In all my concentration on the piano, I hadn't
paid any attention to myvoice." She began singing spirituals and theaudiences lapped it up.
Nina had little difficulty finding work after that and in the late '50s.
"I Loves You Porgy" put heron the road to international stardom and to
howwe know her today -as one of the finest blues/soul singers in the

Several youngfans succeeded ingetting on stage

and sitting at
her feetentertaining programme.

Her choice of material isinteresting; she draws oncontemporary folk ("Turn!
Turn! Turn!", written by Pete Seeger, Dylan's "The Times TheyAre A-Changin'" and "I Shall Be Released"), blues ("Tossing
And Turning") and soul -slanted things like her arrangement ofpoet Paul Lawrence Dunbar's "Compensation" and "To Love
Somebody", which was another good arrangement on which
she wasjoined by Doris Williams and Gina Rothschild.
The ovation she received was well deserved. Nina Simone isa great artist and, as the mood of her act suggests, makes nocompromises. If you missed here this time, make the Palladium
on April 9. Nina Simone is one of the most exciting performers

world. Nick Loganon any stage anywhere. Tony Wilson- MELODY MAKER APRIL19 -

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Nina, the Black
Goddess, makes
no compromises

NINA SIMONE, THEARTIST, is the High Priestess Of Soul, theblues singer and the jazz pianist. Nina Simone, the person, iscompelling, formidable, and totally involved in life and living.
She was in London last week reaching a much wider audience thanusual- thanks to a song from Hairand one from the Bee Gees -but
worrying because her latest single, "Revolution", is not being played.
"I'm sensitive about all myrecords, but I'm concerned because this one
isn't selling. I'd like the fans to find out why it's not being played, I want toknowwhat they think.
-Revolution' means what's going on in the world. Ifyou listen to the
lyrics of the songyou will see, though it does mention the racial problem,
there are numerous others- the young against the old, the black against
the white, the poor against the rich, and the new breed against the oldestablishment. I think the young people would like it especially.
"I try to say through mymusic what thousands of people think and feelbut aren't able to say. I'm just a medium. Millions of people go through thesame emotions in their own lives. The music that you put out should bevery close to what you feel. I'm veryhappythat I've had the hits- it's
thrilling, a bonus, it's the supreme compliment -but I'm not going tochange what I do and put out something that doesn't please me. I like toplease the public, but not at my own expense.
"I want to sing the best music in life- the best that! can find. Yes, themessage is more important tome, but I don't think it can be separated
from the music. For me, the message is more important. The message
L -O -V -E. Love, baby and care- people don't care about one another."
The state of the British charts interested Nina, especially the current
upsurge of enthusiasm for Tamla-Motown.

NINA SIMONE"Coloured artists are leading the trend of music in
the pop chart and this is what should be. It shouldhave happened years before. There are manyreasons -we could talk all day about it -but the worldis getting smaller. Coloured artists are accepted inways they could never have been before -they don't
have to take back seats anymore. The medium is very
big now -there's TV, radio and travel. First of all, I regard myself asa coloured woman who is verysensitive about this thing.""I always want to reflect mypeople. Young people, black or white,come second. I am a spokeswoman foryoung people, but first of all
I'm a coloured woman. The thing! most want to do is take a year off,or however long it takes, and do an awful lot of reflecting about lifeand music.
"You have to see what you've done and you have to take time to do that.
When! die I want to have left some particular mark of myown. I'mcarving my own little niche in this world now."Royston Eldridge- NME APRIL 19 sHE SPEAKS THE VERBAL equivalent of big black capital letters.
"I am carving my own little niche in this world of craziness. I am
into my own thing. Man, when I die I want to leave some kind of
mark that is my own."
Nina Simone speaking in herfascinating musical voice that lifts
imploringly in tone at the end of each sentence. It gives everything shesays an extra touch of drama and importance.
But then most of what she says is important -shedoesn't have much time for trivia.
She sits regally, dramatically, dressed in gold brown silk blouse and dark -brown silk trousers,
a striped headscarf worn Egyptian -style rising
up and away from the back of herneck. She's inLondon with husband and daughter on her way
back to NewYork after extensive concerts in
Europe. At her hotel she's meeting the press.
"I tryto say something through my music what lots of people think but are not able to door saythemselves," she is saying. "That's all.
I am just a medium. Millions of people can havesome identification with what I sing because
they have come across these things themselves.
That's all."
Chairs are drawn nearer towards hercorner. She's
asked if she wants a drink. She smiles, thinks. "No,I'm trying to get awayfrom all that crap." She'sbought an iced coke instead.
The flashbulbs pop. "Smile" asks a cameraman. Nina's replyis to pushforward herproud chin and hold an impressive serious pose.
"Smile... Say Cheese" comes the repeated request. There is a halfhearted attempt to comply, quicldyabandoned. "No," she replies instead,laughing while trying to maintain the serious pose.
After the successes of "Ain't Got No" and "To Love Somebody", Nina's"Revolution" single is taking a long time to get off the ground. She
expresses concern about it and over the fact that it hasn't been gettingmuch airplayon Radio One. "Anybodyhere from the music papers?" sheasks. "I'd like my fans to find out why it isn't selling and what theythink
about it."
It can hardly be said that Nina's whole career depends on the successof"Revolution", but she appears to show deep concern about it.
"It bothers me because of the record company, the promotion people,
because of my husband. Because they are worried -but not me. Music is
mylife. It gives me a kind of freedom to write and singwhat I like. I musthave that freedom. If 'Revolution' does not sell then we will go on tosomething else, period. We're going to do 'Tum! Turn! Turn!' as a single.
I did it on TheDavidFrostShowand we had a fantastic response to it.
I hope theylike that."
What does "revolution" mean to her?
"It means what is going on all over the world. If
you listen to the lyrics you will see that although
it does include the racial problem it does
include all the revolts and rebellions going on
all over the world... black against white... poor
against rich... young against old... new breed
against the establishment, and you can go on
and on and on. I believed that young people
would like it. I believe that the music
I put out should be as close to what I feel as
possible. That has always been the guideline.
"I am very happy that I had the hits, very
thrilled about them. But really I just cannotchange and do something that will just please them.
I want to please them. But really! cannot change andsingwhat I don't believe in. Popularity doesn't meanthat much tome. Nor does money. Music is my life."
Musically, Nina's achievements are legion. Personally,
there is a long, longway to go. She explained one
ambition she'd like to fulfil: "I want to take a year off tohave an awful lot of reflection about my life and mymusic. I really felt a glow inside when I heard about thisman who took off 12 years. His name was [pianist]
Vladimir Horowitz -he stayed awayfrom a concert hallfor 12 years and he came back last year. But he knew
what he was doing and all I want is a year or maybe two,"
she says, with a smile. "You have to go away and see what
you have done, and that is what living is all about. You have tokeep redirecting your own life."
She speaks ofAmsterdam as a city ofyoung people, a city she
admires, and of the concert she played there when so many
young people attended. Does she regard herself as a "freedom
fighter" for youth?
"First of all I regard myself as a coloured woman who is very
sensitive about the things I do and the things ! say. I always
want to represent mypeople. Young people, black and white,come second. My first identification is as a coloured woman."
She's asked on which she puts the most importance -themessage or the music?
"To me the message is more important, though! think itcannot be separated from the audience."
What then, in a nutshell, is the message?

"The musicthat you put
out should bevery close towhat you feel"or

Plarch1969: Simone
appears on Michele
Arnauds Quatre Temps
on French television"L -O -V -E," she spells out. "Love and care. People don't careenough about each other."'Nuff said. Nick Logan
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 129

"It's very

hopeful,very

exciting"
ERIC CLAPTON starts the year on theuubp ui HA Hug a new supergroup- BLIND FAITH. There is a great-

performance in Hyde Park, but
a troubled American tour tests
Clapton's commitment to the project.
"Egos were flying up and down," helow ioays. "I don't think the group is going=stay together very long..."-FEBRUARY 1 -1 RIC CLAPTON HAS emerged from self! imposed exile and is this week attempting
to book studio time for himself and Stevie
Winwood. The former Cream guitarist and thejex -Traffic star, who have long been admirers ofeach other's work, decided over a year ago thatthey would record together at the earliest opportunity. Since
the Cream came to an end, Eric has been in hiding at his new
country house near Guildford, avoiding people and publicity

and pondering his future.

r*,
4r,

"I tend to regard the whole business of coming up to town as anightmare," said Eric when he made one of his rare excursions
into the big city on Thursday to talk about his future with Stevie,
his friendship with George I larrison and why he thinks even his
most faithful fans will give up following him sooner or later. »

40.-s

.

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 I 31
"ft

1969

J 4NUAR1 -Oa

I waited for him at manager Robert Stigwood's Mayfair offices. Eric waslate. "He's just arrived and finding him wayup through the offices," said
publicist Robin liirner. A quarter of an hour or more passed. "He musthave got lost between here and the front door," Robin apologised.
Eventually Mr Clapton arrived, with a grin on his face and looking
healthy and happyand resplendent in a blackvelvet jacket and pinkvelvet
trousers with turn -ups.
"You're lookingwell," he said, sitting himself down and asking if a baconsandwich could be found while he proceeded to tell me what he had been
doing in his Surrey hideout since the Cream split.
"I am a professional listener," he confessed. "I like listening to records asmuch as playing. That is probablywhat my problem is. Once again ! have
got to listening to blues and old rock'n'roll records, including a Buddy
Holly Greatest Hits LP I have bought. But I think it is now time ! did
something. I'm trying to book recording sessions for next week, so I'll
have a deadline then and I'll have to do something.
"Anyone who wants to turn up," was Eric's replywhen I asked who he'dbe workingwith. Could he be more specific?"Well, Stevie, obviously. But
I don't know whether I'll be doing an album of mine, or an album of mineand Stevie, or just Stevie's album. It will just have to sort itself out, because
I can't be bothered making those kinds ofdecisions beforehand.
"Stevie came down and stayed at the house forfour days just days after Christmas. We didn't
talk much but we played a lot and that I suppose
was our version of talking. But it's very hopeful,very exciting. He's frighteningly good. In fact the
only thing that holds me back is that he is so
dynamic that you could probably end up justaccompanying him! I've got to work out in mymind whether !want to do that or to express
something on my own."
Does it mean that theywill be forming a group
together, I asked? "It probablywill be," hereplied, "but ! don't want to commit myself sostrongly that I can't back out."
What then are the chances?"Oh 75 to 25," said Eric with an enigmatic
smile. Then after a pause added, "Very good chances, actually. There's
no-one else. The only thing is that if I do a record with Stevie or form agroup with him I am kinda stuck for a rhythm section, and my immediate
reaction would be to call up Jack and Gingerbecause they are the only two
that! am familiar with. But I don't know how Stevie would feel about that.
He might want to call up Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, etc. So it's a problem.
"If there was a group it would probablybe only temporarybut the timemight be a lot longer than other p eople would call temporary. We might
drift around fora year or so or a couple of years. And as Jack has said, there
is some chance that Cream will all be back together in nine months. I'dquite like to do it all again with another member. With Stevie -yeah. Say
someone said get together at the end of this year after! have had all mylittle diversions, then ! might do it- but not as a trio."
Apart from Eric's associations with Stevie, another heavy influenceon him of late has come from his friendship with George Harrison. "He
influences me a lot," said Eric, "in what he says about things and aboutmusic. But there is no chance that we would get involved in a group,
because he has the best group in the world on his hands. And he would bea fool to check out of that. But I will still be seeing him, because he turns
you on. He is a fantastic person; a very heavy man."
We talked about Tony Palmer's BBC Omnibus tribute to the Creamand how different Eric seemed now from the film interviews in the
programme. "There have obviouslybeen some great changes. When
those interviews were done we had just checked into San Francisco toplay the Fillmore and we werevery egotistical about everything. We were
just God's gift to the world, but that didn't last long. I don't feel so 'dog eat
dog' any more. I felt verymuch as if I was in a competition.
"I was very aware of people talking about this 'fastest guitaralive' bit.
But there is no necessityto go into that now; I am now quite prepared to
go into a studio and make anything that sounds good to me -and besatisfied with it. I'm not worried about its appeal to other people or like
how it stands up against the latest guitarist to come up. I am not so hungup now on being a success. But there is no such thing as a best guitarist.
Because if I had a lick that was better than Beck's then Beck would havea lick that was better than mine, and Hendrix is better than all of us
anyway," he laughed.

The strange thing about the legendary Mr Clapton is that while muchis heard of Clapton the musician and guitarist, little is ever heard of
Clapton the man. This is usuallythe case with legendarycharacters, as
Eric undoubtedly is, and derives from his wish to avoid a personality cult-a situation he not only intends to continue but to intensify.
"If I am in a newspaper it is always about my guitar playing," agreed
Eric. "It has always been that way. I don't have a personalityappeal like,say a Bee Gee. It's also because I'm so fickle, I suppose. I mean ! can't tie
myself down to ever looking the same."
I can vouch for that. On Omnibus, Eric's hairwas wavyand he had amoustache. The last time! saw him, in Decemberat the Stones'RockAnd
Roll Circus, he had no moustache and long straight hair. On Thursday hehad changed yet again. Now the moustache is back, his hair is shorter at
the sides and he has acquired a fringe.
"I remember once when I was with John Mayall I used to wear military
jackets," he recalled. "I played at one place and the whole crowd was
wearing m ilitary uniforms.And I came on wearing a clown outfit orsomething strange and there were hundreds of brought -down people
everywhere. But I avoid trying to get a personality cult. I expect this year
to reallydrop out of it completely, publicity -wise, press -wise.
"I just don't thinkyou can keep the public
interested in someone who is not taking thesteps to interest them. I am now virtuallyin
a position where! have nothing to sayto
anybody. What my plans are, what I eat for
breakfast and all that. Even my most faithfulfans, whoever they may be, are bound to giveup sooner or later.
"No, I'm not deliberately trying to lose them,
I am just being myself, but I don't think thatwill interest them for long. I mean -just a bloke.
There's nothing for them to get hung up on."
They manage to get hung up on Lennon,
McCartney, etc, as "just blokes", I suggested.
"They are not 'just blokes'," protested Eric.
"Theyare... Well, I'm hung up on Harrison,
Lennon, McCartney and Ringo because they are the saints of the 20th
century." A lot of peoplewould put Eric in the same class.
"No, I just don't see that," he continued. "I can't see howjust being a
guitarist is enough." But a very good guitarist. "Not even a good guitarist.
But if I was a songwriter and I had things to say that people could follow...
"I can only really appeal to other guitarists. There can't be too many
chicks, or pop music fans either."
What did you eat for breakfast?
"Porridge," said Eric and smiled. Nick Logan"I expect thisyear to reallydrop out of it

completely,
publicity -wise"

32 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

- MELODY MAKER AUGUST 16 _THERE WAS ONCE a standard press picture caption for lady
showbusiness celebrities which ran: "Always happiest whenamong her flowers." Ginger Baker has a reputation as ahellraiser, which he does not particularly enjoy and is not particularly
accurate. With angular features and wild red hair, he seems a fearsome
figure as he nightly whips up excitement with drum solos on riot -torn
rostrums across America.
He is known to get into occasional scrapes with policemen and has been
seen at the centre of odd scenes in the more rocking kind of nightclub.
But Ginger Baker at home, when he gets the chance, is a man of peace,dedicated to ensuring his tropical fish receive a balanced diet and a clean
environment. He has worked long and hard for recognition and financial
reward and even now he rarely has time to relaxwith the simple pleasuresoflife in a detached Harrow villa with wife and children.
However, Gingermanaged to take a few days off from Blind Faith's
hectic tour of America last week and when! called at his home he wasbusying himself drawing plans fora proposed high-speed cruiser while
his familywatched unmoved at the desperate attempts ofRowan&
Martin's Laugh -In to raise a chuckle, in colour.
In just over a yearin their comfortable and spacious house, Ginger
has ordered the transformation of his garden from a heap of wet clay toa pleasant piece of greenerywith attractive fish pond with fountains,which he built himself with the aid of road manager, Mickliirner.
And inside, Gingerhas two large tanks stocked with an intriguing arrayof fishy delights of various hues. I arrived at feeding time and was shown ")ERIC
PTORil

STEVE

WithClapton

wlPl wool)

concerned about theirstage readiness, Blind
Faith liveuptotheirname in front of an

GINGER
RAKER
Ri
GRECH
FREE

41.A141biLaudience of 120,000

COWERT

NYDE
PARKJUNE 73 PM.

BLIND FAITH

HYDE PARK--LONDON

Ilk

June 14 Blind Faith make their live
debut on a balmy evening in London.,

IT WAS, IF we are to believe the London
Evening News, dropping the biggest boobyof them all, the "Cream farewell concert".
That such a powerful newspaper should be so
ignorant of the facts is frightening, but gladly
not all the press coverage was as ill-informed
as the poor old out -of -touch News.
But the sadder aspect of this side of the Blind
Faith concert was that in their amazement at

120,000 youngsters meeting without
incident, the national press missed theopportunity to realise that pop is no longer thepreserve of the teenybopper and that these"mods, rockers and hippies", as the Evening
Standard called them, had come not to screamat some hope -swivelling demagogue, but in anorderlyway to listen to adult thinking pop
music, about which there was not a word.
So what of the music that caused all the fuss
but went virtually ignored in the coverage?
What we were witnessing was not the gods atplay but a very fine rock group. And if wethought of them in that way and not as
superhuman beings then they were good andbecoming brilliant with every new phrase. It
was ipm when I arrived, along with a cavalry ofcolourful young people who had poured out of
the Underground at Marble Arch,and alreadythe crowd was overflowing the natural
amphitheatre known as the cockpit.
Musically, the peaceful mood of theafternoon was set by The Third Ear Band andtheir Indian -influenced alchemy, provided bytabla, clarinet, cello and violin.The excellent
Edgar Broughton Band followed,and kept up
the high standard, with their Beefheart-likebluesy pop. A big roar went up for Richie
Havens as he took the stage and launched into
"High Flying Bird" and an act of burning
intensity delivered from the heart.
"Freedom" was an emotional closer and at
the end of it Richie came off the stage at theback, with his face screwed up with passion,
still strumming his guitar for several seconds
after the act was over. It wasa wonderful feeling ofmass communication thatwas filling the park withsweetness and it rubbed off
on Donovan, who borrowed
Richie's guitar and asked if hecould sing a song or two.
He sang hello to them first,
and they warmed to him,
and then gave them four
numbers which they loved.
He picked "Colours"
as a finale they'd all know and broke off
midway to amuse the audience with the
popular prostitution of his own lyrics... "Yellow
is the colour of my true love's teeth." Etc.
Soto Blind Faith, whose non-appearance
was causing apprehension until almost exactly
to schedule their faces appeared in the throng
at the rear of the enclosure. It wasStevie's
apparent musical domination of Eric andGinger that seemed to disappoint some of
the crowd. On every one of the nine numbers
it was Stevie who took the vocals, leaving his
unmistakeable impression of the musicaloutflow. But is that really such a bad thing?
Stevie's talent is growing to frightening

Ginger announced
half -joking,half -serious-

I R 120,000 FANS
The concert.. .7.
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those aching
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owemehrto

Who-that this was theirfirst rehearsal

proportions,mtpwith Eric and Rick's guitars and Ginger's
drums he could have no finer canvas on whichto create.
And if,as it seems likely, Eric and Ginger
would rather be led than be leaders, perhaps
they feel some dominant force is necessary tostop their talents producing self-indulgence.
I, for one, found no cause for complaint.
It is difficult to chronicle
the numbers as most titles
went unannounced, but
those that were included
Stevie's blues number "I'dRather See You Sleeping In
The Ground", his "Means To
An End" and the Stones'"Under My Thumb". It waswhen Ginger announced,
half -joking, half -serious,that this was just their firstrehearsal that I began to wonder if we were
expecting too much and began to seek a newbasis for appraisal.
And it was when Ginger at about that point
turned on a flash of brilliant drumming to get
the crowd on its feet that the whole set tooka night from the good to the excel lent.Steviecame back powering away; Rick Grech,bending over his guitar in that peculiar bass
player's crouching stance, was making it clearthat he wasn't out of his depth in such exalted
company; while Eric was playing with subtlety
and controlled elegance.
Earlier there had been a certain amount ofdrive lacking, but Stevie's keyboard stormingand Ginger's ferocious drumming werepushing up the level every minute and fromthat point I began to note down every number
as their best so far.
Perhaps Stevie summed it up for all of themwhen he sang, "'have finally found a place tolive like never had before." Nick Loganow..

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

I 33

1969

JANUARY -MARCH

the outdoor pool in full operational order with concealed lighting andenough fountains and waterfalls to whip up the pool into a maelstrom.
"The fish love it," said Ginger with satisfaction, as great finny lumps
huddled in what seemed to me cowardly fashion beneath the foam. We
adjourned fora chat in the dining room. "I'm going back tomorrow," herevealed. "I just came back to see my family. The tour has been quite
happy.After the team tours we altered its time so we could get some time
off and drive ourselves to gigs.""We did about 1,700 miles in three days las week and we've been doing
all the concerts and we finish on August 24 in Hawaii. The kids have beenreacting prettywell.A few people weren't too satisfied. Some people
wanted Cream and didn't get it."Did Gingerthink Blind Faith was abetter band that the Cream?
"It's a different band. Things have been getting better all the while.
I'm playingwell lately. I do a solo every night -I don't think! could workwithout doing that. The kids all want that, so I usually end up doing more.
I need a number to build up excitement to playa solo, and we do it with
'Do What You Like'.

"There have been a few reports that Blind Faith are Stevie's band. Well,that's bull. I saw one review of ourrecord which said it was Stevie's newband, which is a bit puzzling because it's nobody's band."I mentioned to Ginger that I had been recently replaying his originalrecordingwith Graham Bond, Jack Bruce and Dick Heckstall-Smith, theoriginal supergroup. "I don't really play anything. I just don't play records
too much. You do a record and become veryinvolved in it at the time, andthen you move on. Sometimes! playa Cream record. Some good records
came out of that. Really, when I'm not playing, I'm not musically
conscious. I like to get awayfrom it all. That's why I like having a car.
"I'd still very much like to do an LPwith Phil Seamen. Work with a big
band? Yeah, that's a nice idea. I'm not dead yet- there's some life in me
yet. Possibly some things like that will happen. There are still a lot ofthings I'd like to do with Blind Faith. There area lot of tunes I'd like us todo. The band didn't really get togetherat first. When we did Hyde Park
I wasn't happywith my solo and Eric didn't get it together too well, whichis unusual for Eric. But since then he's got better and better. The first gig
where it really started to happen was in Oslo."
His solo on the new Blind Faith album struck me as soundingAfricaninfluenced, with slack -tuned tom-toms thudding in waves. "I've always
been interested in African drumming," said Ginger. "Nobody can playdrums without being interested. Indian drumming is technicallyincredible but African drumming is more into feel and time.
"Indian drumming is also into time, of course, but withAfrican
drummingyou get an incredible feel. It often sounds simple, but tryand
spot where the beat lies. Phil Seamen used to play me an African recordand he'd say, 'Right, where is it?' Sometimes I was right, but quite often
I was wrong and he'd laugh and tell me to have anotherlisten. I first met
Phil in 1960 or '61. I was playing in the Flamingo withAlan Branscombe.
He used to be pianist with Johnny Dankworth. I went for the Dankworth
job when Kenny Clare left- and didn't get it.
"Anyway, Phil was playing in Ronnie's in Gerrard Street, and Tubby
Hayes told Phil to come in and watch me. I'dalways dug Phil ever since forever, but I had
never gone in for speaking to people! didn't
really know. I can't stand it myself when people
come up and say, 'Hello, I'm a drummer.' I tend
to say, 'So what?'"But MrSeamen came over to say hello andwe've been close friends eversince. In talking
and playing together he saved me years."
Did Gingerever regret not getting furtherinto
jazz and concentrating on guitar groups?
"I was always called a rock'n'roller in the daysof jazz. For me, jazz has stagnated since Parker
and Gillespie. There's nothing happ ening in it
now for me. But I saw Max Roach with Elvin
Jones and Art Blakey recently and he played the1LDb s off both of 'em. Maxis incredible.
"But I thinkwhat we're doing in Blind Faith isjazz. Jazz was always the people's music -whatever
the kids who are aware like. Theyknow what's

to play fast. But if you play slower tempos and playsomething
good, the majorityof people can digit and you can communicate
with your audience.
"Simplicityis really beautiful. That's the whole thingwith me to communicate with the audience.
"Nobody is above criticism, least of all me. I take a lot of
criticism... you get bad reviews and you get hung up about it. I've
had quite a lot recently. But I criticise myself. You go throughstages of thinking you are great.
"There are a couple of things on the 'live' solo on the last Creamalbum and it's nice that! am playing them now. It's a thing thatinvolves playing triples with two feet and the left hand and rollingthe cymbals.
"It's quite simple, actually, but it's nice to be able to go straight
into it. The trouble is when you are playing to an audience; they
don't want to hearyou practising. The success of a solo depends
on circumstances- howl feel and the mood of the audience. I relya hell of a lot on audience reaction. I always work hard at it, butsometimes! get annoyed at myself."
After 15 years as a pro musician and being associated withsomething like eight million dollars' worth of record sales, Ginger
still takes a pride in his work and maintains a desire for progress.
He never was a predictable musician, and never will be. His
greatness is as an original player. Chris Welch- NME SEPTEMBER13_
AS FAR AS Blind Faith and setting is concerned, there's
an awful lot of record in dire need of straightening.
Reports that filtered back to the homeland as
Winwood, Baker, Clapton and Grech were engaged on theireventful concert tour of America verged from the sublime to
the ridiculous - stories of police brutality and violent flare-ups duringperformances falling upon rumours of dissatisfaction within thegroup and even possible break-ups with ever-increasing speed.
Eric Clapton, looking slightly thinner than when he embarked for
the US, but looking mightilyhealthy under a biblical beard, has been
appointed to do the straightening. Robert Stigwood's alcohol and John
Mayan's Looking BackLP, featuring a young, crewcut Clapton in pre superstar days, were brought in to playto relieve the waiting until asmiling Eric descended upon us after being detained by his manager andaccountants above. He was late, but few are late with such charm as selfeffacing Mr Clapton.
And, as ever, he proved a cooperative subject. "The violence happened
everywhere we played. The worse were LA, New York and Phoenix,
Arizona. When I was with Cream it had not really grown then. Now thekids come to a show with one idea -violence and to heckle the cops.
"It is easy to blame the cops. But the audience comes prepared for thefact that there will be cops there and they are bugged from the start.
Theirmain thing is to heckle the cops and the main thing for the cops
is to answer backwith violence. Our mainthing was to appease them both -and thathas nothing to do with being a musician.
That's being a politician."
The peak of violence and hassles was reachedin Phoenix, according to Eric. "The trouble wasreallywith Delaney& Bonnie [the supportinggroup], who were having a hard time throughlack of billing and weird contact and money
scenes. Phoenixwas their last night on the tour,
and like most nights, we jammed with them.
Bonnie got reallyinto it and fell off the stage,
down 10 foot onto concrete. Pandemonium
broke out.
"The cops dragged her to an office and would
not let us in. After arguments we eventually got
in and took her to hospital with Delaneycarrying
her. There were more hassles therewith cops andDelaney dropped her again onto concrete and she
ended up in hospital with a broken vertebrae.

"Bonnie got
really into it
and fell off thestage, 10 footonto concrete"

happening.
"The kind ofjazz you get in clubs now is purely
musicians' music. If you've got a technique it's easy
34 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

FAITH
WELL ALL RIGHTCAN'T FIND MY WAY HOME

"What can you do? It is a police state; it is apolice country."
Will the group think twice before touring again?

"That's the whole thingwith me -tocommunicate
with the audience":
Ginger Baker with Blind
Faith at the Forum,
Inglewood, California,
August 15,1969

immigIVEMEMEI"It needs rethinking; I don't think that kind of thing can go on much
longer. There should be some sort of stipulation in the contracts. You
have got to make sure there are going to be no cops there. The effect of all
this on the group was very bad. We used to get notices accusing us of notliving up to our responsibilities because it was happening.
"Sometimes we really did get through to the audiences; sometimes
we didn't. We played prettywell on most of the tour, except when we had
to play too loud to make ourselves heard. But people were verybitter
because they had to see us in such large venues; because theythought we
had a big-time attitude, a 'supergroup' attitude towards it. Theywere justbitter; theyhold it against you. But we just wanted to playto as many as we
could and then move on. It sounds good in theory, but you cannot get into
playing like that. You have got to playa residencyat a club or something toreally get through.
"Yes, I would like to go back. People seem to know more about me andmymusic and Stevie's music than they do here. Our album is No 1 in
America; it is probably No 40 here. [The Blind Faith album enters the NME
chart straight in at No 2 this week.] I am so much out of touch with what isgoing on here."
Couldn't that be your fault because you spend too much time in
America? "Yes, that maybe true. But that's where theywant us."
It could also be said that that's where the money is. "That maybe true
again, and if that is true then it is my fault. I have been getting too muchinto the money angle. I have been feeling guilty about it."
WhyAmerica before an English tour? "Well, it is still that thrill of going
toAmerica," he smiled. "Though we thought when we formed that wewould do a couple of gigs here and then go toAmerica. It ended up, as you
know, with one gig and then we went to Scandinavia.
"The first thing ! did when we got backwas to pickup the papers andfind that people tat the Hyde Park concert] didn't dig us. My instantreaction was, 'Well, I'm not playing here anymore."'How much has Blind Faith fulfilled their hopes?
"I am pleased with the album and with a lot of the performances we did.
But I don't think the group is going to staytogethervery long. Stevie's
going to do something on his own and I will do som ething on myown.
I am inclined to say, 'Well, that was theBlind Faith tour. We may cometogether again with a different name."
A good part of the criticism of Blind Faith, at Hyde Parkin particular,
has been directed against the dominance of Winwood's influence overBaker and Clapton. "When we formed Blind Faith! thought Stevie had thebest voice, so I encouraged him and pushed him into the front. Maybepeople want me to sing. When ! did do a vocal on the tour it used toget good applause."
Isn't it true to some extent that both Eric and Ginger need to be led rather
than be leaders and that's why Stevie took the helm?
"Maybe. I felt very insecure sometimes that I am not doing the rightthing. But it is my own hang-up and the sooner I get over that the better.
After all, it is easier to be led than to lead."
How much musical satisfaction was there from the tour?
"A lot. I learnt a great deal. We travelled the old-fashioned wayin agroup's coach. It was all due to Delaney& Bonnie. I cannot tell you how
great theyare musically. They also made me feel ashamed because they
were working forvirtuallyno billing, and yet theywere always cheerful."
Eric names "WellAll Right" and "I Can't Find My Way Home" as tracks
on the LP that most sum up what Blind Faith was aiming at and says of thealbum as a whole, "I think it is the best LP I have had a part in."
Are we likelyto see a group called Blind Faith on tour in England?
"You may not see it called Blind Faith," answered Eric at his enigmatic
best. "It might have a different lineup; it might be the same. I suppose it
would be very unfairfor us to wind up before English audiences have hada chance to see us. Chances of an English tour? Fifty-fifty, I would say. Yes,
I would like to do one."Was there anyfoundation for rumours of dissatisfaction in the group?
"Therewere times when the group could have been larger and times whenit could have been smaller -just Stevie and I. In the first five days there
everybodyblowed out and came back to England, except me. There weredifferences, mainlybecausewe were being boosted as a 'supergroup'.
Egos were flying up and down; I was ashamed because! didn't thinkwe
were big enough to take that. A group cannot start like that.
"The best times we had were away from the stage, parties on the coachand things. So far as success of the group was concerned, we underwent
too much strain. We got a large percentage of bad nights and a small
percentage of good nights."
Eric agreed that to a certain extent Blind Faith was crippled before it
even started by the "supergroup" tag. Wouldn't that tag haunt him
personally for the rest of his career?And what happens when a"superstar" leaves a "supergroup" and forms another group?A "super supergroup" and so on and so on.
He was philosophic in recognising the problem. "There is one way to
avoid it. Change your name. If! decided to make an instrumental single
I would do it under a different name so I can tell if it's being bought for myname or for the music." Nick Logan
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 135

1969

JANUARY -MARCH"We arefive electric
people"Recharged by America and the success of"Albatross", nothing can stop FLEETWOOD MAC.

"Everyone in the band has been a disturbed
person at some time," says Peter Green.
"They can now know a lot of happiness."- NME FEBRUARY 1 FEARS FOR THE SAFETYOF Fleetwood Mac in the floods

that caused havoc and many deaths in California earlier
this week weren't exactly alleviated by the international
operator telling me that they might have difficulty getting
the NME's Thesday- evening call through to the group attheir Los Angeles hotel because the "cable was wet and ina bad way." Expressing much anxiety here in London on litesday was the
Fleetwood's manager Cliff Davis, who was also trying to get a call through tothem, and their publicist Valerie Bond, who to relieve the concern cracked,"I'm sure they'll be OK. Bad pennies always turn up."First there was a wrong number which got a rather annoyed Californianlady out of bed and then on to the line came the sleepyvoice of PeterGreen on
his bedside phone.
"Floods? No, theydidn't bother us," said Peter after a lengthyyawn, "exceptthat it's been raining solidly for days. It didn't reallyaffect the cities, though it
slowed the traffic right down and some of the roads were closed."
I offered my congratulations on their first No I hit with "Albatross".
"It hasn't quite sunk in yet," said Peter. "There's nothing really happening
here in the way that it is in England, so perhaps that is why. It could well have
flopped. I wrote it on a plane when I got the first three notes and I thought
theywere incredibly good, so I took it from there. I never wrote it withanything in mind but it would probably have been an LP track.
"I thought it had turned out very good when we had recorded it and we were
all so pleased with it that ! wanted to do it as a single. Everyone else agreed." x.
38 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

Peter said the group hadn't celebrated yet. "We are still waiting tocelebrate Christmas," he laughed. "We'll wait until we get home. The
whole band can't wait to get back. We all miss our friends very much."
The Mac's follow-up single, Peter reve aled, will be a track recorded in
NewYork called "Man Of The World". Peter wrote it and sings it. "It's in thesame vein as 'Albatross', very sad," he commented.
Would it, like "Albatross", be a change from what we have come to
expect from the bluesyFleetwoods?
"Well, I don't really care," said Peter, yawning again. "I neverhave done
really. We've never done what was expected of Fleetwood Mac -we've
always done the opposite. We just do what we want to do. We are notworried about people saying that we have gone commercial either.
"We still play the same stuff on stage, and just add the hit numbers like
Albatross'. It is good because that makes the whole act more interesting
and the hits provide a balance for more raw stuff.
"But we are not going to go completelyone way. We are not going togo over to hit numbers in the same way that we are not going to gocompletely over to 12 -bar numbers.
"The tour so farwas going great," said Peter. "The only thing that is
a drag is the in-between factor, the travelling, etc. The young people
generallyare fantastic, and that includes the groups. I was veryimpressedwith Taj Mahal. Grateful Dead we've met but haven't seen playyet.
"Janis Joplin sat in with us at the Fillmore West. She was sat listening
on the edge of the stage, and our road manager, who didn't knowwho she
was, pushed herforward. It was great because it was the end of the night
and we were all raving and having a great time. I also sawAlbert Collins,
who was playingwith us at the Fillmore. He is in the Buddy Guy, Albert
King class and he was about the only one of that kind I had yet to hear live."
Besides recording the single in New York, the group also went into theChess Studios in Chicago and recorded what could be a double album.
Invited onto the session were such blues greats as Willie Dixon, Shakey
Homton and Otis Spann, and Buddy Guy also dropped in fora play.
"Most of the bluesmen in Chicago are really hard up," said Peter.
"I would have thought they'd have had money, but a lot of them arereally down and out. "Willie Dixon is like a father figure of the blues
but every day he phones his agent for work but can't get hardly anything.
It's very sad."I said it was ironic that while the coloured bluesmen there
were hard put to earn a living, a white blues band like the
Mac could go to the States and get good money. "Yes,"s.
said Peter sadly. "It is very ironic."
An amusing fact that I onlylearnt this weekwas that
the Fleetwood's "Albatross" film clip they made forre
Top OfThe Popswas not made in Cornwall as I had
thought, but was filmed on the roof of the CBS offices
in London! It seems that the Cornwall trip had to becancelled because Peter had the flu and a photographof his face was put onto a film of the other four at CBS, interspersed withgenuine sea shots.
"Give myregards to everyone in England," Peter signed off, and I left him
to go back to sleep. He probablythought it was all a bad dream! NickLogan- NME FEBRUARY 22 WHITE FACED INA framework of jet-black curls, Peter
Green has the look of either a saintly devil or a devilishsaint. I suspect there's a bit of both in the Fleetwood Mac
leader born in Alf Garnett -land at Bethnal Green, East London. The
first time I met him was at the NMEoffices and the impression he left

was of someone continually on his guard, aggressive and taciturn,virtually defying you to like him.
Amore recent meetingwas on Monday. Still there is the hint of satanic
aggression and the nonchalant don't -give -a -damn attitude that is to be
admired, but Mr Green is now a changed man, immediately likeable,

more friendly and less suspicious. Nowadays he doesn't have to "hawk"
Fleetwood Mac around to get publicity; the journalists are the ones eager
to see him, and perhaps therein lies the clue to the change.
Monday's meetingwas on home territory- home being a house called
Albatross in suburban New Malden, Surrey. Peter bought it for his
parents, who, out of pride while he was away, gave it its name and erected
the metal replica of the Mac's No 1 bird that hangs over the front door.
A Mr Green in faded blue denims with a hole at one knee was there to
greet me and show me into a back room filled with the strains of "All You
Need Is Love", stuffed animals' heads that glowered down from the walls,a parrot and a budgie that squawked at each other from their separate
cages and where Peter's girlfriend squatted before the open fire sewing
badges onto a decrepit black canvas "Hell's Angels" jacket.
The jacket was a gift to Peter in the States from a friend who took it off
a member of the Rogues motorcycle gang in Chicago. "These guys would
ratherlose their lives than lose theirjackets," he explained. "They aredishonoured for life if theydo so."As! conjured up an image of a poor dishonoured Rogue treading thelonelywindswept streets of Chicago in search of his lost jacket, Peter
pulled up a leatherrhinoceros and invited me to take a seat.
"I felt as if I was lyingwhen I was on stage announcing that
'114,...
Fleetwood Mac was No 1," said Peter as we got on talking'4babout the US tour. "It didn't seem true being so far away.
LTMD \ The group really found a home from home in hotel
rooms over there. We got on to discussing a lot of
4S RPM.i things like life and death and it brought us all much
; closer together. Now I feel like I have a religion. I
believe in God now. This is what lam reading now,"
he said, suddenly producing several books froma nearby shelf, among them The Thoughts ofConfucius and a couple on Buddhism.
MAN OF TM WORLD 4
o GeolPeter put on a tape of one of Fleetwood's dates in
FLEETWOOD MAC
Detroit and there was much hilarity overJeremy
Spencer's hilarious Elvis Presleyimpersonations,which nearly always verge on the obscene.
"He really lives those characters; he really
believes he is Elvis Presley," said Peter, before
recountingthe story of the night in Sacramentowhen theynearlygot hauled off to jail on obscenity
charges. Fortunatelythe cops were content to givePeterand Jeremya ticking off in the street outside
the club. Apart from that brush with the law andthe floods which caused havoc and death in Los
Angeles during their stay, therewere two otherincidents on the tourthat Peterwillrememberfor
the rest of his life. On both he might have lost it!

The Macin'69:(I-r)Danny
Kirwan,PeterGreen,
Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy
Spencer andJohnMcVie

Fleetwoods
always werecommercial!

38 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

itariii-Ret..4

One was the night he and an American
girlfriend fled from a NewYork club pursued
bya gangster with a grudge against the girland a desire to shorten poorMr Green's
lifespan. How they holed up in the hotel withwhat theythought to be the gang hammeringon the dooroutside and turned out to be therest of the group makes humorous listening
told in vivid detail by Peterfrom the safetyof
suburban New Malden.

FLEETWOOD MAC"Danny was asleep in the next room," Peterrecalled.
"I had two knives with me and I took one in to him. He
was shaking like this inside the blanket and saying,'Please tell me it's a joke.' I was shaking too but
only inside. I didn't have time to explain; I justbabbled on about being sorryto involve him."
One of the reasons, perhaps, whyaccording toPeter, Dannywent to the States a boy and cameback a man! "It may seem funny tolook back at it now, but that was the mostfrightening time I have ever spent in my life.
These guys really are hard criminals and it'sa bit of a shockwhen you realise you are mixed
up in the New York underworld."

The second memorable incident, also fraught
with danger, happened when Peter ventured
into Chicago's notorious South Side district todown." "Mick's a laugh," suggested Mick.
We were in a basement recording studio off
Holborn Kingswaywhere Fleetwood Mac were
cutting their third LP. It will, Peter informed"We have thisincredible

humour thing,which Jeremyme, be totallydifferent from anything they've
done on albums before. Fora start, all the
tracks will be new numbers, with the writing
honours shared by Messrs Green and Kirwan.
In addition, they are producing it themselves.
The track taking their current attention was
a composition of Danny's, which accounted
for his exuberance.

"The ones we have yet to go on are reallycreative," observed Peter. "The last album, Mr
Wonderful, was sort of rock blues. No real ideas,
just feel. This one is mainlyideas, coupled withthe same feel. Like! did in 'Albatross' and 'Man
OfThe World'. I have been quite happy rock-abluesing, but there are just things in me thathave to get out. A big step? No, not for people who have followed us
through Mr Wonderful, 'Albatross' and 'Man of the World'."
Is it still blues? "I onlycall a blues a sad song. Asad songsungwith feelingis a blues to me," answered Peter. "Anythingelse is not. I would not call
'Stop MessingAround' a blues. Thatwas rock'n'roll. But we still love playing
rock'n'roll. We like to have some fun. We don't want to be too serious."Peter bit into an apple while Sandra peeled and offered round raw
carrots. The group asked me to put the record straight over a piece on the
NMEnews page last week stating that Jeremy Spencer was impersonating
the Cream on the new EP being released with the new LP. It is apparently
not the Cream that Jeremy impersonates; the information was wrongly
relayed to the NMEby the Fleetwood Mac office and the group was
horrified to read it. "We are all great fans of the Cream," said Peter. "Theyare just too £@£&!?£ good to thinkwe could impersonate them," added
Mick. The record is hereby straightened.
"I think it's time to go get some goodies," proclaimed Mick, who wassplayed out on his seat with a plimsoled foot in each comer of the room.
"No you don't, Fleetwood," ordered Peter. "You stay here and starve androt. That's howyou get the blues. Print that.""Write to Mick Fleetwood for three easy stages of bankruptcy," said
Mick suddenly, observing the tear in his ancient blue jeans where an
expanse of knee was on show. Mick is on stage three.
Fun with the Mac was temporarily interrupted by the arrival of
Christine Perfect, which woke John McVie from his quietude and thecouple swapped cigarettes and husband -and -wife talk.
There was an exodus of Fleetwood Mac to the studio, an impassioned
plea over the speakers from Mr Green -Where's me plectrum?" -and at
the next break Peter and I sat down and talked.
Did he think the new LP might lose them fans? "I thinkwe are going togain a lot more," he replied defiantly. "We may have lost followers with'Man...' and 'Albatross' because theywere not real followers. Just people
who say they like the blues. But I don't reallywant to lose anybody. !wantpeople just to follow us as people.
"We give ourselves all the time. We say just exactlywhat is going on andhowwe feel. People should know us individually as people. If I follow agroup it doesn't matter what theydo. Unless they go completelyto pot...
or perhaps I should say off the rails. We just want to do everything we cando. I am into so manydifferent things that people just don't realise. We
just want to scrape a lot of different aspects of music. I am not going tostick in one vein; not going to revert to the old days."
The beginnings of "Man Of The World" go a longwayback, nearly a year
and a half. "I got the phrase 'Shall/ tell you about my life' in my mind," saidPeter. "Then at a different time I wrote the bit in the middle. All the bits
came together. That's the way I write.
"Our intention was to release what was best for the general public -what
is generallyknown as a commercial hit. We want hits same as anybody
else. Whyelse do people put out singles? If this one isn't successful- andI know it must be because of the sales figures- if it died a death I would bea bit choked.
"'Albatross' gave me a lot of faith in the public, because that was a great
number. 'Albatross' was like my baby. I was proud of it. It will be aroundwhen! am dead. Obviouslywhen you get a No I it is like a great injection inyou. When I made 'Man Of The World' I believed in it that much! thoughtis the root of"playa solo spot at Pepper's Lounge before an all black audience. His companions there were
bluesmen Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters, but even then it was a tenuous
kind of safety.
"That is their whole territory, the South Side," said Peter. "That is all they
have left after being pushed by the white man, and anywhite who walks
the streets there is dead. If you can't play, in a place like that theyare just
waiting to let you know. I could feel the whole attention of the club on me
and theywere all clapping and shouting at the end. I was feeling so high,so proud after the performance. It was a lifelong ambition of mine to play
before an all -black audience."
Peter put on the Cream's Goodbyealbum he brought home from theStates and then played me "Man Of The World", the track he wrote andsings and which will probably be their follow-up single. It has the same
dreamy qualityof "Albatross" and the makings of another hit.
"It is definitely a blues," he commented when it finished. "But people
won't think it is because theywon't have heard a blues in that sequence
before. We are not trying to get away from doing the blues or get awayfrom doing anything. We are just trying to broaden our field of music. I
can guarantee that there will never be a night in Fleetwood Mac's history
when they don't do at least one slow blues and at least one Elmore James
number, and I am exaggerating that."
I asked him how he felt about the tag "New Stones" that had beenendowed on Fleetwood Mac. "I like it," was the reply, "because if Fleetwood
Mac can at least touch on what the Stones used to do then I'd be happy. The
name Stones just glows forme; it is electric. I have the greatest admiration
forthe Stones. I see Fleetwood Mac as a lifetime thing, because we are
more than a group, we are five people. I'm not boasting, butwe are fivevery
electric people and verypowerful. We have strongviews on everything.
"Everyone in the band has been a very sad and disturbed person atsome time in their lives, and because of that theycan now know a lot of

happiness. No-one has anyillusions or delusions. No-one thinks theyare
great, but they knowwhat they can do. We have this incredible humour
thing between us, which Jeremy is the root of and we are all in on it. It is
like a closed shop to outsiders. If any one of us started getting a bit flash,the others would bring him down. It is a great thing to have. It just keeps
everyone in touch and no-one is allowed to get anybig ideas."
Finally, the inevitable question -and Peterwas waiting for it. Have
Fleetwood Mac gone commercial?
"We always were commercial. A commercial group to me is one thatsells. The next question will be, 'Are you going to stop playing the blues?'
The answer is that I playand do what I like."
That's what makes him likeable. Nick Logan- NME APRIL 26 _ADISHEVELLED PETER GREEN, looking like a dropout cricket

umpire in an almost coat -length white cardigan, was sitting
next to a blonde girlfriend, Sandra, offering round a bag ofnuts. The 6ft 6in beanpole frame of the Mac's tame giant Mick
Fleetwood shook to the music like an electric octopus. John McVie wasquietly impersonating Fu Man Chu.
In contrast, Danny Kirwan was a blur of action, leaping from control
room to studio, showing not a trace of the shyness he used to be renownedfor. JeremySpencerwas, to coin a phrase, absent.
"Fun with the Mac," observed Peter drily, for my benefit. "Write thatit might do it." Nick Logan
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 139

1969

J4NUARI-w"

When Steve Marriott leaves
the Small Faces there areno hard feelings. Instead,
there's a new supergroup, th("incredibonzo" HUMBLE PIE,
some great scenes on tablas
and a hellish assignment
in Belgium. Still, says-

Marriott, "two good things
will come of one good thing".

"To hellwith theheavy
nonsense'-

MARCH 1 -MONTHS OF SPECULATION about the future of the Small Faces ended this week
when singer Steve Marriott broke his silence to tell NME,"The group is definitely
breaking up." Rumours that Steve was about to leave the group have been sweeping
the pop world, but from the seclusion of his Essex country cottage he said, "I want tomake it clear that it's not a case of my leaving the group, but rather the group isbreaking up to pursue their own scenes."
During their four years together, the Small Faces have been one of the country's most popular andcommercially successful groups, and Steve admits, "Of course it's sad in some ways that it's all over, but it's
great for each of us to have the chance to do what we really want to. And we had to get away from beinglabelled a dirty pop group for teen screams. That wasn't what we wanted at all, but while the group stayed
together as it was it was an image we were stuck with."
The most favoured story in current circulation is that Steve will team up in a new group with close friend
and ex -I lerd lead singer Peter Frampton, but his only reply to the rumours was a guarded, "At this stage
I'd rather not comment on any future plans. The name 'Small Faces' has become a bit of a hang-up. It nolonger means what we origi nally intended it to mean and the only thing we can do is to get rid of it," Steve
told me bluntly. "All our plans area bit vague at the moment and no date has been set, but weal! intend tostay in the pop music business. But I will say that two good things will come ofone good thing." »40

I

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969arI

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1969

N UAW( -0"Ronnie "Plonk" Lane, Faces' lead guitarist, said that the supposeddemob of the group was not because of any personal disagreement
amongst the boys. "We just feel that old scene as the Small Faces has
become a bit stagnant and we want to feel that we can be free to develop,"
he said. When! asked the two other boys what their plans were, Kennysaid that his one great purpose in life was to become a really great
drummer. "I have been doing a lot of session work just recentlyand
I intend to go on with this forthe time being," he said.
Until now silent, organist Ian McLagan -with a cheeky grin on his
face- chipped in: "My one great ambition in life is to play the organ inWestminster Cathedral!" Final word about the split came from Steve:"Imagine if you had a record and you played it every night onstage forthree years. Then you get some idea about the sort of feelings that we haveabout "Sha La La La Lee" and "Lazy Sunday" and the rest. I don't have tofreak out any more. I relax and playmusic."- MELODY MAKER MAY 3 sUPERGROUP IS ALREADY becoming a drag term. It has

inspired widespread confusion among MMreaders, judging by
the current contents of Mailbag. One enthusiast predicted"supersession music is the music of the future". Maybe he meant thatjam sessions of today will produce better groups of tomorrow. It would
hardly be true to say jam sessions, usually momentarily exciting
12 -bar rave-ups, are producing anything new musically.
Last weekwe called the new Peter Frampton -Steve Marriott band,
Humble Pie, a pop supergroup. "Bah," one can almost hearMMreader
Ernest Drone mutter, reaching for his ballpoint. "Steve Marriott and Peter
Frampton are known pop idols, pretty faces, unable to playwithout the
NDO, hidden behind screens. I know this fora fact. Yours sincerely, E
Drone." I know this fora fact- Humble Pie are the most exciting new band
I have had the pleasure of hearing in several convolutions of the planet.
Extraordinary as it may seem, although their diminutive stature, notunpleasing features, and shamelessly long hair are liable to arouse ire inmods, policemen and other purists, they can playa fair guitar and sing anice drop of tune. All they ask is that their music be accepted, orat least
given a fair hearing. They have both gone through long and often nervewracking periods as teenage idols. They have enjoyed being pop stars -toan extent- and are grateful to their fans. But they are getting older. Peteris 19 and Steve 22. They both have a lot to saymusically, and theywant to
say it NOW.

They also want Humble Pie to be accepted as a group, with eachmember given equal status. Their fellow members are Greg Ridley (bass),
aged 22, and Jerry Shirley (drums), aged 16. They have completed theirfirst album, due for release next month. And it sounds tremendous.
I spent a happy daywith the group at their Essex hideaway last week,
digging the new sounds, hammering tabla drums and eating ice cream.
And that sums up the Humble Pie approach. Have a good time and makesome good music.
A hired limousine drove PeterFrampton, his girlfriend Mary, drummer
Jerry, record boss Ken Mewis and myself out to the secret cottage. Steve
lives with his wife Jenny in a low -beamed old-world cottage, surroundedby dogs and irritable farmers. The dogs irritate the farmers and thefarmers irritate Steve.
Alreadyat the cottage when we arrived was tenorist Lyn Dobson, who
once laid siege to the jazz scene and has now dismissed that as "rubbish"
and concentrates on sitar and flute.
Steve and Lyn sat cross-legged on the floor and set up a cheerful whineof greeting. "This is fun house," explained a happy Steve, looking
decidedly Russian in moustache and bejewelled belt.
What sort of a scene was Humble Pie, I enquired? While the womenfolk
brewed tea, the menfolk wandered about toying with springs that walk
downstairs and dogs that frolicked and scampered.

EXCLUSIVE!
Marriott & Frampton
nracant HUMBLE PIE"It's a natural thing," began Steve. "I'm just glad all the secrecy is over. It
all started on NewYear's Daywhen I rang Peter and asked if I could join
the group he was thinking of forming after quitting The Herd. We had afew plays and kn ew it would work right from the start. We wanted it to bebasically a group where we could play what we wanted, and not what
others wanted from us. We haven't got to stick to anything made a hit by
the Small Faces or Herd. We just hope people will listen to us and like us.
My mum likes it and Andrew Oldham likes it, so it must be alright!
"Lyn Dobson is workingwith us on the records and mayalso work withus on appearances. He's the only guy from the other music scene who
doesn't look down his nose at long hair and beat roots. That's because he'sa longhaired beetroot himself!""The Small Faces?They'll be fine. Splitting has been the best thing forme
and them. Theywon't be fronted bya teen scream idol who had to be
showcased. They'll be more of a group. The new guy they've got is very
good, but I don't want to tell you who he is, because Mac willwant to tellyou.
"Both Peter and myself have been pushed out to the front of our groups
and wanted to breakout. The sort of thingwe want to get together won't
be all electric. We'll be using flute, sitar, tablas, etc. We're excited about
the album and when we had a blow yesterday for the first time (apart fromrecording), we were knocked out that it sounded like the record.
"We're going to work out a stage act that will feature electric andacoustic things.An hourof electricity becomes boring. Donovan canhold theAlbert Hall for an hourwith just his acoustic guitar. We want ourband to be quietly powerful and to hell with the heavy nonsense.
Remember- quietly powerful."
The group are using tiny 30 -watt amps, and swap around on a variety of
instruments. Both Steve and Peter will playdrums occasionally, as wellas piano, harmonica and organ. Said Peter, "We won't be doing normal
gigs. We'd like to do concerts. We don't want to go through all the oldscenes. The new group is incredibonzo. It's all worked out so well. Jerry's
really together as a drummer and everybodywrites in the band. And
Steve is getting into piano and sitar, as well as guitar."
Jerry, their bright and friendly 16 -year -old drummer, says, "It's a big
buzz for me being in this band. I started playingwhen I was about nine,
gigging in the back garden wearing my shorts. One day a guywho was
passing asked me to join a band! left school when I was 14 and I've beenplaying drums ever since. I'm not a technical drummer. I think theimportant thing to do is lay down a beat and keep the band together."Greg Ridley, ex -Spooky Tooth bassist, said, "I left them two months ago
to join the new band. I've been fooling around with the bass for about four
years, trying to find a style that satisfies me. Steve suggested the nameHumble Pie. It just sounded like a nice name and shows that we are all
going to be equal in the group -not Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton
and two backing musicians. That's the way THEYwant it. The pop star bit
isn't relevant to what we are doing."
The group then played me theirproduct. Two sides of beautiful,emotional and highly together music, calledAsSafeAsYesterdayls, whichis also the title track. Listening to the soaringvoices of Frampton andMarriott and their coruscating guitars, the zooming bass of Greg andJerry's closely miked, electricallyunpretentious drumming, I realisedthat alongwith Baker, Winwood, Clapton and Jon Hiseman's Colosseum,
Britain will have a triumvirate of new bands to startle the group world.
I

Chris Welch- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 6-

ANEW GROUP WAS BORN last week in an arc -lit mudbath - andlike many a mewling, puking infant, it coughed and nearly
died. But with remarkable fortitude, Humble Pie survived andrecovered from the hell camp of Bilzen Pop Festival and went on toprove the experiment of mixing Frampton and Marriott is a winner.
After a near -disastrous first public appearance, when instruments
went out of tune, arrangements and nerves suffered and power
was cut off, the group felt suicidal. Two gigs later, confidence wasrestored and some great music emerged. The group -Steve
Marriott, Peter Frampton, Greg Ridley and Jerry Shirley -had theirfirst taste of the rigours of touring together when they hit the Great
Group Trail across Holland, Belgium and Germany. And I went
with them to witness the birth of a band. I saw the upsets, andarguments, the fun and enjoyment and sheer slog.
Along the waythey bumped into other weary travellers earning
their bread the hard way-Aynsley Dunbar, Brian Auger, Deep

Thenewguy the Small

HUMBLE PIE

Faces have got isver ygoorr:Steve Marriott
at his rural hideaway,
Bee Hive Cottage inArkesden, Essex

fir

as the rain began to slash down again, as Steve's electric piano
proved hopelesslyout of tune, and as the power cut out theorgan, shame, embarrassment and despair took their toll of afirst ever public performance the group would rather forget.
After the gig, theywere inconsolable, and it was a silent few
hours of hard driving back toAmsterdam. But I had recorded
the best parts of the set on Peter's cassette, and managed toprove to them that things had not been as bad as they seemed.
The next afternoon was spent rehearsing foran evening

performance atAmsterdam's Paradiso Club, and tuning
Steve's faulty piano. The Paradiso is the city's Middle
Earth -type scene, although it reminded me strongly of
Eel Pie Island. It is housed in a derelict church, and an:AgY JAKE,.11 LADY
excellent light show is projected from the back of the main
hall onto huge screens above the stage. Hippies lie aroundthe floor in the dirt, smoking.
Humble Pie restored all faith and played a beautifullytight, well -rehearsed set. On the second night theywere
far more relaxed and were playing for their own
enjoyment as well as the audience.
News of the great chart success with their first single,"Natural Born Bugie" greatly cheered the group. Said
Steve of their hit, "It's quite an up. We neverPurple, the Bonzo Dog Band and many otherexpected it. The record was just a loon really.
pneumonia -ridden exiles. Amsterdam was our
Nicked the riff from Chuck Berry's 'Little
main base of operations. We flew there from
Queenie' and we sussed it would make a niceGatwick by BAC 1-11 and picked up a couple ofsingle. People are saying it's like 'Get Back' andhiredAmerican cars.
somebody even played the two records
Soon afterchecking into the Esso Hotel, thetogether on the radio.
band had to drive some 180 kilometres to Bilzen"How can people be so ignorant? DJs are
in Belgium through torrential rains that
supposed to know about these things. Don't
sometimes threatened to sweep awaythe
they know The Beatles took it off Chuck Berry?
autobahn. Due to mynavigation, we managed toWe've both taken from the same source. DIs
leave the autobahn and thoroughlyexplore theshould know that, man. There's a bit in it fromtraffic jams of old Utrecht beforewe hit the rightthe Stones' "It's Not Easy" from Aftermath, ifroad to Bilzen. The site reminded me of a scene
they reallywant to know.
from World War I. On uneven ground, churned into slipperymire, the fans
"Oh, and we wanted to get a sound like the Bill Black Combo, because
squatted on soaked seats, packed into a small area ringed by arc lights.
we've got an album of theirs and we think it's a gas. So there you go Our drivers left us as they attempted to park the cars, and the group,
Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones and Bill Black! We've done our second EP
damp, forlorn and lost, wandered about looking for an organiser to direct
already and it has got a beautiful sound. Greg and Jerry play some great
them to a dressing room, or at least say hello. Steve, unsmiling, hair overbass and drums and Peter is -well, Pete's too much."
his shoulders and buried inside a huge overcoat stretching down to his
Said Peter, "We'll be doingan English tour in the autumn. Wewill beankles, took charge.
doing the whole second half and the first halfwill have a really good band,"You just have to be patient and not lose your temper. I was here last year
perhaps with a girl singer. We'd like Julie Driscoll to do it. She'd be amazing.
with the Faces and the kids were really nice. Of course, the organisation
We go to the States on October24 for sixweeks doing a clubs and concerts
was a shambles -it always is at these things. Come on -it's this way."
tour. None of us has been before, except Greg with Spooky Tooth."A fiery, emotional cockney, Steve has never been noted for restraint.
Said Jerry, "We owe it all to the Magdalene Hall where we rehearsed in
But he tried really hard, and I never heard him moan or complain when
the country. We got to know each other's capabilities musically and...
"organisers" pointed vaguely at a low wooden hut like a Western saloon
together got to know each otheras friends."
jammed with boozing groups and thick with tobacco smoke, which was
For Steve it had probably been the toughest, afterworking with thethe dressing room, or when the time for their appearance onstage
Faces for several years, to have to make changes. "My missus helped with
gradually moved round the clock to 2am.
the whole changeover scene," said Steve "You need someone who can
The rain came down in violent freezing showers, but the audiencegive you advice and understand. If Humble Pie hadn't happened, I'd haveremained firmlyin position, cheerfully booing their own local
stayed on in the Faces, bringing everybody down. I never, ever thought
teenybopper groups and giving an ovation to exciting performances
I would leave the Small Faces. I thought it would just go on forever. I don't
from Deep Purple and Aynsley Dunbar.
knowwhat would have happened. But it feels like Humble Pie has been
The saloon began to look extremely unreal as reporters asked Steve in
together for years. I just want to be part of the band and do myjob. I don't
halting English what it felt like to be a star, and were told in terms free of
have to freak out anymore. I will relax and play music."
hesitation exactlywhat it felt like, when the amazing Miss Marsha Hunt
Peter, too, is relaxed and happy at being freed from the pure commercial
suddenly appeared in our midst. Marsha had a plan. She had lost one ofpop scene and allowed to indulge in his true role as a brilliant guitarist
her musicians coming through customs, and invited Humble Pie to jam
and fine singer. "I remember having to be made up for Top OfThe Pops,"
during her set. This proved a bit of a mistake, and the Belgians agreed byhe said, recalling his first taste of stardom. "I used to have half an hourbooing somewhat heartily the ensuing shambles. Marsha sang "Longlonger than anybody else in the makeup department -'Lots of eyedrops
Black Veil" well, but with microphones cutting out and her backing not
to make it look as ifyou are about to cry, Peter.'"
really knowing what it was doing, it was an episode that did not augur
Such days are passed for all of them. Humble Pie area tough little team,well for the top of the bill.
dedicated to producing groove music. They have barely been operating
At 1.30am, Humble Pie began to set up. At 2am, with the raina few days and already they have been through most of the experiences
miraculously holding off, the group launched into "Wrist Job", "Shakeyof groupdom: a hit, a slogging tour, criticism, a bad gig, controversyand
Jake" and "Walk On Gilded Splinters". Whenever the groupwere playing
success. In Germany they scored a winner in concerts in Dusseldorf andthey sounded great, Steve's voice was as soulful and violent as ever, whileon TV. Next on the agenda is Britain andAmerica.
Peter proved just how good a guitarist he is, showing he has genuine
Says Steve, "That first gig was such a blow, but we've been brought up by
original style. Jerryis a monster on his elaborate drum layout and Greg
everything that has happened since. Thank God we can forget all about
contributes a powerfulvoice as well as bright and firm basslines. But sadly,
Bilzen now." Chris Welch

2fumble Tie"It's a natural
thing. I'm justglad all thesecrecy is over"

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 43

THE HISTORY OF,2OCKIntroducing The History Of Rock, a brand-new monthly magazinecelebrating 50 years of the music that changed the world.
Month by month, it will build up into an unprecedentedly detailed
chronicle of the music and musicians we love.
Eff

A MONTHLY TRIP
THROUGH MUSIC'S
GOLDEN YEARSTHIS ISSUE:1969

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1969

Readers' letters

MM JAN -MARJANUARY -MARCH

=on.

re
. woo 11oup (IL LIIG fleetWOOLIJ, !Ripping -mad MUua cu iu other urgent issues.
that's why the rockerswear them.

STEPHEN BONSOR, Londo n, Ni6

A BETTER MANNESo John Mclaughlin (Mailbag,
MMJanuary 18) thinks groups
like The Doors, Love, etc, haveoffered validity to the present
sagging pop scene.
He should leave Julie Driscollalone to educate herself by
digging the ever -great Shelly
Manne, who is still the epitome of(MMJan2S)

good taste in jazz drumming.

tipped boots and one bullet-proof
mohair suit, mate, for yourprotection whilst wandering
through the provinces.

SUPERNUMERARY
In recent issues of MelodyMaker

I have read about supergroups
and super -sessions. How would
you describe established groups
such as Ten Years After, Fleetwood
Mac and The Beatles other thansupergroups permanently
playing super -sessions?

ALAN HAMER, London,N12

MAC'S BLUES BETRAYALWith their current single"Albatross" at the top of the charts,
will the Fleetwood Mac become
a pop group? There are very few
good blues bands about and theloss of Fleetwood Mac would bea real blow. The tide of the "blues

boom" maywash this band into
the murkywaters of pop.
C LONERGEM, London, W12(MM Feb 8)

Fleetwood Mac have jumped
on to the commercial pop
bandwagon. In the beginning,Green and his men played hard driving solid Chicago blues
influenced by Elmore James,
Muddy Waters, Otis Spann andother great blues men. Theywere
Britain's premier blues group.
No longer, I'm afraid. They havebowed to the demands of themindless teenybopper, using far
too much feedback and a degree ofvolume that shatters the eardrum.

(MM Feb 1)

STICKING THE BOOT IN

Thankyou tor a tunny andperceptive article by Chris Welch(MMFeb 8) -Now It's A Mod, Mod,
Mod, Mod World. It was hilarious
due solely to the fact that it waspure and utter truth.
Rarely have we read anythingthat so brilliantly categorises
those rather pathetic members of
the community. Perhaps throughmore articles such as these theymaybe induced to see the folly of
their ways and return to a morehumanitarian existence.
THREE GRAMMAR SCHOOLDROPOUTS, Upminster,Essax(MM Feb 22)(MMFeb 22)

Congratulations on your recent
expose of the mods, or as they are
known more locally, "mates". It
really is about time that this sortof thingwas realised on a national
scale. I enclose one pair of steel -MICK KEMP, London,SE27(MM Feb 22)

DAD'S TASTE OF CREAM
BBC -TV's Cream show was wellpresented and informative.
Objection seems largely basedon the commentaries andinterviews. All verywell, but whatchance has the average person oftalking to Cream's ex -personnel?
The interviewer asked salient andworthwhile questions.
The majority of the audience
was probably composed of people
like my father. The more we, thesupposed rising generation, canhave ourviews expressed by such
evidently literate and intelligent
people like Tony Palmer, thebetter. My father's views on mymusic tastes have alteredconsiderably since the show.

KEITH WEEDON, Hornchurch,
Essex (MMFeb 22)

GOON AWOL

What on earth has happened to
Fleetwood Mac? "Albatross" wassweet and nice but it just wasn't
Fleetwood Mac! Please don't saythat they are dropping all their
original blues just to get into thecharts like so many other groups?

Recentlyyou said I was to appear
and compere a concert at theRoyal Albert Hall on February 18.
In fact, I am not appearing on thisprogramme. At that time, !will bemaking my own plastic guru in
the Willesden Men's Institute For
DeafViolinists.

JANE EDGAR, Workington,
Cumberland (MM Feb 22)

SOUND ARGUMENT
I'm fed up with promoters tellinggroups to turn down the volume.
When a promoter books a group,
they should be allowed to go onstage and do their thing, whether
loud or otherwise.
Promoters should find out
more about groups before
booking, and then they, and thegroup, would be happy because
the promoter would get just what
he booked.
PETER FISHER, Drummer,
Cambridge (MM Feb1)

labelled normal and harmless?
As far as my friends areconcerned, this article is a load ofcobblers and we would like anapology. The thingwe are mostannoyed about is that he also saysthat we don't idolise anybody.
What does he thinkwe go to
football for?And blue mohairsuits went out about 10 years ago,

Hagstrern
Rosen'
Exclusive...
8 String Bass

STEVE JAN NAWAY, London W12

DAVID SPICER, London N6(MMFeb 1)

I am writing to you on behalf of allmods to protest about your article
regarding mods (MMFeb 8). The
introduction read: "Chris Welchdiscerns a new threat to oursociety." Ha, Ha. That's a joke. The
guy is obviously a nut. We wear red
steel -toe -capped boots and have
cropped hair so we are labelled athreat to society. Just what does
one have to wear before one is,=7.

SPIKE MILLIGAN, London W2(MMFeb i)

THIRD-DEGREE MERGERS
Maybe P Mitchell (MMJanuary11) doesn't quite understand whatgroups are all about. It is a shamethat Jack Bruce and Stevie
Winwood don't choose to sing ingroups anymore. But to link eitherof them with The Nice, Jethro Tullor Ten Years After would notbenefit the groups from the pointof view of individuality, which iswhat makes all these groups.
LITTLE JON, ex -Underworldw.

TYRANNOSAURU
REX
PewterSuitorREGAL LONOPHONE R73016

11121

DEGAL TIP

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WITH MI.111110111111111110

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Raliaction,Liibbecke, Germany(MMFebi)
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 145

lilt MU I KM
MING!
salt

APRIL -

FAIRPORT CONVENTION,CAPTAIN BEEFHEART,JANIS JOPLIN AND MORE
meea sterl ee centre"I thought`Hey Jude'was therecord ofthe year"
NME MAY 24 .'aul Simon talks "TheBoxer", Catch -22 and winningi nrammy for "Mrs Robinson".
66

I I E BOXER" TOOK more than 100

hours to record and five months torelease! Art Garfunkel is alive and welland filming in Rome! Paul Simon is anxious
to play concerts in Britain! And the prizewinning duo are definitely NOT splitting!
These are just some of the subjects Paul
Simon touched upon when I called him at his
New York home to tell him about the successof "The Boxer" and to get up to date on the
Simon & Garfunkel scene.
He was naturally pleased about the progressof the new single, not realising quite how high it
had reached in the NMEin just three weeks.
"It was an experiment," he revealed. "Wewanted to record a Christmas album in achurch, so we went into one to get the feel andto listen to the sound of the acoustics. It was x.

.
PAUL SIMON SAYS CONCERT AFTERGARFUNKEL FILMING
Borer " took more than a hundred hours to record and fiveis alive and sell and filming in

THEmOoths to release! Art Garfunkel

ome! Paul Simon is anxious to play concerts
inning duo are definitely NOT splitting!
t,1 thtn... are hat some couchadtin...

Paul

Simon

called him at Ms
pion ...tanhurl
eet York horns to ten.-wa
the suckeIll Of . The
S

in Britain! And the prize -ENDSArtGarfunkel(left)
and PaulSimon
filming the Songs Of

Americatelevison
special,which will airon November30,1969

StandUp guy:
Jethro Tu I l's

1969

Ian Anderson,"a bit worried"
about playing the
Newport Festival

APRIL -ACNE

written last summer and finished in December.
It was recorded all over the place- the basic
tracks in Nashville, the end voices in New YorkSt Paul's Church, the strings in New York
Columbia Studio and voices there too. And thehorns in the church."
Simon & Garfunkel's last hit was, of course,
the beautiful "Mrs Robinson", which recently
won a Grammy award. The rush to record it isstill on, but there's one act I wouldn't havethought would have been interested in "Mrs
Robinson" who, in fact, are. "BookerT and the
MG's have just recorded it," Paul revealed. "It's
their next single. I was just in Memphis withthem. Theydo a great job, very, very funky."
Of the Grammy award, Paul commented:"I didn't expect it. I thought 'HeyJude' was therecord of the year. I watched the presentationon television. Art went down and accepted it."
While Paul is busywriting, Art is playing in
the film version of Catch -22, which is currently
on location in sunny Italy.
"We'll have to wait till he gets back before wecan do any appearances," Paul pointed out.
"The film started in January, which was partof the reason there was such a delay in therecord being issued. Shooting ends in June,
and then it'll take a year to edit.
"Why that long? It's costing II million dollars
to make. It's a very big movie. It should be

released around summer next year."So, as Art's acting commitment will notdelay concerts much longer, what are thechances of Simon & Garfunkel coming overfor some shows?
"I'd like to come overin the fall and do someconcerts," was Paul's statement. This should
please a lot of people, especially since the split
rumours have started circulating.
"We've done none since November and haveno plans to do any for the time being. I'd like todo theAlbert Hall and Scotland. We've only
been to Scotland twice and I liked it -theaudiences are veryrespon sive."
Paul takes a strong interest in the current
music scene and wanted to know what was
happening in England. When I told him
about the country& western boost, he replied,"That's good, there's a strong interest in
country music here too. It's better thanpsychedelic music.
"I was glad to see Desmond Dekker make it.
I bought a couple of albums by him in Jamaica
and 'The Israelites' was on one. liked it and said
to Art, 'Listen to this cut, isn't that good.'"
Paul reported that Graham Nash's newinterest -Nash, Crosby, Stills -has a unique
sound and is already booked out forhugemoney even though they haven't appeared yet.
"I'm glad that Graham's departure hasn't hurt
the Hollies," Paul added.
There are enough Simon & Garfunkel tracks
in the can fora
new album but
ANDagain its releaseis being delayed
whileArt is
becoming a film
star. And that is
another entry

IMON.3ARFUNKEL
THE BOXER

for the not -to -be -missed file!
Richard Green"If you don't getstanding
ovation there, you won't
get one anywhere"
MM MAY10 Introducing... Jethro Tull, an

underground group thinking commercially.
UNDERGROUND GROUPS AS a ruleStates because

aren't concerned about the singles

I was bad. It

LIVING IN MI PAST

happened again,...X.ktit9 TULL

charts. The Top 30 holds no interest to
those groups who pack them in at colleges
and clubs throughout the country without
ever having a hit. Jethro Rill are such a groupon the underground scene who've justreturned home after a highly successful
American tour.
They have a new single out this month, to befollowed byan album in June... and they're
hoping fora chart hit. "The chart scene isreally important," said Jethro's lanAnderson.
"You mustn't just bow out of it. I used to think
it didn't matter about the rubbish in thecharts, but it's not the fault of the kids who
buy the records. If someone brings out a goodsingle, it will get the plays
and the kids will buy it.

AMenao)NMI srAin the TVstudios in
Paris. I thought I'd got
lung cancer and TB, but it
was just exhaustion."
Was it due to the hectic pace of theAmerican tour? "No, it wasn't all that hectic
really. We had a couple of days off and most of
the time! stayed in the hotel. I didn't get
involved in the groupie thing.
"I like playingin the States but I'd hate to playthere all the time. They seem more gratefuland theyshow it more. Everyone goes downa bomb inAmerica. Ifyou're an English
group and you don't get a standing ovation
there, you won't get one
anywhere. TheAmerican"OK, so you have to"They seem more groups seem verymuch
compromise, but it's going
into sayinga lot about
to do some good in the longnothing and conversely
run. Eventuallyit will get
nothing about a lot
America and they saying
the underground on TV. It
of things."
will need a difference in
The group has been
attitude, but if groups ofinvited to playat thesufficient name and
Newport Festival. Are theystanding put out good singles it will work. I'dlooking forward to it? "I'm a bit worried about
like to see people like the Family, The Niceit; I'm not really sure what they're trying to
and John Peel... Peel could do a lot.
do. It will be very good, but I don't thinkyou"Ournew album comes out round about
can mix it that far.
the beginning ofJune. We were supposed to"Seeing us might upset the people who've
finish it off last night, but we only did two
come forGene Roland and Woody Herman
songs. I wrote quite a lot while we were in theand they might upset the people who've comeStates. It was that and lack of sleep which
for us and the other groups. It's good to bringmade me ill, I think. I collapsed a couple
old music and new music together, but I amof times and we missed the last gig in thea bit worried about it all." Royston Eldridge

grateful inshow it more"An amalgam of styles
Lroducint, .,uitarist John Fahey. Self-taught, classically
id a self -releaser of expensive records. "One we withdrew,"
he says. "We were losing 30 cents no each ono "MM MAY 24

JOHN FAHEY, CURRENTLY on his first visit to Britain, has beensomething of an underground figure. His name and reputation
were known by a few people here some years ago and his album
The Resurrection Of BlindJoe Death, recorded originally on theRiverboat label, was scarce until Transatlantic issued it some months
ago. More recently his Vanguard album Yellow Princess was released
here,and although it is his second album release in Britain, it is theeighth of to LPs he has cut. Now Sonet records are to release two morerecords made for John's own Takoma label.
His style of playing is an amalgam of many styles and John mentions
guitarists such as Merle Travis, Chet Atkins and Sam McGhee as
influences and says, "Actually I heard the people who influenced themas well. The early -190o styles of Negro and white playing, but then I
have other techniques. Classical thingsand Indian -that's just talking

about the right hand. Chords
and harmonies come fromanywhere. I'm playing a kindof syncopated classical style.
Classical music was what I was raised on. I never heard a hillbilly record

MIL

until 1 was14."

John's interest in country and blues music increased and eventually
he went on to gain an MA in folklore. He has amassed a great collectionof early recordingsand on field trips discovered and recorded suchpeople as Skip James, Bukka White, Charley Patton and Robert Pete
Williams. A self-taught musician, he began playing guitar in1952 and his
first public performances in the mid -'50s were as a bluegrass guitarist.
Until1962 he played locally in Washington DC, but his reputation grew
and soon he was in demand for concerts and clubs throughout America.
His recording career spans ten years from1958.
Much of his work is solo but on the Yellow
Princess album he teams up with other musicians
May 25,1969: Johnon some tracks."I really have fun when I work
Fahey tops a bill thatwith other musicians," he says,"but I've got hours
includes Al Stewart
at the Roundhouseof tapes where things didn't work out. I only issue
in North London
what works. I can back all kinds of music except
modern jazz.
"I have a couple of things at home on theverge of being issued. One is a kind of classicalthing, a three-part arrangement for flute,French horn and guitar. And there is singing on
it, only none of us have voices, so it sounds likea classical ensemble with drunken hillbillies

singing with them."
John produced Yellow Princess himself."I cut
an album called Requia, which was horrible. It
was recorded in Los Angeles and put together in
New York, but they didn't know what they were
doing, so I screamed and yelled and they let me
produce Yellow Princess."
Seven of histo albums have been on his own
Takoma label. "But there was one we withdrew
because we were losing 30 cents on each one.
It has photographs, a book and a double cover.
We didn't know how much it was going to cost,
but some of it was bad anyway."

Syncopatedclassics fromthe underground
1014N FAWN, cur-on hisrevisitnttloY Britain,lihrasst

been something of anunderground figure.
His name and reputa
tion were known by afew people here someyears ago and his al" Resurrection
bum

A

Of Blind Joe Death,"I

recordedoriginally'

His

1969
"The executives wererather reluctant"
APRIL-SHDW 1(SHDW I A)

UMMAGUMMA

JNNE

Sid.I
STEREO

I. ASTRONOMY DOMINE ,Barrett)
2. CAREFUL WITH THAT AXE, EUGENE(Waters - Wright - Mason - Climax)

THE PINK FLOYDMM JUNE 7 ',side Harvest, a new label dedicated to "underground" music.
THIS MONTH, EMI RECORDS launcha brand-new label devoted to "the best
avant-garde music of all kinds". In
charge of the label, Harvest, is a 23 -year -old
economics graduate of Manchester
University who has been in the record
business for less than two years, Malcolm
Jones, who joined EMI from university in
September,1967 asa management trainee
because he "wanted to work in pop music".
Now he is boss of Harvest, with control ofthe material it puts out, responsibility forfinding its artists and the overall task ofrecouping for EMI the considerable amount ofmoney it has already spent in launching what is

the first "underground" record label to bemarketed by a major record corporation. How
Harvest was born is really a compliment toJones' drive and industry.
"EMI, as a major record company, had nopolicy against underground groups when
I joined the company," he said."But thesmaller independent companies tended to
grab the sort of artists and groups I am now
signing for Harvest."
EMI, in fact, had artists like Tyrannosaurus
Rex, but they were just put into the company's
existing pop music labels and not exploited asa special entity.
Malcolm joined EMI asa management
trainee and had spent exactly a month training
when a vacancy occurred. Vicki Wickham,who
was in charge of EMI's licensed product fromindependent producers like Mickie Most and
Denny Cordell, left the firm. Malcolm got thejob and started work as the liaison man forthese producers and others.
Part of his job was to select repertoire
for release through EMI's Columbia andParlophone labels. He put forward the idea ofa new label for special product from groups
who were being called "underground" - who
had a big following in colleges, universities,
etc, but who had no record outlet. But theatmosphere at EMI was not right fora newlabel.There was opposition, although the idea
had been mooted before byanother executive, Roy
Featherstone. It was neverpursued, however.
"The executives wererather reluctant at that time.
They saw good things andbad things in starting a newlabel." Malcolm continued towork in charge of licensed
product and started torearrange the allocation ofmaterial to label. He started
to put the more adventurous and experimental
music on Parlophone and the more obviously
pop material (like Cliff Richard, Lulu, etc) went
on Columbia. By December 1968, the climate
at EMI had changed and Malcolm, who had
meanwhile found a lot more acts who could besigned to a new avant-garde label, got thegreen light from the EMI board.
"I had a number of acts on offer and I
wanted to sign them," said Malcolm, "but theywould come to me only if I had a proper label to

Prod by: TA. Pink Floyd

put
Ilk.
them on."f41141/44Aci succasmus ,jeHe got thelabel and signed the acts, some ofwhom are featured on the list of the label's firstreleases -names like the Edgar Broughton
Band, Deep Purple, Pete Brown's Battered
Ornaments, Michael Chapman and Shirley
and Dolly Collins, as well as more establishedgroups like Pink Floyd,who were already with
the EMI Company as contract artists.
But the go-ahead for thelabel was only the start.
Malcolm had to find andchoose material, record theartists, arrange for LP
covers and printing, fix
promotions, such as free
concerts at the Roundhousein conjunction with Blackhill
Enterprises, who manage orare agents for some ofHarvest's first signings.
Theyalso had to decide
on a name. And that was not as easy as it mightsound."We wanted a name that could be usedinternationally as the label was to be a worldwide project. There were a number of namesin the running, but for one reason or anotherthey were stopped. Some could not be used in
America because other companies had themregistered. Others were dropped for otherreasons. In the end, we settled for Harvest."
It was, said Jones, nice and summery andfriendly. But he was hoping that the productwould sell on its quality and not on the nameof the label in a few months' time. "I want
our image to be one of quality music,""I was worried
that we were doing
it too late, but now
I think it's exactly
the right time"

he said.

The Harvest project - Malcolm hopes in
the near future to branch into different
types of experimental music; for example,
he would like to re-release some early Indo.
Jazz Fusions recordings -now has the fullbacking of the EMI board,who have spent"a heck of a lot" on setting up the label.
How much exactly, Malcolm wouldn't

grFp pgpi f
Deep Purple -whose
secondalbum, The Book Of*ilichttate
ardsay. "We just spent money as we needed it.
There was no budget or anything like that."
He is acutely aware that the undertaking
is awesome and fraught with financial
dangers, but feels confident in the talent
they have and hopes to unearth.
"To be honest, I was surprised,but happy, that I was allowed to doit. I was worried at first that wewere doing it too late, but now I
think we are startingat exactlythe right time."
The project, feels Malcolm,

Taliesyn, is H ar vest 's firstrelease -on the roof of the
Dorchester Hotel, London:deserves success."EM I havebeen so good about it - it really(l -r) Rod Evans, Jon Lord.

Ritchie Blackmore, Nicky
Simper and Ian Paice

NIH 5001

should be big." Tony Wilson

Rektased

ECM

sir
Km. .0.111011111010

a0061411
or 11U14.11/18 21

"We havearranged forsix responsible
citizens to
decide"MM MAY 24

Mary Whitehouse turns her
attention to pop on film.
MRS MARY WHITEHOUSE'S

National Viewers' and Listeners'
Association - watchdog of TV andradio programmes- this week swung
into action over the re -screening ofTony Palmer's controversial pop
programme, All My Loving.
All My Loving, first screened on BBC1
last year, was shown on BBC2 in colouron Sunday. Mrs Whitehouse told the
MM on Monday that she had an

appointment at 3pm yesterday(Wednesday) with the "Director Of
Public Prosecutions in London". Withher were NVLA president and Chief
Constable of Lincolnshire John Barnett;

July13,1969:Mick
Jagger and Marianne

Faithfullarrivein
Sydney for thefilming of NedKellye was subsequently hanged

the Right Reverend Bishop AW Goodwin
Hudson and a family doctor, who has toremain anonymous. "We are taking withus a report on the programme. It is up to
the director of public prosecutions to
decide what action to take."
Mrs Whitehouse said: "As it was notpossible to have a copy of the film, as it
would be with a book, we had to arrange
for from four to six responsible citizens
to view it last night (Sunday) to decide
whether in their view it was obscene."
A BBC TV spokesman commented on
Monday: "We have nothing to say forlegal reasons."

MM APRIL 24 Mick Jagger plays the villain, in Australia.
ROLLING STONE MICK Jagger is to play Ned

Kelly, the legendary Australian folk hero
who was hanged in Melbourne in 1880, in a
new major feature film for Woodfall
Productions. The film, which will be directedby Tony Richardson, also stars Marianne
Faithfull, who plays one of Kelly's sisters.
Shooting starts on location in Australia in
July. This is Jagger's second major film role. He
recently completed a part in The Performers[sic], which also starred James Fox and Anita
Van Pallenberg [sic].
Ned Kellywas born in 1854, one of threesons of a convict, who became an outlaw andorganised a reign of terror in Victoria, NewSouth Wales with a hand-picked gang ofhoodlums. The authorities regarded him asa thief, arsonist and murderer, but local people,

according to legend, regarded him more asa friend and saviour. Considerable folk tales
have grown up about him. He was reputed towear a special suit of armour.
He was eventually caught by the authorities
in a hotel in Glenrowan in 1880. The hotel wasburned down and a number of his gangmembers were burned to death. After his
capture, Kellywas taken to Melbourne andsubsequently hanged. In the film, Jagger ends
up on the gallows. At the end of the film's
shooting, The Rolling Stones are planningsome live appearances, either in this countryor
America. But no details were available at press
time. They are currentlyworking on their new
album and studios have been booked until
early next month. After the completion ofrecording, a new single will be chosen.

MRS WHITEHOUSITHREATENS ACTICAGAINST BBC,rtwettan!town

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roup isFor FAIRPORT CONVENTION, 1969 is an

extraordinary year. It begins in tragedy, but gives-

rise to two classic albums. And ultimately, to the solo
career of SANDY DENNY. "I am quite happy just ambling

along," she says. "Success is a bit frightening."
14.;$610N

- ;.3
Fairport Convention at thehouse in Farley Chamberlayne,

nearWinchester,wherethey
work on landmark LPLiege&
Liefduring the summerofigiSg:(l-r)Sandy Denny, Richard
Thompson,Simon Nicol, Dave
Swarbrick (standing), Ashley
Hutchingsand Dave Mattacks.4-41.;°
'

41,

4

rr

today,

not yesterday'smusic
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 153

1969

APRIL- JNNE

- MELODY MAKER MAY 17 FAIRPORT CONVENTION DRUMMER Martin Lamble
and an American girl known as "Jeanie The Tailor" were

killed when the group's van overturned and crashed on
the M1 at Mill Hill on Monday morning. The group wereon the way back to London after a gig at Mothers Club in
Birmingham. Martin (19) and Jeanie, whose real namewas Franklin, girlfriend of Fairport guitarist Richard Thompson, bothdied instantly. Group members Thompson, Simon Nicol and Tyger
Hutchings were all taken to hospital in Stanmore with cuts andbruises. Richard suffered cracked ribs in the crash. Road manager
Harvey Bramham was also seriously injured.
Singer Sandy Dennyescaped injurybecause she was not travelling in
the group bus. She had made the journey from Birmingham withboyfriend Trevor Lucas, guitarist with Eclection, who had shared theMothers bill with Fairport Convention on Sunday night.
Anthea Joseph, ofWitchseason Productions, who represent Fairport
Convention, telephoned her boss Joe Boyd in the States to break the news.
He was flying home immediately.
Anthea told MM: "Those poor children. We are all in a state of shock
because this tragedyis just unbelievable."- MELODY MAKER MAY 24 -T

HEYWERE PLAYING "Meet On The Ledge" at London clubs
last week; it is a tune people most associate with Fairport

Convention. Perhaps they were playing the record in otherclubs all over the country. For Fairport were, and still are, one of themost liked, respected, even loved of those bands that spend their days
and nights hitting the road, spreading seeds of music and truth.
Fairport, who just over a week ago were involved in a road accident thatkilled 19 -year -old drummer Martin Lamble, were the band perhaps wetended to take a little for granted. Their two albums were well received
and appreciated. Their followingwas growing all the time.
They never caused great sensations in public or uttered endless wise
sayings in the press. They quietly improved and produced betterandbetter music in two hard-workingyears together, first with singer Judy
Dyble and later Sandy Denny and Ian McDonald (later Matthews], an
early member who recentlyquit.
Occasionallysomebodywould think it a good idea to get a giant
publicity drive going on their behalf, like other groups. Fairport would
regard that with high humour. On several occasions there would bevague attempts at getting together with them for i nterviews which nevermaterialised. Somehow it didn't mattertoo much. Everybodydug them
-what was there to say?
A colleague recalls the occasion when he met them for coffee andconversation and they answered all his questions bywriting notes on
scraps of paper. "Impossible!" he protested later. When invited to hearthem perform at London's SpeakeasyClub, I recall meeting Judy Dyble.
She uttered a cheery greeting, followed by, "Hello, aren't you fat!" -a view
endorsed by a small, curly-haired gentleman wearing an alarm clockround his neck. He was Martin Lamble.
Martin joined the group in 1967 and was hailed as the only drummer"to last more than a weekwith the group". We used to bump into eachother at odd places and times.
There was a mad trip in Montreux in Switzerland. Fairport had to play
to a largelyunconcemed crowd of socialites in the Casino. They chatterednoisilywhile the group tried to make piping recorders and prettysongs
heard above the din. Later we sat in the lounge at Geneva Airport,
drinking coffee and wondering what it was all about. There was the IsleOf Wight pop festival.
It was freezing cold and pitch dark. Seven thousand kids sat in a field
listening to endless groups. Nobody knew what time anybodywas goingto play next, least of all Martin, walking up and down, attempting tocarryhis bass drum and tom-toms single-handed, following conflicting
instructions, looking for the dressing rooms and not even finding thestrength to complain.
When the group finally tottered on stage to play theirset in a strong
easterly gale, the tiny figure crouched over his drums generated a spark ofheat that could not be dulled. Martin's playingwas ideal fora band that
could perform modern folk and rock material with equal sincerity andconviction. Largely self-taught, he had technique and taste.
54 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

Tyger Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, and Simon Nicol
are going to carryon. Fairport Convention will continue to make music
and we hope they can recover the spirit to overcome the loss of theirfriend. The audiences will be waiting for them.
A press brochure once produced to introduce Fairport contained
biographic notes jotted byeach member. It had one section headed"Martin Francis Lamble".
Place of birth: St John's Wood. Instruments played: violin, drums andrecorder. Previous occupation: Child. Chris Welch- MELODY MAKER JULY 26 WHEN THE FAIRPORT Convention get back into harness
fully in the autumn they will be presenting their new
English Electric sound. Much of this will stem from theaddition to the group of fiddle and mandolin player Dave Swarbrick,formerly with the Ian Campbell folk group and currently working with
one of Britain's leading traditional revivalist singers, Martin Carthy.
Dave is heard on the latest Fairport album, Unhalfbrickingon Island,
playing fiddle on "Cajun Woman", written by Fairport guitarist Richard
Thompson, "A Sailor's Life", the group's arrangement of a traditional
English sea -song, and "Si lit Dols Partir" by Bob Dylan, their recently
released single, and playing mandolin on another Dylan composition,"Million Dollar Bash".
"The album is the first time we've worked with Dave," explains
Fairport's otherguitarist, Simon Nicol. "We've always admired him.
I can't rememberwhose idea it was to get him to play, but when we were
doing the sessions we used Dave fora certain sound. He fitted in so wellthat it just went on from there."
Dave is expected to join the group sometime in September after
completing outstanding commitments with partner Martin Carthy.
"What clinched it for us was the waywe did "Sailor's Life", which was donein one session. Dave and Richard just played to one another, each taking
solo parts. It was a really nice sound. And we're getting him a solid fiddle
from John Bailey, a guitar builder."Continued Simon, "Dave's a really great guy to work with because hehas so much energy. It seems a shame to breakup a partnership like that,
but they have been together a longtime. But you do need change, that's
a fact of life; it's what you make of it. Martin is a fine solo performer andperhaps this will give him a chance to do things he might not have beenable to do before."
The Fairport Convention's move towards an English folk sound playedon electric instruments is a calculated one and an attempt to create
something distinctively English in approach and form.
"It's a conscious project,"says Simon. "We'll just
explore it for a while. Dave's
got an amazing knowledge
in that field. There's a great
wealth of untapped music
there. The only people whohave been doing anything toit have been people like
Martin and Dave and Tim
Hart and Maddy Prior. It's
another form that hasn't
been explored, in the same
way as theAmericans havewith their music recently.
"Tyger is writing someinteresting stuff in thestyle of English ballads
but without the archaic
imagerywhich makes themunsingable in the electriccontext. And Sandy's stillwriting, betterthan ever, andso is Richard."
The idea is certainlyinteresting, although it may
meet with criticism from the
Fairport in November
folk music purists, who
1967, with drummer
consider the music should
Martin Lamble (farlef t)and (front)
singersJudy Dyble
and lain Matthews

I'll KEEPIT WITH MINEFAIRPORT CONVENTION

PROM0110hAl

COP'

AM

RECORDSnot be touched and reshaped in anyway. In fact
traditional sounds and songs. A good example is the.-1411Z1V4i)
it seems a logical step in the experiment with
"Sailor's Life" track on the UnhalJbrickingalbum,
traditional music. The Fairport have always played
Iwhich features Dave on fiddle.
with taste and treated their music with respect and will
"A lot of music we'll be doingwill be veryloosely folk,"
FAIRPORT CONVENTION
no doubt do the same with this new idea.
said Dave. "It will be based on traditional music, not just
"We want to concentrate on an album of English
an electric copy. It's just the Fairport sound really. I thinkmaterial," says Simon, "and we won't be afraid
everyone is going to be surprised. Some of it will
to bring in other musicians and singers. It'll be
be fairly free, like 'Sailor's Life', and some of ita sort of co-operative venture. And we'll bewill be disciplined."making anotherLP of the sort of things we've
Dave will probablybe using a solid electricdone in the past but it will be impressed by thefiddle, at present in the process of being built.
other and probablycome out more English.""I've got a number of acoustic violins that have
The Fairport are now eager to get back to work
been tried out that I want to sell now."full time but they are faced at the moment withHow did Dave feel about going electric?
finding another drummer to fill the gap left by"Well, going electric seems to be a natural
the tragic death of Martin Lamble in the group's
progression forme," he replied. "If I go electric,
motor crash of a couple of months ago.
who do I go with? The Fairport. They're doing"We're still looking through the drummers
what! believe in."
who have applied to us. There's no shortage
With Dave splitting from Martin Carthy,of guys. The only problem is knowingwho tothere might be some outcry of "selling out" fromcheck with and knowingwho will fit. You don't
certain quarters of the folk scene, althoughreally realise what you're looking for. It's like having a jigsawwith
Dave said that reactions to his joining Fairport have been friendly.
a piece missing. Until we do, we can't achieve anything. We can't plan
"Reactions from the folk scene?I've had all this before," commented
appearances or an album." Tony Wilson
Dave. "When I joined Martin I was frowned upon as this 'pop' fiddler.
I don't think I've sold out."
Dave hopes to be increasing his writing activities with the Fairport and- MELODY MAKER AUGUST 9 said, "I have done some, but theydon't know it yet. I've had a couple of
WIIEN THE FAIRPORT Convention hit the road again inthings going round in myhead. It maybe possible that a lot of writingwill
the early autumn they will have two new members,
be a corporate venture as well as the writing that Sandy Denny anddrummer Dave Mattacks, who has just joined, and fiddle
Richard Thompson do.
and mandolin player Dave Swarbrick.
And we might take a traditional song and put it in the middle and say,
Swarbrick has been a well-known face and sound on the British folk
'What can we do with it?' and what we'd probably do is rewrite it. I think it
scene forsome years now. He was a member of the Ian Campbell groupwould be very interesting for the Fairport to play in a folk concert or club.
and then later teamed up with singer Martin Carthy, whom he is
It's a weird lot of stuff. We've been messing about with sounds and it
currentlyworkingwith. His instrumental services have always been incomes out more trad than some of the stuff I've heard in folk clubs. We've
demand for recording sessions with folk artists and it was when he played
been playing jigs and reels as well."some of the tracks of the Fairport's latest album, Unhalfbricking, that the
Would playing with the Fairport affect Dave's style, particularly using
mutual decision was taken that Dave should join the group.
a solid electric fiddle? "I don't' know," Dave answered. "I don't know what
"I think it was just hearing them that made me want to join the Fairport,"
an electric violin technique is going to be. The problem with playingwith
Dave told me last week when he visited the MMoffices. "I was doing thisa pick-up is that you have to slowdown. Being a folk -style player, my runs
session with them, and although I'd heard of them, I hadn't anyidea what
have been folk, but what you can do on electric violin will be dictated by
theywere like. But theywere a gas. They had this gorgeous sound."the instrument largely. Just what! can do is very much in the air."
The Fairport are moving into a new phase of their development as
Dave's parting from Martin Carthywas something of a surprise,a group and this is going to involve music that will owe a lot to English
although there had been whispers of it. The breakwas a friendlyone.
"Martin knew even before! did," said Dave. "I said on theoccasion, 'There's something I want to discuss with you,'and Martin said, 'Do you want to split?' He was at the
Fairport session and he was knocked out by it. I seem toremember him saying, 'Are you going to join?' But we'll still
do odd things together."At the moment, the Fairport and Dave are concentrating
on another album, which Dave thinks "will be quite heavyon traditional material".
After that it will be live dates for the Fairport Convention.
"I don't think there will be any gigs before the record's donein September," Dave said. "I don't suppose it is likely to be
before October. I'm going to be terrified on the first one,though. I'm thinking about it, even now." Tony Wilsonow"It'll be basedon traditionalmusic, notjust anelectric copy"- MELODY MAKER AUGUST 16 WHEN DAVE MANNING, manager of Drum City,

one of London's leading percussion retailers
heard the Fairport Convention were looking
for a drummer, he immediately thought of 21 -year -old
ex -assistant of his, Dave Mattacks. So Dave contacted the
Fairport and was invited along for an audition and got thejob as drummer.
For the past two years Dave has been working with the
Geoff Reynolds and Denny Boyce bands in Glasgow, Belfast
and London and doing broadcast gigs with the Guy Darrell
group."All very far removed from the Fairport," commented
Dave in London last week. "I started off as a group musician )0
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 I 55

Working onLiege & Lief:"Fairports arestill basicallya rock group, and we would

befolkmusiciansgoing
electric;' says soon -to -depart Ashley Hutchings(right)of the project thatwillbecome Steel eye Spanand I always have been, even when I played with the palais bands. I had
hard towards the recognition that is coming, than Fairport Convention.
that approach, even with the quicksteps."
Within a few days of reaching the record shops the group's third album,
Although Dave had heard the Fairport on record and John Peel's radio
the oddly titled Unhalfbricking, had streaked into the top half of the NMEshows, he hadn't heard them live until he started working with them.
LP Chart. And if that isn't enough, their "Si TV Dols Partir" single from the"I had the audition with half a dozen otherguys," said Dave, "then they
album gives them theirdebut in the Top 30, entering this week at No 27.
asked me to go down and playfootball with them fora couple of days, so it
Now the success they've worked so hard for has come so suddenlyits
was my football that got me the job!"taken Fairport a little by surprise.
Having been a member of a palais band, Dave wasn't certain how they
"Yeah, I suppose I'm happy about it," conceded vocalist Sandy Dennywould receive this, because there appears to be some sort of musicalwhen we met last week. "Yeah, I am very happy. I am quite happy justsocial stigma about having been a dance -band drummer. The Fairport
ambling along towards the big success, but when the big success isobviously didn't mind, or care. He sees joining the Fairport as a "fantastic
suddenly thereat the otherend of the street and getting closer it ischallenge". He knows what the Fairport are getting into musicallybut
a bit frightening. I am happy as well to sit and watch people on Top Of
was worried by his lack of knowledge of folk music, although this is being
The Pops and tearthem to pieces like everybodyelse and then, whencut down by listening to records of folk music.
somebodygood comes on, say, 'This is what we'd like to see'... Onlywhen"With some of the rhythms we're trying to get something different.
it comes along foryou then it's a bit of a drag," she added, screwing up her
We've been doing things like jigs and reels and I've been trying to get awaynose for emphasis.
from the military snare drum sort of sound you usually get with that kind
The diminutive sandy -haired Sandywas a solo folk singer before sheof music."
joined Fairport just over a year ago. The possessor of a beautifully clear
As far as his own playing is concerned, Dave said, "I've always been
voice and of a reputation for consuming Scotch in large quantities, sheinterested in what's going on on the scene but I've never been a member
also has a nice line in facial expressions, one of which is a melting smile.
of the heavyteam. I think that's one of the things with the Fairport,
No matter what Sandy said as she perched on herstool beside a mounting
there's not a heavyvolume thing there. I've always wanted to try as
line of emptyglasses, I have a feeling that Fairport are more than a little
many things as possible within my limits, and this is the most musicallythrilled now that "Si TV Dols Partir" has become a hit.
satisfying. For some it's jazz; forothers, sitting down and reading a part.
That kind of success has been getting nearer for some time now. In
For me it's the group. I can tell by the couple of blows we've had that this is
the two -and -a -half years since theywere formed, Fairport have seen
the most satisfying.
members leave- one die in a crash -and new members step in.A tragedy"The Fairport have this unique approach to their music. No-one else is
like that which took drummer Martin Lamble three months backwould
doing anything like it, which is a nice position to be in, musically. You
have seen the end of many groups. Not Fairport, whose young members
knowyou're not a second-rate Fred Bloggs &The Nosepickers. Comparedput on years in minutes and found new strength.
with what's going on, the group is today, not yesterday's music,"The accident taught me that! loved them all," said Sandy. In
SI TU DOIS PARTIR
which I've been associated with." Tony Wilson
those years, the group's progress towards distinctly Fairport
If niemusic has been steady and sure, and what they've arrived
FAIRPORT CONVINTION'Meal b /.1 Mr...,at is music that is highlyskilled, yet simple at the samemama. hoilmodri.W*weal SM.- MN- NME AUGUST 16 time, vital, honest and, most importantly, full of
IF IT IS true that in the final analysis the groups
enjoyment and youthful spirit.
that last are the ones that have done the
As "Si TV Dols Partir" would suggest, there's
groundwork, then Fairport Convention are
humour there too. The idea for it came some time
81P-6114
set for a long stay. Few have worked with suchback one morning at the Middle Earth while thedevotion to evolving a music of their own, or sogroup was 'hooting about' with "If You Gotta Go".
58 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

FAIRPORT CONVENTION"We thought it would be nice to do it Cajunstyle," said Sandy, "using accordion and violin
and singing it in French because Cajun people
have this veryAmericanised French. Martin
was playing his sticks on chair backs and it
sounded nice. When we recorded it, we put
Martin in a tiny box studio with two sets of chairbacks and a selection of milk bottles. He washaving a gas.""We weren't
sure what todo. To replace
Sandy would
be difficult"That unmusical break towards the end,
revealed Sandy, is the effect of Martin knocking
chairs and milk bottles flying in his exuberance.
Sandy's opinion of Unhalfbrickingis that it ismuch better than the last album, What We Did
On Our Holidays.
"It is a lot more natural and not so produced as ... Holidays," shecommented. "The next album is going to be completelydifferent. It will
be based around traditional British folk music, which we may put new
words to if necessary.And we've got a great violin player in Dave
Swarbrick to help us."
An example of what Fairport is aiming at is "A Sailor's Life", thetraditional folk song arranged by the group on Unhalfbricking. For
material they have been digging into the archives of the Folk Dance &Song Society -the British Museum of folk music.
"We're not making it pop, though," added Sandy in case of wrong
impressions. "In fact it will be almost straight; onlyelectric. What does itsound like? Heavy traditional folk music." Nick Logan- NME NOVEMBER 22 TWO MEMBERS OF Fairport Convention- singer Sandy Dennyand bass guitarist Tyger Hutchings - have left the group. Official
explanation for Sandy's departure is her unwillingness to travel- she is, however, shortly to begin work on a solo album for Island, and
it is believed that other solo plans are being made for her. Tyger isanxious to concentrate on traditional folk music and, with a view tothis, has been invited to join Sweeney's Men.

interpretation of British traditional folk music
yet attempted. Apart from "ComeAll Ye",
"Farewell" and "Crazy Man Michael", whichwere produced by Richard Thompson, Dave
Swarbrick, Ashley Hutchings and Sandy Denny,
all tracks are well-known traditional songs,
such as "Reynardine", "Little MattyGroves","Tam Lin", "The Deserter" and a medley
which highlights Dave Swarbrick's fiddle
on "Lark In The Morning", "Rakish Paddy","Foxhunter's Jig" and "Toss The Feathers". All

the arrangements are interesting, particularly"Little Matty Groves", which is often associatedwith the banjo.

But how will the absence of a girl singer affect
the group's overall sound?
"We weren't reallysure what to do. To replace Sandywould be a difficult
job. It would be really difficult for the replacement, as she would
continually be subjected to comparison with Sandy; so the boys thought
they'd have a crack themselves. With the traditional stuff, they really
got together for the one album as a singular project only. But I expect
they'll expand on that. We're all veryhappywith the way things haveprogressed," says Witchseason.
Meanwhile, Tyger Hutchings has been having difficulties in getting hisgroup together. What was aimed as an extension of Sweeney's Men has
developed into a merging of a number of well-known artists on the folk
scene, and Tyger was still finalising the lineup when we went to press.
Tyger had planned to join Johnny Moynihan and Terry Woods, theSweeney's Men, who combined traditional and contemporarymaterial.
Terry and Johnny recently recorded an excellent album on Transatlantic
called The Tracks Of Sweeney. To complicate matters, Andy Irvine, who
had earlier left the Sweeney's, planned to rejoin, with Terry's wife Gay
coming in on vocals and concertina. Then Johnny and Andy both backed
out, and Tyger was back at square one. His aim was to incorporate Tim
Hart and Maddy Prior into the group, but this week he announced thatthe final lineup was still undecided.
The group is expected to consist of two girls, who will sing, and play

As a result of this internal upheaval, Convention has not worked sincea one-nighter in Birmingham on November 2. Onlyone new member
will be engaged to replace the two outgoing members, and the group is
currently seeking a suitable singer -musician to fill the vacancy.
Fairport's next album, Liege & Lief is scheduled for December 2 release,but no follow-up single to its recent hit "Si Itt Dols Part ir" has so far
been arranged. The new LP is described as "British traditional material
played electronically".

- MELODY MAKER DECEMBER 20 ACLOAK OF MYSTERY has been hanging over the

Fairport Convention since their reported split a monthago. The Fairports have undergone a constant buffeting,culminating in the departure of Sandy Denny and Ashley Hutchings
last month. But with the power of resurgence reserved for the greatgroups only, the Fairport Convention have again got themselves
together. A spokesperson for Witchseason Productions, themanagement, announced this week: "The group will go on."This time there will be no replacement for Sandy, the girl who steppedin for original memberJudy Dyble. Dave Pegg, formerly of the Ian
Campbell Folk Group, replaces Tyger Hutchings, the bass player who
has joined up with TerryWoods of Sweeney's Men to form an all -British
traditional folk group, which is likely to be "one step on" from what the
Fairports are currently doing.
"The Fairports will be moving into a converted 18th -century pub on
the Herts /Essex border, and begin rehearsing seriously next week," says
Witchseason. "We hope to have them back on the road as soon as we can.
They have a tour of America planned for
mid -January, and we want them to be readyconsiderably before then. When they're readyfor recording, theywill be straight back into
the studios."
The Fairport Convention's new album, Liege& Lief is released on Island next week. As thetitle hints, it represents the most ambitious

traditional British instruments such as autoharp and concertina, witha bassist, drummer and two others who will feature other traditional
instruments such as mandolin and dulcimer, as well as guitar.
"I want to develop along the same lines as Fairports did. They scratched
the surface, nowwe want to take traditional British songs and adapt themto an electric setting, creating an unmistakeable British sound. With
Fairports, we found that this was far more successful than when we
played our own material. But Fairports are still basicallya rock group,
and we would be folk musicians going electric," said Tyger.
"We've already been practising and I'm verypleased with the aim
ofLiege & LiefI hope we will be even more British, byvirtue of theconcertina, mandolin, dulcimer and soon. In manyways we are
exploring, and it would be nice if other groups try it as well. Therecertainly seems to be rumblings in the folk scene at the moment. I believethat virtually all rock music is based onAmerican forms. We've got anumber of fine bands but they seem to end up takingAmerican musicback toAmerica - it's the same with any music. What we are trying to do isto get people interested in British forms.
"I personally like all sorts of music, but I'm particularly interested in
British music. I just hope that the new group will achieve this by revertingback to the roots, and doing traditional material."
Meanwhile, SandyDenny is back pursuing a solo career. But she isunlikelyto be recognisable as the folk singer of pre -Fairport days. She hasadvanced to a major extent and has clearly developed an individual stylewhich she hopes will take her into concert appearances next year. She isalready actively rehearsing a new album, which will be recorded in early
1970; but the extra spare time will enable her to write more songs, andthus fulfil another of Sandy's ambitions. Jeremy Gilbert

Fairport's future...
and Tyger's plansri CiAkof

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HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 159

1969
APRIL-JNNE- MELODY MAKER JUNE 7 FRANK ZAPPA & The Mothers Of Invention took theaware youth of Britain by storm last week and - perhaps- made them just a bit more aware. Within a few days of

their arrival, they upset a dozen preconceived ideas
about their views and music. Zappa took on students at
the London School Of Economics and found himself
being lectured on student unrest.

Midlands youth, washed in soft water, fed on black pudding, andsuccoured by Mothers Club, the hip lifeline that sponsored the concert,
the Mothers Of Invention played a programme of chamber music androck'n'roll that drew a tumultuous ovation.
Zappa strolled on stage, cigarette in hand, to announce a delaywhile theband tuned up. The delay drew some sporadic handclapping. "Be quiet,"
said Zappa, rather as a missionarywould still some troublesome natives.
Was this delay some further example of flashyAmericanism?And how
about the false starts to numbers and all that conducting?And did you
hearabout his lecture at the LSE? But doubts and myths dispersed like
frost under salt as the Mothers grappled with theirscores and theirinstruments locked in sound.
And what a sound! The horn section was amplified, but not enough tobeat the volume of the electric instruments and drums, forthe Mothers
have all the inner balances and awareness of dynamics displayed by thebest jazz or symphony orchestras.
The lineup of the group includes Ian Underwood, a Berkeley student
who plays Mozart piano, as well as sax, clarinet, flute and organ; Bunk
Gardner, their grey-haired flute, soprano, alto, tenor, bassoon and piano
player, Euclid James "Motorhead" Sherwood plays baritone, tenor,
harmonica, and tambourine; RoyEstrada is on bass guitar and "highpitched harmonies". Don Preston is the electronics expert and organist,
and Buzz Gardner is on trumpet.
The percussion department is exceptionally strong. The use of two
drummers is no gimmick. Jimmy Carl Black is a superb heavydrummer
who provides an unerring pulse in contrast to the more descriptive styleofArthur Tripp, who also plays xylophone, vibraphone, marimba and

The Mothers took off on the road and found a great ovation awaited
their efforts to play serious music. I went on the road with them and foundmy preconceived ideas swept away and replaced by great respect for their
dedication and pride in their work.
FrankZappa &The Mothers Of Invention's image is a perfect example of
the results of cross -wired communication and mass misunderstanding.
A shock is needed to shake complacency. The Mothers have been trying
to give us a shock for some time, jumping up and down, pulling faces. The
hippies were the first to embrace their funnyfaces and horrid music. The
Mothers were attractively bizarre and HAD to be anti-establishment.
Freak Out!, their first album, thus became an essential part of hiprecord collections. From here on issues became confused. One
remembers DJ David Jacobs playing one of the Mothers' more obviously
amusing singles onJuke Box Jury and explaining to a baffled audienceand jury that it was" deadly serious". The Mothers looked revolting,and seemed to revel in upsetting everybody. Zappa was grudgingly
hailed as a clever producer, releasing stranger and yet stranger albums,
leaving behind satire and moving into electronic music. Through strayremarks on TV and in interviews, Zappa appeared as an extremely
tympani.
sardonic anti-hero.
"Igor's Boogie", their complex opener, featured a tenor, trumpet and
The truth is that Zappa is a composer of serious music who works in a
two -clarinet lineup which Frank later wrote out for me at our hotel.
rock'n'roll framework, and cherishes a sense of humour. The Mothers are"Hot Rats", which followed, was a fine example of modernAmerican
schooled and sensitive musicians who playZappa's music with devotion,orchestral music, which proved how advanced is Frank's writing andcare and enthusiasm. Theyare not as ugly as their photographs.
how skilled are the Mothers at interpreting his scores. On the lengthy
The absurdity and humourin the situation of appearing as "freaks" to"Shortly", Frank played excellent guitar and after this hugely applauded
touch the nerves of the dullards of societyhas probablyworn alittle thin
marathon, which made great demands on the concentration powers offor them, especially if it becomes a block to acceptance for their music on
both audience and players, the light relief of a straight rock'n'roll set
a wider scale.
broke up the audience.
Talking to Frank in hotels, on the coach, and in an MI snack bar, andJimmy Carl Black laid down THE most solid off -beat while the horn
being in close proximity to the Mothers, convinced me of their total
players dutifullyswung their instruments in a beautiful parodyof
concern formusic. I asked Frank about the LSE lecture, and whether he
1950s -style rock. Biggest surprise was the appealing quality of Frank's
had gone therewith the intention of upsetting them.
teenage voice, well up to the standards set bysuch groups as Ruben & The"No -not at all. I was asked to talk to the students, sol went along. I don'tJets, on tunes like "Bacon Fat" and "My GuitarWants To Kill Your Mother".
like to talk, but I will answer questions, even their asshole questions. No,
The chamber music was Zappa's writing for unaccompanied trumpet,
I didn't misjudge them -I had a pretty accurate idea of the mood of theclarinet and bassoon, and this proved as successful with the audience as
students. It's difficult to sit in front of people who don't like a thing you say.
anything else they cared to play. The unfortunate image of the Mothers as
It makes you a little bit nervous. It's disturbing toan all -swearing hippy freak show had beensee people in colleges so impressed by such a lot
blasted. The sheer brilliance of theirof dogma. If you think I was too patronising in
performance convinced that the Mothers mustmyanswers to questions, I would say the
be one of the world's greatest groups.
questions were idiotic.
Shouted one fan at the end of the evening, "F-- "I think it's horrible that people can talk about
the supergroups, this is it!" Said Zappa, "Youa revolution in carnival terms. Theywant to bewanna hear us on a good night."
heroes and go out and WIN. Infiltration -thatcc"sounds like work. That's the hard revolution.
APPA WON ON points." "Zappa
I told them I thought street violence is now just
was a flop." "Zappa was RIGHT!"
last year's flower power. Theywante d to know
Not a cross-section of public
about Berkeleyso they can imitate it. But theopinion painstakingly assessed by selectedstudents made me feel as if I was some old creep
interviews; just a cross-section of personal
talking. I just think a violent revolution doesn't
reactions to the Mother Superior's "lecture" tochange a thing. Don't forget the establishment
students at the London School Of Economics.
are extremelywell armed."
When the Lords of the spray -can came into
The coach trip to Birmingham with the Mothers
collision with the Mother Of Invention in theirproved a normal, enjoyable outing, with Frankslogan -daubed lecture hall onli.tesday of last
serenading us on acoustic guitar. The mostweek, there was an explosion of non remarkable events were being confronted in thecommunication, an embarrassment spectacular,
Blue Boar restaurant with a waitress who wanted tomore aimless than the most inane TVpanel show.
know if the Mothers were "a group or justThe blame can be shared fairly equally. It is
Americans" and seeing Maynard Ferguson andtempting to assumeZappa's intentions when heJulie Felix materialising in ourmidst.
came on to talk about "student unrest". Perhaps
Birmingham Town Hall is old but strangely
he saw them as young monkeys he could easily
intimate in aVictorian way. The audience can sit
annihilate. Perhaps theysaw him as a Che Guevarain galleries at the side and behind the stage. Theof pop. The monkeys nearlyannihilated Zappa. Che
SOUVENIR POSTER
acoustics aren't bad at all. Before eager, attentive
Guevara crashed to the ground in a cloud of dust.

"I'm in favourof being
comfortable...
the same as
anybody else"

TI

HO
OF INNIV

80 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

ITIION-

Efuhn TOM WM.

rut_ MY' 30. '69

eassem....-.

--.
..

June6,1969:FrankZappa
andkeyboardist Don
PrestonwithTheMothers'''','.- .-ii Of Invention at London'sRoyal Albert Hall.,...-.....aThey appointed him as a prophet, When he failed to make the gradewith the right answers to a barrage of questions that began to sound likea McCarthywitch-hunt, he was rejected and attacked.
LSE is a "hot" university. The walls of the lecture hall have slogans
sprayed across them -"Act Now" and "Strike". The people there are
impatient. A lot walked out before Zappa finished, perhaps to eat
sandwiches, perhaps to fill sandbags.
The students were in deadlyearnest, unconcerned with absurdities
or liberalism. They embraced Zappa, lured by his LPs, stray quotes inmagazines and filmed interviews, found him wanting and sprayed him
with abuse.
Zappa came armed with a cool manner, some Groucho Marx -type
quips, both to be burned byshining idealism. The lecture began withFrank asking, "Any questions?" Friendly laughter- a settling down for therevelations and super -chat to come.
"How seriously do you take yourself and your music?" A question to set
the ball rolling. "Not enough to be dangerous." Ho-hos, then silence.
Further questions fail to spark much response.
Then the heavies got to work. One strident voice likened him to Bob
Hope, which earned a hearty round of applause. They stamped on his"facetiousness" and clamoured for some positive statements on his
beliefs. Sadlyhis delivery of the concept of infiltration of media,
government, church, army, etc, instead of direct confrontation, sounded
weak and feeble. It merely induced groans and jeers.
"What are you doing?" demanded one youth, hotly. "I'm sitting here
being abused." But there was to be no more laughter for Zappa
wisecracks, and he lapsed into a kind of dazed silence.
Are you upset, Frank?" asked one kindlystudent, summoning reservesof pity from his vastness. " No, I'm not upset."
The students were upset, however, at statements like: "Everybody ispart of an establishment. What makes you thinkyou are not part of anestablishment here? I'm in favour of being comfortable. People havedifferent ideas on how to be comfortable. I just aim for that goal the sameas anybodyelse.""What happened at Berkeley last week?" "Oh, you want a hot poop -an
inside on the demo? I'm not hot on demonstrations." "Yeah, demos aren't
comfortable," called out one chap.
"People are really thrilled about rioting in the street. It's this year's
flower power." A cry of "bollocks" greeted this remark, and Frank was
accused of b eing a narrow-minded, fantastically hostile, snappish bigot.
Zappa had failed to fill their need for a hero figure. Chris Welch- MELODY MAKER OCTOBER 25THE MOTHERS ARE dead. Killed by a public apathy towards
a style of music which the rest of the world will catch up withmaybe around 1975.
After FrankZappa had announced that he and his loveable bunch of
freaks were no longer together, the MMrang him at his LosAngeles home
to ask about the reasons for the break-up.
"I don't like to saythat we're breaking up -we're just not performing any
more," he replied enigmatically. "We're not getting across, and ifwe'dcontinued to progress at the rate we've been doing for the last year anda half, we wouldn't have any audience left at all.
"We were heading towards concert music -electronic chamber music.
We performed it several times in America and had horrible reviews andan unpleasant audience response. The reviews we got were so simplistic,
and I don't want to go on having to put up with all that bullshit. We played
mybassoon concerto at the Fillmore East, and one critic described it as an'oboe concerto'. He also said that he'd paid his money to hear rock'n'rolland he didn't see why he should put up with all that classical garbage.
"People have a great need to put music into little boxes, and they've
never been able to do that with us. Am I discouraged? Sure I'm
discouraged. But I don't want to make it sound as if we quit just because
we got a bad press. If we'd done that, we'd onlyhave lasted six months.
"It looked as though we weren't going to be able to achieve the goals we'd 1,.
set for the group. There was too much resistance from all quarters, so we
5
decided to cool it. *HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 161

MOTHERS OiinuEnTion

February 26,1969:Captain
Beefheart(Don Van Vliet,
right)andThe Magic Bandin
the grounds of the house in
Topanga Canyon, California
where Trout Mask Replica
was written, rehearsed
and part -recorded"Maybe in two or three years people will be able to look back and assess
what the Mothers accomplished; maybe they'll be able to catch up withthe music. And who knows, it's possible that sometime in the future we
may even put the band back together again."
Meanwhile, Frank has a typically unlikely plan to put out the 12
unissued Mothers albums he has ready for release. "I'm negotiating with
P/ayboymagazine to start a Mothers record club. Members will be able toreceive the albums either one a month fora year, or all at once.
"Why Playboy? It's got a large circulation. I couldn't do it through anunderground paper, because theydon't reach enough people. And it's
going to cost a fortune just to press and put covers on these albums. I'm
also doing a pilot TVshow this week, and if it works out then I'll have myown weekly TVseries. It will be syndicated, which means that stations
will be either showing it or not showing it -they can't cut or censor it.
"They are building a set in the studio exactlylike my basement room,
only slightly larger, and in this fraudulent replica of my basement there
will be amplifiers and musical instruments so that! can throw people
into the cornerand tell them to play. For the first show I'm trying to get, as
guests, Hubert Humphrey, Captain Kangaroo -who's a kind of folk heroin the States, he has his own kids' TVshow- MickJagger, Captain
Beefheart and Lightnin' Slim. It will last one hour. The people will all
talk together, and we'll see what kind of madness we can get into."
Frank's record label, Straight, also has its next batch of four albums
coming out shortly.
"The GTOs' album is finally coming out, and there'll be new ones
from Tim Buckley and a group called Pin Rod." Frankwill be bringing
Beefheart over to Europe for the BYG pop and jazz festival this weekend,
and says that he hopes to bring the Captain and his Magic Band to Britain
for a press reception.
"Beefhe art's operating at a disadvantage at the moment," he said.
"One of the lead guitarists hit the bass player in the mouth and broke his
dentures. So the other lead guitarist smashed Jeff's ribs and put him in
hospital. Then the whole group got together, got Jeff out of hospital,bought him some clothes, and sent him back to the desert. Now one
guitarist - Zoot Horn Rollo -is playing both guitarparts, which are very
intricate. I don't know how he does it."82 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

I expressed a sincere hope that the end of the Mothers would not mean
the end of Frank's compositions, and he replied, "Well, I've booked theAlbert Hall fora concert onApril 25 next year. It'll be an orchestra playing
mycompositions, which will be the first time this has happened."
No more cruising past the hamburger stands, digging the music ofRuben &The Jets, but... the Mothers are dead: long live Frank Zappa!
Richard Williams- MELODY MAKER NOVEMBER 8 _FRANK ZAPPA BREEZED into London last week in an orange
T-shirt. His aim was to launch the British end of his record label,
Straight, who are to be distributed in this country by CBS. With
him was the wondrous Captain Beefheart, star of one of Straight's firstreleases: the double -album Rout Mask Replica. Braving Zappa's sharp

and accurate wit, the amiable enigma that is Beefheart, and the fullmight of CBS' top brass, Melody Malcer spoke to both gentlemen.
April 25, 1970 is the date when Frank Zappa, the IncredibleAllAmerican Composer, takes over theAlbert Hall. Judging by Frank's
achievements with the late Mothers Of Invention over the past four
years, and by the three concerts and six albums they have bestowed ona grateful if slightly bemused British public, it will be a date worth
remembering by all music fans, as well as Mothers freaks. For Frank hasplans which, if they materialise, will set London back on its ears.
"I'm trying to get Pierre Boulez over to conduct the concert," Frank told
me in London this week. "The largest composition, which is a ballet,
needs a 100 -piece orchestra, and I want to get dancers to leap about
all over the audience. Also, if it's possible, I want to get the musiciansso well rehearsed that theycan memorise the parts and go out into theaudience while playing them. But that will need a lot of time and it may
not happen."Has he completed all the music for the concert?
"Sure -it's all in my briefcase upstairs. We'll do some of the things fromthe Lumpy Gravyalbum. You know- the stuff that people saysounds like
HenryMancin i? It might be expanded for the concert. There seems to bea certain amount of pressure on me to get myself or some of the Mothers

FRANK ZAPPA & CAPTAIN BEEFHEART

to play in the concert. They're concerned about
selling tickets and paying the orchestra."Why did he choose to stage this concert, thefirst at which his music has been performed byan orchestra, in Britain? "Because it would be
impossible inAmerica. Hiring the orchestra
would cost a fortune."
Mothers fans will be glad to hear that Frankhas, at last, found a backer who will give him
a budget to finish the Uncle Meatmovie, thesoundtrack from which was issued in thiscountry a few months ago.
The film is about the Mothers, and among
many interesting episodes is footage of a coupleof their British concerts, plus a sequence whichshows them trying on the dresses theywore for the We're Only In It For The
Moneyalbum.
Frank's latest record, which should appearin this country shortly, is
Hot Rats, about which he says, "It's surprisingly easy to listen to. Somepeople have even been known to tap their feet to it.
"The emphasis is split between the composing, arranging and playing.
I play guitar, and Ian Underwood plays all the reeds and all the keyboards
on it- including a real pipe organ, with a lot of special effects likepercussion sounds and tin whistles, which was in the studio."Frank has just finished an album with French jazz violinist Jean -Luc
Ponty on World Pacific, for which he did the arrangements. "Theyjust
hired me as an arranger. People used to do that, you know, when the
Mothers were young. Theyhired me instead of one of the usual
Hollywood hacks -I did a couple of songs for TheAnimals, and I playedon them too."
I asked Frank about theActuel Pop & Jazz Festival in Belgium, fromwhich he had just returned. "I guess it was more of a political than amusical success. The festival was moved around so much that it wasa triumph to get it on at all. It was so disorganised that when all thelights and amplifications worked on the first night, the organisers lookedat each other in amazement. They couldn't believe that it was really goingto happen. But I was there. Six to 12 hours a night, I was there.
"It was very difficult because it was so cold, and in that temperatureseveral things happen to musical instruments: guitar -players' fingers
get cold, which makes it hard to play, and the strings go out of tune atdifferent levels."
Did anyof the groups or musicians impress him?
"Yeah, I really like The Nice. Theywere good musically, and they've got
a very exciting stage act, too. And I dug Colosseum- particularly Dick, theguywho plays tenor and soprano. Does he do sessions in London? Heought to -he's reallya bitch.""It costs a lotof money to go
on the road. It
really does. I
can't afford it"

THE LEGENDARYCAPTAIN Beefheart is a large, comfortableman of deceptive simplicity. He also has a grey top hat anda warm smile. It was Beefheart's SafeAs Milk album, of course,which led the rock revolution in the balmy days of 1967, shortly
after which he made a visit to Britain, received with

obscure. This is, I'm sure, unintentional, but
it does tend to make communication difficult.
When I asked him if, as rumoured, heintended to make his home in Britain, he
replied, "I already have one person in
Britain and one in the States. Astral bodies-you understand?"Er, well, maybe, but did this intention
arise from a disenchantment with
American life?
"Over here you don't have guns- there
isn't that kind of sexual hang-up.At home
I live in a house where raccoons come up to
the door to listen to the music -I really do,
raccoons and coyotes."
I told him I'd heard that, while making Rout Mask Replica, the groupwere shut away in his house forweeks on end.
"I didn't shut them away. There's no leader in the band; everybody's not
responsible forthemselves."
The entire double album, which has to be heard to be believed, wasconceived, written and recorded in just eight -and -a -half hours,
according to Beefheart. One of the tracks, "Orange Claw Hammer", hasa tune which bears an uncanny resemblance to the old Bob Dylan song,"North Country Blues".
The Captain doesn't seem to have given many live performances in
the recent past. Would he like to go on the road and play more?
"I'm sorry that theyput these obstructions up... or down... orwhatever, so that people can't hear me giving. It costs a lot of money
to go on the road. It really does. I can't afford it. You don't make any
money for playing."
Surely, I replied, there are plenty of people who are maldng a lot ofmoney from going out and working.
"Yes, but they're WORKING. Can you name me anybodywho's
making money from PLAYING?"
Therein lies, apparently, the basis of the Captain's beliefs. Beefheart
is justifiably annoyed at the wayhis first two albums, SafeAs Milk andStrictlyPersonal, were produced.
"Hank Secola did a beautiful mix on the first album, but theywouldn't
let it out because it was too real. Then the tapes for the second album
were taken away and really ruined.
"I reallywonder about mixing. I don't like the idea of it. Dom Mask
Replica has a natural sound -as natural as you can get from amplifiers."
He's known Zappa fora longtime- in fact at one time they
contemplated forming a group together -and I asked him, naively, if hetrusted Frank more than anyother.
producer.
"I don't trust anyone- it puts too much of a burden on them. But you
might say I'm happiest with this arrangement."
Did he have plans fora new album?
"I haven't started anythingyet. But it's there... it's almost there. There'll
be more playing on the next LP. The group had only been together six
months when we made this one." Richard Williams

mingled horror and adulation.
Since then he's been fairly quiet, and there has been
only one record, which he considers a failure, to remind usof his presence. Last week, however, he visited London again-on his wayhome from theActuel Festival, in the company
of FrankZappa, on whose Straight label his amazing new
double -LP set Rout Mask Replica is shortly to appear.
Beefheart is friendly and approachable, but occasionally"It was very

difficultbecause
it was socold":

Beefheartand
Zappa atthe
Actuel Pop & Jazz

Festival, Belgium,
late October wag

THE MOTHERSRE DEAD,UT ZAPPA'STILL VERY
14

1.4e c°'Juty1969:TheWhopose
for Vogue magazine,(I-r)
John Entwistle, Keith
Moon, Pete Townshend
and Roger Daltrey

is like therebirth ofTh Who"ver six months, H

recorddeliver Tommy to the wor d. Pe e Townshen

defends the "sick" story, and delights in hi
achievement. "The way it worked out," he says,"was like literature." "Some of the songs arebloody hard," adds Roger

WHO-BAITERS OF THE world unite! Another opportunity
for you to knock, attack and cudgel the group you love
to hate is about to present itself upon the scene- in
the form of "Deaf, Dumb And Blind Boy". The

aforementioned handicapped youth is the central
figure in The Who's new double album, which is due forrelease shortly. A single, "Pinball Wizard", has been taken from it and enters thechart this week at No 26.
Pete Townshend came along to a West End restaurant to explain seriously thestory behind the album and maybe ward off some of the criticism that is bound tocome. "There's already been a reaction in America and they haven't even heard it
yet!" he began with a wry sm ile. "I expect some controversy and I don't mind a bitof press activity, but I don't want it to get out of hand."
Satisfied that I would be a nice gentle boy and not "'ave ago", Pete went on: "I'vebeen thinking about it forages, as you know. I've had a number of ideas in my headto write a sort of pop opera. It puts across a number of values... gives a modern idea
ofwhat good and bad is. A simple feeling of spi ritual development in day-to-day »HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 185

living. To use a normal guy wouldn't have been
unusual enough for mystery. The deaf, dumband blind boy can feel jolts and bumps andthings which can be translated into music.
He isn't born like it; it's a block instilled byhis
parents. He sees his dad murder his mother'slover and they tell him he hasn't seen anythingor heard anything.
"Gradually he loses his senses because of thepressures put on him and the album goes into
his musical experiences. He spends all day inthe amusement arcades and becomes a pinballchampion, playing byfeel. A doctor starts toremove the block with a strange technique- theboy has to look at his own reflection and in theend that's all he sees.
"He isn't affected by anything around him and he becomes a sort ofpop hero and in the end becomes what all boys would like to be. He opens
a holidaycamp and the whole thing develops into a religion almost. But
there's a minor revolution and it all becomes a bit nasty."
Which all sounds somewhat confusing, but Pete assured me that,through the songs, it's all clear to the listener. He says the LP can betaken as one of three things -a spiritual symbol, the life of a pop star ora rock'n'roll album.
"It adds a new facet to what can be done in pop music," he pointed out.
"It's some of the best stuff I've ever written, equal to 'MyGeneration'.
I never set out to write anything as good as that, but it just happened. I'll
help keep the group in a unified direction, stop them from splitting into
different directions. It will take the place of the old act, but with no tricks
and costumes and special lighting."
The Who don't bother much about British tours, which is a pityfor theirfans who have remained loyal foryears.
Pete, however, with his businesslike
VN
brain, has thought about the subject andhas certain ideas.
"I see no reason why, if it's reallyworked
out, with the right towns and the right

A policeman
came into our
dressing roomand fired a
gun at me"

mall Wizar

acts, a tour shouldn't sell out," he commented.
"You could do it in an emptyswimming pooland take awaythe preconception that the kids
have about their local theatre. They don't want
to go through an entrance all lit up and undermarble pillars to see a show." Richard Green- MELODY MAKER APRIL 19 CC

HEN THE REVOLUTION

comes in England, the firstto get his head cut off wouldbe Mick Jagger, the second would be John
Lennon and the third would be Yoko Ono.
Tom Jones would be made prime minister."This gloomy prophecy of a reactionary revolution, as opposed tothe usual dream of instant socialism, comes from Pete Townshend,
a pop star. And says Pete: "In two years' time the police in England will
be armed."
This mayall sound like unnecessary pessimism. After all, is not English
order, freedom and tolerance a byword throughout the uncivilised
world?But it must be remembered -Pete Townshend is a pop star, thelowest caste of society. He could be refused service in a pub, refuseda hotel room, barred from a country, hounded by police ornewspapers.
Or, as in Pete Townshend's case, he could have a bullet fired at his head bya policeman at point blank range. Thus he sees the worldwide swing toviolence, intolerance, etc in uncomfortable proximity. He is fairly
convinced freedom -lovers, individuals and other democracyfreaks
would be the first to go.
The Who, highly pleased with the success of "Pinball Wizard" after
a couple of failures with songs like "Magic Bus", were exercising theirindividuality at BBC TV's Top OfThePops studio last weekwith a merry
afternoon and evening of taping and high jinks. Not all Top Off he
Poppers were willing to join in with the spirit of the occasion, however,
and when Keith Moon caused a diversion during the show with a certain
amount ofleaping and hollering, one or two long faces were noted among
the Men At The Top.
April wog:performing "PinballWizard" on Top Of The Pops,

where not all the production
staff appreciate Who highjinks

66 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

Disturbing
and faintly
vicious"Fun- that's what it's all about, fun," complained Keith tome later in the bar. "Everybodythinks I'm laughing at them,but I want them to laugh with me."
Whereupon he broke into hearty laughter and flicked drink
in the direction of Ian McLagan, of the Small Faces, who had
dropped in to see his old mates in action. The Who have beenworking extremely hard in recent weeks, completing their
new double album, and are now taking a well-earned holiday.
MM June 7 the Who's
But before they fled from Top OfThePops, Pete chatted about"Pinball Wizard" and other pressing topics.
"It's sold much more than 'Magic Bus' already," he reveals.
ADOUBLE ALBUM can"I knew that would be a bomber, despite all the promotion we
often prove a boring
did with the bus touring Fleet Street. This has been a hit
disappointment these
without any promotion, and I'm glad that in the end it reallydays, with the gimmick
depends on the record. We did 'Dogs' and 'Magic Bus' because
presentation becoming more important than the quality of
ourAmerican contract forces us to release a certain number
the music. Pete Townshend's opera for The Who succeeds in maintainingof records. I didn't think 'Pinball Wizard' would be a hit,interest and a high standard throughout the four sides.
especially as it's an uptempo, swinging rockaboogie about
His story of a blind, deaf and dumb boy has already aroused controversy, but
a deaf, dumb and blind person."as a serious work it cannot really be accused of being in bad taste except by
Although some DJs have called the hit "sick", it is, in fact,
those who have not listened. The Who's dynamic instrumental power anda serious song from The Who's next album and, says Pete,
Townshend's writing (not forgetting John Entwistle's writing), plus fine
"We have done everything to stop giving offence or causing
production by Kit Lambert, results in music which covers a variety of moods.
trouble. It's not sick."
It can be disturbing, faintly vicious but generally compassionate.The story is
Why have The Who decided on a double album? Doesn't
concerned with mind expansion under extreme circumstances. Before thethis generally mean padding and poor production? "We hateafflicted child is cured, he undergoes assault, cruelty and an LSD experience.
double albums after so many h al f -hearted ones have been
From his ordeals he emerges with great sensibilityand awareness. His genius
released. You usually get two or three good tracks and theas "a pinball wizard" is merely a kind of parable device by Townshend.
rest are terrible. But we had a lot of good stuff that needed
Pete has planned a pop opera of some kind for years,and many others have
expanding. I feel anti -pop now. I don't call our music 'pop'
talked about such a project. At a time when pop is undergoing a period of
anymore. It would be nice to be in a pop industrywhere music
heavy criticism, The Who's achievement in creating something worthwhile andwith meaning sells, but that happens so rarely. The best scene
valid should be acknowledged as an important facelift to the somewhat
in England are the colleges, where they listen to music."
battered image of pop. Chris Welch
The Who are going toAmerica soon for another tour and theconversation fell to comparing England and America,
violence and pacifism. "England is on the downward path andwill be likeAmerica soon," Pete maintained. "Still, it should help the- NME APRIL 19 music. There's nothing like a good depression to make the jazz swing. The
mods are coming back to Britain. To think I was like that once. The only
pRINCEPIZZOWLTEENUQUE Moon, self-styled ambassador
reason theywearshort hair is because you get kicked out of the pubs
to Highgate, made his grand entrance in the local exactly 100
quicker ifyou've got long hair, it's frightening.
minutes late and graciously explained, "Matters of state, you"The good thing about joining armies is the thing about discipline.
know." His subjects, instead of showing the required respect, fell about
Everybody needs discipline -this group couldn't workwithout it. That's
laughing. This is because "His Highness" is the latest guise of Keiththe only good thing about the army, because you have to suffer all theMoon, Who drummer extraordinaire.
brainwashing that goes with it. The armyis the straight man's acid. Be
Since he advertised in a national newspaper recentlyfor a title, Keith hasa dropout and join the army!
been enjoying his own brand of regal status. He likes being introduced as"We've never had much trouble with police, but I think the police ina prince and he screws up his eyes and shakes with mirth when people
Germany andAmerica must be the most violent. They all want to cut yourrespond. Keith is feeling pleased that "Pinball Wizard", or "Piebald Lizard"
heads off. There is always a reason when the people become violent inas he insists it be called, is doingwell. Apparentlythis means the group will
America orlreland, but the police are mindless and despise the people.
not have to work so hard on it.
"The English police are different, of course, but they are learning.
"Oh good," he replied when I told him its high NMEposition. "We canThey'll have guns like the rest in a couple of years. Once you've got a gun,have a holiday now. That's the best time to go away, when they all want
you've got power. In NewYork a superintendent of police saw me smash
you here." Keith has been spending some time recentlyin Bournemouth.
myguitar onstage. He came into our dressing room, took out a gun,To prevent panic among the more staid members of that community, I
aimed it at my head, fired an inch from my skull and said if I smashed myhasten to add that he has onlybeen stayingwith his parents -in-law and has
guitar in the second half he would blow myhead off. He could have killed
no evil intent.
me, but he probablywent home to his wife and kids and thought nothing"You have to get awaynow and again, else you'd go mad," he grinned.
about it!" Chris Welch"That's why I won't have a phone. You'd get home from a gig about 4am, get
the baby off to sleep and the phone'd go, there'd be people yelling, 'We'recoming round,' and the next thing they'd be lugging crates up the stairs.
You'd lie in bed watching them troop through, alsatians, performing
elephants, the lot. Theycan't phone me now, so I'm safe."
And he broke up into another period of squeaking laughter. Whoever
wrote "laugh and the world laughs with you" must have had MrMoon
in mind. He ordered another round of "tomato juices with the wonder
ingredient -vodka", then told me, "The LP's finished. Actually, it wasquite a quick one, it only took about four years!There's only the mixing
to do now."
As Pete Townshend revealed in the NMEa few weeks ago, The Who's
act is to be based entirely around the "Deaf, Dumb And Blind Boy"

Keith Moon showsof f thebottleof bubbly hesays he hurled at his
wife Kim in their huge flat inHighgate,North London

album. Keith, in a rare moment of seriousness, elaborated.
"We mayhave to cut a bit because the album lasts about two hours,"
he commented. "Maybe we'll cut it to 90. We're doing that now onstage, though. 'Specially places like universities, where it goes on x.
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 187

r

it

1'

C.'

"Weliketolearnby
others' mistakes, notours": PeteTownshend

in therecordingstudioat
his home in Twickenham,
London,1969

until one. We go on about II and
there's no hurry.
"It doesn't mean the group'llchange, just the act. That's only
to get the feel of a continuing
storyacross. All the songs arelinked by a theme and one carries
on from another."A friend asked Keith what the growths at the side oflohn Entwistle's
mouth were. He had seen them on Top OfThe Pops sporting them. "Oh,the best wayto annoythe Ox [a Who -ism forJE] is to keep calling him
Peter Sarstedt," Keith advised, once more the satanic smirk playing about
his mouth.
Someone else asked Keith what the programme had been like and hereplied, "We were about the only group down there; they're filming mostof it now. One bloke that was on was that coloured guywho's good with his
hands... Black &Decker's his name, I think."
At this point, a reporter phoned and asked to speak to Keith. Keith
decided it was time for a merry jape and put me on the line to answer thequestions for him. We wait with baited breath for the resultant feature.
EnterPeteTownshend to try and persuade Keith that a rehearsal isnecessary. Keith tells Pete that I've alreadywritten the feature while
waiting for him and I add that Keith's statements have been outrageous.
"Oh Christ, what's he been saying?" Pete moaned. "I can just see next
week: we'll be holding auditions fora new drummer!"Pete dragged a protesting Keith away before further harm was done,
Keith wanting to go back to his I5 -room flat above a garage. "It's useful
being above a garage, you can make as muchnoise as you like," he pointed out. "I only use
two rooms and let some to a little old lady.
There's one where a bloke had a party abouta year ago and I haven't bothered to take thedecorations down yet."
There is also the room where a champagne
bottle emerges from a wall. Keith allegesthat having got upset with Kim, his wife,
once he aimed the bottle at her head froma distance of two feet and missed. It stuckin the wall, where it has remained ever since.
Much to the amusement of two -year -old
Mandy, who is used to seeing Daddy do funny
things. Richard Green- MELODY MAKER MAY 10 pETE TOWNSHEND'S TRIUMPH! That's the verdict after a hairraising curtain -raiser to The Who's long-awaited opera Tommylast week. For two years Townshend has been toying, planningand talking about his musical project. At last it has been completed in
the form of a double album.
And, in a generous, unprecedented hour-long show forthe press andpop industry held at London's Ronnie Scott Club, The Who gained an
excited reaction from critics. The group played selections from theircontroversial opera, which has been branded as "sick" in some quarters.
As enormous speaker cabinets were piled high along the walls of theclub and hummed ominously at the assembled throng, Pete drily
explained the storyline. "It's about a boywho is born normal, just like you
and me. Then he witnesses a murder and becomes deaf, dumb and blind.
"He is later raped byhis uncle and gets turned on to LSD, as has been
explained in various in-depth interviews. It's not sick, contrary to what
one hears onAunty (the BBC]. I thinkAunty is the sickest thing in thiscountry." (Applause)
Pete went on to explain the boydevelops a talent forplaying pinball,is healed and becomes the hero of the younger generation. A lot of thestoryline escapes the memory owing to The Who's partially successfulattempt to make the audience deaf, dumb and blind. In the confined
space of Ronnie's, a venue used to the refined rhythms of jazz, theoverwhelming intensityof The Who's performance left scores of people
literally deaf. Some 20 hours after the event, my ears were still singing
and I was barelyable to sleep without a vision of Keith Moon thrashing
like a demon swimming before me.
Despite the discomfort of those nearest the
speakers, nobodywanted to miss a minute of
the group's riveting rave-up, which included
their classic versions of"Shakin' All Over" and"Summertime Blues". And the opera underlined
Pete's flair for inventive lyrics and originalcomposition, not forgetting the sense of
humour and sense of the dramatic always
evident in his work.
"Pinball Wizard", their current smash, is oneof the best songs from the set, but there areplentymore which will make their double
album real value for money, unlike many recent
doubles. As a playing group The Who seem to be"We've calmed
down a lot.
Our act

hasn't calmed

6-

down at all"8 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

THE WHOat their best ever, with a sudden spurt of activity in recent months almost
amounting to a renaissance.
Said Roger Daltrey later, "We're reallypleased about everything at the
moment. I think Pete's opera is incredible. It's been a longtime coming,
it's true, but the actual studio time was only about eight weeks. Of course,
we're knocked out with the single. It's about the most commercial song on
the album. I suppose it's about our biggest hit since 'HappyJack', isn't it?
"I haven't really got into singing it yet. Some of the songs on the album
are bloody hard. Theytake a lot of concen tration to remember, with all
the key changes and breaks. I can't say I enjoy singing 'em yet!
"Pete's lyrics are really getting ridiculous. Some of the things he's doing
are unbelievable.
"In the last six months it's been like the rebirth off he Who. I supposein the early days we were too far ahead of the time and now audiences
are catching up. We've calmed down a lot. Our act hasn't calmed down
at all. I mean, we have changed as people. That's what makes everything
so good."
Even if The Who have calmed down, they can still scare you. There weremoments during Tommywhen I had to clutch the table for support. I felt
mystomach contracting and head spinning. But we wanted more. It was
thrilling to watch Pete leap and twist around with his guitar, Roger
hurling and spinning his microphone like a rodeo star, and Keith
wriggling around on his drum stool, sometimes disappearing into
a blur of sticks and grimaces.
Some might call Keith's playing destructive and tasteless, andtheir volume crippling and cruel. Both are vital ingredients to The
Who, a group who must surely be hailed as one of the mainstays of
British pop. Theymay be loved or hated. We can't do without 'em.

The Who's popularity means a big demand for personal appearances,both in Britain and in the States, and the group will be kept busy from now
until the end of the year. One of the major considerations is the filming of
Tommy, which they hope will start in the autumn. "What we'll do is get
American money but use an English film crew and do it ourselves."
Theyhave several majorcommitments in the USA, including theTanglewood Music Festival, presented byFillmore promoterBill Grahamand composerLeonard Bernstein ("Bernstein likes Tommy"), with a showthat includes BB King and ChuckBerry, and the Woodstock Music Festival,
where the lineup is reported to include Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Band,
JeffersonAirplane and Credence ClearwaterRevival, both inAugust, andlater, possiblyin October, a promotional tourwith Track Record artists
such as Marsha Newman, currentlychart-topping in Britain.
Which presents anotherworry forPeter in that he has to think abouta follow-up to Newman's "Something In TheAir" hit single. "And Roger
Daltreyhas a group called Bent Frame that he is producing," added Pete.
"We'll be going over toAmerica more often but for shorter periods so we
can balance it out between Britain and the States. And we are also hoping
to do a live album sometime in the future, because that's somethingwe
have been asked to do." Tony Wilson

A lively offering
NME Sept 27 The Who take Tommytnnrinn uttittrhc

THE WHO'S POP opera Tommywill eventually be seen asa full-length feature film. Already highly successful inrecord form, with sales figures looking healthy on bothsides of the Atlantic, the next move is to create a tangible filmrole out of the character conceived by Pete Townshend and The
Who and portrayed in their rock opera.
The film will be made by Universal International, Townshend
told me at the Pop Proms at the Royal Albert Hall recently. The
group will have had a hand in the screenplay and the script, but notin the direction. "We'll be workingwith a scriptwriter," said Pete,"but at the moment we have not really got anybody lined up at all.
All we've got is the budget of a couple of million dollars."
Who would play Tommy? "None off he Who," answered Pete andadded mock -thoughtfully, "Steve Marriott?"
The Who received the offer of the film following the success of
the album inAmerica, where it is still high up in the top -sellingalbum charts. According to Pete, the film script won't be able tofollow too closely the action sequences of the album. "We'll haveto bend it a bit," he said. "The main thing is to get the basic, simple
concept in rock'n'roll high spirits. You couldn't have some of thevisual things on film. Some things, which may seem quite sick,would be capsulated."
The Who have been featuring Tommyas the major part of theiract, complete or in excerpts, for some time now, particularly asa prelude to the actual issue of it as an album. Would the group
continue to feature Tommy, or now that it was on record, would
they move on to something else?
"No, we're not really thinking that far ahead." Peter answered.
"We've always followed our noses as far as musical policy isconcerned. We've kept our eye on rock history and we like tolearn by others' mistakes, not ours. Any follow-up will be on an
intuitive basis."
How satisfied was Pete with the end result on record?
"Well, obviously not 100 per cent satisfied; the original aim wasto record it, and we did what we wanted. That was to get an album
that told a story like an opera does but keeping the rock'n'rollformat, which was much harder to do than it looked. It was quitea heavy story told in quite a heavyway. The way it worked out
actuallywas like literature. It wasn't meant to happen that way,
but nothing happened in Tommyitself that wasn't meant tohappen."CROYDON -LIVE!
- SEPTEMBER 21

Chris Welch- MELODY MAKER JULY 19 -FAIRFIELD HAll-

IF THE WHO needed any confirmation as to theirstanding with Britain's pop fans, they could not havewished for a warmer reception than the one they received at
Croydon's Fairfield Hall on Sunday. In a concert lasting two -and -a quarter hours, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon and John
Entwistle proved that they are still among the front runners in the
popularity stakes.
The aisles and standing room was full to capacity,and needless to say,every seat was booked weeks before the concert, which was mainly taken
up with a lively offering of Tommy, the group's pop opera and latest
album.The act was virtually the same, which met with a mixed reception
at the Royal Albert Hall's Pop Proms two months ago.
Daltreywas his usual energetic self, moving with the same enthusiasm
his voice possesses: his white tunic flowing in his wake. Pete played his
guitar whilst covering every inch of the stage, and making a successful taskof introducing the numbers. Keith Moon... well, what can he be but themost exciting drummer to watch and a very competent one to listen to?
John Entwistle might as well have been a corpse, had not his bass guitar
been so excellent. He stands with head pointed in the direction of thefloor, but unwittingly contributes just as much to the show as the others.
I still do not find the Tommy LP worthy of a full hour's hearing, bar theexciting "Pinball Wizard", but the hits with which they introduced andcompleted their act proved that The Who are more than likely to bearound for as long in the future as they have been in the past.
"I'm A Boy", "Substitute", "My Generation" and others all met withtumultuous applause from thehappy audience, who responded
magnificently to rock'n'rollevergreens like "Shakin' All Over"and "Summertime Blues". For an
encore, the group reappearedwith a perfect rendition of "MagicAI MUNN
Bus", the single which deserved to
be a massive hit but wasn't. All inall, a delightful way to spend a
Sunday evening, and one which
I hope to repeat before too long.
The WHO

Gordon Coxhill-HOUR -PLUS SHOW
WHO'S TWO
acitain's
confirntation as tet their standing withthan
IF THE Who needed any
wished for a warmer reception
liu-a conpop fans, they could riot have Fairfield Hall on Sunday.
Ithe one
Roger Daltry,
Croydon's
they received aatquarter
Pete Townsbend,stillhours,
among theproved
that
they
are
cert lasting two andEntwistle
Keith Moon and John popularity
stakes.
front runners In the

irMi
Wadi

his Ionia

1969
APRIL-JpNE

it is, so you might as well tell me.
I like big bands, and in fact I likejazz a lot more since I started
going to Scott's. I liked Buddy
Rich and the Francy Boland
Big Band - all the musicians
everybody else likes and says
are good.
Spike Milligan
The Q5 Piano Tune PARLOPHONE

lopho
1(r.

April 12 In his inimitable way,
Kei I Moon reviews the singles.

Spike Milligan! Hee, hee, hee!
It must be Milligan. Great
electronic music by mouth.
I've only got to hear Milligan's
name and I crack up.This isincredible. Not really a hit, but
I must have this one. He isa genius -call him a genius. I'mtrying to get all the master tapesof the Goon Shows. If you go to
the States, there is no humour likethat at all. They are just cynical.
There are two kinds of humour.
One has pathos and can makeyou laugh or cry, and the otheris absurd and it doesn't matter
if you laugh or not.That's mykind of humour.
Isley Brothers..

WHEN KEITH MOON laughs it is as committed a

SINGLES
Barry Ryan
'seineMGM

Shades of 2001.1 know who thisisbecause he records in thesame studios we use and I was

therefor this one. This bit is moreor less an instrumental -theoverture. It's nice. If you are using
orchestration to the extent Barry
does, it can be overpowering. It
tends to submerge the singer,
and I don't think that's whatorchestration is about. Ah, church
bells. The dead are rising fromtheir graves!
Actually, he sounds
a bit like Neil
Sedaka,and who
was that other cat...
Len Barry! Perhaps
I can listen to moreof this later.

Sounds like the Goons' piano
player. Yeah - great sound. I
wouldn't say it was a new group,that guy on the radio -what's his
name? I wasn't going to say
Danny La Rue - but I will. Danny
La Rue. I've thought of what I wasgoing to say -Alan Breeze?
Clinton Ford? Tony Blackburn!
I thought it was the Bonzo Dog
Band at first.' know -the geezer
who does University Challenge,
Bamber Gascoigne. The
suspense is killing me -who
is it?

Stan Getz
I'm Late I'm Late VERVE

I can never get into themood to listen to jazz. I can

Hubert Gregg

never get quiet enough. Igo
to Ronnie Scott's where theyTANGERINE

smash it out, and I can enjoy
watching the band. Is this afilm score? I've no idea who

Ha ha! It's not a

drag queen, it's.-ti Smile

TAMLA MOTOWN

performance as one of his drum solos. He throws hiswhole body, muscles and nerves into mighty guffaws.
There wasn't much to laugh at in this week's Blind Date session.
"A poor selection, wasn't it?" he remarked with commendable
restraint. But Spike Milligan and Hubert Gregg between them
managed to detonate Keith's sense of the absurd at least thrice.

but relatively unknown, right?
This is too good to be their firstrecord. Is it the Alan Bown? Ah,
the Isley Brothers. Fantastic.
They sound a bit like The FourTops. Can I take that one?

Chris Barber
Battersea Rain Dance
MARMALADE

It's a bit like Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Nice,funky brass- I'm beginningSINGLES & ALBUMSNo lengthy political stanzas,
no social protest, no mysticism.
Musically, it is fuller in soundthan the stark, austere John
Wesley Harding and the songs all
have the traditional country "boyto really dig that sound. I like
Blood, Sweat & Tears and Francy
Boland. Is this Kenny Ball? Chris
Barber! That'll be resident down
the Marquee. Chris is one of the
few jazzers to get out of that trad
thing -that Trad Lads on Radio

meets/loves/loses/remembers girl" motif running
through them. Cerainly the musicians - including

One thing. Good for Chris- doing
something new. Talking about

Ken Buttrey, Charles McCoy, Pete Drake andCharlie Daniels -know Dylan.The arrangementsof the melodies,all tuneful, are fairly simple and in
keeping with equally simple lyrics. Dylan's singing
is possibly better than on John Wesley Harding,on which we heard for the first time the newsmoother vocal sound. The Johnny Cash -Bob

Blood, Sweat & Tears, I saw themat the Scene Club in New York.

They're even better live than onrecord. You sit in front of thebrass section and it hits you in
the chest. They've had lots ofpersonnel changes. Al Kooper
was there when 1 sawthem. He's
an incredible arranger. H eworked on a couple of sessions
with us on organ, but nothing wasever released.
The Kinks
Plastic Man PYE

Tony Blackburn! Song by The
Kinks, of course. No, we never dida song about plastic. Aluminium.
They've done some nice things,"See My Friend" and "Waterloo
Sunset", but they haven't donemuch since. I've liked some of thesongs on their albums. I don't
think they've got a lot together.
Yes, I like Ray's songs, silly little
bastard that he is. Lots of luck.

No, that's not a lot of bottle. Thatmeans not a lot of good. Like,
I sussed out the song and I knew
it wasn't a lot of bottle.

ALBUMS
DrJohnATCO
A strange and disturbing piece of musicalcommentary. It deserves attention not only
because of its musical content bit because of
the insight it gives into American attitudes andbeliefs, influenced or tortured by race and war
problems. In the states the old patriotism "jingoism" - apparently remains a tougher andmore dangerous bird of illusion than it proved to
be in Britain. Pop music is well in the forefront of
the crusade against unhealthy aspects ofjingopatriotism with such manifestations of thepatriotic morality musical Hair.
Very surprisingly, Dr John Creaux is white. His
voice has all the accents and intonations of a black
singer. His language is hip Negro and so is hishumour. As a singer his voice lacks technique,and if he wasn't saying such interesting things,
could be exceedingly boring. But his intensity incastigating America, or Babylon, is strong andcompulsive listening.Thoughtfully included are
the lyrics in the sleeve.The music is odd,faintly
menacing, faintly Charles Mingus ofio years
ago with modern rock guitar. One of the most
attractive qualities is "Barefoot Lady", a lovesong with largely meaningless lyrics.
Chris Welch, MM May3

George Harrison

Keef Hartley
Leak
DERAM

Chet Atkins? Definitely got to
be English, with plenty of wince.
That's our word for treble- lotsof wince and blah. A harmless
little ditty. English groups get
this sound, because it takes a longtime to find a studio and engineer
that is right for you.

into it" somethingthat probably isn't
there.NHEmayu

Roy Orbison

Bob Dylan

LONDONThe new Bob
Dylan LP, theCBS

Dozes off in chair - brackets. Who
is it? I like ballads to have a bit ofguts, instead of all this weeping

strings and weeping voice.
Melancholia.Still, it's a great
late -night smoocher.

ZAPPLE

Last Christmas, one of the party games I playedwas "guess the unusual sounds".This LP is similar.
"No Time Or Space", recorded in California,
resembles noises on a building site, air going intotyres,a machine gun fired by a bird, a rude noise
here and there,a dentist's high-speed drill,thewhole meaning little to me. The other side is"Under The Mersey Wall", recorded at George's
house in Esher. It does try to capture a musicalsound from electronics, but it comes in jerky
snatches to start with, like someone learning an
instrument. It takes a little more form as it goeson, but all I can say is ,"It's different." And forintellectuals, a rare
LP for "reading

country -oriented
Nashville Skyline,
is probably thelightest thing he
has ever recorded.

Dylan duet on "North Country Girl" (previously
recorded by Dylan on The Freewheeling Bob
Dylan) is taken casually and followed by the first
instrumental ever cut by Dylan, "Nashville Skyline
Rag", a bouncy little tune featuring steel, dobro

and acoustic guitars and piano. There is plentyof variety,and among the outstanding songs are"I Threw It All Away", a sad, slow ballad with agentle organ underscoring the melody."Lay Lady
Lay" is another easy -paced song with some good
lyrics, and the '30s -style "Peggy Day", again
strongly in the country bag, is corny but with somehumour in the lyrics.
"To Be Alone With You" is a lightweight rocker,
there's more country style on "One More Night",
and a heavy beat emphasises "Tell Me That Isn'tTrue", another mournful number. However, themood lifts markedly for the happy mood of the
lyrics on "Country Pie". "Tonight I'll Be Staying
Here With You" is another good song givena heavyish treatment and is the final song on
the album.
Not as remarkableas some of his

previous albums,
but the generally
relaxed presentation,variety of mood andfairly uncomplicatedconception of thesongs makes Nashville
Skyline enjoyable,
and the kind of album
which grows on you
with each playing.
MM May 3

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 171

1969
APRIL-

JANE

January 30,1969:The
Beatles, with Billy Preston on
keys,play for ,s2minuteson
theroof of Apple HCiat 3
Savile Row, London.Footage
from the performance will
form the fina I part of their

documentary film LetltBe.

ORY OF R

"Take ourword
for it.

This ismusic,
baby"
While Ringo makes another film,
John Lennon is more positive
than ever about THE BEATI±a,

who are strangely skint,
uncertain about playing live,
but madly prolific. "As soon
as I leave here I'm going roundto Paul's place," says Lennon.

"We'll sit down and start work."

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 173

1969

APRIL - ACNE

argues that it goes in cycles, and that what might be bad for the public toread is not necessarilybad press for them.
ADESERTED CENTURION TANK and a "dummy""One minute the press will be all overyou saying good old Beatle boys.
tree upturned in a ditch provide the first bizarre
Next year it will be those dirty old scruffs. I prefer it when it is nice, but theindications that we've arrived. A viciously cold windother doesn't bother me anymore."sweeps in across the common, buffeting the white
A shrugging of Beatle shoulders is accompanied bya morose Ringo
tent in the distance and the group of moving figures
expression. Can he put his finger on the turning point ofwhat was forthat together form an oasis of life amid thea long time a good relationship with the press?
unfriendly sea of bracken and stubbly brown grass.
"Drugs," he answered. "But there was a lot before that. It always has
Out there on Chobham Common, in wildest Surrey, they are on location
depended on the journalist or the paper, however they felt at the time.
filming a Beatle and an ex -Goon in The
They can write a story good or they can write it bad. For
Magic Christian. As the only mute out to theinstance, when we were on touryou might find in one
film unit is not so much a road out to thepaper it was 'Beatlemania In Bradford' and in another
The world's richest man
film unit as a switchback over a mudbath,'Beatle Rioters Smash Up Bradford'. Perhaps the reporterand the world's poorest boy
the wisest move is to adjourn to the mobile
came round and tried to get an interview and couldn't get
are getting it ready now...
press office parked among a clusterofin, so he went off and wrote it badly. If they managed tovehicles off the road while a courier with
get in and we gave them Scotch then it would be good old
a walkie-talkie is dispatched to Mr Starr.
Beatles doing a grand job for Britain."
The press room is inside what looks from
Does he always understand the actions of his fellow
the outside like a much -travelled furniture
Beatles? "No, I don't always understand -but then! am intruck and in fact is, except that inside it isa privileged position of being the person who is probably
plushly furnished with heater, phone link,
and nerytxxi)
every where will be
desk, leather settee and well -stocked bar.
a little worse on'"First in the world - ingeniously incognito,"fernIIgloat the publicity people with justifiablepride. When eventually the familiar Beatle
face appears grinning at the rear, it is a
Ringo attired in tweedy plus fours anddeerstalker and accompanied by the soundleme,,Stair "I 0, 1140 (of stomping feet shaking mud from a hefty
pair of labourers' boots.
"You've never done me before," says Ringo
as welcome, begging a few minutes' grace
to get his circulation on the move. If John is
the Beatle the public has singled out for thebrunt of ridicule and contempt, then Ringois the Beatle they cling to for reassurance as the flak ofshattered images falls about their heads. Ringo is the cosy
Beatle, the good -old moptop-Beatle boywho is nearing his
30th year -as everyone keeps reminding him.
"I think maybe people think they are safe with me," says
the least objectionable or the most loveable Beatle, whicheverwayyou look at him. "I am married. I am a family man. Thereis nothing bad -bad from the public's view- to publish aboutme. I try to keep two lives going. One is onlyto do with me
and mine and the other is to do with thous and thine. I agree
to give them the Beatle, the Ringo. But the Ritchie I prefer tokeep for my family."
And John?
"John has just had a divorce and been busted, so of course heis sorted out for it. People forget that divorce is happening all
overthe world. But Mrs Smith, she never gets a mention. I don't
knowwhat people think of John at the moment. Maureen wasin Liverpool and I know a lot of people there are saying that hehas gone a bit crazy. But all he is doing is not keeping up with
the image they have created and they think he has gone off hishead. All we are is nice people. I'm not being smart saying that.
We are just nice people."
Ringo's services were required back on the common, so we
piled into a crowded Land Rover, collected Peter Sellers andwith the waming "Mind your heads in the back" and a cry of
All the fun of the fair!" from Mr Starr, we made our bumpy
way to where the action was. Sellers, playing the richest man in
the world, and Ringo, his adopted son, were supposed to be ona grouse shoot in which the army intervenes. The two are
required to stroll side by side, guns in hand, down a slope. No
dialogue needed. It is over in five minutes. "No need for Orson
Welles to worrythere," cracks Ringo as we make our way back.
February 22,1969:
Meanwhile, back at the camp, it is lunchtime, and with Mr
publicity shot f or
Starr and Mr Sellers in the rear of Mr Starr's silver-grey
The Magic Christian,Mercedes, it is off to the village pub where a table and steaks
in which Ringo plays
a homeless orphan
have been booked. While Ringo reaches for the wine andadopted by Sir Guy
attacks his steak, we discuss The Beatles' bad press and heGrand (Peter Sellers)- NME MARCH 29 -74 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

closest to them and I can go and ask. I read thepaper like anyone else and I think, 'What's this,what's going on?' But then ! can go and ask
them what it's all about."
The ladywho served our steaks came to tellRingo that she had a daughter away at art
school who'd be ever so popular if she had his
autograph. Ringo obliged. What was hisreaction to John and Paul's weddings?
"Fantastic. I heard about Paul's when hephoned me to tell me and I heard about John
through the office. I knew whyhe went away,that he was going abroad somewhere to marry,
but I didn't know where or when."On to the cheese and biscuits and talkabout his son Zak, who is now nearly four andMarch12,1969: Paulapproaching the age where his schooling must
McC artney, the last Beetle tobe considered. Ringo expresses interest in
marry, outside Mar ylebone
registry office with American
Summerhill, the "freedom" school. "I hated myphotographer Linda Eastman
schooldays," he says suddenly. No, he wouldn't
send his son to public school, unless he asked
to go for himself.
you get lost in the end. I'm not reallyinterested
Twenty-eight now, Ringo enters his 30th year
in the production of our records. In fact, I wish
in July. "When I was 18I thought that was the
I didn't have to go through the production
time to die. But the old thing is true about being
and balancing the bass and all that. Forme,
as old as you feel. I don't feel old and I don't think
the satisfaction ofwriting a song is in the
I look my age. It doesn't worry me."
performing of it. The production bit is a bore.
His role in Candy, he feels, came off well, but he
If some guywould invent a robot to do it, thenadds that in Magic Christian he is largely playing
it would be great.
himself. His next film, he hopes, will see Ringo
But all that "get the bass right, get the drums
develop as an actorwho can sustain a totallyright" -that's a drag to me. All !want to do is get
different characterfor90 minutes. He doesn't
my guitar out and singsongs. Sure, I quite fancy
find acting particularly difficult.
giving some live shows, but Ringo doesn't"Candywas the test and I thought it was easy,
because he says you know it'll be just the same
so I felt confident to accept this one."when he got on, nothing different. I can't give
Afilm featuringall the Beatles is now closer
you any definite plans fora live show whenthan it's been fora longwhile, he says, because forthe first time all four
we're not even agreed on it. We've got to come to an agreement.
have agreed that theyshould do one. It is now just a question of the right
Fora start, there's too much going on now for us to even talk realistically
script -whichwon't be easy.
about going on tour. In away, that's whyit's unfortunate that all the"Everything that has come up has been Hard Day's Night or Help!,
publicity came out about doing live shows when it did. We were only
and the casting was like in those films. It was just the four -lads -rags -to thinking about it vaguely, but it kind of got out of hand.
riches thing in different forms. John would be witty, Paul would be pretty,
I suppose the next Great Beatle Event will be the next LP, in about eight
I would be shy and George would be George. Ifwe do one, Paul and I
weeks. A lot of the tracks will be like "Get Back", and a lot of that we did inshould be baddies. Why? Because no-one would expect Paul and I to be
one -take kind of thing. We've done about 12 tracks, some of them still tonaughty. People really have tried to typecast us. They think we are still
be remixed, and Paul and I are nowworking on a kind of song montage
little moptops and we are not."that we might do as one piece on one side. We've got two weeks to finish
Current Beatle work involves the completion of their next LP and
the whole thing, so we're reallyworking at it.All the songs we're doing
among the several tracks so far recorded is one by Ringo titled "InAnsound normal tome, but probablythey might sound unusual to you.
Octopus' Garden (Or 'I Would Like To Live UpATree')".
There's no "Revolution No9" there- but there's a few heavy sounds.
Virtually certain to be their next single is "Get Back", which features
I couldn't pin us down to being on a heavyscene, or a commercial pop
organist Billy Preston. What's it like? "Paul takes lead vocal and you canscene or a straight tuneful scene. We're just on whatever's going now. Just
say it's a lovely little toe -tapper."rockin' along. The follow-up to "Get Back" is "Ballad Of John And Yoko".
With an infectious beat that'll get your feet tapping?
It's something ! wrote, and it's like an old-time ballad, but we won't now"Yes," says Ringo, grinning. "'Ifyou can sit down when this one is on,'bring it out straightaway. We'll release it as soon as the otherApple singles
says Ringo Starr, 'then you're a stronger man than I am.' Put that in. It'll
go out of the charts... we don't want to kill the sales. The song? Well it's justgive me a smile when I read it. It'll make me happy!"
the story of us going along getting married, going to Paris, going to
Loveable shake of moptop head. Nick Logan
Amsterdam, all that. It's "Johnny B Paperback Writer" !
As! say, we don't want to release it straight away, because it might kill
the sales, and I suppose we're cowards that way. I don't regard it as a
- NME MAY 3 separate record scene... it's The Beatles' next single, simple as that. The
SAYS JOHN LENNON: If! could only get the time to myself rightstory came out that only Paul and I were on the record, but I wouldn't have
now- instead of all this Monopoly and financial business withbothered publicising that. It doesn't mean anything; it just so happened
Northern Songs -I think! could probably write about 30 songs
that there were only us two there. George was abroad and Ringo was on
a day. As it is I probably average about 12 a night.
the film and he couldn't come that night. Because
Paul, too... he's mad on it. It's something that gets inof that, it was a choice of either remixing or doing
your blood. I've got things going around in my heada new one- and you always go for doing a new one
right now, and as soon as I leave here I'm going roundinstead of fiddling about with an old one. So we did,to Paul's place and we'll sit down and start work.
and it turned out well.
GET BACK DONT LET ME DOWN
The way we're writing at the moment, it's
As for all this financial business that's going on straightforward and there's nothingweird. Songs likeit does get in the way of writing, but I don't find it"Get Back", things like that. We recorded that one onmuch of a drag. It is like Monopoly... what with all
theApple roof, but I'm not sure if that's the version
these bankers, and played round a big table withthat went out. We always record about 10 versionsall these heavies. You know the bit: "Then I'll give *"I know people
in Liverpool
are saying
John has gonea bit crazy

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 175

1969

APRIL -ACNE

you the Strand or Old Kent Road," and you sayno -you give me
two houses. It's just like that. Really, the outcome of this wholefinancial business doesn't matter. We'll still be making records
and somebodywill be copping some money, and we'll becopping some money, and that'll be that. I don't have any
involvement in MaryHopkin's records, it's pure Paul.
But there is one discovery I'd like to promote. We got this othersongwe were singing last night, and I think it'll be quite a laughfor her to do a pop record. It's one I've written myself, and it's
about Yoko, but I'll just change the word Yoko to John, and she
can sing it about me.
This TV film Rapewe did forAustrian TV... so it didn't get
fantastic reviews, but then neither does every record The
Beatles make. Hell, do you remember the reviews of "HeyJude"?
I remember Stuart Henrysaying, "Ochweel, y'either like it orr
y'don't." The critics are the same with Rape. It's a good film, andwe stand by it. There's a few people understand it, and the rest
have no idea. They don't know the difference between Jean -Luc
Godard and Walt Disney. It's funny. The critics can accept itfrom Luc Godard but they can't accept it from us two- because
they're so hung up on who Yoko and I are and what we do, they
can't see the product.
But that'll die, and Yoko and I will have to overcome our image,and people will have to judge us on our art and not the waywe
look. Back to songwriting, though -you can't say Paul and I are
writing separately these days. We do both. When it comes toneeding 500 songs for Friday, you gotta get together. I definitely
find I work better when I've got a deadline to meet. It reallyfrightens you, and you've got to churn 'em out. All the time I'msort of arranging things in my mind. This film The Beatles maderecently, of us recording and working- somebody's editing thatat the moment. It's 68 hours, and they're trying to get it down tofive for several TVspecials. Or then, it might be a movie. I don't
know. It might make a series like The Dales!
This "image" thing people are always on about with The
Beatles- image is something in Joe Public's eye. That's whyit's
a dragwhen people talk about fresh -faced Beatles like it was five
years ago. I mean, we're always changing. Like the TVclip of"Get Back". Now I've got the beard -Paul's clean shaven -George
January 1969:rehearsalsat
Twickenham Studios, filmedis the one with the moustache. Even we can't keep up with ourfortheLetltBedocumentary
own image. I come intoApple one day, and there's George got
ancidescribedby John
Lennonas-hell...themosta new head on him! So if that's the way it is with us, I tell you, themiserablesessions on Earth- .0.10.
public doesn't stand a chance of keeping up with howwe look.
And anyway, how we are is up to ourselves personally.
Music is what's important, and as far as that's concerned in my- NME JUNE 21 _case, Yoko and I stimulate each other like crazy. For instance, did you
know she'd trained as a classical musician?I didn't know that until thisTHE SUN BURNS brightly through the Savile Row window
morning. In college she majored in classical composition. I've just written
and it's a hot and sticky busy day atApple, with Yoko
a song called "Because...". Yoko was playing some classical bit, and I said,
hammering away at the electric typewriter and John Lennon"Playthat backwards," and we had a tune. We'll probablywrite a lot morein conversation, and all the while the beautiful No 1 smash sound of
in the future. I've written with other people as well. Forinstance, there
an unreleased Lennon song called "Give Peace A Chance" soaring andwas a mad thing !wrote half with our electronics genius, Alex. It was
thumping around the room.
called "WhatA Shame MaryJane Had A Pain At The Party", and it was
A statement of fact is that this record will sell several million and that,meant for the last Beatles album.
like "All You Need Is Love", it will echo like an anthem across the world.
It was real madness, but we neverA pleasant and intriguing Irishman named Cecil McCartney has been in,released it. I'd like to do it again.
not to claim some long -forgotten Beatles relationship, but to talk about
LOtiDON W1
There was anothersong I wrote
warand peace and his loathing for the fiery death theycall napalm.
around Pepper time that's still in
Lennon has been inspired and the result is that several hundred plastic
the can, called "You Know My
children's dolls have been bought and now await mutilation and
NameAnd Cut The Number".
destruction in a grisly protest burning in London's Kings Road theThat's the onlywords to it. It justfollowing day. One of them lies on the table, naked and pink andgoes on all the way like that, andinnocent and with its feeding bottle aloft.
we did these mad backings. But"We're only at the beginning of selling our peace product," John isI never did finish it.And I must.
saying, "and ! think and I hope it's beginning to work. Yoko and I can only
Why did we spring "Get Back" on
go on the reactions we get from people when we're going down the streets
the public so suddenly? Well,
together- of course.1 knowwe don't get people really against us. Some
we'd been talking about it sinceof them do give us a dirty look, but the others... bus drivers and lorry
we recorded it, and we kept
drivers and that... some of them say, "Ow yer doin?' and 'Good luck' andall that stuff.
saying, "That's a single."
Eventually, we got so fed up"The wayl see it is, even if they don't get the gist of us, orwhyare thosetalking about it, we suddenly
people hammering in nails orstaying in bed... theyknowwe're in favour ofsaid, "OK That's it. Get it out
peace. They know what we stand for. This is only the start of the campaign,
tomorrow." Alan Smithand they'll soon all know our message, and what we're tryingto say.

NE

9.*slaves,

L

kftAL

THE BEATLES"Sure, I knowwe've been criticised by some
papers, but you know, some of these journalists
and people talk as if they feel theyrepresent
somebody. One journalist might thinkwe needmore communication... but that's unfortunate.
They must get out of the habit -newspapermen
and pop stars, anybody, must talk forthemselves. I mean, how does one journalist
know how most people feel? OK, so the people inhis office might agree with him. But how manystraights does he know-how many people thataren't boozyjournalists?"
I nod, swigging swiftly at the bottle ofwhisky I whip from my pocket in a sudden
secretive swoop.
"In the same way, I can only judge from my side in that how manystraights do I know besides atApple, or those I meet?! can only judge thereaction! get bypeople waving or sending me letters. And that happens.
Sure, Yoko and I both know the criticisms about us spending £2,000 at
the Hilton on a bed -in when we could spend it feeding babies in Biafra.
The situation is, I've done that as well -the charity bit. And I respect thesentiments behind charity, and I will continue to do things like that. But it
doesn't solve the problem.
"It's like nursing the cancer after somebody's got it. There's a lot ofcancer to be cured. But it still doesn't stop research.And we look to what
we're trying to do for peace as research -to prevent Biafra happening next
time. I could give all mymoney to Biafra, and maybe a few thousand kids
would be safe forthat day. But the war would still go on. I'm using mymoney as an overall campaign to advertise the cause of peace.

"You know, these people who criticise...what are theydoing?
You've got to remember- all ofyou- that this is me and Yoko's
best effort. It's with both °four minds. So if any ofyou out there
can think of a better idea, then we'll do that. But until you comeup with an alternative, and not just 'Why don't you give it to thespastics and not to the deaf', then we'll stick the waywe are.
"The thing about trying to bring change is that everybody inthe world sits back and blames everybody else. The wholehuman race is like that. We vote people into parliament to run
the government for us, and then we sit back and claim how
badly they're doing it. We always use a scapegoat, and the wholesystem's just like that. Everybody sits in the armchair and says
Harold Wilson did this and Harold Wilson did that... but it's ourfault, not Harold Wilson's."
He picks up the pink doll and pulls its plastic arm out of thesocket, and pauses fora moment and looks at the table andlistens as Yoko speaks rapid Japanese into the telephone.
"Once," I told him, "you used to frighten the hell out of me.
There was a time when I'd expect your next words to be 'you
four-eyed git'. Now, I find myself more at ease in your company:
you're far more mellow."
He tries to push the doll's arm back into place and he says,"That's because I'm more myself now. I'm introverted, and insaying that, it would have been to prevent you saying 'four-eyed
git!' to me. It's just a case of simple games... The Games People
Play. It's just that. I had the game of aggression. Aggression was
my defence.As soon as somebody came near me, I'd make thefirst punch. If theycouldn't handle that then maybe I'd be cruel- or maybe I'd be kind. Now, I'm relaxed enough to be myself andbe less frightened of what people are going to say.
"Another thing is, when ! didn't wear glasses I used tobe more uninhibited. In Hamburg, for instance, when
I could never see the audience -I'd just get carried
awayon my own."
He looks around fora prising instrument and then heputs down the baby's arm and takes hold of the feeding
bottle, and then he tries to jam the bottle into theempty armpit. He doesn't say anything, but he gets it inin the end- one arm, one feeding bottle.
"The thing about performing now is," he says, "westill just don't agree on it. We're just four middle-aged
teenagers, who don't agree on it. We're all professionalmusicians, sure, but musicians aren't necessarily
performers. I mean, I'd go out. But you'retalking to me, and The Beatles as such don't
want to go out on the road. I don't mind...
having a bed -in is being out on the road as far
as I'm concerned. I think George and Ringo
don't really fancy it, but I don't want to pointa finger at them and say they're the reason.
Maybe there's also a little something inside me
saying the same thing.
"Singing in front of an audience andplaying, I'd enjoy. But the rest of it all...
that's the problem. Maybe in 10 years...
like Elvis... who knows."
He takes hold of the spare arm and he pulls it
and presses it and moulds it to a pliable plastic.
"I'm happywith life," he answers me, "ashappyas anybody can be. The onlyblots are violence and war andstarvation and all that. You can't be happywith all that going on.
"If I have a good percentage of happiness, it's because I'm grateful for
life, and I'm in love and I'm happywith mywife and I thank God for it. And
all that bit. In fighting and doing my bit for peace, I don't believe that thingthat man will always fight because it's in his nature. That's just theestablishment, for thousands of years, telling us that.
"Theysaythat because it suits the establishment, it suits the military, totell us we're all basicallysoldiers. We're just as much non-violent as we are
violent. It's all that 'Be a man, myson' thingwe get, and 'Youwouldn't behere todayif it wasn't forme, myson'. 'I fought'... you know the whole thing.
"I believe you can use music as some sort of a platform to bring people
together, but so can you use dancing and painting and even walking andall of the media." ")"I'm happy
with life. The
only blots are
war andstarvation"

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 177

r LALE,

1

WAR

Is
"Ta/kinginourbedsfora
week":John and Yoko's first"Bed -In '.at the Presidential

OVER.

Suiteof theAmsterdam
H iltom fivedaysafter theirwedding on March 20,1969

If YOU WANE If

Musically, adds John
Lennon, The Beatles havemore than ever before toLove and Peace from John &Yoko
say, and they have one
album ready and anotherone half -ready.
"The Beatles album that's
readyis like an unfinished rehearsal for that show that we never did. It's
the Beatles show that neverwas. There's bits of dialogue on it and 'Get
Back"s the most finished tune. So you can imagine what some of it's like.
We've no date for it yet because there's a bookwith it and that's not readyyet. There is another album, and that's byJohn and Yoko -and that's also
got a book with it. It's like a wedding album.And it's great.
"In all this new Beatles stuff there's obviously McCartneyhits there...
and there's one beautiful ballad called 'Let It Be', which is a cert forsomebody. A cert. And there's quite a few cert hits on it for other people."He twists the doll's arm inside out and looks down at it with somesatisfaction.
"I thinkApple's running much better," he says. "I don't know if you
can tell. We're rectifying the past mistakes. Clearing up. It's also been
convenient for people to leave at this time. I like that expression:'convenient to leave at this time'.
"I'd likeApple to be more commercial- sure. I'd like it to beeconomicallyviable. I don't care about respect. We'd still like to attract
talent, but we want it to be self-contained and to be able to look afteritself.
78 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

In the past, all we got when we said, 'Come toApple,' was people who'dbeen turned down everywhere else.
At the moment, there's only really us and Mary Hopkin as names onApple, although George's done some good stuff with Billy Preston andI think he's got good possibilities."
It's time to go and he smiles warmlyand proffers the inside -out doll'sarm, with its hand which now faces in the wrong direction. I get the
impression he onlynow appreciates the subconscious havoc he has piled
upon it.
"Here," he says, "d'ywant this arm?As a souvenir?" Alan Smith- NME JUNE 28 THESE DAYS, JOHN Lennon is happy to talk but not to drop
himself into some new, fresh drag of a controversy. And on some
topics, he's become pleasantly and likeably evasive in the waythat only Paul McCartney has really developed to a fine art.
He told me, "There's one film idea we're interested in, but I'm not telling
you what it is. There's certainly hope for us doing another film... it's being
kicked around. The only reason I don't want to talk is that other people arenaturally involved, and I don't want to screw 'em up.
"Anyway, we got a fantastic film out of making ournext LP. It really is
incredible... just the sweat and strain of four guys making an LP. It'spared down to about four hours. It could make a major movie. About ourmusic, these characters who talk about us progressing, or not, reallywant

THE BEATLES

to mind their own business! Progressing to what? Music is music.All
these characters complain about us and Dylan not being progressive, but
we're the ones that turned them on to the other stuff- so let 'em take ourword for it. This is music, baby.
"When we feel like changing, then fine. It's the same with this other halfalbum we're into, the one after the next. This'll probably please the critics
a bit more, because we got a bit tired of being sort of just strumming alongfor ever. We got a bit into production again.
"I tell you, this next Beatles album but one is really something. So tell thearmchair people to hold their tongues and wait.
'Shuttup and listen,' that's the answer. And
remember... there can be just as muchcomplexity in one note as there can be in any
symphony or Sgt Pepper.
"Not that I'm interested in classical music-I think it's history, and I'm not interested inhistory, only as a hobby. I'm interested in NOW.
And the future."
About America: "I can't disguise that to getmyvisa back means a lot. A lot. I need to go there,
for business at least. I'll just have to keep trying.
I know Donovan seems to have been OK about
getting his visa back but he onlydid a big anti narcotics thing, didn't he? So there we are.
"Anyway, these days! don't take drugs, alcohol
or meat. They all interfere with my head. And that's straight. Or sugar...
I think it's all bad. These days, I'm completely macrobiotic. I know itsounds strange, but it's great... and it keeps you high all the time.
"You don't just get high now and then this way... you're permanently
high." Alan Smith

we wouldn't do something like Barbarella or 2001- although that wasa lovely trip.

"Films are moving ahead so fast -much faster than music or anythingelse. We're hoping to have talks with a big production companywhich
I shouldn't name -oh well, why not, it's United Artists -who seem to beinterested. We'd like to get on at the West End."
Yoko, who was sitting byJohn's side, chipped in, "We don't know how to
go about it. We're sussing it out at the moment."
John continued, "It's not like films, it's more like TV. Dylan was right it should be less important. Our films, and theBeatles and Stones albums, shouldn't have somuch noise made about them. The process of
production is so slow. We'd like to speed theprocess up, and get a new album and film out
every month. For instance, we haven't beenable to get our Wedding film out yet.And thetrouble is that people will saywe copied Jane
Birkin on one track, but we didn't. It's just that
we couldn't get ours out fast enough.
"Most of our films are like portraits. For
instance, Smileis simply a portrait of me
sending out love vibrations to Yoko, who's on theother end of the camera. People say it's boring,but they'll look at Van Gogh, which doesn't
move at all, and they'll have it on their walls."
I suggested that perhaps the audience at the ICA had been dissatisfied
because the environment was wrong.
"Yes, it would probably be best if people had the film at home and could`Apple didn't
want to haveanything to dowith our Two
Virgins film"- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 20 JOHN LENNON HASN'T had a royalty cheque for two years.
And, believe it or not, he's feeling the pinch. The man whosegroup has again been voted top in both the British andInternational Sections of the Melody Maker poll told me that The
Beatles' own company, Apple, has become something of a monster
which is out of control.
"The problem is that two years ago ouraccountants made us sign over
80 per cent of our royalties toApple," he said. "We can't touch anyof it, andit's a ridiculous situation. All the moneycomes into this little building
and it never gets out. If I could get my money out of the company I'd split
away and start doing my own projects independently. I'd have much more
freedom and we'd all be happier. I still feel part ofApple and The Beatles,
and there's no animosity, but they tend to ignore Yoko and me.
"Forinstance, (Radio One DJ! Kenny Everett recently made a
promotional record forApplewhichwas played at the bigyearlyEMI
meeting. It plugged James Taylor, The Iveys and soon, but it didn't mention
the things Yoko and I had been doing.And I think that what we're doing is a
lot more important than James Taylor. Apple seem to be scared of us. They
didn't want to have anything to do with our Tivo Virgins film, for instance.
"The Beatles' wealth is all a myth. The only expensive things I've everowned are my house and cars, and I just haven't got anything else. Don'teven break even on the films we make, and that worries me."I asked John about his recent evening of films at the ICA. (A selection ofJohn and Yoko's films, including Ono's Bottoms and Lennon's SelfPortrait,
which detailed the rise (and fall) of his penis, were shown at the New
Cinema Club, Institute Of ContemporaryArts, September 10,1969.) Why,for instance, did he feel it necessary to make a film like SelfPortrait, with
its highly controversial content, whenAndy Warhol did the same thing
years ago with his films Empire Stateand Sleep?
"It's not like Warhol at all. He's negative and we're positive. I can't standnegative things, and ourattitude is completely
different. SelfPortraithas vibrations of love, and it
et_r_C
has an immediate message of humanity.
"When Yoko showed me her Bottoms film I thought
it was ridiculous, but she explained it to me and I wasconvinced -I don't remember how. I think it was thehumour of the film, and that's what we try to keep inour films. If we're going to get these films shown,
we've got to get into the scene. We'd like to makea film that wasn't so underground in concept, butshow it on their walls and look at it when they felt like it. The ICA night was
too long -but they asked for five hours of film and that's what I gave them."
Wasn't the work ofJohn and Yoko coming to resemble an open diary,
I asked?And don't most people keep their diaries in their desks at home?
"Yes, but who doesn't like to read other people's diaries?" he replied.

"That's exactlywhat it is- but you must realise that The Beatles' albums,
and Dylan's for that matter, are all diaries. We're just bringing it out into
the open and making it more honest."
Does this theory inevitably lead to disposable works of art?
"Yes, that's what we're aiming at," said John. "Yoko's having her book of
poetry, Grapefruit, reprinted and at the end there's an instruction to thereader to eat the book."
Yoko added, "When you keep things they become tombstones. The
world would be clogged up with useless objects."
Have theyany new ideas for their well -publicised campaign for peace?
"There's this Peace Ship plan," said John, "which is very strange because
I recently read a book which contained almost exactly the same idea.
There was this bloke in a white ship from which he broadcast peace
messages, and then when I'd read the book a real guy came to me with theplan for doing it. Someone's also given me some ideas for doing things in
Nigeria and Biafra, but I can't talk about it at the moment."
Does this suggest a more direct involvement with war and peace?
"Not really, because! think that what we've done already, like staying in
bed for peace, has been very direct. It wouldn't do any good, for instance,
if I was to go to Vietnam and get shot. That proves nothing, but it's what
people are always telling me to do.
"We're after people's minds. Ifwe go to see Nixon, for instance, itwouldn't make him down tools, but we thinkwe could find out what hethinks and tell other people. We'd knowwhere he was at.
"You can't change anything byviolence. You have to be aggressive,
that's part of everyone and I'm aggressive, but we have the machinery tochallenge it. We don't have to get involved in other people's games, andI think that all the killers should be allowed to take their tanks into thedesert and kill each other off. But I don't want any part of it, and we've got
the power to do something about it."With two albums in the canAbbeyRoad and Get
Back (sic! -would there now be a lull in The Beatles'
recording schedule?
"The trouble is that we've got too much material.
Now that George is writing a lot we could put out adouble album every month, but they're so difficult
to produce. After Get Back is recorded in January,
we'll probablygo back into the studio and record
another one. It's just a shame we can't get more
albums out faster." Richard Williams

SWANNING

TOGITHIlt

yin BMWHISTORY OF ROCK 1969 179

1969 kAPRIL- SO-

Arollercoasterof ahumanbeing:
27 -year -old Janice

Joplinintgog

80 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

JANIS JOPLIN"They'repaying me
S50,000
a year to
be me"
With a furry hat and aquantity of gin and orange,
arrives in

London. As she tells anyone

who will listen, the stories
they've heard are all true.
"I'd rather have 10 years ofsuperhypermost," shesays, "than live to be 70
sitting in some goddam
chair watching TV."

- NME APRIL 12 -We congratulate

JANICEJOPLINOn the fantastic
impact she has madeon her initial visit to

Britainiti

IF IT WERE possible to become a touring attraction bypresenting just yourself as a person then Janis Joplin
would cleanup. If there were any medals going for living
she would take the gold. Janis Joplin as a person is an
overwhelming experience, a rollercoaster of a humanbeing. The 27 -year -old American singing sensation withthe volcanic voice and the legendary penchant for Southern
Comfort and words four -lettered descended upon London from
Sweden on Wednesday evening.
By 3am Thursdaymorning she was at London's Speakeasy in thepresence of her seven -piece band making her presence felt and the
Joplin legend was beginning to swing London's way. The stories
began to circulate. She had, reports said, a bottle of gin in one pocketof her huge fur coat and a bottle of vodka in the other, from which she
was taking alternate unladylike swigs.
At noon on Thursdayher band were appearing in dribs and drabs forrehearsals at the Revolution when Janis made her entrance, dressedas she was the night before and looking as if she'd come straight infrom the Speakeasy. A cleaner carrying a broom walked idlypast.
"You the one who's rehearsing here?" Janis nodded. "I've been
hearing a lot of stories about you. Theyall true?" x.

andWe thank the Press-

National, Provincial,

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 I 81

1969
APRIL-JpNE

ROYAL MERIN!"LONDONLIVE!
APRIL 21

Like a childat their first party
NME April 26 Backed by the Stax-style seBlues Band, Janis winds up her

with.,

devastating curses accompanied the action.

D";14r.l' debut"God-dammit, you mother£&!!? You £&!!?" And swinging round to
appeal to the gathering: "Fourteen heart attacks and he had to die in myweek. In MYweek."
She was introduced to the press and smiled a sheepish girlish smile.
"Hi. Ain't this so silly? It's so silly." We left the band to rehearse andadjourned to a nearby pub where Janis, in her huge fur hat and coat, black
trousers, gold sparklywaistcoat and bangles on her arms, provided anincongruous sight amid the bowlerhatted businessmen lining up for
their midday pints and pies. She's a lady of extremes. One minutecreased up laughing; the next looking sad and lost as she tells you thatshe doesn't know anyone in London and she's alone in a foreign city
without even a TV set.
She's homesick. She lives in a three -roomed flat in San Francisco; hasa dogwhich she is fond of and a Porsche with a "real portrait" painted on
it. What can she do in London?-Where can she go?-King's Road-"Isthat good? Will I find hippies there? Will people stop and talk to me andbe friends?"

IT IS NOT A VOICE to charm the birds off the trees, more one
to kill them stone dead on the boughs. But it charmed a nearcapacity crowd to the Albert Hall on Monday for the British
concert debut ofJanisJoplin and her seven -piece band.
From the moment she rushed out on stage, grasped the mic
and launched into her first galvanising vocal, Janis was
everything that was expected of her. As soon as she stopped
singing, I began to have doubts. The whole conception of theband, very Stax-like with brass to the fore, seemed wrong. Janis'choice of songs seemed wrong in part too, though when she
was singing you could forget that. But when she stopped andthe band was on its own,
the whole show seemed
to flag, not through any
fault of their playing but
through the material.

Scores of people
dancing in theaisles is a sightseldom seen at
the Albert Hall

"I s'pect so," said Janis.
She sat down on the side of the stage, hung her head in her hands,
likened her condition to a part of the human anatomy and told us that she
was sharing her room with seven others and something would have to be
done. By the timeAlbert Grossman, hermanager (and also Bob Dylan's),
arrived the figure had swollen to "14"! She flew across the floorand flung
her arms around her manager's bear -like frame.
Janis was to have been on the cover of America'sNewsweek that week
but General Eisenhower's death had elbowed her out. Grossman had thecoverwhich was to have been.
In quick succession came a display of pleasure at the waythe photo had
come out and anger at the fact that it wouldn't be seen. She grasped it inher hands, stared at it for an instant, stamped her tiny foot bullet -like into
the Revolution floor and swung a clenched fist skywards.A stream ofSurely such anincredibly bluesy
voice should put itself
to blues numbers

Apri121,1969, Royal

AlbertHall,London:"Itwasdynamite!lt
waslikeabighotrush"with a blues -based backing.
Janis herself,thevoice, was superb. How such an almighty rasping, thena clearly sweet voice comes from such a diminutive frame
without doing her an injury I'll never know! She looked likea child at their first party, a mane of unruly hair, little or no
makeup, a garish blue low-cut trouser suit and a pair ofgolden sandals.
The audience loved her and warmed to her. Early
numbers were received with the kind of applausegenerally reserved for the end, and when the end cameshe was called back to take two encores. Champagne
was drunk on stage and Janis was visibly moved byher reception.
An audience on their feet with enthusiasm, scores ofpeople dancing in the aisles and more crowding round thefront of the stage is a sight seldom seen at the Albert Hall.
Near the end, Janis was standing in an ever -decreasing
circle as her army of fans advanced, and when she finishedon "Ball And Chain",the last of the two encores, it was anamazing scene. The last was by far her best number.
The Yes played the first half and sounded ridiculously
good. I've seen them three times now and each time they
were twice as good as before. There's been a tightening
up in all departments and the group is a veritable mineof ideas.They make a pleasant contrast to the surfeit
of "heavy" groups around. Nick Logan

iTANDING OVATION FOR JANIS
not a vOiee to charm thebirds off the trees, more One
thekill them stone dead on
But A charmed a nearIs

30+1..

)acts

crowd to the Albert Hall

Monday for the British coat debut of Janis Joplin and her'en -piece band.
out'rem %tic moment the rushed:tag'r. gratped the mike andstemtti to flag, nut but 'Ihrinuot
feut ,A their plannit
the material.
Surely such an incredible bluesy
voice should put itself to blues
numbers with a biuv.i.bascd backing.
*v..,
iant, h,rteir. the vow:
tuperh. how 11101 an Almighty epi.vOiCe
sweetthen n clearlyframe
comes from tuch a diminutive
I'll
without doirid ner an Injury
never

know!

She

SnokedLke

was visibly moved by her reception.
with
An audience on the, sectentinttiatrn, scores of people dancing
in

the

of

nod

more

crowding

toruund the front of the stage Hail.
sight seldom seen at the Albert
Near the en& Janis was standingner
in an ever decreleing circle aswhen
army of fans advanced ;Indant finnined on " Ball And Chttn."
It WW1the iast of the twu encores. wasbyan am.iring scene The last
far ner best number thy nett halfShe drinks her gin and orange juice andtells that she first became aware of the powerin her voice when she was 17. She was apainter then and used to go down to thebeach with some boys she knew. Theywere
playing Odetta records. She said she could
sing just as well. Theylaughed. She sang andproved them wrong.
She was born in Port Arthur,
Texas -a small gulf town- theeldest child of a refinery executive.
She was the town's beatnik rebel,
the girl from the Deep South who
mixed with blacks, who became
known as "mad, sillyJanis" andadopted the credo "Get stoned,
stayhappy and have a good time"that she still has today.
For five years she drifted in the

Marchtct,1969:at theChelsea H ote I, N YC

after concerts at theFillmore East that will

folk -beat world of Texas, New Yorkand finally San Francisco, from
where the name Haight-Ashbury
was beginning to achieve global renown and where the hippies were
emerging. Eventually she found her way into Big Brother &The Holding
Company, unleashed her talent with the group at the MontereyFestival
in 1967, and the beginnings of a legend were born. An eventual break fromBig Brother was always on. Reviewers praised Janis consistently andslammed the band with the same consistency. So Janis left and formed
the band she has now.
She's in Europe for concerts- one in London -and fora couple of TVs in
Britain, but she doesn't know what. She says of her kind of living: "Youmustn't compromise and you don't have to. I'm a living example of that.
People aren't supposed to be like me, make out like me; but now they're
paying me 50,000 dollars a year for me to be like me."
When she sings, she says she likes her audience to have a good time rightalongwith her and to get up on stage and dance with her if theywant. She
always thought it would be good to sing in Britain "because they likeblues singers. People like Memphis Slim could always get a gig over here,
whereas they couldn't find work over there."
The onlyqualms she has are over the reserve of the British. She saysthat she went to see Fleetwood Mac in Stockholm. "The audience were
impassive -I think that's the word. Theywere appreciative but while
they were playing they just sat there. In the breaks they clapped and at
the end theywent mad. Forme it is hard to playwhen people look as if
they are asleep."She's asked what her reaction was to the tag "The Judy Garland Of Pop"
given to her by San Francisco's Rolling Stone, ina critical article. "I don't know what they are on
about," she replied, looking sad again. "Fora while it reallyhurt me- and that was frompeople who are supposed to be on the sameteam. I thought theywould be helping me but
they didn't. They turned round and hurt me. She
shrugged: "I@!? 'em. I'm proud of myself now.
Before, I used to scream about them. They used
to hurt me. But I am into my singing now, I cansee it growing. I am proud of it."She creased up laughing. "Hey, yougonna write that down? 'Janis saida meaningful thing...'"She went sad and reflective again and said
she knew no-one in London and I asked if she
knew any groups. How about Fleetwood Mac, who she sangwith onenight in the States?
"They told you about that?" she asked, surprised. I said they had,and told it as a highlight of their tour and she smiled, happy again. "Howabout that."
An American voice from across the bar signalled that Janis was wanted.
Her gin and orange was drained in one gulp and a dangled arm wiped
across her lips. Her thing is that she lives everyminute of her life for every
precious ounce she can wring out of it.
As she says, "Man, I'd rather have 10 years of superhypermost than live
to be 70 sitting in some goddam chairwatching TV." Nick Loganr-iv mixedreviews- MELODY MAKER MAY 3 SHE BURST INTO THE green room of the Royal Albert Hall likea cork from a bottle of just -opened Modt & Chandon champagne.
Excited, elated and bubbling over, Janis Joplin couldn't havebeen more happy. "We did it, we did it!" she exclaimed. And a room fullof pressmen ain't going to bring me down!" Janis added. Indeed trying
to would have been like attempting to tear down the Pyramids with atoothpick. Janis had just left the stage after a triumphant British debut
which had left most of the audience on their feet yelling for more.
She hadn't expected it. Perhaps she had believed too much about thetraditional British reserve. Certainly her hour of belting, grinding
vocalising against her soul -slanted seven -piece backing group had
created enough excitement and emotion to make a fair proportion of theaudience forget theirinhibitions.
"I don't want to offend proprietyor anything, but if you want to dance,then that's what it's all about -right?" she told the audience. They
responded by dancing in the aisles, in the boxes and on the stage. "We've
been incredibly thrilled, this audience was great. American audiences
are getting too jaded," she said, bouncing around the green room, hardly
able to contain herobvious delight at the reception she had received.
"This is the fourth crowd out of seven we've had on their feet dancing. I
didn't expect it. In Frankfurt we had people right up on the stage after thesecond number. I was surrounded by all those lovely cats, singing right intheirfaces, man! This was thrilling. I thought
the British audiences would be so cool! They
were really getting into it."Janis described this visit as a "promotion
tour" and that she would be back as soon as she
could. "The concert scene on this European
tour has been exciting, but this one was a little
bit more exciting because it was, well, theAlbert
Hall, man. It was dynamite! Maybe it was
because I broke through a wall I didn't think it
was possible to break through!Everybody said
don't expect any reaction, but it was like a big
hot rush, like a door opening, a new possibility,
a kind of fresh air.
"It was like..." she paused, searching fora
phrase "...like holding onto someone and really
exploring them. You can feel theirhands on your back then all of a sudden
they have two more hands. It never occurred to me it could be thatpleasurable." Then Janis decided to end the impromptu press
conference. "I'm not sitting here talking to you. Jesus, man, I'm going out
to have a ball. I'm so happy, Jesus, I'm so happy."
As quickly as she arrived, she departed, rushing out of the room to roundup the group and friends. From the corridor her voice came shouting backto us. "Jesus, I'm so happy, not even a roomful of pressmen could bringme down." The "roomful of pressmen" -all three of us -pocketed ournotebooks, pens and toothpicks and departed slightly overwhelmed bythis amazingyoung lady. Tony Wilson"Yo u mustn't

compromise
you don't haveto. I5m a livino°

example"HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 183

1969
APR

01

"First ofall, it's

rock'n'roll" ,Even without visiting, CREEDENCE
CLEARWATER REVIVAL i ire tne UK

imagination with their visionary
Southern music. The band, claims
John Fogerty, are uncomplicatedpeople, making rootsy rock. "WhenI say a hurricane is coming," he says,"that's what I mean."- MELODY MAKER JUNE 21TEN YEARS IS along time for anybody to wait fora hit, but that's how long Creedence Clearwater
Revival waited to see their name in the British
a nd American charts with "Proud Mary". The
single is a track from their Bayou CountryLP to bereleased here soon, and this will be their second
album to be issued here. The sound of Creedence Clearwater
Revival has an earthy, basic feel about it and the group's leader,
guitarist, harmonica player and songwriter says, "The soundcomes from Louisiana."
Certainly on tracks such as "Born OnThe Bayou", "Bootleg" and"Graveyard Train", there's a peculiarly Southern feel about the sound,with hintsofblues, country a nd Cajun music in what Creedence
Clearwater play. Explains leader John Fogerty, "I just had this lifelong dream I wanted to live there. All the great records or people who
made them somehowcame from Memphisor Louisiana orsomewhere along the Mississippi Riverin-between.
"I nevereven thought about social pressures. To me it justrepresented something earlier, like 1807, before computers andmachinery complicated everything, when things were relaxed andcalm.And singers like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters gave me thefeeling that theywere right there, standing by the river. x.
84 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

A
"Carl Perkins, the first one who ever made me
hearit from somebodyactually in England." Andthink about being a musician and singer, madewhat of 'Bad Moon Rising'? "It is not drug orientated
his greatest records there by the river in Memphis.
orpolitical," he said firmly. "Somebodywrote that
I really enjoyed the whole Southern folk legend...
I sang about 'grass' and that it was an allusion to
PROUD MARYMarkTwain, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, the river and all
marijuana, but that's not in there at all. Others take it
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER
that went with it. The river and the South just seem tothat it means the right wing is dissolving, orthe left wing
'Web,UV IV AL
be where all the music that's kicked everything off
is dissolving, whateveryour views.
started from or sounds like.""When ! say a hurricane is coming, that's exactlywhat
The Bayou country is a longway from San Francisco, where
I mean. It is just a story about natural catastrophes, which are
the group originallygot together -John Fogerty, with his brother Tom,so big that they can override the personal ones."
drummer Doug Clifford and bass guitarist Stu Cook, in 1959. The group
Misinterpretations of"Bad Moon" apart, John affirmed there was somebegan by playing blues and then went through various scenes backing
political and social comment in theirmusic. "There is in quite a few of theother singers and working in the San Francisco area.
songs. People used to say that all the words of your songs are simple andAfter a bout of duty in the army, John rejoined the group in 1967. They
that used to bug me. Since I don't go in for 18 -letter words likeworked together as The Golliwogs fora while, then changed their name'insurrection' and 'resurrection', et cetera, some people tend to overlook
to Creedence, which also brought them a change of fortune. In 1968 thethe meaning of the lyrics. All that'Canyons ofyour mind exploding' stuff group released a single called "Susie Q", which made theAmerican chart,that is a load of rubbish tome. But quite a few of our songs are socially andand followed it up with a version of the Screamin' JayHawkins classic
politically inclined.""I PutA Spell On You", both singles being included on their first album.
The good sun is now shining overCreedence Clearwater Revival...
And then came "Proud Mary" and the Bayou beat of Creedence
but it wasn't always that way. They've been togethernow for a decade
Clearwater Revival became an international sound. Currently the groupwith the same lineup- a considerable feat in these times of break-ups andare working on their third album and are hoping soon to visit Britain.
splits- but along the way, at various moments, hurdles have presented"I think the best way is with a hit," comments John Fogerty. "We'd like tothemselves which might have broken up manya group.
come as soon as possible. The sooner we get over the better it'll be. I don't
Fogerty, at the age of 14, drummerDoug Clifford and bassist Stu Cookknow how our music will go over."formed the group at junior high school in California 1959. Tom Fogerty,
Certainly it has impressed American audiences like the Fillmores East
brother ofJohn, joined later. "Early on, there were different schools weand West, and John thinks theAmerican audiences are probably the best
went to and families planning to move away," recalled John. "Wein the world. But does he have a great deal of respect for British bands.
managed to persuade them not to. We wanted to do what we are doing now"They seem so much better than American bands. They seem bettermore than anything else in life, and that's what kept us going. We driftedtrained. And theyplay incredibly fast."
apart and went off to different schools, but we neverdisbanded the group."
If Creedence Clearwater Revival are as good live as they are on record,
Lateron came one of the biggest hurdles when John and Dougwere
they need not worry about British bands. They are one of the mostdrafted into the US army -and straight away decided theywanted out.
exciting groups to come out of America and have managed to come up"We were in the reserve towards the end of our service," said John, "andwith a distinctive sound -the Bayou beat. Tony Wilson
we still kept the group going, travelling to dates 200/300 miles from thebase and returning during the early morning. We managed to get out inthe end: both with honourable discharges. There are manyways of- NME SEPTEMBER 20 avoiding the military, most of them involving going to jail, but we
ccBAYOU ROCK? IT means absolutely nothing to me." Having
managed to fall somewhere in the middle."
heard so many definitions of the gutsy, foot -stomping rock
Marriagewas recounted byJohn as another problem. He, Tom and Dougof Creedence Clearwater Revival, all of them coming backare the married members; Tom with two children, him with one. Then
to the label "Bayou rock", it came as something of a surprise to pick up
there was "the real smart manager" who named them The Golliwogs andthat statement from the group's leader and songwriter John Fogerty
gave them funnyhats to wear -and then there was poverty.
over the transatlantic phone line this week. Speaking from the group's"We didn't have any money to buy strings for guitars, oramps orrecord company offices in San Francisco, John went on, "I suppose myanything. It wasn't until the end of 1967 that the president of the record
songs do have derivative rhythms, but it is mostly accidental. My thingcompanycame up with enough money to get us some equipment. It
with Southern music has always been with the people of the South;
wasn't extravagant; we got one amp for $1,400 and a drum stool for Doug.
people like Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Howlin' Wolf."
The companywasn't that much in the black that they could lash out -andHow does he account for their success? "I don't try to. I have seen a lot ofthat was one of the best things that ever happened to us."things written in the papers about it being a folk-rock revival, a rock'n'roll
I asked John fora word or two on the members of the group. What sortrevival and, the latest, a blues revival. I don't know about anyof them.
of character was Doug, for instance? "That's the word. A character," heWhat we do have is a pretty basic rock approach to our music. We call it
replied. "Doug is the funny one. Even though we don't make a great deal
rock'n'roll and that's enough for us."out of being funny on stage -we don't have an
But he did agree that their success rested
act -he is the one with most of the funny stories.
largely on the appeal of theirmusic to both a
He is the one finding humour in the mostdancing and a thinking audience. "That's true.
oppressive situations."
First of all it's rock'n'roll . Its function is to move
Stu? "Probably the most left wing of all of us.
you whatever. Then you can put the frosting on
He is quite a bit into the San Francisco scene as
the cake. Words that make you think; guitars
a musician and philosopher." Tom? "He'sthat are growling or funky; and soon. That's theprobably the most intense of the four; like very
waywe go about it. Music is emotional. When
serious or sincere. He is the most likelyto say
you lose that and it becomes ultra -sophisticatedwhat he is really feeling. Like right out ofand mathematically precise it leaves me dry."
nowhere he will say something that is so honest,
John was delighted with the news that "Badpeople cannot believe what he has said."
Moon Rising" was then at No 2 in the NMEChart,
John dodged talking about himself but said,
poised to take over at No 1. "Someone here told
"Since we have been together for so longwe areme about it but it's easier to believe when you
all each other's best friends. We are prettytight;
we have our own little circle with few friends
from outside."
Is that whythey've stayed together so long?
"It's a two-way street," he replied. "The longer
BAYOU Rock? h means absolutely nothing to me.- having heard
you are together, the easier it becomes to get
so many dehiehoesof the touts,. foot stompng me* of CredenceClearwaterover any problems you have, because you
I back to the label ..flaYOu Rock- It come as something o Revival. all of the',dement horn the group's leadav and aongventer John Fogertya surprise to pica up That
have come up against and surmounted themover the Tiantertlentic
ens Ono Ike wet*`All that`canyons ofyour mind'
stuff is a loadof rubbish"

BAYOU ROCK ? IT'S NOT US,

CREEDENCE.

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"Wehaveour own little
circle with few friends
fromoutside":(1-r)Tom
Fogerty,JohnFogerty,Stu

CookandDou Clifford

before. It was because of over-riding these problems that we have got
where we are today." Nick Logan- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 20 CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL took just five weeks tomake the No 1 spot in the MMPop 30 this week with "Bad Moon
Rising". This great rocking song is the follow-up to their first
British hit, "Proud Mary", a track from Creedence's Bayou Country LP,
and like "Proud Mary", it scored heavily in the US as well.
"Bad Moon Rising" is a typical Creedence Clearwater song and a good
example of what a hit should sound like, comprising a strong lyric, a
simple but effective melody line, a driving beat and quality production.
"It's not a personal story," said Creedence leader, guitarist and singerJohn
Fogertywhen he spoke to Melody Maker from California. "And it's notpolitical. It's just meant to be a statement on the good and bad sides of life.
It's not a protest song, like the sort of protest songs we've had over the lastfewyears. Just a sort of 'beware' type thing, mostly about natural
catastrophes. The words were meant to mean exactlywhat I wrote."
As well as the two singles, Creedence Clearwater have had two albums
released in Britain, Creedence Clearwater Revivaland Bayou Country, andtheir third was recently issued in America, Green River, the title track ofwhich is their latest single hit in the US.
"It's basically the same sound," commented John. "I find it hard to makedefinitions about our music. It's the same instrumentation, with a bit ofharmonic and electric piano, but mostly guitars."
The Creedence sound reflects many influences -blues, rock, country
and the Cajun style of Louisiana. The music has a Southern feel to it,
although the band originallycame from San Francisco, where John, his
guitar -playing brother Tom, drummer Doug Clifford and bass guitarist
Stu Cook teamed up in 1959.
For 10 years they played blues and rock in and around the San Francisco
area under the name off he Golliwogs. The group split for a while whenJohn went into the army but reformed in 1967 as Creedence Clearwater
Revival. In 1968 theyhad their firstAmerican chart entries with "Susie Q"
and the Screamin' JayHawkins classic "I PutA Spell On You", both singles
being incorporated in theirfirst album.
The Creedence sound is distinctive and interesting, with enough goingon in it to keep the listener's attention. "Our basic sound doesn't change,"
said John, "but deliverychanges.As with anyone who writes songs, I go
off on tangents. But this is the kind of music !wanted to bring to the fore,
the kind of music! most respect. But we do try and change just a bit."
Did the group have much trouble in recreating their recorded soundon stage? "In ourcasewe make ourrecords sound like we do on stage,"answered John. "We tryto record exactlythe waywe play, therefore, in
person, people saywe sound just like we do on record. We expand here andthere and ad lib, but not to the point of beingboringlike psychedelic bands.
"Of course, the tape echo we get in a studio is impossible to do on stage.
But there is usually a natural echo in the halls we play. Ifwe did the tapeecho in person, nobodywould understand what we were saying."
The group have had a number of favourable reports regarding theirlive
appearances, particularlywith regard to their overall stage balance. "We
try to get a clean, cleareffect," stated John when questioned about this.
"The idea is that everyinstrument is to be heard. After all, every guyin theband has the right to be heard if he's playing. If you turn up the amps, wellit might be good for the amplifier people and please them, and it might be
exciting to watch them explode, but it just distorts everything. We like therhythm section to be clean so the lead vocals and guitar are heard against
a clean blanket of sound."
The group are now in the fortunate position of being able to limit theirpersonal appearances, although they are still kept busywith rehearsing
and recording. "We are slowing down a bit," said John. "We've been on
and off the road since January. We're playing about two orthree times
a month until the end of the year. Songwriting takes up a fair amountof time and we do television appearances, and at the moment we arerecording our fourth, and possibly our fifth album. We've shifted ourinterests but we're still as busy as we were. Business -wise, we have more
appointments with accountants and companies, but they come in spurts.
We might have four weeks when nothing happens and then we have to seethem all in a couple of days. We rehearse all week and take Saturday and
Sunday off, unless we're working. We usuallywork at weekends."
Unlike some groups who take success as a signal to stop working and torest on their laurels, Creedence Clearwater Revival are firm believers in
keeping their music in shape in readiness for the next gig, whenever it
might be. Getting stale musically is something John and the group wantto avoid. "We've noticed with some bands that when they make it, theytake it easy. When you stop appearing and stop rehearsing, it's a dragbecause when you've got to playsomewhere it's just like rehearsing.
Nothing is together. So we're going to keep rehearsing."
One advantage that John is able to use now is the prerogative to pickvenues. "Most of the halls in this country are dumpy, awful," he said.
"They're bad in some way or another; you can't hear the voice orthe lights
are too dim, something like that. With success, you are able to pick andchoose more. If! could pick only the good venues that I like playing, theywouldn't amount to more than about 15. Also you've got more time torehearse. We've noticed with some bands, theyplay the same old things
for a year and after a while any song gets stale."With two hit singles in Britain so far -and on the strength of that it
wouldn't be unreasonable to predict a potential third with "Green River"- it would seem a British tour forCreedence Clearwater Revival must be
the next item on their list.
"We have no definite plans, as far as that's concerned," said John, "butI think ifwe came, it would be around March, when the weather is clearer.
It's the first thingwe're thinking of in terms of next year. Ifwe come to
England, I'd like to stay a while, at least two weeks, and get there a couple
or three days before we actually play so we can get used to the place. I
don't like hopping -about tours. I don't thinkwe'd go to Europe; we'd comestraight to England." Tony Wilson
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 187

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HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

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89

1969
APR

1k

NME JUNE 14 -"W

E'D KNOWN FOR a few months that
Brian wasn't keen; he wasn't enjoying
himself and it got to the stage where
we had to sit down and talk about it.
So we did and we decided the bestthing was for Brian to leave."
Mick Jagger was talking for the first time on the BIG subject of Brian
Jones' departure from the world's second -biggest group. No hint ofbitterness or internal strife and the "let him get on with it, he's going to be
the loser" attitude that we so often hear in similarcircumstances.
How did a comparative unknown like Mick Taylor land the job? "I'dnever heard him live, only on records," Mick replied, taking anothergrape from a huge pile of fruit in The Rolling Stones' Mayfair boardroom.
"He'd been through the John Mayall school of guitarists - people likePeter Green and Eric Clapton. I didn't want to go through the whole bit ofauditioning guitarists, so I spoke to John Mayall, a man whose judgement
I respect in these matters."
A snort of cynical laughter and then: "John just grunted when! told him

Mick himself has been hiding in Buckinghamshire since theannouncement, but on the phone he had said, "I was invited to do asession with the Stones. It puzzled me. I had never met MickJagger in mylife and here he was phoning me. I went down and played on some tracks
and thought little more about it. Then they asked me if I wanted to be a
Stone. I was amazed. Brian Jones was leaving, I was told. I said I'd love to
be a Stone and that was that."
To break Mick in with the group, the Stones will do two open-air showsin Rome and London. Brian, who revealed the news of his departure at his
Hartfield, Sussex home on Sunday, confirms that he and the Stones willremain the best of friends. "I want to play my kind of music, which is nolonger the Stones' music," he said simply, in explanation for his careerchange. RichardGreen- MELODY MAKER JUNE 21 -WHAT MAKES MICK Jagger run, leap, bounce, smile, scowl,
work, duck, dodge, embrace, jeer, love, soft, hard? The
mystery boy of pop is a mystery man of pop. Like sherry
trifle or hash cake, he is sweet with a kick. Mr Jagger is currently going
we'd like to see Mick, so I took it as a 'yes'."through a Revive The Rolling Stones campaign. They recently perked
Taylor went down to the Barnes studios where the Stones were cutting
up with the addition to the ranks of Jimmy Miller as record producer.
tracks for their next two albums, and fitted in right away. "He got on wellSince the end of the touring days, management splits and records thatwith Keith, which is good, and he picked things up quickly, so we got theweren't as successful as they should have been- not to mention the
track done more quickly. I don't know totallywhat he does, but we will
occasional brush with the forces of law and order- the Stones have been,see. He doesn't play anything like Brian. He's a blues player and he wants
in truth, clinging on to realitywith the skin of their teeth.
to play rock'n'roll, so that's OK. He's on one track of the album, but I don't
Mick's strength, drive and work have ensured that not onlyhave theknowwhich album because there will be one out in September andStones survived more than most groups have eversuffered, they haveanotherbefore Christmas. We've got 17 songs up to now and we'll have to
kept creative and enthusiastic. Where others might quail, they are keensort out which ones go on which album."for new projects. The surprise addition of Mick Taylor, "unknown
Mick doesn't know what Brian plans to do now.
guitarist from John Mainall's Jazz Band" as
He did one of his frequent send-ups of all things
some national newspapers would inform us, iscurrent and told me, "He's gotta do his own
going to be the boost to relaunch the Stones asthing, man. You'll really have to ask him
a working group back on the road. What a gas!
what he's got in his mind; he hasn't said
They may not be actually revisiting Kenanything to us."Colyer's Club for Sunday -afternoon blues
Mick Taylor was preparing to go away so thatsessions, but by the ghost of Cyril Davies, we
he could rethink and plan his music when he got
can expect a free concert somewhere not one
a call from MickJagger inviting him to a Stones
thousand miles from London fairlysoon!
recording session at Barnes, London.A few
And the group that pioneered the British R&B
weeks later, he was taken on as Brian Jones'
boom back in the early'60s and created thereplacement. Mick spent two years with John
climate for both the blues and progressive
Mayan's Bluesbreakers and had reached thegroups of todaywill be back -playing musicstage where he wanted to take time off toand having a good time.
consider his next musical move. So he resigned
So what's it going to be like, Mick?
and began a rest.
Amazing -it's going to blowyour mind!It's"He is veryquiet. I can't see what he has in common with the Stones,"
just so together, it will be amazing."
said his friend Pete Gibson. "He had several offers during the last tour ofMick was leaping about in white trousers, refusing cigarettes andAmerica, but wasn't interested. I think he was going to session and odd
listening to rock'n'roll on the office record player. Having seen recent
things until he'd decided properly."
photographs that made him look several hundred years old, it must bereported that Mick looked extremelywell and very young.
Explained Bill Wyman, who was in the vicinity, "It's giving up
smoking. I packed it in a couple of months ago and put on half astone." And he looked incrediblyyoung as well- but enough ofthese medical bulletins.
Said happy Mick, pausing onlyto greet a passing lady
reporter, "Mick Taylor is veryquick to pick things up andhe's getting on well with Keith. By the way, I read it all in thenewspapers that Brian was our lead guitarist -well, I don't
think he was. MickTaylor has been through the John Mayall
school, and when I knew he was leaving I thought I'd try and gethold of him. I had him down to a session and he was quite good,then he came to anotherand he was very good. I don't know
Mick so well I can say he's as good as Eric Clapton, but anyway,
Vtrf.1) knoon tut a le. month, that Brian{c.o.
wasn't niO!ring,el( and It got to the Stagg Ahemma had to sir down andthat's not what The Rolling Stones are all about."the) and .4. derided the DM thing u a Int
about 11. S Mil
Itrinnhalt,"No Jam.
Would the new Stones do a concert at the Ken Colyer Club,the Oro. time uo Oa. tic 4.
Bnan how, Oep
InterviewNoe lb. world's second bigger
I suggested pointlessly?
grump No Mot of aaloraitau awithimaoraal sardo .441
.1141au"I don't want to go back to the womb. We want to do
that,
RICHARD GREEN
ur alum. how.':1:111"."t
dnubt
ornun
something new. I'm not interested in repeating ourselves. The
thin.%
Ha. dot
coaportue
new band isn't going to be like early Stones. The thing is to go
Yaoun Itae Mira la,lor Land ore
on, on, doing something new."I'd ae, r. mars ha.
nnmonad.
tatme inther grapr trom
The Stones seem to be going through an extremely busy andof lobSal
Iola Munn. MgNii la. howd
creative period. "Well, that's the waywe like to do it -in phases.
mo"The thingis to go on,on, doingsomethingnew"lAGGER TALKS TO NME ABOUT°7 THE NEW STONE,.
THE EX -STONE,

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July 5,1969: twodaysaf ter
Brian Jones' death, Mick

Jagger paystributetothe
Stones' founder member
before they headlinea huge
freeconcert in HydePark

It's cooler for me, because I like to cool out now and then and go on tosomething different. Keith and I have written about 24 songs recently.
Some of the group want to do the old ones, and we'll probably do a lot of
the tracks on the last album. In fact, all of that album contains stuffwe
can play on stage."
The Stones' last appearance was a concert a year ago. Their next one will
be in Rome, June 25 and 26. Was Mick nervous, and whyRome?
"It doesn't make me nervous- it's just a natural thing for me to goonstage. We chose Rome for the concert because it is a very good visual thing.
And the other reason, which I haven't told anybodyelse, is I wasn't satisfied
with the Rolling Stones part of the RockAnd Roll Circus film we made andwe want to do it again in the Colosseum, which was the first evercircus.
"The film should be due out in September with the next I.P. We wanted
the LP out in July, but the moguls of the record industrysay it's a badmonth because all the factories that make records are on holiday. In fact,
we have done two albums and the first will be out in September. Two of
the tracks will have Mick on guitar."
What will Brian Jones be doing next? "I can tell you very little- it's betteryou ask him yourself. I guess he just wanted to do something different
and he has done fora longtime. I hope whatever he does comes off."
Mick was with Marianne at the Blind Faith concert in Hyde Park. How
did he react to their performance?
"I thought theywere verynice. I was right at the back of the stage andI couldn't see them, but I thought somehow theywere very strained. I
guess they'll get more together, and Ginger was fantastic. He's a beautiful

drummer- the best drummer! have ever heard. I was a bit surprised
Steve didn't play any guitar, though. I wish he had stood up and played! love to see Stevie wiggle his bum a bit." Chris Welch- NME JUNE 21-

M

ICK JAGGER HOLDING court is quite an experience, as I
discovered last week. His answers are often vague or cynical,...-

but the majority are serious. He adopts an air of nonchalanceand gives the impression of rather being elsewhere. One perfect
example of this was his reply to my question: What are you doing toprepare for the Ned Kelly role? - "Not enough, I'm spending all my timetalking to the musical press and messing about."
Typical Jagger, but probably honest.At least, you can expect
forthrightness from him, if not always what you regard as a satisfying
answer. He leaned back in his chairdrinking apple juice, having alreadyrejected one glass as he claimed there was soap in it. He occasionallytook
a grape from the fruit bowl on the large oval deskwhich dominates theboardroom and played the Edwin Hawkins Singers' Let Us Go Into The

House OfThe Lord album, the next Three Dog Night LP Suitable For
Farming, which is excellent, and an early Elvis collection featuring suchgoodies as "Rip It Up" and "Blue Moon".
On the subject of recordings, Mick told me, "We've almost got two LPs
finished; the tracks are mostly four to five minutes long, so we can't get
more than 10 on an album. The next album won't be out until September'cause the record companies don't like issuing things in the July period.
They'll put out an album and a single together and that's fine -I'll be away
filming anyway, so we can't do anything on them for awhile. We'll put out
anotheralbum and a single before Christmas as well. We're just doing
things a bit faster; we tend to concentrate on all our own songs, and we
can onlydo what we produce... If we onlywrite 30 songs, that's all we cando. We'd ratherhave 10 good songs than a load of ordinaryones."Though he hadn't decided what the new single would be when! spoke tohim, Mick revealed, "One side is a heavilyproduced ballad with a lot ofthings happening on it -it reallywill surprise you. The other side is moreof a Stones thing."
Asked if the new albums would be very different from previous Stones
LPs, Mick replied immediately, "We don't want to repeat ourselves,
they're all different. Like SatanicMajesties and Beggars Banquet -they'reboth different. I would saythe next one is still a very driving thing, notsoft, but not too heavy. I quite like it."Though it was a really hot day and everyone was walking about insummery clothes -the birds' especially daring, I'm pleased to say -wepressed on with seriousness, and offimmy Miller, their record producer,
Mick said, "He's a groove most of the time. He's veryeasytoworkwith. He
sometimes makes suggestions, but he usuallysits up in his box. If things
aren't goingwell, he comes down. He's very good with the rhythm, andhe's verygood with spoons!"
When I mentioned the Stones' Rome dates in the crumbling Colosseum,an event which could well accomplish what the ravaging hordes ofancient layabouts failed to do and raze it to the ground altogether, Micklaughed. "Yeah, there are a few problems; it hasn't got anyseats fora start!
But we can surmount them. I'm quite keen on free concerts; they're OK if
you can afford them.
"I'm ready to do some concerts in places, I've always been willing. The
last one was the NMEconcert last year, but time doesn't mean much, it
could be a minute or a year. You can get stagnant bykeep going on stage;
the same as you can get stagnant not doing shows."
Mick decided against another apple juice and ordered a lager, which
was poured by a performing publicist who had just squirted anothercan of the stuff all over himself. We talked about acting and Mick
commented, "Peiformanceis quite an interesting film, in its own way.
t
I'm reasonablysatisfied with what I did. You have got to be the person, 3. it

1,2

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 191

1969
APR

and I've been reading about Ned Kelly. I don't mind doing it... I'm really
only interested in music. I don't like to stop working, we've been in thestudios all the time, but it's good to do something else and come backwith renewed vitality."
Then there was the Rock And Roll Circus, which was done ages ago andhas never been seen. "It'll probably be shown in the autumn to coincidewith the album," he said. "The editing's not quite finished yet. It'll blow
your m ind, baby. TVis so appall i nglybad; this is just what it needs."
Richard Green- MELODY MAKER JUNE 21MICK TAYLOR, 20 -YEAR -OLD ex-Bluesbreaker from Welwyn,

and just over a week as the new guitarist with the group thatfirst brought rebellion to pop. That, in a nutshell, is all theworld knows of Brian Jones' replacement in The Rolling Stones. But as
the new Stone says of his press release, "Forget about that. That's all
I've been asked so far - will I buy my parents a new house, what car will
I buy, what clothes do I like?"
Mick Taylor taught himself to play guitar when
he was 15, and apart from a very brief spell as anengraverand a labourer, has been a musician all
his life. His group career started with The Gods.
"The Gods disbanded about three weeks before
I joined John Mayall. I'd gone along to see theBluesbreakers play about 18 months before!
joined them. Eric hadn't turned up, so I satin.

John remembered me and contacted me when

I wanted to do when I left John. I would have formed a band, I suppose.
It would have been a good, honest rock'n'roll band. I mean good, heavymusic, not rock and roll in terms of Elvis Presley."
Although he established a fine reputation as a guitarist during his years
with Mayall, Mick never achieved the status of his predecessors, Clapton
and Green. Why does he think this was?
"It was probably quite a lot of things. I was the third guitarist that John
had had and by that time there were loads of guitarists playing that sort ofthing. Well, there were a lot of bass guitarists around as well.Anotherreason was that I'm not strictly a blues player. I like playing all sorts ofthings, so my heart wasn't in it.
"John wasn't an easy person to work with because he's got such a strong
musical personality, but it was very enjoyable most of the time until thoselast six months when I began to get fed up. Then I'd get up on stage and justgot through the motions.
"The group used to change so much you neverused to knowwhere youwere anyway. I think John has got a really good band together now. He
was always changing the group, but the musical policy stayed the same.
This time it's a complete change -the music is different and everything-I'm looking forward to seeing them."
When did Mick make contact with The
Rolling Stones?
"It was just over two weeks ago. Mick Jagger
phoned up and invited me down to somerecording sessions, then it all happened fromthere. I took part in the session and did a coupleof tracks. I don't even know what theywere
called. I'd never met any of the Stones before.
My name had just cropped up and Mick phoned.
I was expecting the call because I'd heard that

"It's just a mixof soul, folk

and blues, andI like playing
those things"

Peter Green left. That was about two years ago."
Two years and three tours ofAmerica later,
Mick left Mayall, the father figure of British
blues. Why?
"I left John about two weeks after we cameback from the States. At that time he wasn't
really sure whether he was going to get anotherguitarist and drummer, and I felt I had gone as far as I could. There wasn't
anything to stay for, musically.
"I'd felt that way for about six months; it was just getting round to leavingand decidingwhat !wanted to do. I'd thought about forming my own
band and !wanted to take a bit of time off and do some recording, which!
still hope to do in the future. I hadn't really much idea of what

Mick Taylor:-I don't drink
an dr mavegetarian-

my name had been mentioned.
"After the second session, Mick told me thattheywere thinking of getting another guitarist
in. I fitted in verywell with what theywere

playing. It was about a week later, I was asked tojoin. I thought about it for about a week- examining my reasons forwanting to join them. In the end, I decided it was what I wanted to do.
"It's not really that big a change. I've always been aware of their music,
so musically it's not going to be a big change at all. What theydo is just a
mixture of soul, folk and blues, and I like playing all those things. I don't
just like playing 12 -bar blues all night. The roots of their music are still inthe blues. It's going to be a fantastic experience playing with the Stones
and it will give me an opportunity to develop myown ideas."
The image of The Rolling Stones is far removed from that of Mayall.
Was Mickworried about being labelled as a Stone, with their reputation
as "rebels" and the considerable publicitythey attracted during recent
drug cases?
"I'm all forrebelling against the establishment, so it doesn't reallyworry me. I kinda prepared myself for all the publicity and I'm certainly
not going to change myway of thinking because I'm in the public eye.
Drugs? Because of pop music and drugs a lot of good things have
happened. I'm not really concerned about drugs at all. When you takedrugs anyway, you get really high and you feel good, but you are not tooaware of what it means and what you are doing. You should be able tofeel good within yourself without drugs. I don't drink and I'm avegetarian because ! want to be healthy and as aware as! can ina natural kind of way."
Is Mickworried about the influence rock musicians haveon youngsters?
"I feel it's good, although I'm not saying that the kids should try and dowhat the stars do. It's not just pop music anymore. It's a new culture andit's opened a lot of people's minds to what's going on in the world today.
Pop music is a medium through which a lot of things have to be said. Just
listen to the lyrics of some of the songs that people like Dylan and The
Beatles are singing."
Joining the Stones obviously means greater financial security, but
security is a thing that doesn't worry Mick.
"I'm not reallyworried about security. It's a dream motivated by fearof the unknown. You can live happilywithout worrying about
tomorrow. I don't really think much about the future- ifyou base yourwhole existence on material gain, you'll neverbe satisfied.
"It doesn't mean to say that I'm going to alter because I've joined theStones -after all, I've onlybeen with them a week." Royston Eldridge

THE ROLLING STONES

pretentious, though Beefheart's "Gimme
Dat Harp Boy" was mildly enjoyable. By now
it was a bit hairy in the press pound, but theAngels marshalled by one called "'elmet"
were displaying remarkable powers of
persuasion to keep the barriers upright.
"You push that fII??£1 barrier and I'll smash your'ead in, you 1££?£." Nice to know they were on our side.
Without explanation, otherwise able MC Sam Cutler
announced that the ladies in the press enclosure, with orwithout passes, would be asked to leave, which seemedgrossly unfair."Marsha Hunt is here and she'll make an
example by leaving," said Sam. Marsha duly went but
didn't look pleased.
And so to Alexis Korner,who sounded like a send-up of
Alexis Korner,and his new group who did "Polly Put The
Kettle On"and other blues and had no drummer. Family
were as always good, harder on stage than on record.
Veins standing out on his neck, Roger Chapman whipped
himself into towel -flaying and mic-bashing passion -a bit
cruel to the mics,who were appearing free as well.
One more to go - Blackhill's own Battered Ornaments,
who failed to please the crowd and whose beat strangely
corresponded with the throbbing in my backside. The
massive stage decorated with plastic palm trees was fast
filling up, with people hanging from the scaffolding of thetwo flanking supports. Marianne and son Nicholas, Allen
Klein and Julie Felix could be seen. Someone frombackstage came front with the story of the Stones
arriving in an armoured army truck and suddenly they
were on stage led by a young girl in a white dress withmatching trousers.
The girl transpired to be Mick Jagger, who announced
his intention to read a Shelley poem in memory of Brian.
"Cool it and listen," said Jagger, with familiar slurred
incoherency. And they did.
"Lemon Squeezer" [sic; "I'm Yours And I'm Hers"] was a fair opener,
accompanied bythe release of the 3,500 butterflies, most of whom
stayed around fluttering to enjoy the 75 -minute act. "Jumpin'Jack
Flash" fol lowed and then "Have Mercy", the ties on Mick's frock being
released with each number to reveal a purple vest.
The sound was good and strong and among the best I thought were
those from Beggars Banquet, namely "Stray Cat Blues"' story of agroupie, and the country blues "No Expectations".
Two new numbers suffered by being new and then came a chance for
Mick Taylor, looking the height of innocence in contrast to the Jaggered
one, to show his worth on the bluesy "Love In Vain", another good one.
Bill Wyman looked as cool as ever, a million miles removed from it all,and likewise Keith Richards. Charlie Watts, on the other hand, set to likehe'd never been away from his drums (I suppose he hasn't) and the two
Micks were exchanging glances and thoughts fascinating to guess at.
"Gimme Little Drink" was another new one,followed by "Honky Tonk
Women"and then the exciting "Midnight Rambler", hard and heavy,
with Taylor and Richards engaged in guitar dialogue and Jagger addingemphasis to the stuttering music by flaying his heavy metal belt whiplike onto the canvas. Great stuff.
"Do 'You'd Better Move On'," suggested one optimist in the crowd.
"This is the only old one,"announced Jagger before the classic"Satisfaction" (possibly the best pop number of all time).
This was the signal for the crowd - many were already on their feet
dancing -to rise en masse.
Finale was "Sympathy For The Devil" (second best of all time?) and it
really was tremendous stuff.The enclosure had ceased to exist; a mere
handful of screamers struggled to touch Mick, while the rest just stoodthere soaking up the goodness.
The best rock'n'rol I band in the world? Or, any advance on quarter ofMick Jagger: planned
to play the park af ter
seeing Blind Faith's
show thereonJuneg

Soaking up the goodness
NME July12 ne stones are back, playing al tresco.

TEN FEET ABOVE, Mick Jagger pouted, blew kisses, looked
debauched, happy and sad, leapt skywards, sat down, sung, talked
and generally entertained in the manner we haven't seen for14
months but immediately recognised and loved. He also shook his
bottom as is his wont, and I, after six hours of earthy contact with HydePark, made the discovery that by pressing my palms to the grass I could
lever mine a glorious inch above the ground and fora brief moment
alleviate the discomfort.
If you are worried lest my posterior is to take precedence over theproceedings, I am attempting to colour the scene for the 51,750,000
who couldn't make it, to make the point that there were too manygroups on and to explain the strange occurrence of more peopleroaring approval for the Stones than there were clapping.
There were, of course,a few thousand who had spent double or treble
the time I had on the grass,and after a while it became an effort tosurvive the heat and pain, let alone bring two hands together andenthuse.So it is as much a compliment to the crowd's bravery as it is to
the Stones' electricity that the group generated the response they did-though I felt that when they rose en masse at the end it was as muchwith a communal sigh of relief as it was to demonstrate their approval.
But to start at the beginning...
The press enclosure would have had us believe that 80 per cent of ourpapers are represented by16-year-olds with Brownie cameras, but thatis by now a familiar scene at such events. Then there were the Hell'sAngels, full of menace in black sleeveless jackets and Nazi badges. It
was nice to have them on our side if every five minutes you had toa million? Nick Loganproduce a blue pass or be hustled unceremoniously away.
Third Ear Band, first on, struck while the audience wasstill receptive, as did the excellent four -man King
Crimson, who sang of "20th -Century Schizoid Man" anddid a Donovan song urging everyone to get stoned, taking
great flights into jazz and getting the crowd on their feet.
From then on the music degenerated as my discomfort
TEN feet above Mick !.v,
ger pouted, blew losses
mounted. Screw, a five -piece outfit, were naive andhappy

250,000 happy fans and just alookedhandful of screamers

debauched.

and sad, leapt skywards. sat
dawn, sung, talked andgenerally entertained in themanne we haven't seals for
14 months but immediate'',-A

Lumedi

above

round

and

error

for

moment allevtate the discomfort.

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JAGGER AND THE PUSSIES
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BOB DYLAN AND MORE

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"I saymy prayers
for him"
NME JULY 12 RIP, Brian Jones.
THE CORONER'S VERDICT: "Misadventure."

This is the final word on the tragic death of
Brian Jones, 25 (sic; he was 271, an original
Rolling Stone who left the group only fourweeks ago to concentrate on giving the world
the music he loved - rhythm & blues- which hefelt the Stones had deserted.
Brian was working on his new music until lateon the evening ofJuly2, and decided to cool downwith a midnight swim in the pool beside his
Cotchford Farm mansion at Hartfield, Sussex.
His companions -interiordecorator FrankThorogood and Swedish girlfriendAnnaWohlin,
22 -left him in the pool and a nurse, Janet
Lawson, visiting Frank, found Brian at thebottom. He was rescued, given the kiss of life andmassage, but pronounced dead by a doctor atabout 3am on July3.
Brian Jones was the Stone who loved R&B music
the most ardently. That music was his life. As
Jimmy Miller, the Stones' recording manager,
said: "He was entirelya musician.
He never quite adapted to the commercial
and image aspects of the Stones.
"As a musician he should be remembered forthe brilliant bottle -neck countryguitar work on
Beggars Banquet, for his interpretation of blues played honestly as a white man. And hecomposed a brilliant score forthe German filmMord Und Totschlag."
MickJagger spoke for all the Stones when hesaid: "I am just so unhappy. I am so shocked andwordless and so sad. Something has gone.
I have really lost something.
"We were like a pack, one family in a way.
I just say my prayers for him. I hope he becomesblessed, I hope he is finding peace... and I reallywant him to."The concert in Hyde Park last Saturday, with
250,000 fans attending, was the greatest tributeany pop star could ever have... and the Stones
dedicated it to Brian Jones.
His fathersums up what we all feel: "We had ourviolent disagreements, but we never stopped
loving him." Andy Gray
94 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

"Entirely amusiciae:
BrianJonesduringa
recording session at

OlympicStudiosin
London, June 10,1968

AllenKleinitackling
TheBeatles'woeful
tax situationin1969

idea that a) John Lennon's preoccupation
with peace and lie -ins made him unawareof financial matters and b) that his much publicised activities might be a gimmicky
device loaded with more commercial
considerations than idealism.
"John," said Mr Klein,"is probably one of
the most commercially minded of them all.
But only because he realises that there must
be constant changes. He was the first torecognise this; nowthey all know it. It's notan easy thing to break out into new directions,to have the courage of your convictions. But
don't forget -many people have died fortheir beliefs.
"John Lennon does what John Lennon
believes is right.John made 'Give Peace
A Chance' because he wanted to get his
message across in the simplest possible way.
Would it have satisfied his critics more if he
had called it 'Give War A Chance'? Would thatthen have been alright?"

Mr Klein turned to Apple -that glittering

ip

APO' RPCOr

BILLY PRESTONMM July19

111lUiILI. .11.1I FLIPJIIVILJlj LIU/Ades

iager Allen Klein. "If being concerned
is ruthless, then I am ruthless."
ABELIEF IN SOME quarters, that
The Beatles are like four little boys
wandering innocently through apenny arcade - ripe for the pickings by the
sharp operators rubbing their hands on thesidelines -was firmly discounted by Allen
Klein, American financial wizard brought inby The Beatles to handle their affairs.
I put the question straight to Mr Klein: Was
he the ruthless operator that some inevitably
associate with those who hack their way
through the jungles of high finance?
"How did that idea get around?" smiled Mr
Klein."If being too per cent concerned withthe people I represent is being ruthless, thenI am ruthless." He is certainly out of sympathy
with those British businessmen who cloak
their activities in a cloud of politeness while
they drive a hard bargain.
"They cut you up - and the blood comesout a lot later," he says with a typical touch ofAmerican colour. "As Paul McCartney once

said, 'Somepeople feel thisway about me because I negotiate very
tough deals. And the people I negotiate withare bad losers.'"Why will people underestimate The
Beatles, and refuse to take them seriously?
They're not four little boys who don't knowwhat they're doing: they're four grown men.
"If all this businesshappened to anyone else,
no-one would take any"John Lennon
notice of it. But because it's
The Beatles, everything
they do is magnified. My
prime function is to see that,
other than paper equities,
The Beatles have sterling
El equities after tax. That's
the first thing. And that's
what I'm working on now.""And to do this, they had to free themselvesfrom the N EMS -Triumphsituation.Triumph boughtfrom them their interests in
N EMS. And for their to percent interest in N EMS, eachone received £115,000
subject to capital gains tax
of 30 per cent."
beyond his capabilities. Laurie Henshaw
Mr Klein laughed off theAfter the Stones and the3eatles, will Allen Klein
ake on the Chancellor?
ijt
1LIEF,
in vanstheflwatles are like INVIV

palace of Beatledom in London's Savile Row
that has come under fire for its real or
imaginary extravagances.
"I intend to make it financially successful
and tailored to The Beatles' own
specifications," he said firmly.
Did this mean more staff cuts?
"That's not necessarily a requisite,"
said Mr Klein. "But when you get a lotof energy wasted, it doesn't make for
an efficient organisation."
Did Apple plan to broaden theiractivities in the recording field?
"The Beatles don't intend to makeit into another EMI. But they willcontinue to sign up artists they
believe in -and concentrate on these.
They had the foresight to sign up Billy
Preston - you have to give George
Harrison credit for that. And Paul
recorded Mary Hopkin.
"But I leave this side of Apple's activities tothem; they leave the business to me."Could Mr Klein's business activities with
The Rolling Stones possible conflict with thoseof The Beatles? "There's no conflict," he said.
"It just means I do two jobs in one day."
Certainly at present,
Mr Klein has his hands
full. Of his current
assignment, he says:"You have no idea of themonumental task involved."
Mr Klein's job, in short, isto see that The Beatles geta fair share of the financial
cake. For, as he says,"Witheveryone taking a little
piece -there's not reallymuch left for them." As he puts it, after you
filter a dollar through a limited company, andstockholders,and when the amount of moneyat the end is subject to a high tax rate, there
isn't a lot left. As Mr Klein points out, a change
in the tax law would ease the problem. But, atpresent, he is too busy with The Beatles' affairs
to take on the Chancellor Of The Exchequer
too! But we feel that that wouldn't even be

is probably oneof the mostcommerciallyminded of them all"Thunderclap
Newman:(I-r)John"Speedy" Keen,
Andy "Thunderc lap"
Newman andJimmy McCulloch"Pete Townshend
said, 'I'm gonna
make you a star"
NME JUNE 28 Itroducing..
nuerciap Newman. At a gymkhana.
NOBODY REALLY EXPECTS anything

connected with The Who to be quite
normal, but with Thunderclap Newman
Pete Townshend has come up with a gem.
Apart from the group's fantastic progress in
the NMEchart this week, the members
themselves are all exceptional. The contrast

co -manager) as demos, then Pete decided toput "Something In TheAir" out as a single
later. "Before then! had been very semi -pro,"Andy said. "I doubt if I earned more than afiver. I always went in to play good music.
between 26 -year -old Andy Newman, who"Originally, I knew a friend called Rickresembles a cross between Burl Ives and the
Seaman, who went to Ealing Technical
mad professor from a Hammer film, andCollege. One day at a friend's house he heard
Jimmy McCulloch, who stands 5ft nothingme playing the piano and asked me to do someand is 10 years younger, is the biggest surprise.
tapes. He sat with them on top of a bus going
Then there is John Keen -"Speedy" to all and'yeah, yeah'. He took them to the college andsundry -who wears a scarf round his longhair,some got into Townshend's ears; that wasis an original boner and who writes most of the
before he formed The Who."group's material. Finally, Jim Pitman -Avery,
We drove inAndy's battered Volkswagen towho has been drafted in lately as bass guitarist
the stables where an all -day gymkhana was inafter a stint in strip clubs and American bases.
progress. Alan, the group's roadie, was entered
The group is resident in Hampshire in thein a couple of events, so the others had turned
mill where I lived during mycountryperiod.
up to watch him. Or, more precisely, to laugh at
The Robin Hood up the road is the focal point
him. Andy and I were greeted byJill, the girlof interest, plus Fred's riding school nearby.
from the local grange, and her groom, aptly
I metAndy at the pub, wherenamed Miss Dobbin. Theyhe outlined the group's
showed us where thehistoryfor me.
refreshment tent was and
"I
knew
Pete
when
"Townshend phoned mein there we found Speedy
in November and said hepropping up another girl.
he
was
in
Detours,
would like to come and play
"I knew Pete when he waswith some other boys andin Detours, before The Who.
before The Who"make some film music," heHe heard a few things I'dbegan. "Later, he sent a
written and got me signed
THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN
letter about forming theto Fabulous Music. One
fHE M
group permanently. He
day, he just came up withsaid, 'I'm gonna make you a
the idea of putting Jimmy
withAndy."
star,' and I thought, 'Oh yes,
I've heard that one before.'"As he does most of thePete, Andy, Jimmy andwriting, Speedy is looked
up to as musical leader,
Speedy recorded three
tracks at Christmas time
but he thinks ofAndy as
and the original plan was"sir". WithAndy's size,
that's a pretty sensible
for them to be sent to Kit
Lambert (The Who's
thing to do, anyway.

Jimmy, who could easily have stepped out of one of those Walt Disney films about the little
people but whose ideas are far in advance of
his size or age, wandered in. "Pete was going to
put me out playing guitar and singing on myown," he revealed. "I had just packed up with
my old band when! met Speedy. I started
playingwhen I was 11 at old folk's gigs with mybrother's band and I met Pete in Denmark
Street one day and got talking to him."
JimAvery has been with about 10,000 groups
in his 21 years, among them TheAttack, TNT
and Freddie Mac. He and Speedywere songwriters for Essex Music, having known eachother since the Ealing Tech days.
Hemet Speedy again one day in Kensington
Market, was invited down to Hampshire andbecame part of hunderclap Newman. Pete
had played bass on the record and it didn't seem
possible to tour with The Who and Newman.
By this time, Andy was sitting in the back ofa van playing piano to a bunch of small girls.
He was immenselyenjoying himself and hebroke off only to attempt to psychoanalyse me.
He became serious again and talked about
the group's music. "On a gig, people will
wonder why we don't sound like ourrecords. The onlyway to get over this is tosay, 'One policy for records and one for live
performances.' You get a rapport with anaudience, but you don't get it on a record."
The riding packed up for the dayand nobody
had taken much notice, except TonyAshton of
Ashton, Gardner& Dyke, who also used to besemi -resident at Thunderclap's mill. Tony has
a wonderful habit of becoming unseated. Pete
Townshend is going down to the place thisweek for discussions and rehearsals and, if
things are going as theyare, prepare the groupfor their first No 1. Richard Green"She is still very poorly,/
MM July19

LL?:67 Faithfull in thegardensat Mount
St Margaret
Hospita I, Sydney,
27July 1969.lanne Faithful, finninC rni Ind afteran annarent nverrInse

MARIANNE FAITHFULL RECOVERED consciousness in a Sydney hospital on Monday after five daysin a coma following a reported drug overdose last week. She had flown to Australia with Mick Jagger
to co-star in the film Ned Kelly. Shortly after arriving at Sydney, she collapsed and was rushed tohospital, where for some time she could breathe only with artificial aid. On Monday, she sat up and spoke to
Mick Jagger, who had visited her each day."She is still very poorly but she is now breathing without artificial
aids," said Mick. Marianne was to have played Mick's sister in the film, which tells the story of the notorious
Australian robber who became a folk hero. She has been replaced in the film by 20 -year -old actress Diane
Craig, who went to Australia from Britain to years ago.Jagger has already filmed some scenes for the film. He
has had his hair cut short and has worn a false beard for some of the scenes.

ISTORY OF R

1969
J

SEPTEMBER

America is calling for
LED ZEPPELIN. The dress

codes in Welsh ballrooms

are a distant memory. Now,
they're selling out CarnegieHall as their campaign rolls

profitably on. "It's a bit flash,"says Jimmy Page of his plan

to buy a White Rolls-Royce.
"But I really fancy one."" Theywouldn't let
the group in
we didn't
have ties"- NME MAY10 _THE SUCCESS OF Led Zeppelin is getting out of hand. The group that Jimmy
Page formed when The Yardbirds collapsed about h im has exceeded his
wildest dreams. All they wanted was to play what they wanted to play,
to have a hit album or two if they were lucky and for moderate successes
here and on planned visits to America. Out of small ambitions has comeoverwhelming acceptance from the States, a first LP that soared to No 5 in the
NMEalbums chart and packed audiences wherever they play in Britain.
"I'm just amazed," said the friendly, likeable Jimmy Page when we talked before the groupleft for its current US tour. "I never expected much to happen in England again and what has
happened is beyond everyone's wildest hopes. Why? Because I thought that there were so
manyother good things happening here that people wouldn't be interested in Led Zeppelin."
Now the only disappointing thing for the group is that so many people are finding
themselves unable to get in and see them at venues capacity -full. And, adds Jimmy, there arefans who have travelled miles from their hometowns to see them, and even more they've met
who have been following the group around the country. Yet Jimmy refuses to accept that x.
98 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

LED ZEPPELIN

The early Led Zeppelin:(clockwisefrom left)
JohnPaulJones,
Jimmy Page, Robert

PlantandJohnBonham

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 199

they could be even bigger. I think he'llb e proved
wrong. We talked over beers in a pub and laterin the group's publicist's office and took up
our discussion from the last interview on thesubject of British venues which, says Jimmy, arepartly responsible for the big English group
exodus to the States.
"Most places here, they just go to have a danceor to have a drink," he maintains. "Not to listen.
They don't care who is on."That quote prompted a letter from an NME
reader in Newport agreeingwith Jimmy's
observations and stating that he had hitchhiked 15 miles to see Led Zeppelin in Cardiff.
He had to queue for half an hour and then with
30 others was told he couldn't get in because he wasn't wearing therequired shirt, tie and jacket.
"Yeah," said Jimmy, knowingly, when! told him. "It was at one of thoselush, chandelier ballrooms and at first theywouldn't let the group in
because they didn't have ties. Robert Plant and John Bonham had to callthe manager to get in. If it had been me, !wouldn't have had anything to
do with it. Then there was a bloke who had come miles to see us and theywouldn't let him in because he was wearing a cravat. Robert got him in."
A tale of our times, indeed, but there's more to come. "We'd been toldthat we'd have to do an exact 45 -minute spot," continued Jimmy, "and if
we went a minute over, that was it. So we cut it down and when we started
the last number, if we'd been allowed to complete it, it would have overrun by six minutes. They turned on the revolving stage as we were playing
and the DJ came round. The audience was whistling and booing," Jimmy
shook his head sadly.
"It was a terrible shame because all they usually get in those places are
Mickey Mouse groups and I'd played Cardiff before with The Yardbirds
and theywere great audiences. That sort of thing is just not fairto people
who come along to see you. There would be more trouble in places likethat if you played an encore than if you went offstage early. We won't be
doing any more of them."
Happily, that was the only blot on theirfirst round of live appearancesin England which ended when the group returned toAmerica for theirsecond tour there, on four times more money than the first one. "And fora new group we went in forfantastic money then," said Jimmywith ajustified gleam. A fact I gleaned from our chat was that it was Jimmywho
was responsible forJeff Beck joining
The Yardbirds. It was in fact Jimmy,,Lksthen one of the youngest session men

around, who was first asked to step in when
Eric Clapton left.
"I was a bit ill, actually," he recalls. "I've neverbeen that strong a person and I didn't fancy theidea of touring. So I said, 'No, but I do know theguy foryou- Jeff Beck.'"
Jimmy and Jeff had been friends foryears andlater did team up fora period off he Yardbirds'
lifespan before Beck left to form his own group.
From session workwith the likes of Tom Jones
and Burt Bacharach to guitar with The
Yardbirds and now Led Zeppelin is a curioustransition, but it has served to give Jimmy awider insight into all aspects of pop than someof his progressive contemporaries who might
be accused of a bigoted outlook.
I leftfimmygenuinelyconcemed about an earthquakewhich apparently
had been forecast forSan Francisco at theverytime Led Zeppelin were due
to playthere. "Apparentlythe forces of fire and waterare due to meet there
then," said Jimmy, who wasn't treating it as a joking matter. Earthquakes
permitting, the Zeppelin is now taking off. Nick Logan"What we playis music fromthe stomachrather thanthe head"LED
ZEPPELIN
GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 13 LED ZEPPELIN AND the adjective "heavy" are practicallysynonymous. They were made for each other, and it's difficult tothink of one without immediately associating it with the other.
But rumour has it that the "heavy" scene is on the way out, to be
replaced by some unspecified new fad- possibly the fusion of country
with rock. How does Jimmy Page, ace guitarist with the Zeppelin, feel
about it? I put the question to him recently during one of his all -too short visits to London.
"I can't see the heavy thing going out," he replied. "Ever since theunderground thingstarted a couple of years ago, people's tastes have beenbroadening. You can have a group like the Pentangle, who are into a light,
folkything on one hand, and us on the other. The scene is broad enough totake us all in, and I don't seewhy that situation shouldn't continue."
Judging by the reaction to their most recent Stateside tour, with Jethro
Rill, Jimmy's dead right. They did amazingly good business from coast
to coast and, at one NewYork venue, 21,000 people turned up at anauditorium that could hold just 10,000. The promoter squeezed an extra
1,000 bodies inside, which left a mere 10,000 disappointed, and he thenpromptly offered the group 30,000 dollars to appear again two nights
later. Unfortunately theyhad to refuse, through previous commitments.
June28,1969:
Led Zeppelin
playan early slot
at the BathFestivalOf Blues

PARQUET

S5.50

CAIMIGII HALL

wl MID111$10

OCTOBER
0.,:iii.
They have also just received a gold disc fora million dollars' worth ofsales for their first album, and as the new LP, Led Zeppelin II, already has
advanced orders for 350,000 copies, they look like having two gold discs
inside a very short space of time.
"It was tremendous inAmerica," Jimmy told me. "We went down very
well, and so did Jethro, particularly on the West Coast. I think the scene
is veryhealthy at the moment. People have all kinds of records in theircollection, and that's a verygood thing. Like they may have albums by
Crosby Stills & Nash, who are still basically a Top 40 thing, as well as us.
I think that what we play is music from the stomach rather than the head,
although it does come from the head, too.
"I don't get much time to listen to records in the States, but over here it's
mywayof relaxing. I listen mainly to guitar -dominated music, naturally,
and I dig all kinds of things, including flamenco. Have you heard Manitas
De Plata? He's ridiculous. That gypsy thing is fantastic."
It's widely realised that America is the group's main scene, and that's
where they eam the most acclaim... plus hard cash, of course. Does
Jimmy feel that British audiences aren't very rewarding bycomparison?
"Britain is one of those places where you've got to make it, but it's a lot
more difficult. Over here you feel you've got to knock yourself out before
the people start listening to you, but in the States they listen from thestart, and if they don't like you they simply don't come to see you again.
"But it's far from being a walkover for British groups in the States,"
Jimmywarned. "It's fatal fora group to go over there when it hasn't got its
internal affairs sorted out. Jeff Beck, for instance, takes a new band every
time he goes over there, so its no wonder he's sick of the country.
"America couldn't be better for us at the moment. The scenes there arejust incredible. The new system is to put groups on a percentage of the gate
money, and we drew $37,000 from one amazing gig in LosAngeles.
"When we formed the group a year ago and took it toAmerica for the
first time, I think it was myname that was the attraction, because I'd been
there several times with The Yardbirds and we always did prettywell. The
biggest problem with the new group was getting everyone's name acrossto the fans, and I think we'll probablyspend six months of the year in
America in the future. That sounds a lot, but people don't realise the sizeof the country. You can get lost there!
"I can't see this group evergetting stale, because new ideas are coming up
all the time. The new album is so different from the first, and the next one
will probablybe just as different again. John plays organ, and we're going to
use that on stage in future, and I play steel guitar, so that opens a lot of newmusical doors forus. And then Robert is such a fantastic singer. Everytime
he sings a song his phrasing is different, which is very stimulating.
"I do jam occasionally in clubs, but you've got to know that it's going to
be good before you start, otherwise it's not worth doing. I've seen so many

really boringjams."
Jimmy and the band are currentlytaking a month's holiday before
bringing another hectic session of travelling. When! saw him, Jimmywas
trying to decide between hitching to Spain "to see some real flamenco
guitarists" and going to the Isle of Elba to stayin a friend's villa. He is also
looking out fora white Rolls-Royce - "I suppose it's a bit flash, but I reallyfancy one" - the onlyhang-up being that he can't drive. After the holiday,
the Zeppelin will go into the studios to record their first serious single.
"Atlantic put out a single from the first album in the States, but it wasnever meant as a single. Jethro Tull have proved that a good single can get
through, so we're going to try it. I don't see any reason whywe can't cut
a good two -and -a -half minute track, and a lot of the things on the newalbum are quite short- about four minutes. But they're really justframeworks for out stage performances, when we really stretch out."
Before his rise to fame with The Yardbirds and the Zeppelin, Jimmywas
a top session man, playing on two and sometimes three different sessions
a day. Would he ever consider going back to that life?
"Definitely not. It used to make me into a nervous wreck, and I'd enjoy
perhaps one session every two months. But I do like doing things like Joe
Cocker's album, where he knewjust which musicians he wanted.
"I wouldn't mind doing that sort of thing, where the music's satisfying,
but as for the rest... NO!" Richard Williams- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 27 ATFIRST SIGHT, 21 -year -old Robert Plant's sudden rise to famewith Led Zeppelin might seem to have been a classic case ofovernight success. In fact, it wasn't that way at all. Robert has
known bad times and failure, when gigs were scarce and money x.

Drive and

+op-

re

!SO

intensity
MM Oct 25 Led Zep kick off

a found US tour in fine style.
THERE ISA sustained excitement
about a Led Zeppelin
performance I do not recall in any

other group -apart from The Who.
With most bands there are ups anddowns, moments of boredom and bad
playing, and that was true even of Creamin their heyday. But Zeppelin play theirmarathon sets, which often run well over
two hours, with a drive and intensity thatdemands your attention.

LED ZEPPELIN
AT CARNEGIE HALL.31

CARNEGIE MUNEW YORKLIVE!
OCTOBER 17

And they have a sense of the dramatic and aprofessionalism that leaves the impression ofreserves of ideas and power. They play hard, fast
and furious. But they are in control.

From the moment of their 8.3opm kick-off at Carnegie Hall,
I stood in the wings fascinated for the duration of their act by theirplaying and by the reaction of New York fans. A huge cheer greeted
them as Robert ran on stage dressed in black, followed byJimmy inwhite satin trousers, John Bonham in a leather hat and John Paul
Jones in red.
A battering snare drum intro to "Communication Breakdown"
made me blink and the sexy guitar sound of "'Can't Quit You" mademe wince. Robert and Jimmy between them produce vocal andguitar screams that had the audience wriggling in their seats.The
boys as well as the girls were soon leaping to their feet, grabbing at
Zeppelin to shake hands in congratulation. The whole bright, plush
hall seemed filled with kids who loved everything they did, from theroof to the front rows.
Silence prevailed forJimmy's sit-down guitar solo."He's amasterful guitar player," a voice breathed in my ear. It was recording
engineer Eddie Kramer.
The solo starts with a basic theme and works through a whole
gamut of ideas which appeal to Page's concept. His technique isremarkable and his taste is unique among rock guitarists.
John Bonham's drum solo was a 30 -minute marathon, whichsounds as if it would be very boring. It wasn't. With a combination of
speed, brute strength and ideas, he flew around the kit in a blur thatremained true to the 30 -year -old tradition of drama laid down by
Krupa on the same spot, with jet age expertise. John produced one
blockbuster after another and fora considerable part of the solo,
maintained the high-speed role Buddy Rich recorded with JATP also
at Carnegie Hall called "Buddy Rich's
Explosion". He played with sticks,
beaters and even his hands,and theapplause came in bursts throughout.
After this the atmosphere waselectric and as Robert leapt andgyrated across the stage the crowd
erupted.There were no police on hand,but the ushers maintained a semblanceof orderand goodwill by keeping theircool. There was excitement but nounpleasant incidents.
John Paul Jones' bass set up thedriving riff of "Summertime Blues" forthe obligatory encore, Jimmy's guitar
cut through the thunder of John's
drums and Robert stood on tiptoe tosing his head off. As the musicians
fanned out across town after the show,
somebody said,"It was too damn badthey didn't record the whole thing." ItLED

ZEPPELINATCARNEGIE

was me, actually. Chris Welch

HALLpractically nonexistent. When he received the offer from Jimmy Page
that resulted in his joining the Zeppelin, he was at a particularly low ebb.
"My band was breaking up and I didn't knowwhere to go next," he says,"and then I got a call from Jimmywhich changed everything."
Robert is from Birmingham, and became interested in the blues whileat school. "I was turned on to the blues bya guynamed Perry Foster, who
I later teamed was involved with The Yardbirds in their early days, before
Keith Relf joined them.
"I played kazoo and washboard in the sort of bands which, if they had
been raised in London instead of Birmingham, would probably havebecome The Rolling Stones. We used to do the whole country -blues thing:
Memphis Minnie, Bukka White and Skip James numbers, which at thattime, about sixyears ago, were really deep blues -and they are now, too.
This sort of music turned my mind to the ideal that I could really express
myself through the medium of the blues. I had a certain freedom, andwhile other singers were copying all the pop records, I could get up andsing blues with any group.
"The Band OfJoywas really a launching pad for my ideas and mytheories about music. I liked BuddyGuyverymuch- things like 'FirstTime I Met The Blues' - and that rough sound, coming after Muddy
Waters and Willie Dixon on those old Pye albums, reallywas devastating.
"Anyway, slightlylater on, my manager got me some acetates of
unreleased material from the States, things like
Buffalo Springfield. That made me realise thatcrash -bang music, for want of a better word,
could be combined with meaningful, beautiful
lyrics, and it was a big pointer for me. You know
the Springfield's 'Bluebird'? That's the sort ofthing I mean.
"Then everyone began boosting the Cream up
as the greatest thing in the world. But I couldn't
see it. I'd rather listen to The Youngbloods orPoco, who maybe aren't the greatest musicians,
than to a virtuoso like Ginger Baker.
"Then the Band Of Joy began to crumble up,
and all my hopes started to vanish. I worked with
Alexis Korneroccasion ally, in a band with Steve
Miller on piano, and had a wonderful time. Then
Terry Reid told me that Keith Relf had left The Yardbirds, but although
I respected them very much for their own originality I didn't know that
our ideas were on the same lines.
"Jimmy Page and Peter Grant, our manager, came up to see me in
Birmingham when I was with a group and trying to invade Smethwickwith the West Coast sound!They suggested I go to Jimmy's house fora few
days to see if we got on together and it was fantastic because I rummaged
through his record collection and every album I pulled out was
something! really dug. I knew then that we'd click.
"Nobody in Britain wanted to know us, but Jimmy told us it'd bedifferent in the States. The first time we went we started off right down thebill on the West Coast, but by the time we got over to the East, we were at
the top. I was very nervous when we started off, because everything I'ddone previouslyhad more or less been a failure. The first album was donein a hurry, and we were all feeling our way around the group. Now, as we
get more familiarwith each other, better things will come."
Robert is noted for the ferocity and violence of his voice, and for the
powerhe needs to carryit over the rest of the band.
"The voice really started developingwhen I was 15, and we were singing
Tommy McClennan numbers and so forth. I don't really knowwhy it's as
powerful as it is. After the first album, I concentrated on developing therange of myvoice, and on developing it so that! can do more things. I'mvery hung up on the songs of Moby Grape and Arthur Lee, of Love. That's
nice stuff, and I'm beginning to write in that sort of style. This group has
reallywoken me up from inertia.
Years and years with no success cankeep you singing, but it can bringyou
down an awful lot." Richard Williams

famous Carnegie Hall. Young New Yorkers went wild for the group led
by guitar giant Jimmy Page, which in less than a year has conquered
the American rock scene.
Fans leapt on stage to grab lead singer Robert Plant as Zeppelin piled
climax afterclimax duringtwo-hour-plus shows that went on until after
2am. With their first album scheduled to become Platinum and theirsecond a Gold before it has even been released, Zeppelin have proved that
English bands are still all-powerful in the States. And they have achieved
theirsuccess with a high degree of musicianship, devoted to hard work anda magic that has converted both hard-rockaficionados and screamers.
Carnegie Hall was the prestige debut of Zeppelin's fourth tour ofAmerica this year, which will take them to Detroit, Chicago and Boston...
all the wayto California. Said an exhausted but happy Page post Carnegie, "I neverexpected anything like the success we have had when
we started the group. Our following here is huge- theytravel miles to see
us. And that's really encouraging."
Zeppelin began when Jimmy, tall, skinny, with a lopsided flowing
hairstyle, and one-time session man supreme, quit The Yardbirds at theend of last year. He gathered around him a tough team of unknowns Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass, organ) and John Bonham(drums). Initial reaction to the news of their formation was: "It's going tobe just another band." From their first gigs and later their first album, thetruth dawned- a monster group had appearedin our midst.
OurZeppelin flight toAmerica began onThursday last week. It was my first trip to theStates, some days having been spent being
inoculated against smallpox and communism.
Robert Plant and John were to be met at Euston
Station from Birmingham. I clutched mypassport and my tickets and a box ofharmonicas for Robert, waiting for them toemerge from the grey mass of commuters.
The train was late, but Robert and John
appeared filled with the cheeriness ofmusicians on theirwayto earn a few dollars
more- a few hundred thousand dollars, to beprecise. A car took us to London Airport and on
the way Robert Plant chatted merrily. "I think a lot of people have been
against us for some reason. I just can't understand it, but they saywe area made-up, manufactured group because we are successful right away.
But we just got togetherin the same way all groups get together. I don't see
how some magazines can call us 'hype'.
"When we went over to America for the first time last Christmas we foundwe weren't even billed and we got a bit depressed. ButAtlantic Records
began pushing ourLPs to the townswhere wewere due to play, so people
heard us beforewe arrived. People were readyto accept us from the album
and it was up to us to prove ourselves on stage. From then on it just grew."
When will Zeppelin's next album be released and how different is it fromthe first? "It could be out now, but the artwork has been held up in England,
it's such a drag. But it should be out inAmerica next week," said Robert.
"The tracks were done all overthe place, in LosAngeles, NewYork andLondon. On one number I put thevocals on a backingtrack that had beenrecorded inAtlantic Studios in NewYork in a hut in Vancouver. It's hard tosayhow different it is from the first but you can distinguish the two and thesongs are better. The band is bettertogether. We have been togetherlonger.
The expectation is still there and we are planning to do some quieter songs,
which can be equallyeffective as groups like Fairport Convention prove."
Robert Plant was knocked out when they gave him a copyof Paul Oliver's
Story0fTheBlues,a fascinating document which kept him engrossed for"The firstalbum wasdone in ahurry... feelin
our way"

the seven -hour TWA flight.
Crossing theAtlantic by Boeing 707 was not nearlyas boring as I had
feared. With a colour movie to watch andsix channels of stereo music to choose,plus the delights of first-class eating and

LED ZEPPELIN 2... now FLYING!

- MM OCTOBER 29 LED ZEPPELIN EXPLODED
over New York last weekend.

And the MMwas there fortwo sensational shows at the world 102 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969bt/I*4-

drinking heightened the excitement ofa personal discovery ofAmerica. Filledwith fearful tales of violence, I wasdetermined to have an open mind andaccept America as it happened. And like
Led Zeppelin -America was a gas, too.
Huge buildings, big cars, neon andspeed -you've seen it on documentaries,

- Iwowatia

ZEPPELIN,............. WHOE LOTTA LOVE
No I

WPM

.

"Ourfol lowing hereis
huge":Zep reflect on
their stateside successattheChateau Marmont
Hotel,LosAngeles,1666:4111

and it's all there, 3,500 miles from home, but strangely familiar. We droveto the Hilton Hotel, and as it was late! stayed in my room, watching TV
and heeding the warning notices to bolt my door against intruders.
Robbers hide in lifts, cupboards, toilets, anywhere, to spring upon theunsuspecting, but I had no unpleasant experiences to jaundice myview
of the States. Watching New York's appalling TVservice, which beams
little better than DrKildare, The Monkees, Archies and Krazy !Caton eightchannels around the clock, was an instant bring -down.
The toughness of the citywas offset by the people's genuine concern
and involvement with the Moratorium on Vietnam and the election ofa new mayor. The glumness of the passing pedestrian not wanting to get"involved" was offset by the warmth and spontaneityof the young fans'reaction to Zeppelin in concert.
Fridaywas spent on a visit to the Atlantic Studios, where I watched Les
McCann recording an album and met Dr John Creaux of "Night Tripper"
fame. All atAtlantic were buzzingwith excitement at Zeppelin's visit,busy inflating rubber Led Zeppelins made in Japan. I heard people
almost shouting, "Led Zeppelin and The Who are the two biggest acts
inAmerica. It's like The Monkees neverexisted." It was revealed thatthe group were due to get something like $15,000 per night against a
percentage of the gate, which could bring them $20,000 a night for 14 days.
And the excitement increased as zero hour for the first concert
approached. Carnegie Hall... Myfirst LP bought at the age of 15 was
Benny Goodman's Carnegie Hall 1938 concert. Listening to Gene Krupa
on drums turned me on to jazz... And 10 years later, here was I standingon the stage where "Sing, Sing, Sing" was recorded.
"This is it, lads," said John Bonham, eyeing his drum kit as the audience
took their seats. "Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich- they've all played here. So
I'd better be good tonight!"
Quite a few British faces turned up to cheer on our lads and drink theirchampagne in the dressing room. Chris Wood ofTraffic, who had beenworking with DrJohn, appeared atmyside in the wings, and Screaming
Lord Sutch in a yellowjacket and wearing a Barking Britain badge amazedme with his news and gossip. At 8.30pm the first concert began. There wereno othergroups on the bill. Itwas all down to the Zeppelin for two hours.
I was franklyamazed at the reaction. Later in a Jewish delicatessen on
SixthAvenue I asked Robert and Jimmy about it all. "You should see thegmEmmpas,

kids in Boston orDetroit," said Robert, drenched in sweat and blemishedwith an unfortunate rash that broke out during the first set. You cancontrol the audience if you are reasonable with them and don't chuckthem off stage too violently."
Said good-looking, quietly spoken John Paul Jones, "We played overthree hours without a break in Boston once. You get to the stage when you
don't want to get offstage!"
Said Jimmy, "After doing such a long show you don't really feel likerepeating it the same evening, especially after a long flight. But nervous
energy sustains you."
WHYhas Zeppelin been such a success? "Everybodyin the group isstrong. It's not like some groups where you have one stand -out and therest are passengers. When people see our shows, they can come backagain and find out some different facet of our ability. John Paul Jones, forexample, is playing amazing bass things-he's frightening."
Jimmy's great solo instrumental feature is on "White Summer". "There
are all different bits in it. There's 'Black Mountain' off the first album andI just play- improvise until enthusiasm lags. It's the sort of thing I sit athome and play all night on an acoustic. There are Indian and folk
influences in 'White Summer', which gives you a chance to show you canplayall sorts of things as well as the blues. Somebody in the audienceoffered me a bottle of champagne after! played it-and that's how
involved they are in music over here. They are involved in England as
well, but theydon't make it so apparent."
Zeppelin and their management team left New York the next day for
Detroit and ! stayed on the creep about FifthAvenue, one eye sightseeing
and the other looking out foryour friendly neighbourhood murderer. But
the only terror incident came when I sat in a Cadillac outside the Hilton,
waiting for my chauffeur to take me to the airport.
The wizened face of an old ladypoked her head through the window.
Warning messages screamed through my head (remember, friend, whendriving in New York always secure your windows and doors).
"Are you rich?" demanded the lady, making a curious gesture with her
fingers and nose.
"Well, er, no," I stuttered.
"Huh-gotta be a limey." And she stumped off without even trying torape me. Chris Welch
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1103

1961.,R

After Hyde Park, "Honky
Tonk Women" tops thecharts, and Keith, Mick.

,Charlie W
Taylrecerit n "inIrnIllnn+
1 a nel ROLLING STONES

album - auo masecond is due. I,-"like BIggars
says Ke:11

104 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

"

a

11 -

Os Imp%

r.

.

4-

iv,
re*

- MELODY MAKER JULY 19-

MICK TAYLOR IS a soft-spoken youth with a quiet

calm, and a kind of lazy independence thatmakes it difficult to assess his true feelings, until
a burst of enthusiasm bubbles to the surface.
Perhaps he is still a little dazed and unsure of his
situation in being escalated from the ranks into
one of the world's top groups -The Rolling Stones.
A fewweeks ago he was known to fans as the guitarist who had stayed
longest with John Mayall following in the footsteps of Clapton and Green.
He was a steady, solid musician, popular for performances like "Snowy
Wood" and able to fit in with any of Mayan's bands, from Crusculeto Bare
Wires. Then came a call from Mick Jaggerand he was on the front pages
and much in demand by a press who hailed him as "an unknown".
Since the summons to stardom, Mick has recorded some album tracks
with the Stones and made the historic appearance with them in HydePark. But now there is a 10 week lay-offwhile MickJagger is filming inAustralia. Howwill Taylorfill in time?
"I want to get a flat in London, and then go toAmerica," Mick told me
this week, hair drifting over his ears, a handbag slung over his shoulder,a la John Peel. "I've got a lot of friends in America and I really enjoy being
on the West Coast. It's not a nice place to live permanently, but it's a very
creative environment fora musician. I haven't got any plans to record
there at the moment -it'll be more of a holiday really.
"Yes, I feel! am a Rolling Stone now. I didn't at first. It wasn't like being
part of the group until we did that concert in the park. I've done quite a bitof recordingwith them now, and I'm playingwhat I want to play. I don't
want to play solos all the time -1 like to play songs. I agree the onlything
you could really hear in the parkwas the PA system, and of course Mick
was in a bit of a state beforehand. We want to do a tour next, probably aworld tour in the autumn."
Would Mick like to do some things on his own?A smile. "Next year -assoon as I get some time. I don't want to form a band -just get some session
musicians -people I know. I've never been the leader of a group, andanyway, I think musicians should work in cooperation. In a group,
everybody's ideas should be considered.
"I enjoyed workingwith John (Mayan], but he is a hard man to work for.
For the last six months I was in his group, I knew ! shouldn't have been
there. It didn't feel right.
"I've got to get my own playing-J
together. It's not so much a case ofMick Tay lor (second left)
becomespart of thegettingawayfrom the blues, but
gang:"I want toget into
there are so many other things
playing acoustic guitar"
I like. I want to get into playing
acoustic guitar. It's such a moving
sound. I like John Williams verymuch and I thought of ringing him
up to ask fortuition, but I don't know
if I've got the nerve."Anothersmile.
I'd like to record a solo album
and get Henry Lowther to do thearrangements. He isn't just a great
trumpet player- he's a goodarranger and composer."
Mick firmly decided on his next
course of action- cat catching andflat hunting.

- NME JULY 26 rilWELVE THOUSANDOMILES, nine hours anda different day separate us
as we talk with Mick Jagger. Herein London it is 9.30 in the evening,
hot and humid... Halfway acrossthe world, in Australia's outback,it is 6.30 the "next" morning with a mist up!A red, very red,
mist; coloured by thepsychedelic -gore of what Mick
describes as "the amazing
100 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

sunrises we get here." Jagger has been up since five... that is the drill!
Hands off locks, feet in socks- at five! Sharp!
Mick is on location filming the controversial title role of thug,bushranger, murderer -Ned Kelly. There has been so much bitching,backbiting, biased rubbish because a Pommie plays the great anti-heroofAustralian history that one is force to cogitate how Charlton Heston
escaped a Papal Encyclical for playingJesus Christ! But then, producer
Tony Richardson has been presented with publicity lineage it would be
hard to buyon a global basis.
Jagger is excited about "Honky Tonk Women" and its chart success.
He says, "Nice to hear out here; nice to know that people really like theStones music -NOW!There have been other No is -but at this time it has
special significance."
Then he returns to his present whereabouts. "Mount Fairy -area is miles
from nowhere," he declares. "I live in a farmhouse. We have gum trees,
kangaroos, cockatoos, spideryanteaters and a load of birds who set up an
almost revolting din..."Life is pretty Spartan: "...but I'm feeling amazingly healthy and I've put
in a lot of horse riding."
Ned Kellywas a masterof

the rough-equinine art. He
was a Markll (though any
Aussie will kill you for thethought) version of the great
Ben Hall. Big Ben had set

the pattern; a bushranger
whowore armour and was

MICKASOIERshot 15 years before Kelly
was hanged. Kelly took
the style and caught thehistorians' fancy.
The armour? "I've seenmine- 10 minutes ago,"
went on Mick. "God, it's
heavy... bloody heavy.
I think I'll be able to walkin it... just!"
Mick has been putting intime practising shooting.

As

NED KELLYA TONY RICHARDSON FILM

The Saga Of The Stringybark Creek Massacre,
EXPECT ANYTHING BUT THE USUAL"Vs.

"I'm hitting the target," he says. This is no small beer, because therifles and pistols are muzzle -loaders and shooting straight isn't soeasywith them. "Mid -19th century... all good authentic stuff,"laughs Jagger.
Each day, before he starts work, Mick makes a rough -tough Jeep
ride of 28 miles to a waterfall, further out, which Tony Richardson
has chosen as the set for Kelly's "hideout" location shots.
"It's an uncomfortable ride, over terrible terrain. One aches inevery limb after it."
But amid the filming, one facet of Mick's musical life is showing
a plus entry -his guitar playing. For, when day is done, there is
nowt else to do but playaway the evening. "I play until I fall asleep,"
Mick told us.
Which filming sequence has been the most interesting to date?
"Well," his laugh reverberated halfway across the world - as if he
was chuckling into a water main pipe, such was the top -echo on
his voice, "there was the hanging scene! Jagger hung!That should
please someone, somewhere!"His voice has a more serious tenor: "The scene was shot in
Melbourne Jail. The same 'nick' where Ned Kelly, and hundreds
more, were 'topped'. It is left empty now. Horrific! That place is justallowed to stand... Ugh!"
What, we ask, about the reports of "fuzz" anti -Jagger feeling,
because he and Tony Richardson used the liquor -dry police
canteen (adjoining the jail) and were given a special dispensation
for white wine with their meal?
"There was no needle from the coppers -in fact some joined us ina glass of our wine. But... you know how it is... a 'dead' dayand
someone has to have a story. Whatever it is!"And his next major interest project in the film? He thinks:"... Er, next week I start killing the police! ... However, inthe meantime, the Canberra fuzz kindly extended aninvite to me to be their guest at the police ball! Pity I shallbe working."
But one incident we would love to witness. It is the
preparatory lessons before Ned -Michael- Philip -Jagger Kelly goes in front of the camera to trip the light fantastic(and dance). Can you imagine? MrAnti-EstablishmentJagger learning Irish dance steps. Lord Above Us!As if
there hadn't been enough vocal flak about his Ned Kellyrole, without invoking the wrath of the IRA for a possible
accusation of allegedly anglicising THE jig!

- MELODY MAKER AUGUST 2 SO THE STONES are No 1- and Charlie Watts goes rolling
on. Cheerful, honest, sometimes blunt, never pretentious,
Charlie stays much the same whatever cataclysmic eventsare crashing around his head. While policemen, Australians andjournalists work themselves up to fever pitch on the subject of theStones (Rolling), Mr Watts remains cool, amused, and only very
occasionally annoyed.
Charlie came up to London from his country retreat on Monday to see
me, which was nice, because as he said: "Fancy coming all the way up
here for this."
The conversation, helped alongwith SouthAfrican sunflower seeds,
cups of tea, cigarettes and sandwiches, ranged casually over a wide rangeof topics, from Mick Taylor to Phil Seamen. Yet, somehow, everything
seemed connected. People Charlie admires...
things the Stones are doing... going back on theroad again... a mixture of appreciation for
creative people and pride in the Stones' own rolein creating pleasure for others.
Things genuinely appeal to him -phoniness isa bore. "Have you heard the Clarke -Boland Big
Band album?" he inquired as he entered theroom in a sharp leatherjacket and a surprisingly
short haircut. In fact he looked extremely well,
as did Bill Wyman, who was also floating about.
"Has MickTaylor got a flat yet?" he asked one of
the staff. "Mick doesn't knowwhat he's doing."
A smile, a light fora cigarette, and a signature fora telephone bill.

Charlie Watts, summer

1969i"Howcanwestill
beontopofthemedia
after so long?"

How was MickTaylor fitting into the Stones?
"I'd neverseen him play before and when Mick
asked me what I thought of him we listened to some of his records. But it
was more of a personality thing. We wanted someone we could get on
with and he got on well with Keith. I mean, I can playwith him on drums,
but it's different for two guitarists. He's done a couple of things on thealbum, which is finished. How different is it? Well, it was abetter play.
It's great -I think. Better thanBeggarsBanquet. Jimmy Miller was the
producer and he's great. He's got a good pair of ears.
"I can't tell you what's on the album yet, because it's like arguments.
Nobody has said which tracks are going to be on it yet, but there are some
nice songs. We haven't stopped working for eight months - mostly
recording and doing funny things. Hyde Parkwas the end of the working
period. I suppose it was a long day if you were in the audience, but for us
it was just on and off. I enjoyed the play. I had reservations about doing it
at first, because it was going to be in the open air and I've done that before,
and you lose all the sound.
"I was worried about the sound, but that guy,
the compere -what's his name?A smashing guy-Sam Cutler- he said it was betterbecause we
had the canopyover the stage, which Blind
Faith didn't have. I thought 'Sympathy For
The Devil' turned out a bit of a fiasco. Mick
wondered what to do for an ending, and I knew
an excellent drummer called Remi Kabaka. He
never actually showed, but we got Ginger
Johnson's African drummers, who are great."
It seems the Stones have never beenbusier this year. Had theyall been seized
byfresh enthusiasm?
"It was a quiet time last year, apart from acouple of busts," agreed Charlie. "I suppose ")"I thought`Sympathy For
The Devil'
turned out a
bit of a fiasco"

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1107

gs

E.

KoithRichardsinJuly
1969="Musiciswithm.IltMtim-T.jMdnl,

DrJohn,LedZeppelin,
Blind Faith..."there has been a renewed enthusiasm. A 'we've
got to play' bugwent around, which is quite
nice. Things seem to be working out nicely.
MickTaylorcoming has made it easier because
it was getting quite hard on Keith. It's OK for me,
I can sit back and play the drums, but that's not
making records. Keith and Mick have got to do
the directing and MickTaylor is really a help.
"He's much better than we've used him so far.
He's only played on four tracks, but he's free toplaywhat he wants. He hasn't had a chance totimewewent on at lam. It's a bloody shame thefilm is just sitting around, because it should havebeen out four months ago. It's reallya good film.
The bad bits were ourlink-ups between actswith
us saying, "And nowwe present..." I'm a total
embarrassment. That's why MGM have neveroffered me a part -the voice doesn't happen.
"We were supposed to go to Rome to finish it
off and we were all set to go. But somebody
goofed and said we were doing a SHOW at the
Colosseum and the Rome authorities said,'Blimey, it's a show.' It's alright to have Michael
Caine running up the steps making a film."
Will the Stones reallygo on the road again?
"It will happen. I don't know when. Bill, do you
think we'll do a tour? If we do anywhere, we'll do England and I expect
we'll doAmerica as well, which will make it a long tour. I only say I don't
like touring because I hate living out of suitcases.
"Looking back, we always had fun on tours. Sometimes it could beboring, but we were luckythat we all liked each other. We were lucky
personality -wise." Chris Welch"Mick Taylor

coming in has
made it easier-it was getting
hard on Keith"

do as well as he's going to do.
"Everybodykeeps on saying what a good facehe's got... I suppose he has. Will he stay?He
might get fed up after a while. He might bea genius. I don't know. I see no reason why he shouldn't stay. He can dowhat he wants with us, anyway."
How did Charlie feel about the Stones playing to a quarter of a million
people at the Hyde Park concert? How did he feel about their huge

popularity after such a longtime?
"Everybodywas expecting a lot to turn up. I never quite believe figures,but it was fantastic when we walked on stage and saw them all. It was anamazing sight. Somebodysaid he thought the armoured van we arrived
in was a bit drastic. A sense of power?! was never into that. Being No 1 still
surprises me. How can we still be on top of the media after so long?
"Mick is verygood at getting on top of medias. I'm not at all. If you don't
do a thing like the Hyde Park concert, you tend to think your popularity
is 90 per cent hustle. But then you see all those people and you realiseperhaps it's 40 per cent hustle and 60 per cent people really likingyou.
You do regular things- make a product and go on TVlooking nice to sell it,
but you feel it's not real. But when you do a free concert, you think maybe
people really do like you."
What's happened to the RockAnd Roll CircusTV show the Stones filmed
some months ago?
"I hope it will be shown. Everything is finished. The thingwas, everybody
in it was good, but we didn't like our bits. It wasn't filmed as well as we
wanted, becausewewere at it all dayand the film crews were tired bythe- NME AUGUST 9 APART FROM THE occasional glimpse of a Stone and theawareness that any minute anything might happen, theRolling Stones' office is much like anybody's office. Pleasant,chatty girls fetching tea; white-shirted, sober -suited men with sleevesrolled up, one with short spiky hair who might have been the daddy ofa skinhead. I was waiting for Keith Richard.
Mick Taylor, being interviewed in the boardroom, sauntered out ina crumpled white garment like a nightshirt,
mumbled a semi-surly"Hello" and passed into
the next room. Bill Wyman made a colourful
appearance preceded by the long blondeAstrid,
collected messages at reception and dispersed into
the inner sanctum.
APART from the occa
thing might happeToday'sSant. chatty guts letchir
108 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

with short spiky half w
Keith Richard.

THE ROLLING STONES"Would! like to wait in the boardroom?"
Mick, having met enough press for the day,
was in there also waiting for Keith and playing
the Delaney& Bonnie LP so low it was barely
audible. "No, interviews don't bother me," said
Mick, adopting a sitting position of knees tucked
underchin. But not the nationals. "They're so
unaware ofwhat's going on," he grimaced. "Allthey're after is scandal."Bill wandered in and Mick wanted to know if
Charlie was back from Greece.
"Yeah, he phoned me the other night. What did
Charlie phone for?Astrid?Astrid. ASTRID. Yeah,
that's right, he'd got his house insured by somebloke who was good and he thought I mightwant to use him." House insurance? Can The Rolling Stones be ordinarymortals after all?
When Bill left to good-natured Taylor jibes of "Going to do somegardening?", Mick speculated on a lengthywait for Keith and was about
to air his views on skinheads when in roared a beaming figure in a wide brimmed black hat, purple vest and green trousers. "I'm all bombed out,"
announced the unshaven Keith a little breathlessly after descending
forcefully on a chair.
Stonelike pleasantries were exchanged by the two Stones and recording
sessions were arranged. "Have you spoken to Mick?" asked Mick on aparting note. "Yeah, he's bored stiff. There's nothing to do there and hewants to be back.""The future?
We all haveour visions ofplaying in ourwheelchairs"

AKEITH RICHARD INTERVIEW is a rare occurrence, as it isalmost two years since he last bared his mind to the press.
Why? "I just couldn't take seeing the same people."
Then why now?
"Being away from them for long enough. There were so manythings

that happened in-between that stopped us all getting into things again.
I even wanted to get away from my guitar in 1967. I love it again now;music is with me all the time. I listen to as much as I can."Who to?
"Taj Mahal. DrJohn. Led Zeppelin. Blind Faith. Everything is becoming
more and more mixed, barriers are falling away. Like Johnny Winter's aswhite as they come but when I first heard him I was convinced the soundwas something from Chicago. The divisions in music get less and lesseveryyear."
We were facing each otheracross the boardroom table, Keith behindhis blue -tinted circular glasses having me at a disadvantage because
I couldn't gauge reaction from his eyes. Though his mood was mostly
friendly, at some questions I felt him fixing a disapproving glare. But
because the lenses had a mirror effect when viewed face on, all I could see
was the reflection of a colourful bowl of fruit.
"Hyde Park? Yeah," he smiled. "I can't stop dreaming about it. It had tobe the biggest crowd I've everseen. Theywere the stars of the show: likesome massive religious gathering on the shores of the Ganges. I was a bit
shaky at first, but then ! started enjoying myself and it was just like it was
two years ago."
I prefaced a question with the Stones' observations that they didn't
want screamers and Keith interrupted to correct me: "I have always dug
them. If people want to listen and they are all sitting there quietly! willconcentrate on playing and give them something for their ears. But if they
are screaming! will forget about solos and just hit it. An artist feeds off anaudience and vice versa. Also ! think that one of the reasons people go tothose shows is to lose a bit of energy."
It has fallen on Keith to be the chief Stone spokesman while Jagger isawayentertainingAustralia. Though Keith's content to do it now, thebrunt of interview workwill fall back on Mick when he returns. Does
Keith think he could take the kind of stick Mick has had to take from thepress in recent years?
"Ina way, if it happens to Mick, it happens to me anyway," he replied, andI could see the reflection of the fruitbowl coming up. "I don't give a ?$£!"

there is nothingyou can do. And to botherto
fight about every little detail... well... They
know theyare making you appear an even moreglamorous person to a certain public no matter
what theywrite. You know, the old bit about any
publicity is good publicity.
"We just do what we want to and it is funnyto
see what things we do that theypick up on andsplash across the headlines. I think the way
they treated Brian was terrible... you know,
mentioning drugs the first thing... but that was
mainly the Sundays."
I suggested that maybe the Stones went outof their way to be provocative and enjoyed the response, citing Mick, who
I imagine had a ball in Australia choosing a different outfit each day tostun the staid Aussies.
"Yeah, Mick does do that, " agreed Keith, smiling, then more serious.
"Theywere like vultures over Marianne. When! spoke to Mick, I knew
she wasn't as serious as she was made out to be. I guess in a wayhe ishaving a ball."When MrJagger returns from being Mr Kelly, the Stones will haveenough finished material to stock two LPs. Working title of the first album
is StickyFingersand Keith comments, "I think it is the best stuffwe havedone so far. It is like a progression from Beggars Banquet, only heavier."
We digressed to talking about "Satisfaction" and I was fascinated tolearn that at first Keith didn't like the song many consider to be the Stones'finest single achievement. It wasn't until Mick had played it to him "forages" that Keith got to like it. Further sidetracking took us into the
influence the music off he Band had on Beggars Banquet. Keith wasfriendly and responsive.
"Yes, I suppose! am in a more peaceful frame of mind than lwas two or
three years ago. But I don't know how I will be when we get back to touring- probably biffing photographers on the nose again, with people holding
me back. Everythingwas violence then."
Violence came up again laterwhen we talked about youth and thepolice. "A lot of kids don't want to live the same sort of lives as theirparents, and their parents don't recognise their right to choose a different
life because they are so conditioned. But things are going to change,
because it is now like two forces, with youth on one side, and both are
getting bigger and stronger.
"I don't like the way police attitudes have changed. Theyare getting new
powerand it is growing at an alarming rate, because once something isthat big it wants to get bigger. It is becoming a social police, more andmore concerned with howyou live. Clashes have happened alreadyin
America and the police are really loading themselves up with hardware."
Where do the Stones fit in? "We are just up there shoutingwith
everybodyelse."
What for? "Who knows -nobody can really say. Just not this. People
cannot afford to be intolerant anymore."
Keith is now 25 and has moved to a new house in Chelsea near Mick
Jagger's, where the childAnita Pallenbergwill present him with next
month will grow up.
"How will I bring it up?! do have ideas but I don't want to talk about
them yet. Brian?! could talk about Brian, but I don't want to; not yet. It's
too close.
"The future?! don't think about it," he laughed. "We all have ourvisionsof playing in our wheelchairs. I don't know. My, aren't we getting a bit
heavy? For the immediate future I want to keep the Stones playing,
because if I don't all the work of the last few months will be blown. Firstpriority is to finish recording fora while. Then finish theStonesRockAnd
Roll Circus. Number three, do a few live shows before the end of the year.""Well that's fine," I concluded.
"Good," said he, jumping up to leave as abruptly as he arrived,a parting "I must go and fix some sessions" hanging in the air behindhim. NickLogan

more peaceful' KEITH RICHARD looks
sional glimpse of a Stone and the awareness that any minute any
like anybody's office. Plea.
n, the Rolling Stories' office is muchup. oneig tea; white shirted sober -suited men with sleeves rolled
vva,ting forho might have been the daddy of a skin head. I was

What effect does it have on Mick?
"He usually laughs. When you think about it,ahead to touring again .

1969
JULY -NUR

CC
BOB DYLAN Nants tosee we I Wille of Alfred,
Lord Tennysok In sodoing, he mnises
150,000 people to visit
the Isle Of Wight
Festival. Various
Rolling Stones andthree Beatles are there
to watch. And thee areavin aholiday"- MEI (VW Aft

AUGUST 30 _HE SUPERGROUP TO END all supergroups -George
Harrison, Rolling Stones, Blind Faith, Bob Dylan on stage
together -could be the grand finale to this weekend's IsleOf Wight Festival.
A spokesman for the festival told the MM, "George
I larrison has been in touch with Bert Block, of Dylan's
management office, saying he would like to take part in a session with
Dylan -with Dylan's approval, of course. Blind Faith are flyingin from
Honolulu after asking if they could appear too. And Jack Bruce has also
said he would be ready and willing to join them all on stage."
The Rolling Stones -who, except for Mick Jagger, who is now filming inAustralia -are staying on Keith Richards' yacht off the island, and It is »110 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

-'

.16

WY
ftt

I 1!°

P*1010 gt.

S.

, ...1

1969
JULY

VBER

understood they also have expressed a wish to take the stage with Dylan
after his performance.
Bob Dylan did not arrive last Thursday, as previously announced,
but flew into London on Monday night (25) and travelled directly to theisland, where his backing group, The Band, are already rehearsing. By
Monday, over 500 fans were already camping on the festival site includingAmerican students who had built a wooden hut and namedit "Desolation Row", after a Dylan song.
The festival site has now been doubled in size and the organisers, Fiery
Creations, say that tickets will not be on sale at the festival gate. There issufficient room to ensure than none wishing to go to the festival need bedisappointed. TV and radio crews from all over the Continent areheading for the Isle of Wight, and Sweden, France and Germany areamong those who will be carrying the music live.

- NME AUGUST 30 ccIWANT TO SEE the home of Alfred, Lord Tennyson." That is thereason Bob Dylan gave at his Isle Of Wight press conference on
Wednesday, for coming to Britain. Beyond that, he would notelaborate, but he did say that the songs he will perform at the festival
on Sunday night might well be "things you'll have heard before butwith new arrangements".
Sitting in the middle of a line of 10 chairs, Dylan, looking a lot like Fidel

Castro with his short beard and hairstyle, and continuallytapping his
sunglasses on his right knee, told me he had last appeared in St Louis amonth ago. Asked what he felt about a report that The Beatles, The Rolling
Stones, Blind Faith and the Bee Gees wanted to jam with him, he smiled
and replied, "Great, great!"
Did he think, I asked, he had changed a lot since we last saw him at theRoyalAlbert Hall? "I believe there's a conscious thing since the accident.
I haven't really changed. It has more to do with the show! was doing thananything else. It really had nothing to do with me personally."
Does he feel that his days of "protesting" are over? "I don't want toprotest anymore. I never said I am an angryyoung man."
Then! asked him whythe acetates he made with The Band had neverbeen released. At this point, road manager Bert Block broke in and said,"Those songs were for the publishing company. Dylan and The Band
record for different companies."
Because of his lack of public appearances, I wondered if he liked doingshows. He replied: "The more the better!"That was all I could ask him in the 15 minutes I had with him on
Wednesday afternoon at the beachside Halland Hotel, Sea View, Isle Of
Wight, where the Stones are staying during the festival. I'm staying here
too, so I should have lots of news foryou next week.
How did I find Bob Dylan?About the same as in 1965 when I last saw
him. He's still shyand inclined to be cynical.
Perhaps if one could get him alone he mightrelax. But surrounded by his helpers, it wasdifficult to communicate freelywith him. But
I was very happy to have spoken to him on
behalf of the NME.
IF BOB DYLAN CAN be considered as the

They began live 10 years ago in Canada as The Hawks, backing
rock'n'roll star Ronnie Hawkins. Then, after three years, theywent on
their own as Levon &The Hawks. Levon Helm, the drummerand only
American in The Band, recalls, "We swung and grooved as best we could
but it got to be a drag after a time. If you just play rhythm & blues likeeveryone wants to hear, you end up being just a house band."Dylan actually asked The Band to go along and jam with him, though,because of their style of music; they hadn't heard much of his work. The
two forces found theywere influencing one another and they became
Dylan's band. Their sound isn't exactly gentle, but it is free from much of
the psychedelia that still pervades a lot ofAmerican groups' efforts. It's
fresh and original and still basically rock.
Music From BigPinkwas voted album of the year in an American
magazine. What isn't generallyknown is that it was cut in onlytwo weeks.
The five members of The Band live in Woodstock, scene of the recent
festival disaster, near Bob Dylan and Tim Hardin. The lead guitarist is
Robbie Robertson, who says, "I was listening to music when I was very
young and I can't remember when I began playing, it was so long ago.
I remember listening to country music a lot."
Pianist Richard Manuel started lessons when he was nine but fell out
with his teacher because "she didn't want me to play by ear". So he gave
up and later formed his own group, which one night played opposite The
Hawks. He left and joined them. The organist is Garth Hudson, whorecalls, "My father had a lot of instruments around the house and myuncles all played in bands." He played piano when he was five andaccordion with a group seven years later. He joined The Hawks in 1962.
The aforementioned Levon comes fromArkansas, near the home ofSonny Boy Williamson, and has a strong early -blues influence. He won't
listen to records because, he says, like TVyou can end up listening and notplaying, which is all he wants to do. Bassist Rick Danko can also play
mandolin and violin. He joined The Hawks when he was 17, though he
had always had a hankering to be a country singer. He doesn't read music
and only switched to bass from rhythm guitar when he joined The Hawks.
Besides backing Dylan at the festival, The Band have their own spot,
which is bound to attract a huge crowd. In itself, their act should be a big
event. RichardGreen- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 6 BOB DYLAN HAS BEEN an elusive person during his visit to

the Isle Of Wight. Apart from his one press conference on
Wednesday, he has been spending most of his time at the
16th -century stone farmhouse Forelands Farm, near Bembridge,
rehearsing with The Band. The farmhouse is set in picturesque sunken
gardens and has its own private swimming pool. Beside the farmhouse
is a converted barn where Dylan and the Band have been practising.
At the entrance to the farmhouse is a pairof boarded -up, wrought -iron gates, where one
or two civilian guards keep a constant watch
from a parked car. They earn a reported £15"It's not themoney I'minterested in;
I just want toplay music"

spiritual leader of The Band, then some of
his mystique has certainly rubbed off on
the group. Little is really known about them,
mainly due to their lack of appearances.
The Band's album, Music From BigPink,
which had a startling effect on many Britishgroups, is shortly to be followed by anotherrecorded in the converted playroom of a house in the Hollywood
Hills. During the past few months, not much has been seen or heard
off he Band, but they appeared recently at the Mississippi River
Festival when Dylan went on with them unannounced. There wasquite a reaction to that!

a day for this duty.
Outside the cottage, labourers working on

the road have been gathering nearthe barnrehearsal room to listen to Dylan and The Bandrun through such numbers as "Lay, Lady, Lay"and "Nashville Skyline Rag". But one reporterhas managed to penetrate the securitylines -he

is Daily Sketch writer Chris White. Chris went toForelands Farm and eventuallymet Bob Dylan,
afterspeaking toAl Aronowitz, a journalist
friend and unofficial press agent for Dylan.
"Dylan walked out of the barn into the garden," said White. "He was
wearing a brown leather coat and green -lensed sunglasses. I asked him if
I could have a word with him and Dylan replied, 'Sure, what do you wantto know?' I asked what the attraction about thel0Wwas and he explainedthat it was a place whereAlfred, Lord Tennyson had lived and that it wasa place he had always wanted to come to."Dylan is believed to have rented the housefor at least three weeks. White asked Dylan
if he had any thoughts about taking otherengagements. "Not at the moment," replied
Bob, "but we will consider any offers we get.

200,000 roar approva
OUR days before he was due to appear at the Isle of Wight Festival
on Sunday, Bob
Dylan told me that the more he played the betterft seemed all the stranger, in
ew of that. that he should perform for only just over an hourHis explanation afterwards
as: " I was here at five thirty, ready to go on, but
I was kept waiting until eleven. I
eyed long enough, I didn't want to go on much longer."
There was definitely a severe
about

Dylan
rt the Band Ihould have gone
(4e time
smelt. .Interrealete"P

But Dylan dirin

rig a+ax

hoped ler. The plane played a heavy

part In a spot that consittro mainlyof numbers from theS. Putt
AlbumOf
the st,actoos.
" TN,
Weight
and
the
Four
TOPS'
torts, YOu mere about the beet

one most swell rocoiotd
For the .41 Of the three-day event
Friday night V/ 2, OW night of thePike Torre is no other conotsvablo
may le destritst What re...A

.

..9

ti
August 27,1969:.

Dylan relaxesafter
an19-minute press
conferenceat the
Halland Hotelin
Seaview,IOW

Basically, we are just having a holiday. It'snice to be working with The Band again.
We're just getting a bit of practice in. They
are a great bunch."
Bob also said that he was aware of thelarge number of fans he had in England.
"Theywrite to me a lot. They are the mostloyal fans! have and that was one of thereasons that I wanted to come to England
to make my comeback. It's not the money
I'm interested in; I just want to play music.""I found Dylan easy and pleasant totalk to," said White. "He was a complete

+tr-

4

.

.

11

Ni 11111,`
li

tie..

gi c

I"--tan..:,.e.."..t..leilb,....;...

" .4

contrast to what the publicity makes
him out as and a contrast to his lack ofcommunication at the press conference.
He was a completelydifferent person towhat I had expected. It was an insight into
the person and not the public image.
Something you caught very little ofwith all the paraphernalia of a press
conference. I think he is a person who isquite willing to talk to you on his own.

01-

ti
--are

-"11,

k

-

Basically, he is a shy person."
I spoke to The Band's Robbie Robertson,
who told me, "We've been rehearsingwith
Bob since we got here, working out what
we are going to play. He's a bit vague about
it, and we've been trying to get the feel ofthe place. But he just likes to play all thetime. We've had to say 'give it a rest'. We
could hardly finish our first album
because he wanted to play all the time."
TRE YOUNG WAITRESS at the
Old Fort in Seaview, a few miles
away from the Woodside Bay,
Wootton site of the Isle Of Wightrmusic festival, was completely
unconcerned that Bob Dylan wason the island. "I don't really care,"11
she said. "It just means that I shall11.
keep away from Wootton."
And indeed the fact that one ofIsle of Wight
the world's most popular and mostFestivalof Music
influential performers and song3DOWS)
writers is on the island had appeared tohave little effect on the leisurely pace of the popular holiday resort.
At the 100 -acre site itself, where preparations were being made, there
is alreadya canvas township set up with a couple of thousand campers
making their temporary homes for the festival. People have travelledfrom all over the world - Scandinavia, America and Canada.
Some of the housingwas quite primitive. A group of American andCanadians had erected themselves a mini bivouac of corrugated iron,plastic sheeting and rough grass thatching. A handwritten board
declared somewhat appropriately that this was DESOLATION ROW.
In order to cope with any trouble that might occur with the expected
150,000 festival -goers -and by Thursday the locals had estimated 5,000
had already arrived -a special plain -clothes force, with its headquarters
in a nearby house, was on hand. In a field adjoining the music area, 25
booths were selling food and clothes and there were numerous hot dog,
ice cream and fish -and -chip stands doing roaring trade two days before
the festival begins. There was also a marquee housing a discotheque andcinema where underground films were shown.
Other entertainments laid on to keep the fans happywhile theywaited
included an environmental playground and a jousting tournament
between cars decorated in bizarre fashion.

(

But what of Bob Dylan? The 28 -year -old American reported to bereceiving £12,000 for his appearance had been living in virtual seclusion-even Lord Montague of Beaulieu wasn't allowed to see him. However,George Harrison had been to see him at the 16th -century Forelands
Farm, Bembridge, where Dylan had been rehearsingwith The Band forthe past week.

On the Wednesday prior to the festival there was a rather disastrouspress conference given by Dylan. Disastrous from the point of view of thekind of questions asked and the formalised atmosphere it was given.
Flanked on either side by friends and festival officials, Dylan faced anarmy of reporters, photographers and camera crews. With his hairtrimmed short, bearded and dressed in a white shirt and jeans, he was
bemused, bothered and bewildered by many of the questions flung at
him, questions of obvious irrelevance concerning his marriage anddrugs. Asked what had been the attraction of the IOW: "We wanted tovisit the home of Alfred, Lord Tennyson."
About the expected audience at the festival he commented, "The more
the better, I just hope it's a good show." Dylan said that he had newarrangements. "Everything we will do is on record."
Questioned about his change of style in dress and looks, Bob said he had
dropped the old style because it was gimmicky and he no longer needed
gimmicks. Somebody asked him i f he thought of himself as a "square", towhich he said, "He had better ask the fans."
In reply to whom he wanted to meet, Bob said, "Anyone who is around.
I'd like to meet Georgie Fame." About his performance, Bob stated, "My
job is to play music. I'm just going to take it easy; you've got to take it easy
ifyou're going to do your job well."Mention was made off he Beatles' offer to use theirApple studios. "I'dsure like to, I love The Beatles."After 20 minutes the press conference came to an end. It seemed in
effect that Dylan was simplysaying: "I am my music, listen to it." But this,it seemed, was not enough for many pressmen at the conference.
Disappointment and annoyance were expressed at the fact that no great
words of wisdom had been delivered by Dylan, but really it seemed hardly
the time or the situation to do so. Chris Welchand Tony Wilson

HISTORY OF ROCK 19691113

1969
u

SV

Bob Dylan eamshitS20,000
plusgo per centshare of the
profits on the lastnight of the1969 Isle Of Wight Festival

NUR"I was kept waiting until 11pm

95

NME Sept 6 lylan closes the IOW Festival with an all -too -brief set.
FOUR DAYS BEFORE he was due toappear at the Isle Of Wight Festival on
Sunday, Bob Dylan told me that the more
he played, the better. It seemed all thestranger, in view of that, that he should
perform for only just over an hour. His
explanation afterwards was: "I was here at
5.30, ready to go on, but I was kept waiting
until11. I played long enough; I didn't want to
go on much longer."
There was definitely a severe mix-up about
the time and Dylan and The Band should havegone on stage.Journalists were originally told
gpm until midnight, but his was altered during
the afternoon. In the evening, approaching
seven, it was changed again, but co -promoter
Ron Foulk wasn't able to give a definite time.
When Dylan eventually appeared, dressed ina white suit, smiling broadly and being handed
his guitar by an assistant, the crowd of almost
200,000 (rather less than had been
expected), gave him a mighty roar of approval.
At least they hadn't minded the wait.
Watched bya celebrity -packed audience
which included John Lennon, George
Harrison, Ringo Starr, Keith Richards, Bill
Wyman, Charlie Watts, Steve Winwood,Jim
Capaldi, Francoise Hardy, Amen Corner's Alan
Jones and Mike Smith,actressJane Fonda andher husband Roger Vadim, and actor Richard
Johnson. Dylan opened with "Everything She
Needs" which must be about the shortest
thing he does. He hunched his shoulders
slightly as he went into "Mr Tambourine Man"and "Maggie's Farm" and the atmosphere wasgetting better. The Band, who hadn't been too
hot in their own spot, sounded nice behind
Dylan -the two acts fused together really well.
All his numbers were familiar, but, as promised,
new arrangements had been worked out
especiallyfor the festival."Lay, Lady, Lay" gota long round of applause as it began and, if
such things can be judged by audience
response, looks like being a hit single.
Then we heard "I Pity The Poor Immigrant",
the fantastic "Like A Rolling Stone" and "I'll Be
Your Baby Tonight". For me, "Rainy Day
Lo

Women Nos 12 & 35" was about the high spot

and it was disappointing when, just after
midnight, Dylan walked off stage.The crowd
obviously expected more, but they didn't get
it. It was all over and several people gatheredbackstage to protest about the shortness of
Dylan's act. Despite that -an unqualified
success. The Band's set was as nice as people
expected, the sound was good but there
wasn't the originality we hoped for. The piano
played a heavy part in a spot that consisted
mainly of numbers from the Big Pink album. Of
the selections, "The Weight" and The Four
Tops' "Loving You" were about the best.
For the rest of the three-day event, Friday
night was the night of The Nice.There is noother conceivable way to describe what I
regard to be one of their best sets yet. Of
course, there was an encore and it had to be"America", but it proved to be an encore anda half - almost a show in itself.
We saw Keith Emerson standing on theorgan and playing at the same time, no mean
feat, Brian Davison in really great form on
drums and Lee Jackson doing good things
with his bass. "Karelia" was as interesting as
ever, and Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" (witha little doctoring) was a fine starter. The
one piece that really scored for me was Tim
Hardin's "Hang On To A Dream", which is on
the new album. Keith ran up and down thescales on his piano while Lee injected into thesong a soft quality I didn't know he possessed.
It got all very jazzy and sung like the Young
Holt Trio.Ten out of io, me lads.
The Bonzo Dog Band preceded The Nice
and,as usual, relied heavily upon visual
humour for appeal. Bobby Pickett's "Monster
Mash" was treated well and"Canyons Of Your Mind" and"Urban Spaceman" werereceived enthusiastically.
After all the ballyhoo andbaloney about Marsha Hunt,
I expected great things, but
I must admit disappointment.
After the show she told me,"It was a drag." And's that's
just about it. Wearing blackleather shorts, boots and gloves, shegyrated about the stage in what was,presumably, meant to be an erotic manner.
Sorry, love, it left me cold. For the record, her
numbers included "Wild Thing", "Walk On

Gilded Splinters"and "My World WithoutYou". Oh well, perhaps it will be better nexttime.
During all the goings-on I met Noel Redding,
who was as staggering as ever. He said, "We

couldn't get the Rolls on the ferry,"and left it atthat. Later, he spent a long time chatting toJane Fonda and Roger Vadim and they agreed
that he could send them a film story and music
he has written! Moody Blue Ray Thomas
cadged a fag off me and promised good things
to come. Which they did. "Dr Livingstone"
from "In Search Of The Lost
Chord" sounded as good on
stage as it does on record this is one of the strong
points about the Moodies,
theirability to reproduce
almost exactly theirrecorded sound on live
appearances. Justin
Hayward and Ray Thomassang "Never Comes The
Day" together and we heard"Peak Hour" and "Tuesday
George Harrison,John
Afternoon", which was a hit inLennon, Ringo Starr andwives watch theshow
America but not a single here.
from theVIP enclosure"Nights In White Satin" was very
popular with the crowd, who
dug every minute of the group'sact. Loud and prolonged cheers
and cries for more brought the"Lay, Lady, Lay"got a long roundof applause as it
began and looks
like being a hit

boys back for "Ride My See Saw", a pleasant little rock androll number. I think what people
liked most was the Moodies'professionalism andmusicianship.
The Who made their usual

spectacular entrance -this timeby helicopter. All of us
backstage got covered in all
14 I HISTOW OF ROBOB DYLAN- MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 13 FXPERIENCED GAMBLERS HAVE been known to break intoa cold sweat and furtively finger the trigger of a gun at thethrow of a dice or spin of a roulette wheel. But these are men
who regularly play the long odds. Men who know the rewards andpenalties to expect. How much more hazardous it is to plan a music
festival headed by such an immortal and - let it be said - controversial
figure as Bob Dylan, involving a total outlay of £120,000 on the basis of

one comparatively minor event held just 15 months beforehand?
The Isle ol Wight Festival of Musk
Woodside 1uri Ma. RydehstonsgringLz_sg.
sorts of flying muck and theE's intrepid photographer,
Stuart Richman, was almost
decapitated by a sheet of
hardboard that suddenly tookflight! The group went straighton stage, to be greeted by aroaring welcome from well over
100,000. I noticed Julie Driscoll
looking well and nice as the firstnumber "I Can't Explain" began.
Roger's long -fringed jacket was
open, revealing a bare torso.
Pete Townshend's outfit
consisted of a white boiler suit,
John Entwistle maintained aserious expression and Keith
Moon had a look on his face as
though he was suffering theultimate torture.
"Young Man Blues" which was
written by Mose Allison, began
quietly and became a roar -up.
Then came the inevitable longselection from Tommy -very
clever and intricate but it
tended to go on a bit long.
Pete was jumping up and down
while Roger swung the mic
round and round on the end of along lead and The Who werereally getting into things. Eddie
Cochran's "Summertime Blues"
was great, as was "My
Generation"."Shakin' All Over"was obviously dedicated to thebird I was with as she didn't stop
shivering all the weekend. I wasvery glad to have seen The Who-they were right on form. Theirloud sound does not detractfrom their performance, whichis as visually exciting as

musically together. Between
numbers, Ricky Farr was an able,considerate and witty compere.

LW

hakgn

01....
Mo.

Swiday.ida,

31s

Bedecked in a Wyatt Earp-stylehat, he handled the huge crowd
well and showed no sign ofirritability, neither did he resort
to the sort of cheap gags we sooften hear from comperes. Pete
Townshend said from the stage
that Joe Cocker was going to bea hit. He was right.
He still plays an invisible guitar
and his lengthy tour of America
hasn't detracted from his appeal
to the fans. His voice isincredible and numbers like"Do I Still Figure In Your Life"and "Let's Go Get Stoned"deserve high praise for theireffectiveness.The Grease Bandget right in with Joe's lead andought to be regarded as morethan just a backing group. By thetime he had been on stage forabout four numbers,Joe had theaudience behind him to a man.
His treatment of Traffic's"Feeling Alright" sounded as
great as ever, and over a well -deserved drink later, Joe told methat he feels fit and is all ready to
get going again now he's backhome. On Saturday's showing,
he's gonna go great guns.
There were also some drags
like the hundreds of non -press
people crowding the press
enclosure; the exorbitant prices
charged by the taxi drivers who
doubled their fares after
midnight; and the people asking
seven -and -six for hamburger
and chips. Richard GreenFor that was all the experience of festivals the brothers Ronald,
Raymond and Bill Foulk had before theywent for the jackpot with Dylan.
Ten thousand people had attended their Isle Of Wight Festival starring
The Crazy World OfArthur Brown and JeffersonAirplane. But far moreexperienced promoters might have baulked at the massive problem oftrying to stage the most famous folk singer in the world.
But over a year's unrem itting hard work paid off. Like the ardent
prospective bridegroom who refuses to take no for an answer, the threebrothers approached the Dylan ménage again and again. They evenfollowed up their hard sell with a colour film of the Isle Of Wight. This,and a personal trip to Dylan in New York, finally tipped the scales. And
the outcome was a festival that has made the closing months of 1969a landmark in the world of "popular" music. Now, the brothers Ronald,
Raymond and Bill have balanced their books and, happily for themselves
and future festival fans, come up with a nice balance.
"Our profit is not all that whopping," says Ronald, "but we haveachieved what we set out to do. The biggest satisfaction when he looked
out on the vast crowds was knowing that all our efforts have been
worthwhile. We've given enjoyment to a lot of people."That enjoyment wasn't without cost. The financial outlay involved
would be enough to make Charles Clore blink. To start with, there was£20,000 for Dylan, plus 50 per cent of the profits and £5,000 first-classairfare for him and his party. The Band swallowed another £8,000; Richie
Havens took £3,000. Tom Paxton cost £750, The Who £900 and Pentangle£500. "The rest of the bill accounts for another £6,000," says Ronald.
The stage set back Fiery Creations another £10,000. Then there were theadditional attractions, plus catering, camping, security and travellingarrangements to take care of. To say nothing of publicity expenditure.
But, despite all the money- and headaches -involved, the festival was an
unqualified success. So much so that the brothers are already planninga similar event for next year. Dylan has said he is prepared to go again,
although recent reports suggest that he will not visit Britain again. But it'sa safe bet that, with the prestige the brothers have gained from thisfestival, theywill aim for other big fryof equal calibre.
Hitches? Inevitablythere were some in a venture of this proportion.
"We've learned that we shall have to make better arrangements for thepress," admits Ronald. "So many people were gate-crashing into thepress enclosure, some important people couldn't even get in."
Some hoodlums burned portions of fencing and part of a marquee. And
there was a tense incident backstage when a gentleman wielded a bottle.
But, as press officer Peter Harrigan puts it, "There was remarkably little
trouble when you consider the crowd was over 150,000. You can get far
more trouble at a Cup Final with only 30,000 present."
There has been much ado in some sections of the press about Dylan
allegedly giving short weight -one hour's performance instead of three.
"We would have liked him to do more," says Ronald. "But he was under noobligation to do so."
Litter was a problem. The organisers did their utmost to clear up theprevious night's refuse before midday, but the taskwas impossible toaccomplish in the limited time available.
If anyone was disappointed with the Dylan Festival it was thosesensation seekers whose febrile imaginations conjure up lurid visionsof orgies and drugs at every gathering of pop, jazz or folk followers.
One can imagine them rubbing their hands and sharpening their
pencils when the first ferryboat of fans set foot on the Isle. Theymayhave
felt a flicker of a voyeur's titillation when a young lady cast off her clothes
and danced in the nude. But that flash was soon extinguished by thesurging sea of musical enthusiasm.And this, after all, was what the Dylan
Festival was all about. LaurieHenshaw
StealingDylan From Woodstock: When The World Came To The Isle Of
Wight Vol 1 by RayFoulk with Caroline Foulk is publishedby Medina

Publishingat f22.95. www.medinapublishing.com
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1115

r.)

WILSON PICKETTHEY JOE

I really like. I suppose if you had toclassify it, you would have to call it
pop classic. This was too good tobe a hit. You get some really greatsongs sometimes, but they just
don't appeal to the public
because they are not commercial
enough. This is the best thing I
have heard so far. Beautiful -they
are definitely one of the bestgroups. I did a gig with them in
America when I was with John
[Mayan] and they were much

more appreciated there thanthey are here, but I think they are
getting more appreciation here
now as well. The drummer andbass players are so good.They
work well as a rhythm section.
Wilson Pickett

JULY 19 Newest Rollin: tone Mick Taylo
selection of pertinent, not H especially rece
MANYOF THE records played in MickTaylor's Blind Date session
were not to his taste and he remained fairly inscrutable. It was
sometimes difficult to tell if he was digging them or loathing them,but he flipped over Procol Harum and it was obvious that Mick's tastes

are broad- and not limited to blues or guitarists.
Fleetwood Mac

Wash Hopson He's Got A Blessing

So

ACTIONThe

Is it the Staple Singers? It's good
- I like this style of music, but itsounds dated. They are probably
releasing it because of the Edwin
Hawkins Singers. There will be aspate of "Singers". Quite
pleasant, but it doesn't grab you.

intro

McKenna Mendelson Mainline

Memphis Slim dock Me Woman
from the LP Legend Of The Blues,

BLUEHORIZONIS that a reissue? Fleetwood Mac,obviously. It's a beautiful song.
Peter is a great guitarist and agreat singer, but I don't think hecame across too well on that one.
He sings straight and the strings
are a bit slushy. "Albatross"
was the best record they evermade. And why shouldn't blues
bands get hits? Oh yes,' read
Mailbag every week! That'strequired reading. I go through it
religiously... it makes you wonder.

Better Watch Ou l LIBERTY

hamoll=l

I mama.

was niceand it's a really good sound.
You never seem to get a soundlike that in English studios. But
the tune is very unoriginal. Is ita white American group?

-Reminds me of Canned Heat.
They were a good blues band. No,
I don't want to listen to any more.

BEACONI don't want to hear any more - it's
Memphis Slim doing his usual
thing, which is great if you like
Memphis Slim.
Procol Harum A Salty Dog

MICK TAYLOR 1
M ICK TAYLOR

Isasoft spoken youth
With a quill call'', and akind of lazy Jude's',dear. that makes it
difficult to assess hktrue feenno, unt0
horst
of enthusiasm

bubbles to the surface.
Perhaps he .s still a little
dazed and unsure of
his SItUalion in nn.,...

Now I feellike aRolline Stone'

ATLANTIC

I expect Aretha Franklin to comein at any minute. Is it Aretha? Oh,"HeyJoe"- no idea who it is.
The band is nice. They soundlike the session musicians
Aretha records with -theAtlantic house band. It'sa great version, but it's
not going to make much
impact because the111000611sh
number has been done somany times. I still like theHendrix version. Who was it really? Didn't sound like Wilson
Pickett- it was much cleaner.

REGAL ZONOPHONE

Procol Harum - I haven't heard
this one. Is it from A Salty Dog?
This was a single and it's great.
They always seem to use thatdescending chord sequence Bach, I suppose. I would say this iseven better than "Shine On
Brightly". This is the sort of music

Third Ear Band Mosa... HARVEST

Third Ear Band -actually, I reallythink they have got something
going. It's the sort of thing I like tolisten to at 3am. You have to be ina certain kind of mood to get into
them. I enjoyed their appearance
in Hyde Park. Not on the last one,but with Blind Faith. They reallycame across on a bright sunny day.
But perhaps a whole LP of theirkind of music would be too much.

The feeling is
one of job atbeing alive
MM/NME The Fabs keep it simple, Fairport
aselves, CSN
The Beatles

their promise.

h bey Road APPLE

It's strange that we have now reached the point where
nobody worries TOO much about what The Beatles are
doing on record. There are no cries of, "We demand
a new Sgt Pepper!" for example, or yells of, "Whatever
happened to their `Mr Moonlight' period?"Now we can just sit back, relax and enjoy Beatle
offerings and appreciate them on their own level. Toomuch has passed under the bridge to start getting
uptight, and the truth is, their latest LP is just a naturalborn gas, entirely free of pretension, deep meanings orsymbolism. Paul and John have written some good tunes and theirown ability to interpret them instrumentally has improved wholesale.
Paul is on drums on several tracks, and his approach is surprisingly
funky, while George's lead guitar is showing a healthy Clapton
influence. "Carry That Weight" and "I Want You" show the Beatles inextremely heavy mood. While production is simple comparedto past intricacies, it is still extremely sophisticated andinventive. Chris Welch, MM Oct 4

Fairport Convention

ISLAND

It's not so much that they're such skilledcraftsmen that makes Fairport Convention
one of the most listenable groups there are,but the almost indefinable quality about
their music that suggest youthfulness andvitality. Even on the sad songs, the feel that

Go", has charm, zest and humour and is also a single you should all rushout and buy."Percy'sSong" has appeal through the merging ofdifferent voices and the muffled quality of Sandy Denny's "Million
Dollar Bash" features the violin of Dave Swarbrick, who is rather
partial to a dance song with each member playing a verse. Richard
Thompson has two songs; Sandy has two, the beautiful "WhoKnows Where The Time Goes" displaying her vocal
powers at their best. Longest track, the traditional "A
Sailor's Life", is brilliant Fairport. Rising and falling
UNHAIFBRICKING
WPM' Mat
to an underlying throbbing rhythm, it features
SI Ty DON PAPTIO
3 MITOPI,
Swarbrick's fiddle prominently and is always
Pm/webby b. bob. Wry" pon CombrePOs
inventive but perfectly controlled. Other
1110.3.3
titles: "Genesis Hall","Autopsy","Cajun
Side 1MPS 9102
p 301410W
P. ..,06 u.

Woman" Nick Logan, NME Aug 7

Crosby, Stills & NashATLANTIC

STEREOThis is the group that Graham Nash upped
and left The H ollies for. Actually, the othertwo, Americans, have quit groups too, and thetrio have concentrated on high-pitched harmony
singing, not unlike The Hollies produced, which
can't be bad. Of the to tracks here, Graham Nashcomposed three tunes -"Marrakesh Express", "Lady Of
The Island","Pre-Road Downs"; Stephen Stills wrote "Suite:
Judy Blue Eyes" (over seven minutes), "You Don't Have To Cry","Helplessly Hoping"and "49 Bye -Byes"; David Crosby penned"Guinnevere", "Long Time Gone" and (with Stills) "Wooden Ships".
I liked "Marrakesh Express" a lot, a song that trots along like a train
might, with Graham taking lead (this is their first single). In contrast,
they go sentimentally slow on "Guinnevere", which is not without
beauty; and "Wooden Ships" is a soft, mystic song -dialogue by
Stephen and David. "Helplessly Hoping" has Graham soloing inpermeates through is one of a joy of being alive.Their approach tomaterial is never preconceived, their range wide. At the same time,complexity never takes over for its own sake and the impression thatthey are enjoying themselves aids you enjoyment too.
Unhalf bricking shows the diversity of their skill.Three are Dylan
songs: "Si Tu Dois Parte, a French language version of "If You Gotta

another wistful fragment.
They are inclined to jerk their phrasing a bit, which has certain
attraction, but what I liked
best about this album are
the varied instrumental
passages between thesinging, some of which
are very beautiful.
A most interesting first
LP which should attract
a lot of attention for thisexciting new group. It has
a double cover and thewords are printed on aleaflet inside the sleeve.
Allen Evans, NME Aug 2

IREMELOIttl.N JIMIPAY Y.!IER) sRc ANS

TRACY

UK

canc.
LULU

MD MOOOKSNew Rouses On AK°

LULU-Oil Me Oh.. tyiyAfocifciskvbow

1969.06EN-DECEVIBER
THE HOLLIES, ROLLINGSTONES, BEATLES,DAVID BOWIE AND MORE

"If it gets to No 1,

Ilplay the
instrumental"
MELODY MAKER OCT 4 The BBC hasbanned "Je T'aime - Moi Non Plus".
But what if it gets to No 1?
TOPOFTHEPOPSproducerJohnnie Stewart told the MM
this week that even if"Je T'aime -Moi Non Plus", by Jane
Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, reached the No 1 spot in the
BBC chart, it would still not be played on his programme.
"If it gets to No 1, I'll playthe instrumental coverversion of thesong bySounds Nice," he said. "I've already made enquiries about
getting them for the show and i f they're available they'll be on."Philip Soloman, managing director of the Major Minor label,
who took over the Jane Birkin record after Philips dropped it,commented: "If they did this I'd be veryhurt and upset, and I'dprobably take legal advice. The BBC pays £5,000 a year for thecharts, and then they don't use them. I'd be against it if they
played the instrumental version."
The record stayed put at No 3in this week's MMchart. As
previously reported, it has been totally banned by the BBC
because of its erotic content.
118 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

Serge GainsbourgandJane

BirkininMarchweigitheirversionof"JeT'Aime...Moi
NonPlus"willreachNotin
the UK,becomingthefirstbannedrecordtodoso

1969

OCTOBER-DECEMBER

OCT 18 The inside story of Johnny Cash's trip to San Quenti
prison. "In prison he is, in a sense, talking tori;February24,1969ia"verytired"Johnny Cash atSan, Quentin State Prison,
where"A Boy Named Sue"getsitsfirst liveairing

SAN QUENTIN.THE name has a ring ofdread and despair."It is the most evil
place I have ever been in," says TV

producerJo Durden-Smith."Arriving there waslike stepping on to a film set from a Humphrey
Bogart movie; you know, the catwalks with thearmed guards patrolling the top."
The prison itself stands on a promontory ofland out into the San Francisco Bay. To get in,
the film crew has first to pass through a metal
outer gate and travel a long road along thepromontory to a second gate. More road, andthen a third gate past which they were in theforecourt facing the massive main door of what
Durden-Smith describes as "a castle". Inside, inthe prison's main hall, some of America's mosthardened convicts sit at their wooden tables
waiting. To have relatively long hair like Jo has
can, at this stage, be a little unnerving. Some of
the inmates have made a decorative bannerthat suggests a lot of care and time -"SANQUENTIN WELCOMES JOHNNY CASH".
TV's road to San Quentin began in theGolden Square, Soho office of Granada
Television. It was Geoffrey Cannon - now
editor of Radio Times, then at Granada fora short spell - who put forward the idea and
Jo Durden-Smith who took it up. Originallythey wanted Folsom Prison. Johnny Cash had
played there before and recorded a live album,
but there were difficulties. Saul Holiff, Cash's
manager, suggested Quentin. The prison
authorities said yes.
"Every year at San Quentin on New Year's
Day there is a concert to which every artist
in the Bay Area goes to perform for theprisoners," said Jo Durden-Smith when wetalked in his busy office on Friday (a poster ofthe regulation San Quentin short back andsides is pinned to a wall). "Cash himself had
appeared before at one of the shows.That is
the only concert they have, but although thiswas a new departure for them they wereamazingly co-operative."
Why did he want to show Johnny Cash ina prison?
"It seemed to us that to some degree thebest Cash performance was the one at
Folsom. It is like Jagger said in the Stones' film:'If you are having a good time then theaudience will have a goodtime and it goes round andround. That is how it is with
Cash. He is singing about
their minds: about a portionof American life. And ina prison, he's singing topeople who can identify
with him to a large extent.
You have to remember thatcountry & western is two
streams: country andwestern. Country is themusic of the poor whites, and many of theprisoners are poor whites.
"It is a traditional thing -the history ofAmerica is so tied up with racial and politicalviolence and the great struggles to overcome
poverty, the whole Grapes Of Wrath thing,
Momma's apple pit, salt beef for dinner. It'sa tradition that carries with it strong passions
for possession and sexual propriety. What aman must defend. Your woman is your woman.
That is one stream. Country music is people
living on the edge. That is the kind of
background Johnny Cash comes from. The

western stream again is full of traditions.
A man must live like man and die like a man,by violence. That is the whole mythology of
the Western. Why country and western is so
popular is partly because it appeals to a very
simple American character... simple people
full of national feeling; tremendous patriotism;very strong on law and order."The film was intended to show this history as
much as Cash, who is an extraordinary figure
who straddles the development of popular
music. "You look at the charts 10 years ago andCash is there. Five years
ago he was there.Today
he's still there. In prison he"Cash wrote the`San Quentin'ung

It is the most eve dare I h.., eve. been in.- says
Jo
Ann,n9 then, was We ,lec9ing wt to
hen set horn a Humphrey Bogart
mos*, you knew. the eat
Wks with the entree gust& patrolling
the top.
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QUENTINis, in a sense, talking to his

own audience."
Michael Darlow, thedirector who later resigned
from Granada because heobjected to certain cuts
being made in the film, wasdispatched to California to
lay the groundwork.The
film crew eventually met up
with Johnny Cash in San Diego, a town on the
California -Mexico border, where his roadshow
was in a concert.
"You could see something quite clearly
there," says Jo. "The area contains a large
number of blacks and Mexicans, but there
wasn't one in the audience. C&W is whitemusic -you can't blame it for that."
That concert also bore outJo's views on thepatriotism inherent in the music. Lloyd Bucher,captain of the American spy ship Pueblo,
which was captured by the North Koreans,
was in the audience. "Cash called him up to
the stage and wascomparing him with theheroes of the Alamo..."
The film crew arrived
at San Quentin on a
Sunday and spent the
By NICK

track the day
before in a
motel bedroom"-

HIS MUSIC MAKES CASH A MYTH-AN QUI INITIN the ruin.,
)

111.

LOGAN
mut no00 bon O.. ea. ea
la 1..
0110 01111 Mar I g

"We set out toupset everybody.
And we did"day arranging the hall lighting for colour.
Bob Johnston, producer of Bob Dylan as wellas Johnny Cash, came on the Monday withan eight -track from CBS and Cash himself
arrived during the afternoon for the concert
in the evening.
"He was very tired," recalls Jo. "He had
been on the road a long time and his voice wasgiving him trouble. He wanted to get it donequickly, which is a professional approach.
He was immensely helpful to everything wesuggested. We wanted him to sing a song (notincluded on the album) which a prisoner had
written. We only had the words, no music.
"Cash sat down and set them to music the
day before. He also wrote the 'San Quentin'
track the day before - in a motel bedroom."
Johnny Cash did little socialising with thefilm crew, but I asked Jo how he found him asa person. "The first thing that struck me when
I saw him was that he was very much bigger
than I thought. He does look the loner,the kindof western hero... big, slightly mean, and veryslightly dangerous."
Did he feel he was sincere? "Oh yes, you
may find the music false but you cannot findCash false. But then, on the music side, there isa watered-down version of country & western.
Cash's country & western is not watered down.
It is full of violence and very strong basic
emotions. Cash is a very enigmatic figure,"says Jo, summing him up. "It may be that
I don't know much about him, but again it is
not surprising that I don't. He has probably
understood that to fill the public with stories
I
about his past would be a mistake- a country

Perry:"They'relearning fast
how todance toreggaeover he re"

MM December 6 Introaucing... The Upsetters, and their charismatic'Hoer, Lee rerry. "One wonders what he'll come up with next..."FIVE JAMAICANS WITH such colourful nicknames as Scratch, Oney, Reggie, Family Man andCapo have upset a lot of wiseacres who said reggae was strictly for the birds. Appropriately
enough, they're called The Upsetters. And for the record they were christened Carlton
Barrett, who plays drums; Alva Lewis (guitar); Aston Barrett (brother of Carlton, bass); Glen
Adams (organ) and No 1 man Lee Perry, singer and arranger.
Ask why Lee is known as Scratch and he says, "The first record I made was called 'Chicken Scratch'.
Ever since, I've been called Scratch." Ask the others how theygot their nicknames and they fall
about in paroxysms of laughter. It's all very "in" and somewhat mystifying. But there's nothing
mysterious about the name Upsetters. It means just what it says. Explains Lee Perry, "We set out toupset everybody. And we did just that."
Lee is speaking musically, of course. He emphasises that the group's adroit blend of melodywith aheavy beat is ideal for kids to dance to. "And they're learning fast how to dance to reggae overhere,"says Lee, with the understanding of a man who obviously knows how people should move to music.
What was mystifying-until Lee clarified the matter-was how The Upsetters came by such a titleof "Return Of Django". Those steeped in jazz lore might reasonably believe it is some sort of tributeto Django Reinhardt. Far from it. The Upsetters seemed collectively perplexed when the name of
the late and great gypsyguitarist was thrown at them. Their particular Django, it appears, is a heroin a Western film back in Jamaica. "We all like Westerns," says Lee enthusiastically.
Despite the flurries of snow that were falling at the moment, they also dig Britain. Though they
hadn't had much chance to see much of it, having been here only a week, Lee, who had arrived earlier,said he hoped to settle here. Back home, he produced records before launching out on his own. "I'dmade enough records for otherpeople," says Lee. "I thought it was time to do something on myown."
Already, The Upsetters have produced a follow-up to "Django". It's called "A Live Injection". Lee
explained that the title was inspired by the injections
people get before theyhave an operation. One wonders
what he'll come up with next. But titles don't reallymatter
while you can produce hits. And The Upsetters obviously
have found the formula for this.
And even though reggae maybe dismissed bysome as
more suited to a skinhead hop than a Festival Hall concert,
there maybe a lesson here somewhere. Perhaps it is thatjazz is basically dance music. Get back to the roots, andpeople respond. Theyeven buyyourrecords and give youa hit. Perhaps The Upsetters won't be the only group to tip
up the avant-garde apple cart. Laurie Henshaw

singer ought to be a myth,a legend." Nick Loganamrmaffir"The power seems rather Ong BROTHER'
peculiar" """"MERICA IS EVEN more American than we had expected," said King Crimson's Ian McDonald
on the phone from Chicago. "For example, they have a TV programme instead of our Epilogue
called Sermonette - unbelievable!"Crimson are on their first trip to the States and will be away for eight weeks during which they playa
string of major dates, including a Miami concert with The Rolling Stones for which they are being flown byhelicopter. "The album is out here now and seems to be getting plays on all the New York stations," reportedlan."Actually,we were surprised to find that people knew us when we arrived. This was partly due to people
reading about us in MM, and we have also had bits in the underground papers here.
"Among the people we have worked with so far is Al Kooper, who was disappointing. He was backed by a
new group, a second-rate soul band. We also worked with Om, a very nice heavy rock band, and Steve Miller.
"Audiences here still seem to favour English groups- perhaps because they seem to project more thanthe Americans. One unexpected problem -the power seems rather peculiar over here and I've been having
trouble with the Mellotron. Every time the lights go down it goes out of tune. Audiences seem pretty muchthe same as in England but we have re -paced our show so that it builds more to a climax."
Ian said there was a possibility of the group recording a single for Atlantic during the tour. BobDawbarn

66

THE RICE KING

Tsai,,to,y1t4extz suf.,
DEC 11 1)

rumopc UJCsTOCTOBER -DECEMBER

1969.........

CSNY & THE HOLLIESCROSBY, STILLS & NASH

d Ilellif Mt

already known to
Stephen Stills. "They'refriends," says David
Crosby of NEIL YOUNG.

"They're not at war
at all." Meanwhile,
THE HOLLIES have hit big" Thesewith "He Ain't Heavy"
but can't stop talking-

about Graham Nash.

guys arefantastic"- MELODY MAKER AUGUST 9cROSBY, STILLS & NASH are no longer just the ex -Byrd, ex -Buffalo Springfield

and former Hollie supergroup. They've added new partners to the rock bandwith a name more like a group of City solicitors. Newcomers to the "firm" aredrummer Dallas Taylor, guitarist Neil Young and former Motown session man
Greg Reeves- and they're already at work on the second album. The first
featured just the original trio plus Taylor.
"Neil joined roughly a month ago," said Dave Crosby on the transatlantic phone from Los
Angeles. "He and Steve have been friends fora long time-from pre -Springfield days -and they kept
in touch after the Springfield split. He and Steve have always had a good musical relationship andwhen we decided to make the three-man vocal group we had into a band he came along. We tried towork it out with Bruce Palmer on bass but he's into Indian or neo-Indian music. Then we got very
lucky and Greg Reeves came along, courtesy of Motown.
"Greg's been playing sessions during the last two years. He's only 19 but he's fantastic; he also
plays stand-up bass. He's really made the band tighten up."American reports have hinted that Young's teaming up with Stills isn't a good thing. It's beensuggested that the two former Springfield guitarists have too big a talent to combine together wellfor long. Has Neil's joining created any problems for the growing band?
HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1123

1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER

V"It'sgrownintoafully
integratedrock'n'rollband": theexpanded

CSNYwithformer

S

Motown session bassist
Greg Reeves(far right)"You shouldn't believe all you read in the trades, no
How serious is the infection and will he have todisrespect to MM," said Dave.
have an operation?
"Only rarely do Neil and Steve playguitar together"Well, we're keeping our fingers crossed. It's theand when they do it's interlocking parts. The reason
same thing that affected Stevie Wonder and Gracefor the Springfield falling apart wasn't because of Neil
Slick, which put Airplane out of business. We hopeand Steve. Theyweren't at war at all. Primarily it was
Graham's going to be able to sing but we've had tobecause the Springfield couldn't grow to a musicalcancel a few dates because the doctors said they/[ARp ESH EXPRESS
level; the clashes came between everybody else inwouldn't be able to guarantee those cords. But apart
Hi I 1-11 SSI HOPI N(
the group, and if you've ever worked with somefrom that, Graham's having a whale of a time;of them you'd know why."
he's got his chicks and his music..."I asked David if he was worried that theywere
It was a hot sunnyLos Angeles day and a dark
being talked about as a supergroup. Does the
London night when we talked.
"supergroup" tag pose any problems?
"I really envyyou. I'd love to be able to go into
"It doesn't worry me and it doesn't excite me.
Chelsea fora meal right now. We nearly came
People are trying to label everything; it's justover to England a couple ofweeks ago; we reallya cheap attempt to make us into something
wanted to be there. It's a bit more civilised," said
we're not. We're just a bunch of musicians
Dave. "We'll see you soon." Royston Eldridge
playing music. Our music is going in every
direction that I've been able to figure out.
MM ' rITEMBER 20One song comes out like Motown, one comesout folk and one comes out like Bulgarian
TOWARDS THE END OF 1968, Graham
harmony. There's noway! can tell in what
Nash left The Hollies. He felt limited
direction we're going in -we're going in so many
within the Manchester group anddirections at once.
left Britain to link with friends of similar"There are now five writers in the group, can you digit? It works out
belief on America's West Coast. Nash linked with friends Dave Crosby,
with still more material and it's varied. This album we're working on is
Steve Stills and Neil Young to produce "Marrakesh Express" and a debut
different from the first, which was mostly overdubbing as it was just thealbum. The Hollies in their turn added Liverpool's Terry Sylvester,four people. These are tracks played live. I resented the change at first
returned to the chart with "Sorry Suzanne" and generally became abecause! didn't want to lose that three-part vocal harmony, but it's
happier, tighter group. On the eve of the release of The Hollies' secondgrown into a fully integrated rock'n'roll band. These guys are fantastic single since Nash left, I asked Hollie Tony Hicks what he thought of
it's so perfected. I heard them do a song of mine the othernight and it was"Marrakesh Express" and how far Graham had progressed musicallyjust cooking and bouncing along, and you could still hear yourself talksince joining the ex -Byrd and former Bufffalo Springfield.
overit. We're doing every kind of arrangement we can think of. Our vocal"It's the greatest, a sort of Peter, Paul & Mary kind of thing with very
capacity is really something."
strong, thick harmonies. We're not striving to jump ahead, we neverGraham Nash, the ex-Hollie and very much a part of the group's
have, but I think we're as far ahead as Graham, maybe more so with this
distinctive vocal sound, is suffering from a polyp on the vocal cords.
new record."

CROSBY, STILLS Nann
1

"There are
now five
writers in thegroup - canyou dig it?"124 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

CSNY & THE HOLLIESThe new Hollies single is "He Ain't Heavy... He's My Brother", a number
not so instantly recognisable as The Hollies and not written by them. "We
had about three numbers to choose from. One was a veryheavy country
number, the otherwas similar to 'Sorry Suzanne' and there was this one
from Bobby Scott. It's basically a very commercial song with slightly
strongerlyrics, they're more meaningful.
"Alan takes the vocal lead. I think it will do us a lot of good andmay appeal to a widerpublic, taking in some of the Tom Jones/
Humperdinck fans. The demo record was released in France
and is already at No 5.
"We've half -finished a new album, there are aboutanothersix tracks to do. It will be all original material- Hollies Sing Hollies - and should be released around
November. There's a bit of country and some very
heavy stuff, more the sort of thing that the soul
people will do. Terry's written some songs withAlan
and myself and Bernie's got an instrumental.
"It's taken Terry a great deal of time to feel reallyrelaxed with us. He felt he shouldn't be there at first but
now he's fine. We always rabbit on stage and now if
Terry's got something to say, he says it. The group has neverbeen better, everything's much more interesting. We're not justoffered the run-of-the-mill type of television. The Hollies In Concert
show we did helped there, and I thingwe could improve on that now."
In the New Year The Hollies will probably be going toAmerica fora college tour and television. Will they be touring Britain again?
"I'm sure we'll do a concert tour here in the New Year. Ifwe've got
something new to offer, we'll do it. The thing we did with Felixwas a good
idea; it was a project with some thought going behind it. !wouldn't mind
doing something like that again.
"We'll be going toAustralia as well. It's not a monster market but
we've been having hits there as long as we've been doing here. We'll bedoing three weeks in the Checkers Club in Sydney, which is like the Talk
Off he Town."
The Hollies are obviouslyhappy as a group. Are they happy about thecurrent musical scene and the direction in which it is going?
"We're ready now fora new Beatles and I hope! find it, although I doubt
if it will be another group. Record sales are down by half and so are album
sales, even though they're much bettervalue and give the artists a chance
to be more inventive. I can't see this heavy trend lasting too long. It's justa try to put a bit of vitality in the music, although its great Jimmy Page has
made it. He's a guitarist in front of all the others. Heavy music's beenaround since Hendrix, they've just given it another name.
"There've been some good things to come out of the underground but
it's basicallyhead music that comes out of getting stoned. The only thingis people think they've got to be stoned to write it and other people thinkthey've got to be stoned to listen to it."Tonyleft to join the other Hollies in
the recording studio, where they arecompleting another album of "unstoned"
music destined once again for the charts,
as undoubtedly is their 20th single.
Royston Eldridge

completing his joy), their manager Robin Britten and lovely fan clubsecretary Lynne Wheeler at EMI's HQ in ManchesterSquare, where The
Hollies were to play hosts to more than 100 of their fans at their first everfan club convention.
From as faraway as Belgium and Sweden came secretaries,
representing thousands of fans who couldn't make the trek, while thegirls (and not a few boys) tucked into the EMI goodies, listened topromotion man Mike Regan doing his Butlin's Redcoat routine,
and watched their favourite group on film in The Hollies In
Concert. I helped the rest of the group congratulate andcelebrate withAllan in an upstairs room.
"Oh, I don't feel too good," the proud dad groaned,supporting his heavy head with his hand, "but Jenny
and the baby are fine. He's seven -and -a -half pounds
and he's even got some hair already! I put a toyin
Timmy's cot on this morning and told him it was fromhis new brother. It was so he didn't feel left out when
Tobycomes home from the hospital and gets all theattention for awhile."
Eventuallywe got down to business, the business of the
new record, and the worries that each new release brings.
I was quite surprised to hearAllan say "if" when talking about
its chart potential. "We've had a lot of hits," he said, "but that doesn't
automatically mean that we are going to keep on having them. I'm a firm
believer in taking each record as it comes, taking it on its own merits, andforgetting all that's gone before.
"People are saying that 'HeAin't Heavy, He's My Brother' is something
very new and progressive for us. That's not strictlytrue. On one or two of
our albums there are songs not very different from this one, with meusing the same kind of voice.
As for progressive, what does it mean? What is this new thing
everybodyis talking about?! don't know and I don't care. Give mesomething! can understand. I don't want to have to have things
explained to me before! can appreciate a piece of music."
A few minutes earlier, I had suggested to Tony that if The Hollies had
been recording songs like "Heavy" a year ago, Graham Nash might still
have been with them.
"I see what you mean," Tonyreplied, "but he would have left anyway
because he wanted to live in America and playwith the people he isplaying with. But I thin k he would like our record. I'm sure he will."
Tony, by the way, has sold all his camera equipment, which is a little sadbecause his results were getting better all the time.
"It was just a matter of time. I had all this gear, but it was sitting in a comer
gathering dust. I liked to take mycameras abroad and take shots in any
spare timewe had, but wejust don't have enough to make it worthwhile.
"I dare say I'll take it up again one day, but for the time being! make doby looking at the pictures people take of us." ")Graham Nash's

replacement Terry
Sy feester (far left)
withThe Hollieson
Top Of The Pops

- NME SEPTEMBER 27 WOW! IT WAS QUITEA

weekend for The Hollies.
Allan Clarke started the ballrolling on Friday evening when his wife
Jenny presented him with a second son,Toby, and as they say in the top people's
paper, a brother for Timmy. The sameday, the group's latest - and mysay greatest - single, "He Ain't
He sin) heavy....
Heavy, He's My Brother",
hes my 8poth6p
COS YOU LINE TO LOVE ME
was released to universal
WHEELS ON FIRE
acclaim from the pop press
disc reviewers.
On Saturday, I joined Allan,
Tony, Bern, Bobby and Terry(whose team, Liverpool, won
three -one in the afternoon, thus
HISTORY OF ROCK1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER

While The Hollies have been unusually quiet on the home front inrecent months (all that to be changed in the comingweeks, of course),they have not been idle. One by one, they have been adding to their list ofconquests in Europe.
"It's like a campaign," Bern told me. "Scandinavia was the first one wemanaged to score in. We've been abroad quite a lot in the past few
months, and I thinkwe are beginning to make some headway.""It's about time," added Allan, "after all, we have been having hits for
sixyears here. The onlyway to keep your standing and expand is to travel,
and win more people over.
"We only knew one way to win fans, and that's to play for them. They
can hear our records, but that's not enough, theyhear everybodyelse's
as well."
The line of thought was confirmed a little later on by the Belgian fan

club secretary, who reported that following the group's appearances
there, The Hollies are rapidly becoming a top name in Belgium.
"We are beginning to break Germany," said Bobby, "and France is thenext on the list. The thing about France is that a lot of their own singers
and groups cover British and American hits, and naturally the Frenchkids buy their versions. But we'll keep trying, and I'm sure we'll make it in
the end."I asked Allan if we could expect more philosophical songs from The
Hollies in future, following this single and the Hollies Sing Dylan album.
"I really don't know. It all depends on what songs come up. We don't set
out to project anything in particular with records, so I can't say. I don't
expect 'Brother' to set any new trend with us; it will just depend on what
we are offered next.
"Tonywent out and found this one at a publisher's office, so he cantake the credit. Tony seems to take it upon himself to go out and findnumbers for us to record, and as long as he comes up with winners, whyshould we worry?"
The next release from The Hollies will be an LP entitled 'Hollies Sing
Hollies', which suggests quite rightly, an album devoted to songs pennedby the group. "Surprises?" answered Allan. "I don't think so, it will be acollection of songs written by us to be recorded by us, and I can't think ofanything that will surprise anybody.
"The thing about The Hollies is that nobody knows what to expect fromus, and by that yardstick they can't be disappointed. That's howl live mylife. I don't get unduly elated or downcast byanything. That wayyou
never get brought down. Just take everything as it comes, good or bad,learn to accept it, and you'll be alright." Gordon Coxhill- NME OCTOBER 18-

BY THE LAWS OF POP, The Hollies shouldn't even exist, let alone

be engaged upon their 19th and possibly their fastest -moving
hit single with "He Ain't Heavy... He's My Brother". Almost
alone among their successful contemporaries, they wear a group
uniform on stage. And while their image may not be exactly faceless,they have never come across to the majorityof the public either individually or asa collective personality.
Still against the unwritten rules of the game,with most artists finding it necessaryfor
survival to align with one of pop's warring
factions -teenybopper, family entertainer or
progressive -The Hollies can't be slotted
comfortably into any of the three, but havea foot in all at the present time. They began in
the first, progressed to the second and havetaken a tentative step into the third with theircurrent- some say their best- single.
Perhaps Tony Hicks sums up the reason for
their success when he says, "The Hollies havenever followed any trend. Images andgimmicks, they all die in the end."
And he goes on to give an insight into
the Hollie philosophyby turning roundthe question "Why do theywear a stage
uniform when so few other groups do?"with the reply "Because so few othergroups do."Tonyagrees that it maybe becauseof their semi -faceless image that The
Hollies survive in magnificent style,even after Graham Nash's departure,when others of our long-establishedoutfits like the Small Faces, Dave Dee,
Kinks, Dave Clarke and The Tremeloes
have split or fallen from favour.
Moneyhas a lot to do with dissension
and splits in groups, said Tonywhen wemet last week at the office of The Hollies'
manager. "The Hollies are run like abusiness. We all have an equal sayat
meetings and are ready to listen toanother's point of view, and everyone
can see where the money comes fromand where it goes."
Then again, according to Tony, inthe early days most groups don't havethe experience or the maturity toovercome squabbles.
"If you can mature and get past thatphase then you carry on. If not, that's
when the splits come. We had ourtroubles, maybe not as much as most."
As a buffer against the demands ofworking so closely together, The Hollies
use outside interests as an outlet andfeel theyareveryimportant. Terry"The Hol lies are run likea business; wea II have anequa I say":(I-r) Terry
Sylvester, Tony Hicks,

Bobby Elliott,Bernie
Calvertand Allan Clarke

Sylvester, for instance is a football
on a Top Of The Pops set
fanatic. Tony's hobbywas his cameras,
but he gave that up a few months ago.
An interest in stocks and shares hastaken its place.
"How much have! got? Oh, a few grand. I've just bought some shares in
the Tom Jones-Engelbert Company. I find it a great enjoyment rushingout to buy The Times every moming and checking the prices. Yes, I do takegambles, because! can't be bothered to study things too closely. But I've
done verywell so far."Tony's other interests include a share in a London photo agencywhichhandles David Baileyamong others. I was intrigued to learn that when
The Hollies are playing abroad Tonyuses his
spare time by acting as a rep for the agency.
He chuckles at the thought of himself as a rep
but enjoys it all the same. It was Tonywho
does most of the hit searching forThe Hollies,
who found "HeAin't Heavy..." in a music
publisher's office.
"Theyplayed me a complete load of rubbish
and then got out 'HeAin't Heavy...' and said,'You won't like this one.' The demo was nothing
like our version, but I could see where theharmonies would fit in."As he had done in the past, Tony took the songfora second opinion to Hollies producer Ron
Richards, "whoseverdict I respect enormously".
The others in thegroup had only slight"Tony takes it
on himself togo out and findnumbers for
us to record"

Have -a - go Hollies cut mostprogressive hit ever
all the laws of pop the HuNees
nineteenth end possibly their shouldn't even exist let alone be engaged upon theelastest moving tut tangle with 'My Brother.' Almost alone ...luny
lleevYthee successful COreerepprafies theyp prtifewel on stage. And white
wear aimage may not be exactly laceless theyhays
come across to the majority oftheir
the public
either individually or as a collective Mr
Irty.

TIN

1.64.111r rem+.

...kw tre prat
BO I nose . IN. el TINMK,.0114
10 mow% UNN
5.1

Nei .7.177

M eta. U LM. CLAM.
lam% Peaa.VT., 'Tien s
sites
aftil mein aware

doubts, although
they felt the songwas
fantastic, but thegeneral feelingwas:"Yeah let's have a go."Naturally, Tonyis
overjoyed that public

=4.10Mallyr...*-He Ain't Heavy ..
He's My
Brother
Parlophome R

and critical reaction has justified his faith in the song. "I have had a lot of
people coming up to me and saying they reallylike the record. It is very
rewarding and satisfying. 'Sorry Suzanne' and those were commercial
and nice songs, but not exactlymind-shattering. Mind you, it is notsetting a pattern or a new direction for us -which is what you are goingto ask next."
With "Heavy" in mind, I wondered what Tony's music tastes were awayfrom The Hollies. I had seen him at the Blind Faith concert in Hyde Park.
Did he like it?
"Not verymuch. I think it is true what people said: Clapton was too far
in the background. Really! am not a fanatical music listener; I suppose ifanything I like the kind of stuff Graham is doing. I like vocal stuff, andthey make the best use of three or fourvoices. Our relationship with
Graham? We are all still friends. He stayed with me the last time he wasoverhere. I can only really listen to the kind of music we might do. Things
that are strong on vocals. It is only recently that I started playing more
guitar -I bought all fourCream LPs. I put a bit more guitar on the new LP."
"Hollies Sing Hollies is out November 4th,"suggested their manager Robin Britten
helpfully, while keeping a watchful eye on

the proceedings.
"I haven't got any frustrations about direction
at all," said Tony suddenly, as if anticipating mynext question. "I thinkwe have definitely madequite a big step with this record and that willbring in a new variation on everything. We havereally widened our listening public."
Iff he Hollies were starting out now, what kindof music would theybe playing? "I suppose ifwe
were completely newwe would be playingwhat

everybodyelse is. !would probablybe playing
flute with my leg cocked up in the air."What did he think ofJethrolidl? "Lovethem - they are really great." Did I sense a frustrated desire despite what
he said earlier? "No, I wouldn't like to join them because these people
don't live the kind of life I want to lead. I don't know them, but I'm going on
the appearance theygive."
But you like the music? "Yes, and if I was back at that age with all theenthusiasm forriding around in vans all over the country, I am sure
I would probably like to be with that kind of group. But I have done allthat, I couldn't go back." There was no regret in his voice, just a matter-offact appraisal. "I would love to do 'Living In The Past', though; !would
love to stick harmonies on that. But we wouldn't, because that was a very
good single and I don't think we would improve on it."Of Hollies Sing Hollies, Tony feels it is one of the best albums they've
done. "Again, most of the words are meaningful, with a couple of what
could be called typical Hollies stuff. Bernie's done a full orchestral piece,
which is lovely."
Asa final question I asked Tony if, when Graham left and The Hollies
faced a crucial period, he had felt any desire toquit too?
He thought fora while and replied, "I havebeen allowed to do what I want within thegroup. Graham's friends were all in America
and he had to go where theywere. My interests
are business interests and theyand group
work complement each other. There is no
reason why! should have to leave. We have hada very enjoyable life; we never regret anything
we do orhave done."That maysound like an epitaph, but
undoubtedlywon't be. The Hollies look set tocarry on in the face of all the trends -the groupfor all seasons. Nick Logan"The demo of`He Ain't
Heavy...' wasnothing likeour version"

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

1127

1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER"...andthere's nothing/can do": David Bowie
basks in Space Oddity's
recent ascent to No 5
on thesingleschart at
hisspaciousnewpad-Flat 7, 4 2 SouthendRoad,Beckenham,
Kent -in October i969

128 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

"SahAdor

2001 andthe BeeGees..."
I
14 SU

I

'age I VIMIII, "Space

ddity", brings a truly original
figure to the top of the charts.
pro -skinhead, anti -hippy arts
director, there's more to DAVIDBOWIE than pop: "I don't want to beof those singers whose career
depends on hit singles," he says.

ile-DISC & MUSIC ECHO OCTOBER 11 AVID BOWIE IS 22 years old, thin, with a halo offair hair, a delicately soft face and two coldeyes. One is pale kitten blue and the other green
and it makes it rather disconcerting to talk tohim. If he reminds you of anyone it is a gentle
mixture of Bob Dylan and Donovan with 90 per
cent pure Bowie. I le says he sings like "Dylan would have done if

he'd been born in England" -and he's an absolute charmer.
I lis charm is so overpowering that it has given him more freedom
to achieve his ideals than you would have thought possible in thisday and age. Local authorities wilt before his smile -andattendants in car parks (not known for their cordiality) are given to
rush about finding him parking spaces even when they're full up.
Bowie was born in Brixton and now lives in Beckenham, Kent.
His father, "a delicate Yorkshireman", recently died. And his
stepbrother, whom Bowie considers a genius, is in hospital. So
most of his tenderness is directed towards his mother, whom hetakes to the recording studio and Top Wile Pops to cheer her up. »HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1129

1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER

Before "Space Oddity" his name may not have meant anything to you atall. But in fact David Bowie has been tottering on the brink of enormous
fame for some time- diverting his energies into many channels, with hismusic often taking a back seat to other driving ambitions.
His history is amazing. Fouryears ago he was playingwith a groupcalled The Buzz. Then he made a few verygood records on his own- "The
London Boys" and "Rubber Band" among them -where he sounded
likeAnthony Newley. He has also worked with Lindsay Kemp's
mime company, which he loved. And a girl who saw him workwas once
moved to remark that she felt extremelymotherlytowards him because
his ribs stick out so much.
Between being engrossed in Buddhism and the work of Stravinsky,
Bowie formed what he considers his biggest achievement to date -theArts Laboratory in Beckenham. This threatens to become much morethan the name implies, and is now set to turn Beckenham into the firstself-sufficient community in Britain.
Although all these outlets don't strike you as being compatible, Bowie
says of course theyARE, because they are all concerned with
communication. He says he hates sounding pretentious, but when you
get down to the nitty,
gritty, communicate is really all he's trying to do.
David Bowie is an extraordinary human being. Brixton would not seema part of London given to the production of dreamers and idealists, but
Bowie is both. "I had a very happy childhood. I was lonely but I neverwanted and I never went hungry, but I saw people deprived around me
and kids going to school with their shoes falling apart and I suppose, yes,it did leave an impression on me that ! wanted them to have better.
"I'm reallya born idealist. I worry and I don't think before leaping in,
but ! believe there are only three things worth talking about -love, hateand communication. Even talking is ridiculous -you have to put things
into practice."
Possibly because of this outlook -of determined effort -Bowie is verymuch against the underground movement. He thinks it started to die twoyears ago and was doomed from the start because it was a middle-classinstitution and wasn't really helping the people who needed help. In fact
one track on his album -a seven -minute piece of emotional dynamite
called "Cygnet Committee" - sets out his thoughts on this subject.
He thinks it will annoya great many people, and he's right. The title, hesays, is because "a cygnet is pretty to look at but is totally helpless", and thelines emote a desperateness throughout, with the "hippy" element stating
violently "We can FORCEyou to be free" and Bowie as narrator voicing his
own protest: "Ibelieve in the power ofgood- I believe in the power oflove...""Thewhole hippythingwas ridiculous. Mainlymiddle-class kids
rebellingagainst theirparents. Theyaren't underprivileged when theycan
afford to buykaftans and clothes made of expensive materials. It's the lower
classes and the Negroes -they're still the underprivileged of thisworld."
He does have material possessions- a small blue Fiat and a house called
Haddon Hall which he and his affable young record producer, Tony
Visconti, and their respective girlfriends are moving into soon.And hemanages to live quite comfortably on about £12 a week -a sum he has
consistently eamed over the past fouryears.
He is NOT a boring, angry, kicking -out young man, even though hesays he was rebellious at school because he felt sorryfor the teachers
who didn't knowwhat theywere doing. He IS artistic and he does haveenormous empathywith people, so that walking through London he will
smile and wave and keep bumping into people he knows.

amazingly.

In fact, he says, most of them are acquaintances more than friends
because he distrusts people. He only likes workingwith people he knows
well and admires -like Visconti -and says he trusted too many people in
the past, and got frequently kicked in the teeth for his efforts.
David Bowie is a very difficult person to sum up, to arrange as a
psychiatrist might in little sections of motive and result. But one thingis
very, verycertain: in the future he is going to mean much more to the world
than just a name, an ex -mime actor or a leading inhabitant of Beckenham,Kent. Beckenham will now surge alongfine without his active pressure,and he has two good people -Angela and an accountant called Chris -tolook after other things so that he can throw more energyinto his music.
"Space Oddity" is the first tenuous link in along chain that will makeDavid Bowie one of the biggest assets, and one of the most important
people British music has produced in a long, longtime. Penny Valentine- MELODY MAKER OCTOBER 11 _FANS OF DAVID Bowie have for years been expecting him to
make some proper impact on the music scene. If a reasonable
position in the MMTop 30 is acceptance, then David has atlast broken through with his attractive and highly original single"Space Oddity".
David is a good-lookingyoung songwriter who first made an impression

with his original compositions and a group called The Buzz- or was it The
Fuzz?At any rate, he has been floating around the scene, making manyfriends and influencing people, without gaining much kudos. He has
a refreshinglycasual attitude towards the pop scene, and is really moreconcerned with his work in the arts lab movement than his singles.
"I haven't reallywanted to make anyrecords forages," he told me thisweek. "But people have been on at me to record again, so I went into thestudios. I have been doing mime for a year and a half -this is mycomeback!
That first album, I did it in 15 minutes for 5s 6d. You could sayit was rushed.
I got discouraged with pop bythe lack of work, and at that time it was all
Tamla Motown. I didn't stand much of a chance doing mystyle of music.
"I got more interested in theatre and mime. Mime is limited when you
start, but I think it's a marvellous medium which requires a lot ofconcentration on the part of the audience. Apart from that, I run an arts
lab, which is my chief occupation. It's in Beckenham and I think it's thebest in the country.
"There isn't one pseud involved. All the people are real -like labourers
or bank clerks. It started out as a folk club... arts labs generally have sucha bad reputation as pseud places. There's a lot of talent in the green belt
and there is a load of tripe in Drury Lane. I think the arts lab movement isextremely important and should take over from the youth club concept asa social service.
"The people who come are completelypacifist and we get a lot ofcooperation from the police in our area. They are more than helpful.
Respect breeds respect. We've got a few greasers who come and a few
skinheads who are just as enthusiastic. I think a lot of skinheads are
better than hippies and the hippy cult is so obviously middle-class andsnobbish, which is why the skinheads don't like them.
"The hippies don't know about people- theyreallydon't. Theydon't
knowwhat it's like to see three heavies go after their sister, and all theother things that happen in the skinheads' environment. Nobodywants
the skinheads- the schools don't want them, or the youth clubs, and thearts labs don't want to know them least of all.
"When UFO started, theywould never let the mods in
IT'S THE CRAZE
and now they are getting their own back and getting more
OF THE CENTURY ...
violent. We started our lab a few months ago with poets
and artists who just came along. It's got bigger and bigger
Now YOU can play along with the groups with thePortray, STYLOPHONE pocket electronic
and now we have our own light show and sculptures, etorgan. theremorliable NEW concept in round that anybody con learn injust fifteen minutes
cetera. And I never knew there were so many sitar players
Crone ore the days of lust listening
to your ftorofdl. the scene now is toin Beckenham."ploy along with themand it's, so easy At the end of an l P. you will soundlat.a professoonol eleetranic"I still don't consider myself a performer," said David,
organist You'll be astounded how growl you andYour records sound together.
ft's nil happening
reluctantly returning to the subject of Mr Bowie. "I'mwear CRAZE has stoned
EVIAYSODY'SPLAYINGSTYLOPPIONE.
a writer, I reallywouldn't like to make singing a full-time(STYN)PNONE is o concert path electron,
croon and Nor n toy I
occupation. "The record is based a lot on the film 2001. It's
Avnilable at all good music. record and rod.° slsops
yaW hare any dolircully in obtaining
a mixture of Salvador Dail 2001 and the Bee Gees. Really,
your
SfYLOP110NR,
rush
to
the
neotesttelAphone and complain birterty to.it's just a record which amuses people."
Dubreg Studies tim11A 273/111
Criclawood Broadway. N. W.2
Tel 01-452 0047/9436
Since we spoke, David has been asked to join the
Humble Pie tour, which is not so surprising as David andPeter Frampton are old friends from Beckenham. "I used
to go to school with Peter. I haven't seen him since, and,

DAVID BOWIE PIA YS
STYEOPHONEON
SPACE ODDITYDAVID BOWIE"I throw myself on the mercy of an audience, and I really needthem to respond tome. If they don't, I'm lost. But all the same, I'm
determined to be an entertainer- clubs, cabaret, concerts, the lot.
"There is too much false pride within the pop scene, groups andsingers decrying cabaret without ever having seen the inside of anorthern nightclub. I just want to sing to as many people as want
to hear me, and I don't care where I do it. Mind you, I refuse to have
myhair cut or change my appearance for anybody. I'm quite
happywith the wayl look, and people will have to accept me theway I am, or not bother at all."A former commercial artist, David played tenor saxwith amodern jazz group, "went through the blues thing", duringwhichtime he switched to vocalist, and then he joined a traditional
French mime company, where he met and worked with Marc
Bolan. "Marc has been a great influence on me, not so much withhis music, but with his attitude to the pop scene. He shuts himself"Mysongsar
away from the destructive elements, and prefers to get on with hisfromthe heart":
inHaddonHall,
work. That's howl intend to be; in fact, I ran away from London
September 9awhile backwhen people started talking about me, and didn't
come back unless it was reallyvital."
Inevitably, the underground cropped up, and David had someinteresting comments on the movement. "I thought when thewhole thing started," he said, "that a whole lot of new, musicallyminded groups were going to appear with some meaningful
music and tryand spread it around. Well, we've got the music, andmost of it is very good, too, but I can't figure out the attitude of somanyof the underground groups. It seems to me that they have
I always remember him beingvery little." David's current success could
expanded their own personal little scene to a certain extent, and thenmean the start of a whole new career for an extremelytalented andthey stop, contend to play to the converted. That doesn't get themlikeable person. Chris Welch
anywhere, and in the end both the audiences and the groups will get fed
up with the same faces and places.
"A lot is said and written about the musical snobberywith the fans, but- NME NOVEMBER 15 I think the groups are just as bad. For some reason, even the words
IT LOOICED LIICE a piece of master planning, but it wasn't. It looked'entertainer' and 'cabaret' make them shudder."like a monster hit, and it was. David Bowie's "Space Oddity", inspired
Obviously, having a hit record and being able to command the moneyby a visit to the film 2001, was released just as the world was stayingthat goes with it, is going to make a few changes to David's life, not least ofup all night to watch the moon landing. Like the modest, self-effacing
all on his bank balance. He seems to have made a good start already. "I'veyoung man he is, David passed the credit on to his record company, but asbought a big car, and a nice little house which need a lot more time andit was written last November, he can hardly disown his amazing foresight!
some money spent on it before it will be as I want it. I suppose other little"Put it down to luck," he aid over the phone from Perth, where he wasthings will crop up as time goes on. At the moment, I'm more concerned
about to begin a short tour of the Haggisland. "I really am amazed at thewith remaining a 22 -year -old, or even going back a year to 21.
success of the record, even though! had confidence in it. I've been the"This business might keep you young mentally, but I feel almost
male equivalent of the dumb blonde fora fewyears, and I was beginning
middle-aged physically. I often regret not leading a more normal teenage
to despairof people accepting me formy music.
life. From the time I was about 16, I never kicked a football over a common"It maybe fine fora male model to be told that he's a great -looking guy,
with my mates, I haven't had to chat up a girl like an ordinary teenager forbut that doesn't help a singer much, especially now that the pretty -boyages, and believe it or not, I miss it.
personalitycult seems to be on the way out.""I have to try and figure out if a girl knows who I am and whether she
Much as David takes his songwriting seriously, he is amused by pundits
wants me for what I am or myname. It's a more difficult problem than
who examine his material looking forhidden meanings even he is totally
it sounds, but as I was saying, I haven't had much trouble with girls,
unaware of. "My songs are all from the heart, and they are wholly
touch wood."
personal to me and I would like people to accept them as such.
The immediate future for David Bowie looks bright, with as much live
"I dearlywant to be recognised as a writer, but I would ask them not towork as he wants, an LP on release this week, and even the prospect of
go too deeply into mysongs. As likely as not, there's nothing there but thehis own TV show. But the usual pressingworryabout follow-ups hasn't
words and music you hear at one listening.
caught up with David yet. "Follow-up?" he queried. "But the first one's"I seeyou've noticed that mysongs are seldom about boy -and -girlstill alive at the moment. Actually, I haven't even thought about it. I'm notrelationships. That's because I've never had anytraumas with girls. I likesure if I've got a suitable song for another single, but even if I have, I don't
to thinkmyself a prettystable person, and I've neverhad a bad relationshipwant to be one of those singers whose career depends on hit singles andwith an intelligent girl. And if a girl isn't intelligent, I don't want to know."
they are virtuallydead for six months of the year.
Although David made a very good impression"I hope to get some free time to do someon the recent Humble Pie tour, he maintains
writingwhen I return from Scotland, but evenhe is a songwriter first, and even denies he isthen, I can't write just because I've got thea good performer.
time. But it's a bit early in life forall my ideas"It was my first tour," he told me, "and I neverto have dried up, isn't it, so I suppose I'll comestopped being surprised it even went on. It
up with something."
appeared so badly organised tome, but I
At the moment, David seems to be the sort of
suppose everybodyknew what theywere doing.
person much needed in pop: full of original"Forme it was nothing near an artistic
thoughts, a willingness to work, a hatred of thesuccess, mainly because I was limited to aherd, drugs scene and class distinction in music,
20 -minute spot, and I ended up accompanying
and common sense enough not to let the famemyself after a mix-up. I was very pleased to see
and adulation surelycoming his way tum histhat 'Space Oddity' went down well; I thought
head. I'm sure he has been around long enoughthe audience would miss the orchestral
to withstand the pressures, and if he can't, he'llbacldngwhich was on the record.
be wise enough to mn. Gordon Coxhill"It's a bit earlyin life for all
my ideas tohave dried up,
isn't it"HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1181

F.

ii

1969

OCTOBER-DECEMBER

Jeff Beck and myself
have always dug him

and poor old Wout
Steenhuis has
dedicated his life toemulating Les Paul,and he'll never top him.
The only trouble withthese records is that
Mary Ford's voice
dates them a bit. It'sback to the early '50s
and Kay Starr. Even so,
it's very subtle and nice. Les Paulplayed brilliantly at the rightspeed as well as finger tremolo
and feedback -he did all thesethings years ago. Let's listen to"Deep In The Blues". Blues fansprobably think this is dated, butthere is something there forevery guitarist. He has thewhole concept in his head of
the straight guitar solo and themulti -tracking. The finishedproduct is totally incredible.
Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Langandfrom the LP Stringing The Blues
Vol 1 CBSDEC 27 Genial Jimmy Page commends sounds
new and old in the Maker's Blind Date challenge.

I suppose not many people inEngland have heard of him. Or
know that Chet Atkins took his
style from him - lock, stock andbarrel. I like him because he hasa sense of humour to his playing
and occasionally he makes a
mistake. Chet Atkins is so cut anddried and clinical.This must
be pretty old. It could
be1958 or even '55.
He's got a really
The Peddlers

CBS

Peddlers, is it? His voice doesn't
knock me out - it's always so false.
He never sounds convincing. I've
never heard him sing a note thatsounded convincing, but I'll saythat they always try very hard.
That organ wah-wah is derived

Les Paul &nadnereeod
I4441411) 2

Mary Ford
Little Rock
Getaway,

OrchestraCBS

I know who
it is - it must

Deep In The

goes, I suppose they have got
the agency scene really sewn up-Talk Of The Town and The
Morecambe& Wise Show, etc.
Personally, I wouldn't think thatwill be a hit.

man who started
everything - multi -trackrecording, the electric guitar- he's just a genius. I think hewas the first to use a four -track- or was it an eight -trackrecording machine? I met
him once and apparently hestarted multi -track recording
in about1945.

132 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

fromthe LP With
The Benny
GoodmanSextet And

Blues and° m my's Boogie

It's "Blue Smoke" by Merle Travis!
Great! He's really into it, isn't he?

Charlie Christian

nice country
blues feel.

from The Pretty Things -they
did that first. I know they are all
good musicians, but they nevermove me. As far as their following

Merle Travis Blue Smoke CAPITOL

Who is it? Well I've never heardof Eddie Lang before, but I know
Lonnie Johnson. (Listens intently)
This reminds me of the gipsy
players in Paris and gives mean
image of women walking aroundwith four or five skirts. They
travel with all their clothes on! It
conjures up an image for me of
the bars and bistros, drinking
wine and eating French bread,
although I know this has nothing
to do with that- I suppose I was
thinking of Django. This is more
into New Orleans and country
blues, so much of it is relevant totoday's guitar music, and it's somuch damn good listening.

MIL IOU SETAIMAY

CAPITOLLes Paul - he's the

be Charlie
Christian if
the guy said,"Charlie!" Guitarists
from this period could
have could have done a lot more

if they had better rhythm

sections. All the drummers used
to chug along with a two -beatand it makes you wonder how
the old guitarists would havesounded with today's drummers.
So much has happened to
drumming in the last to years,
and when you get a heavy
drummer backing - you just
explode. Quite frankly, I neverlistened to Charlie Christianmuch. I listened to Les Paul and all
the blues guitarists - BB King,
Bukka White and Elmore James,
plus all the early rock guitarists.
Fairport Convention
from the LP Liege & Lief
ISLANDI don't know who it is, but it's
bloody good. Just to help me, is
it English or American? She's got
a lovely purity to her voice. Is it

Fairport Convention? Didn't theydo "Chelsea Morning"?
Oh, Dave Swarbrick's in thisgroup. He'a damn fine violinist,
and the girl must be Sandy Denny.
If the rest of the album is as goodas this, it should be a big seller forthem. It would make someone avery nice Christmas present.
Bukka White
Bt,

and

Mississippi MIfrom the LP
Memphis Hot Shots
BLUE HORIZON

It's contemporary and sounds likean old blues singer who's been

got together in the studio witha drummer. It's a bit difficult I can't really tell who it is. Who is
it? Well, I can't believe it. Who
was responsible - own up! It
really suffers from modern-day
recording techniques. Fora start,on the old records the washboard
was right up close to the guitar,and I'm sorry to say there is noneof the richness in sound he had
before. It's impossible to recreate
the old recording sound, because
the old equipment has gone.

JIMMY PAG,&
ram

Juhrny Page was both
ontriqued and pleaded by
the album tracks chosen
for les Blind Date SeStaooDcombr1,1969: Eric
Clapton with Chlanopy&

Bonniop(Bramltt)atth
Royal Albrt Hall,Loadon"They'rebeautifulpeople"lc Clapton
promote a new
single by Delaney & Bonnie.
MM OCT 18

hated each otherwhen theyworked in rival groups.

EN A TOP musician becomes an unpaid

WIpitress
and public relations man for a group,
can be fairly assumed that the group must

Then they decided to marry!"
Biographicallyspeaking, Delaney Bramlett (29)have some unusual qualities. Eric Clapton calls
was raised in Randolph, Mississippi and played
Delaney & Bonnie quite simply "the best band inguitar from the age of eight. After three years in thethe world". And not content with shouting theirnavy, he began working in bars, singing and playing
"They
will
be
praises, he has instigated a tour of Europe withguitar. At a club in North Hollywood, Delaneywas
himself joining the band on guitar.
asked byJack Good to do a pilot TVshow, whichstaying at my
Who are this duo Beatle George Harrison tried tobecame Shindig. He became part of a country duo
secure forApple?And why is Clapton so impressedcalled the Shindogs and met another duo whichhouse in Surrey
bytheirwork?Said Eric this week, "Delaney andincluded Bonnie Lynn.
Bonnie Bramlett are married with two children. The
Bonnie, from St Louis, had been singing since sheband who playwith them have known each other all
was 12 songs like "Kansas City" in taverns where
their lives and were raised in the South. They havecountry artists worked with names the Kissin'
such a good time playing together and are reallygood to an audience.
Cousins. Later she worked with artists like Fontella Bass, Albert King
"People hearing them for the first time often think they are coloured.
and Ike and Tina Thrner. She met Delaney in the Carolina Lanes Club
As white musicians, theyare completelyaccepted by coloured
and within a short time theywere working together -and married.
audiences in the States. I first heard them when! went to the States withAt the end of 1968 they had a permanent band backing them and wereCream for the last time. I came back and didn't reallythink much about
gaining rave notices from public and musicians. When they opened atthem. Then! heard George was going after them. We asked them to be
the Whiskey in Los Angeles for three nights in March, Steve Stills, Daveon the Blind Faith tour.
Crosbyand Buddy Miles were all regular sitters -in with The Friends,"Dave Mason of Traffic played with them and they both playas the band is known. The basic Friends include Bobby Whitlock on
instruments themselves. They're beautiful people- real Southern
organ and vocals, Jerry McGee (guitar), Leon Russell (piano), Bobby
gentlemen -and women. I stayed with them in LA and theywill be
Keys and Jim Price (horns), Carl Radle (bass) and Jim Keltner (drums).
staying at myhouse in Surrey for two weeks before the tour. We'll be
And now they have a new friend -Eric Clapton. He has seen to it
rehearsing and writing songs.
that English fans will be made aware of their talents and appeal,"They've only been working together since the beginning of the year.
with a concert at theAlbert Hall, London in December.
Before that theywere playing at each other's houses. In fact, I think they
Chris Welchfor two weeks"Single tones throughout
MM NOV15

WEDDING
ALBUM

iCal prebbillgUI dUIIII dl IU HAW JUULFC Lr UUMUJeb aJohn Lennon & Yoko Ono
APPLE

The open diary of Mr and Mrs JO Lennon
continues. Its purpose? Who can tell, but
John's latest multi -media kit will probably bebought by those who feel they require amemento of our time, a kind of time capsule.
The albums: Side One consists almost
entirely of John and Yoko speaking eachother's names superimposed on the soundof their heartbeats. They sing, shout, mutter
cajole, scream, plead, threaten and demandeach other, and once the listener is into thesound (preferably with headphones) certain
facets become clear. The rhythm of theheartbeats, constantly colliding andseparating, resembles (albeit accidentally) the
playing of African drummers, and in the middle
when the voices quieten the metabolic soundsurges through with considerable strength.

Sides two and four consist entirelyof single tones maintained
throughout, presumably
produced electronically [seeLetters, p145]. This might soundarid to say the least but in fact
constant listening reveals acurious point:the pitch of thetones alters frequently but only by
microtones or at most a semitone.
This oscillation produces an almost
subliminal uneven beat which maintains
interest. On a more basic level, you could havea ball by improvising your own raga, plainsong,
even Gaelic mouth music against the drone.
Side three is the most varied, a montage ofsounds and interviews with John and Yoko
which begins with Yoko singing "Dear John,
let's hope forpeace". If memory serves, muchof the talking on this side comes from theirhoneymoon movie, and is basically on thepeace/bagism/bed-in theme. John also singsa lugubrious version of "Goodnight" which he- not Paul - wrote for Ringo. This album will
make interesting listening in 20 years' time.
What will we think of it then? Richard Williams

HISTORY OF ROCK 19 69 1133

1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER

Decembem4,1969:
The RollingStones
perform at London's
SavilleTheatre

134 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

"Don't feelsorry for me...
I feel sorry

for them"
After violent scenes at Altamont and across theUSA, the ROLLING STONES
shows are more
sedate. III,,...jarors perform and ice
cream is served. "The audiences are blasé," says
Mick Jagger. "This is why we don't play here."

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1135

"It 'sa great privilege to
be back in your wonderfulcity,"teases MickJagger
during the f irst of two
Saville Theatre shows

1969
OCTOBER-DECEMBERMELODY MAKER OVEMBER 29 ALL'S WELL WITH the Stones and Mick Jagger is atpeace with the world. They have returned to tour
America after three years and, says Mick, "It's been
crazy- great fun." Somehow California sunshine
managed to sneak along the thousands of miles oftelephone cable between LA and downtown Catford
when Mick rang me this week. He sounded cool, calm and collected,
although there was a burst of the old Mick on the subject of musicians'
unions and a touch of the send-ups on the subject of pop operas.
A strange and hideous nightmare in which The Bonzo Dog Band and
The Who were fighting on stage was mercifullyinterrupted when thephone shrilled dramatically at 4am. The call had been expected at
midnight, and I had fallen into a fitful sleep of the kind that would havebroken and encephalograph if one had been strapped to my head.
"Hello, its Mick Jagger here," came the highlytogether voice, as!
stumbled around trying to switch on the light and find a ballpoint. "I'vebeen out buying some records," he said chattily. "I found some Rolling
Stones LPs I haven't seen before and some old blues stuff. Hang on aminute..." The sound of Rolling Stones clattering about in the backgroundinterrupted myin-depth probing, which had so farconsisted of "hello".
"I'm talking to the Melody Maker, can you keep quiet?" I heard Mick
calling out, and the long-distance muttering faded. "Sorry -just havingsome domestic problems.
"Did ! wake you up? I'm in Beverly Hills, LosAngeles, overlooking thesea and its a beautiful day. I'm completelyrelaxed because the tour has
been really good fun -and the travelling has been easy. We've done
Baltimore, New York and Philly, and we've got used to being on the roadagain very quickly. Its three years since we did it last, and it's just as
exciting and crazy. We've been playing about an hour -and -a -quarter
shows, and even longer if things go reallywell. We've been playing well.
MickTayloris doing fine. We start offwith five fast rock'n'rollers, thenslow it down fora few acoustic numbers. We've been playing a few
tracks off the new album Let It Bleed and from Beggars Banquet. The
new album should be out here next week. How's London? We should bedoing a couple of dates there when we get back."
Good news indeed. But where in London in winter can the Stones play?
The parks will be a bit nippy. I gave him a brief resume of current weather
conditions. "That's the problem - there's nowhere to play, because theAlbert Hall is banning rock concerts, right? Maybe it will be at the
Lyceum. We'll do the concerts around Christmas, on December 10 and
22. But we've not confirmed anythingyet."
Had there been much trouble riot -wise on the tour?
"There have been a few punch-ups in San Diego. But we managed to get
the police outside of the concerts, which makes it much cooler. Chicago
was incredible. The people there have so much energy; they are into doing
so many things. You sometimes think it is all happening in England, thenyou realise it's mostly happening in the States. Yes, they really have a lot ofenergy here. I said they have a lot of energy here. It's fantastic!"
I smothered a yawn and hastily agreed before Mick thought I had fallen
into a trance. Had the Stones been recording much?
"No. We're not allowed to record here because the English Musicians'
Union won't letAmericans record in England. We talked to theAmerican

union about it and theysaytheydon't mind us recording there, but they
can't do anything- the English Union causes such problems."
How was Mick's filming schedule coming along?
"Well, we've finished both films, and now we have to do some soundsync for Performanceand Ned Kelly.I'm trying to get some music written
and recorded for Kelly. We've got a few ideas about doing some country
music that should fit with the mood of the film."
Howwere our other Britishgroups doing in the States?
INSIDE: Buddy Rich/Kenny Rodgers/Nice"Verywell. The Kinks are

STONES - IWO

ONOON
OATES

opening here tonight with
their opera Arthur. In fact,
The Rolling Stones are going to
do a pop opera now. It's called
Albert -all about the sex lifeof a white blues singer.""Great," I snored drugglily.
"OK, that's enough, sleep tight,

baby." Chris Welch

DECEMBER

14

Not quite a riot
MM Dec 20 Polite applause replaces screamingas the Stones return to the London stage.
IT WAS ICE Cream Sunday at the Saville with the Stones. Instead ofstabbings there were conjuring tricks. Polite applause replacedpremature birth in the stalls. And a jolly good job too! Typically
British phlegm was displayed by the audience for The Rolling
Stones' first London theatre appearance in years on Sunday, insharp contrast to reports of hysteria and violence in America.
In San Francisco four people died and four were born when thegroup played to a half a million souls. In perambulating London,
several hundred ladies and gentlemen, full of Sunday dinner, gently
tapped their toes to the scintillating rhythms of Jagger and friends.
Despite exhortations from Mick, the citizenry of London declined
the offer to jive in the aisles and preferred to express theirappreciation for such favourites as "Satisfaction" and "Sympathy
For The Devil" with the generous if decorous hand clapping "in theusual manner", as toast masters invite at Rotary Club annual dinners.
"I was expecting a teeny-bopper audience. I'm so relieved it isn't,"
well-known columnist David Wigg whispered during a cathedral like hush between numbers. It was nice to be able to hear and see
the Stones playing and singing properly without all the bellowing
and bopping of the mid -'60s. But Mick was not so pleased. As we
drank champagne and ate strawberries about 24 hours after theshow, he scowled and said, "The first show was a bore; the second
show was much better. The first house was full off
g journalists."
Not having seen the second show, one has to report that theatmosphere was decidedly cool, but the audience could not be
blamed loo per cent. Knicker wetting doesn't happen by pressing abutton. If this is the desired effect, long periods of inactivity
between sets, David Berglas and his cabaret act and an indifferent
rock revival group are not quite the way to build tension. Shakin'
Stevens from Wales opened the show looking slightly
uncomfortable in drape jackets and Elvis hairstyles. They areprobably great fun in a small club, but the theatre tended to expose
their weak instrumental ability. DJ Jeff Dexter occasionallymaterialised in front of the curtains bearing
news of great events, one of them being Mr
Berglas and his auto -suggestion show.
A girl was balanced horizontally on a chair back and gauche "members of the audience"
participated in certain tricks. Nobody
pretended to drink ink, which was a shame, as I
have always wanted to see somebody pretend
to drink ink. The girl remained horizontal togreat applause and the rest of the hocus-pocus
worked with varying degrees of success.
At 6.15pm, after the show had been runningan hour, we heard our first music. Mighty Baby,booked at the last minute, made a great
impression with a beautiful overall sound inwhich nobody overpowered the others. It wascollective improvisation, which floated alongover the propulsive drums of Roger Powell.
Ian Whiteman on organ, saxophone and flute
took a few solos along with Martin Stone (leadguitar), Alan King (rhythm) and Mike Evans(bass guitar).
At this point ice cream was served. It was of
the finest quality.lf a trifle under -cooled. For
our further enjoyment of the show, excellent
programmes containing first-class photographsof the group were on sale. The safety curtain
was lowered. Jeff Dexter played a record, andtoffee -papers rustled in anticipation.
It was around 7pm when a voice whispered
behind the curtain, "Two minutes' silence." Itsounded like Jagger.To end the confusion
about what might be happening next, Jeff
Dexter suddenly crawled out on his hands
and knees from under the curtain again. He
shouted in a loud voice, "The Rolling Stones!"
and it was evident something was up.
The curtains parted and there was Mick,Charlie, Keith, Bill and Mick.They blasted into
"Jumping Jack Flash" and Mick was out there,

dressed in black with an orange drape
entwining.The band sounded fine and were attheir best on "Oh Carol"and similar remindersof the R&B boom. Mick Taylor, white and blueand blond, played some nice lead guitar bits
and used the steel effectively. Both Keith andMick soloed on "Sympathy", while Charlie andBill chugged along brightly. But while theapplause came readily enough, it wasn't quite
the riot Mick seemed to expect.
"Now you are not just going to sit there -or
I'm going to crown you," he warned. But it was
not until the house lights were turned up andMick had wiggled his bottom, stretched on thefloor and Charlie had socked out a heavy intro
to "Under My Thumb" that the crowd begansome dutiful handclapping,and later volunteered todance in the aisle."It's a great
privilege to be back in yourwonderful city," said Mick.
"Perhaps you are more in
the mood for somethingslower you can get into- tosleep, I mean!"But there was no moody ofany description. It was justthat we wanted to listen to
the music. I remember shouting, "Crazy, man,
crazy!"- but that was during a performance ofthe motion picture Rock Around The Clock at
the Queen's Cinema, Catford ini956, andhaving been warned to keep quiet by an elderly
lady soft-drink seller, have felt intimidated at
public entertainments ever since.
There was one small, rather sad but
significant episode. A little girl ran down to
the front of the stage, watched impassively
by the handful of stewards. She threw a scarf
on stage, but it fluttered in the orchestra pit.

A man on duty inthe pit picked up thewisp of material andcourteously handed it
back to the little girl, who tried again andsucceeded in delivering it at Jagger's feet. But
he didn't notice.
"Street Fighting Man" finallyaroused thepassions and a great roar went up as thecurtain fell."More" was the cry and shouts of"bravo" were noted. But there was to be no
more. The curtain remained firmly drawn. The
Stones had worked hard enough and it was toolate to expect them to be impressed by thesudden change of heart.
Before he went, Mick threw a bucket ofsymbolic confetti at us,which according to ancient
Greek legend means,"A pox upon you worthless
dullards." Unwilling to enter
any lengthy discussion,
Mick, however, said, "Thelast show was full of trendy
hippies and swingers.The
first show was weird. The
audience were totallylacking in energy.""I felt sorry for you, I could see you were
working really hard..." I began.This was a
mistake."Don't feel sorry for me. It was justanother gig for me," he snapped."I felt sorry
for them.The most blase audiences in theworld are in our own country, which is why we
don't play here."
A thousand groups began wailing in my head.
"We are tired of playing to screamers. We
want to play to listening audiences." Theghosts of interviews past haunted my skull.

"Now you are notjust going to sit
there, or I'm goingto crown you!"warned Jagger

End of conversation. End of an era. Chris Welch

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

137

1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER

Maynifig:John Lennon
photographed during
thesecond"Bed-In" atthe Queen Elizabeth
H otel in Montreal

138 I HISTORY OF

Ck 1969

These are dark days
for THE BEATLES. Applehas become a point ofdisagreement, while thegroup's members are
writing too much to keep
under the Beatles name.
John Lennon examines

their situation "What are
we selling?" he wonders"Do they buy it because it'
worth it, or just because

it says 'Beatles'?"

THE BEATLES"It's nonews that
we argue"1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER

Lastweekl spent some time with John, during which he told me thetruth about the early days, the current relationships within The Beatles,
and his consequent need for independence, and a host of other subjects.
We begin with the group's rise to fame, and John's feelings about the way
it was achieved.
"In the beginning it was a constant fight between Brian [Epstein] andPaul on one side and me and George on the other," he told me. "Brian put
us in neat suits and shirts, and Paul was right behind him. I didn't dig that,and I used to tryand get George to rebel with me. I'd say to him, 'Look, we
don't need thesesuits. Let's chuck them out of the window.' My
rebellion was to have mytie loose, with the top button of myshirt undone,
but Paul'd always come up to me and put it straight.
"I saw a film the other night, the first television film we ever did. The
Granada people came down to film us, and there we were in suits andeverything- itjust wasn't us, and watching that film I knew that that waswhere we started to sell out. We had to do a lot of selling out then. Taking
the MBE was a sell-out for me. You know, before you get an MBE the
Palace writes to you to ask if you're going to accept it, because you're notsupposed to reject it publiclyand theysound you out first.
"I chucked the letter in with all the fanmail, until Brian asked me if I had
it. He and a few other people persuaded me that it was in our interests totake it, and it was hypocritical of me to accept it. But I'm glad, really, that
I did accept it -because it meant that fouryears later! could use it to makea gesture.
"We did manage to refuse all sorts of things that people don't know
about. For instance, we did the Royal Variety Show once, and we wereasked discreetly to do it everyyear after that- but we always said, 'Stuff it.'So everyyear there was always a story in the newspapers saying 'Why No
Beatles For The Queen?', which was pretty funny, because they didn't
knowwe'd refused it.
"That show was a bad gig anyway. Everybody's very nervous anduptight, and nobody performs well. The time we did do it, I cracked a joke
onstage. I was fantastically nervous but I wanted to say something, justto rebel a bit, and that was the best ! could do."Was there, in fact, anything at all that he enjoyed about the years
of Beatlemania?
"Oh sure. I dug the fame, the power, the money, and playing to big
crowds. ConqueringAmerica was the best thing. You see, we wanted tobe biggerthan Elvis -that was the main thing.At first we wanted to be
Goffin & King, then we wanted to be Eddie Cochran, then we wanted to
be BuddyHolly, and finallywe arrived at wanting to be bigger than the
biggest -and that was Elvis.
"We reckoned we could make it because there were four of us. Noneof us would've made it alone, because Paul wasn't quite strong enough,I didn't have enough girl appeal, George was too quiet, and Ringo was the
drummer. But we thought that everyone would be able to dig at least oneof us, and that's how itturned out."
When John returned
1
his MBE in protest
against Britain's
involvement in the
Vietnam and Biafra
conflicts, he added,"And against 'Cold
Turkey' slipping down
the charts."
Does that meanthat "Cold Turkey" isoutspoken
a specially important
record foryou?

nonthe most

series ever
ABOUT his
relationship withthe other Beatles"Yes, because it's MY
record. When I wrote it
I went to the other three
Beatles and said, 'Heylads, I think I've written
a new single.' But they
all said, 'Ummm...

arrrrrr...
ABOUT handing
hack his MBE

ABOUT refusing

because it was going to
be myproject, and so
I thought, 'Buggeryou!
I'll put it out myself.'

That had happened once
before, when I wanted to
put 'Revolution' out asa single, but 'HeyJude'went out instead."
Does that mean that
Plastic Ono Band is, for
John, a kind of altemative

Beatles, particularly inview of Ringo's refusal to
go on tour again?
"Yes, I suppose so. It's
away of getting mymusicout to the public. I don't

bother so much about theothers' songs. For instance,
I don't give a damn about
how 'Something' is doingin the charts -I watch'Come Together', because
that's mysong."
Can he ever conceive of a time when he wouldn't want his songs to beon the same album as Paul's orGeorge's?
"I can see it happening. The Beatles can go on appealing to a wide
audience as long as they make albums likeAbbeyRoad, which have nicelittle folk songs like 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' for the grannies to dig.
"About 'Maxwell's Hammer' - well, all I can say is that I dig Engelbert
Humperdinck as much as I digJohn Cage, and I don't listen to either ofthem," he said with a marvellously relevant irrelevance. "I always wanted
to have other people on our records, like the Stones and our other friends.
But some of the others wanted to keep it tight -just like The Beatles, you
know? But you wait - it's starting to get looser, and there should be somefantastic sessions in the next few years. That's what I wanted all along."
Going back to the past, did he enjoy doing The Beatles' two films, Help!
andAHardDay'sNight?
"I dugHard Day'sNight, althoughAlun Owen onlycame with us for twodays before he wrote the script. He invented that word 'grotty' -did you
know that? We thought the word was reallyweird, and George curled up
with embarrassment every time he had to sayit. But it's part of thelanguage now -you hear societypeople using it. Amazing.
"Help!was a drag, because we didn't knowwhat was happening. In fact
[Richard] Lesterwas a bit ahead of his time with theBatman thing, but wewere on pot by then and all the best stuff is on the cutting -room floor, withus breaking up and falling about all over the place."
The present: hasAllen Klein made an agreeable difference toApple,
which was bothering John the last time! spoke to him?
"Oh, it's really marvellous. People were veryscared of him to start with and some still are -but that's probablygood. He's swept out all the rubbish
and the deadwood, and stopped it being a resthouse for all the world's
hippies. He won't let people orderantique furniture for their offices andso forth; he's really tightened it up and it's starting to work a lot better.
"He's noticed that The Beatles had stopped selling records as theywere
doing around the world, and he found out that it was because the record
companysimplywasn't bothering to push them. They thought that ourrecords would sell themselves, and theywere wrong. They don't. If you
can get to No 1 in Thrkey, Greece, Switzerland and a couple of othercountries then that's as good financiallyas getting a No 1 in Britain -they
don't realise that.
"Klein's very good -he's going to make sure they stop sitting on therecords and actually release them. He's even keeping tabs on me I usually make mistakes about who to get in to survey my house, and I
can spend a fortune without getting anything done. He's making sure
that! do it the right way." Richard Williams- MELODY MAKER DECEMBER 13 JOHN LENNON'S"PEACE Crusade" inspires a variety ofemotions in people. Sadly, few of those emotions are worthy
ones. John and Yoko have been mercilessly lampooned andvilified by the public and the mass media, and a great proportion ofthis reaction has been thoughtless and hurtful.
It would surely have been enough to make any lesser man, whose heart
was not in his cause, retire from the field to a more comfortable, less

JohnandYokoOnosharocakest

4 thApplo offices in London and(left) porformwith the Plastic

Ono Band at the Lyceum Ballroom

in London,Decemberi5,1969

publicised existence. But not the Lennons.
CC
They have kept up their output of peacefulpropaganda in the face of a ceaseless barrage ofinsults, and the time will surelycome when even
their most jaundiced and gout -ridden detractors
will realise their essential honesty, and theirright to exercise it in theway they most see fit.
But like it or not, John Lennon and his lovely
wife are in the process of becoming leaders in
the public eye. Theystand fora cause, and as
public figures they can be held responsible forthe failings and excesses of that cause.
This is not how theywant it. Leadership in any form is the last cloak
which Lennon wishes to put on, as he told me.
"I'm not falling for that one. Like PeterSeeger said, we don't have aleader but we have a song- 'Give PeaceA Chance'. So I refuse to be leader,and I'll always show my genitals or do somethingwhich prevents me frombeing Martin Luther King or Ghandi and getting killed. Because that's
what happens to leaders. Our whole mistake is having leaders and people
we can relyon or point a finger at."Yoko, as always at John's side, chipped in: "For instance, many people
say if you want to do that kind of thing, about peace, don't do anythingthat is misleading like showing your genitals. Always keep a clean image
so that people can believe in your peace movement.
"But that's exactlywhat the establishment is doing ("And that's what
the Beatles did too" -John), taking their children to church on Sundays.
This is showing that, 'I'm the President of the United States and I'malright and I'm healthyand verymoral et cetera.' You don't get anywherethat way -you become just another hypocrite, and you're playing theestablishment game. We don't want to do that. We try to be honest andthe point is, ifwe are really honest, just to make it between us is a lifetime
thing, and ifwe can't make it together and endure each other, the worldis nowhere.
"If ordinary couples can make it together and make it with theirchildren and so forth, love -wise ("She doesn't mean 'make it' as you 'lay'"-John), then you can look after the world."
John continued, "One thing we've found out is that love is a great gift,
like a precious flower or something. You have to feed it and look after it,
and it has storms to go through and snow, but you have to protect it. It's
like a pet cat. You know, people get a cat and theydon't want to feed it, orthey get a dog and they don't want to walk it. But love has to be nurtured
like a very sensitive animal, because that's what it is.

"And you have to work at love; you don't justsit round with it and it doesn't just do it foryou.
You've got to be very careful with it; it's the mostdelicate thingyou can be given. It's a very
delicate situation."
What will John and Yoko do about Vietnam
and Biafra, which John mentioned in the letterthat accompanied his MBE back to the Queen?
"We'll keep promoting peace in thewaywe do,which, whicheverwayyou lookat it, is ourway,
becausewe're artists and not politicians. We
don't organise; we do it in the best waywe knowhow, to make people aware that, if theywant warto stop, onlytheycan do it.
"The politicians can't do it. I think our whole movement is successful, as
shown byNixon, who's having to wriggle around a bit now and makepropaganda films about the Moratorium claiming that the 'silent
majority' is with him, with a highly polished Negro in an Italian suit
saying how great it is to beAmerican. Nixon has been moved by the peace
movement- that includes John and Yoko and all the people in the world
who are doing it, and that's howwe're going to change it. We're not goingto Vietnam to die for it or going to Biafra to die for it. We've consideredeverything, not dying but going to the places.
"People prefer a dead saint to a living annoyance like John and Yoko.
But we don't intend to be dead saints for people's convenience. They
prefer Ghandi and Martin Luther King since they died, but you should seethem in India now, celebrating Ghandi Year -anything less like Ghandi's
principles going on in India you've neverseen. It's a hoax. And so we don't
intend to be dead saints -or living saints either. People don't like saints."
Their highly unusual WeddingAlbum has caused its share ofcontroversy. Whydid they make it?
Yoko: "It's like a diary, it reflects our love and peace ideas."
John: "When people get married they usuallymake theirown wedding
albums. We're public personalities and I'd enjoy readingJackie andOnassis' album. Our wedding was public, we we're sharing our diaries
and our feelings with the world. So one side shows our involvement witheach other, and the other side shows what we do together outside of ourinvolvement with each other, which is promote peace."
Isn't there a danger that the diaryof Yoko and John will become
too public?
"We have nothing to hide. 'Everybody's got something to hide except
for me and my monkey, you know? We keep certain parts of our life
private because we're not as wild as people think. I doubt if we'll 30

together,like 24 hoursof the day"HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 1141

1969

OCTOBER -DECEMBER

ever make love in public, or invite the TVcameras into our bedroom,
and I doubt if I'll ever go to the toilet in public. Just because I think somethings, I don't want to show that side of me."Yoko: "We're from a certain generation, you can't denythat, and forpeople in our generation it is so difficult, and maybe the next John andYoko will...""Show all," said John. "Maybe we will before we die. People hidethemselves from each other all the time, and everybody's frightened ofsaying something nice about somebody in case they don't say anything
nice back, or in case they get hurt, or oflooking at somebody in case theysay, 'What are you looking at?'"Everybody's so uptight and they're always building these walls aroundthemselves. All you can do is try and break the walls down and show that
there's nothing there but PEOPLE. It's just like looking in the mirror,
there's nothing to worry about -it's only people."
Yoko: And even we are not relaxed enough as people. We have many
complexities and tensions. We try hard to be honest and expose
ourselves, but there are certain things that we just can't... Maybe in thenext generation they can, good luck to them. We're trying hard as we are"John has always tried to carryout his philosophies and campaigns in asense of fun.Are they, as some cynics suggest, in fact taking the mickey?
"That's true, although we're not taking the mickey. Everybody's
frightened of being conned, of being tricked. If you say something nice tosomebodythey're not sure if you mean it, so that rather than respond to
yourloving movement they'll reject you, and that's what the press do.
Because they're frightened of what we did with the MBE about the Biafra
thing, they'll write about myAuntie Mimi's reaction to me giving theMBE back, because they don't want to fall forthe con of 'Is he joking?'"Of course we're joking as well. We mustn't take ourselves too seriously,
otherwise it's the end. We think the mistake of everyone-Ghandi andMartin LutherKingAND the left wingAND the students and all society- is taking it too seriously. If you take it seriously, it IS serious. What we try
and do is be non -serious about things, but we are very serious about being
not serious."
Yoko: "We maybe too serious, even. We try to have a sense of humour
and we try to smile at everyone a really genuine smile from the bottom of
our hearts. But it's verydifficult for ourgeneration to really genuinely
smile, but we're trying."
John: "It's like when I sent the MBE back, and I wrote that it was against
Britain's involvement in Biafra and Vietnam and against 'Cold Turkey'
slipping down the charts. When we thought of that we were screamingwith laughter, and so a few snobs and hypocrites got very upset about
mentioning'Cold Turkey' with the problem of Biafra and Vietnam, butthat saved it from being too serious and being another colonel protesting!
You have to try and do everythingwith humour, and keep smiling."
RichardWilliams- MELODY MAKER DECEMBER 20 FROM ALL THE publicity, welcome and unwelcome, thatthey have received during their two years together, John
and Yoko Lennon might seem to have little or no private life
together. In fact, they appear wilfully topresent their joint life to the public, for thatmost altruistic and most misunderstoodreason: to set a good example.
John has said in the past that he'd like them
to be remembered as the Romeo and Juliet ofthe age, and when he says that ! don't believe
he's being egotistical. In fact the Lennons
may, in a left-handed sort of way, be doing theestablishment a favour -by bringing marriage
back into fashion.
Like anybody else, they do have a more private
side to their life, and John comments, "There's
nothing! like more than to get home at the endof the day and sit next to Yoko and say, 'Well, we'retogether at last.' Although we may have been holding
hands all day, it's not the same when we're working
or talking to the press. We feel a hundred miles apartby comparison."It's obvious that they have changed each other,
the change in John being more noticeable because
142 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

we knew more of his earlier self. But how did meetingJohn change
Yoko's life?

"He's changed everything in a sense that lwas a very lonelyperson
before I met him," she says. "Most people in the world are very lonely,
that's the biggest problem, and because of their loneliness they become
suspicious. And the reason we're lonely is because we can't communicate
enough from the various complexes we have and from the various social
habits we've created. We become very inhibited, but when I met John I
started to open up a little, through love, you know, and that's the greatest
thing that happened to me yet.
"There are various facets to my life and my personality, and I never met
anybody else who could understand me. We understand each other sowell, and I'm not lonely anymore -which is a shocking experience, really.
Also, through loneliness or something, I was starting to become a very
firm and strong ego... but that's melting away, and it's verynice."
On the other side of the coin, how does John feel Yoko has changed him?
"Exactly the same, of course. I was lonely, and didn't have fullcommunication with anybody and it took a bit of adjusting. She
rediscovered or cultivated the thing that existed in me before I left
Liverpool, maybe, and recultivated the natural John Lennon that had
been lost in the Beatles thing and the worldwide thing. She encouraged
me to be myself, because it was me that she fell in love with, not the
Beatles orwhatever I was.
"When you get sidetracked you believe it, and when you're in the dark
you believe it. She came and reminded me that there was light, and when
you remember there's light you don't want to get back in the dark again.
That's what she did forme."
Yoko: "But you knowl didn't do it intentionallyor anything. It's thefalling -in -love bit: you start to see all sorts of things that you don't see if
you're not in love. I found that he has all these qualities that he was hiding
away. Even in a practical sense, music -wise, he was doing all sorts offreaky things at home, just recording it on a cassette or something, but
not really showing it publicly. Publicly he was doing The Beatles' things.
But he showed me all these cassettes and things and I said, 'Why don't
you produce these as records?'"I performed the role of a mirror in a way. He was doing all those
things anyway -I didn't suggest them. It was there -and that goes for his
drawing, paintings, and poetry too- especiallyhis drawings. He's got astack of beautiful drawings at home, and this one series he did is going to
be produced as sort of lithograph. They're not like his cartoons -they'reanother kind of drawing. I think they're better than Picasso.""She's biased," said John happily.
"You'll see them next year," continued Yoko. "And those things
were always there in John- they just came out, but artists do needencouragement. We're always together, like 24 hours of the day. At the
beginning, when we were less sure and we were still the previous us, oncein awhile when John was recording I'd go shopping on the King's Road orsomething- nowwe couldn't conceive of that.
"People say that if you're together 24 hours a day for two years you
must get sick and tired of each other, but it's the contrary," asserted Yoko.
"We got so addicted to that situation that we miss each other more. It'sa very strange scene."
John: "Somebody said, 'Won't you get so
reliant on each other that you can't manage
without each other?' and we said yes! The only
thing that could split us is death, and we have to
face that... and we don't even believe we'll be
split then, if we work on it. Our only worry in theworld is that we die together, otherwise even if
it's only three m inutes later it's going to be hell.
I couldn't bear three minutes of it.
"Most marriages have a little pretence goingon, and we thought, 'Are we going to have topretend that we're happytogether because wedaren't say that we want to be apart?' But that
doesn't happen. When two of you are together,
man and wife, there's nothing that can touch you.
You have the power of two people, you have theprotection -you don't need the society or the room or
the uniform or the gun, because you have the powerof two minds, which is a pretty powerful thing."
A major part of most marriages is childbearing.
John and Yoko have one child each by theirprevious"There isn't
enough outlet
for me in
The Beatles"

THE BEATLES

I wanted out at one time. It was just that all my income wasgoing in toApple and being wasted by the joy -riding people
who were here. We needed a businessman.
"I know that's what's going on all the time. People come to me
and say, 'Paul wants this done, what do you think?', and theyknow damn well what I think and they say 'alright' and thentheygo to Paul and say, 'John wants this done, he's off again.'
The result is that we kept sending in different instructions andnothingwas being done. Like people anywhere, theywere
getting awaywith what theycould. We were naive and stupid.
"What !want is for the freeloading to stop, but the old Apple
spirit to remain. The spirit will be there, because ifApple is not
a problem to The Beatles -which it was -it just can't help but
get better. Our job is to put the creative side intoApple. If The
Beatles never recorded togetheragain, but each put theircreative efforts thoughApple... that at least would be better
than me having a company, Paul having a company, George
having a company, and Ringo having a company. Together we
at least have that much more power.
"The onlywaywe can help other artists at Apple is the same
way the Beatles helped otherartists... by breaking new
barriers. That's what we didn't get before. We sat back, and we
started to believe our own publicity, to tell ourselves how The
Beatles helped people get long hair, and The Beatles started off
this and the other.
"The Beatles split up? It just depends how much we all want torecord together. I don't know if I want to record togetheragain.
I go off and on it. I reallydo. The problem is that in the old days,
August igegi Paul andwhenwe needed an album, Paul and I got togetherand produced
Linda McCartneya
week before the birth
enough songs forit. Nowadays, there's three of us writingof their daughter Mary
prolificallyand tryingto fit it all onto one album. Orwe have to
While m ygultar
think of a double album everytime, which takes six months.
marriages, and Yoko has had two
gen tl 9 weeps
That's the hang-upwe have. It's not a personal 'The Beatles are
miscarriages since they've been together.
fighting' thing, so much as an actual, physical problem.
How important do they think a child will be to their relationship?
"What do you do?! don't want to spend six months making an album"We're not even sure that we want children," said John. "We're that
I have two tracks on!And neither do Paul or George, probably. That's thejealous. But if God or whoever gives us a child we'll accept it. Maybe we'dproblem. If we can overcome that, maybe it'll sort itself out. None of us
like two or three. But even then we have to consider is a child going towant to be background musicians most of the time. It's a waste. We didn't
interfere between us? How can we look after a child and be together 24
spend 10 years making it to have the freedom of recording studios, to behours a day?"able to have two tracks on an album.
Yoko: "It's not fair to the child, maybe, because we are so close. The child"It's not like we spend ourtime wrestling in the studio trying to get our
will be somebody that will be saying 'hello' once in awhile."
own songs on. We all do it the same way... we take it in turns to record a
John: "Obviously it'll probably be different if we have one, because all
track. It's just that usually in the past, George lost out. Because Paul andthe times she's pregnant we consider it. We're full into it, wanting a child,
I are tougher. It's nothing new, the way things are. It's human. We've
but when you lose it and you get over the pain then you consider whether
always said we've had fights. It's no news that we argue. I'm more
you wanted the child. Now maybe we had that in the back of our minds all
interested in my songs. Paul's more interested in his, and George is morealong, and that's why she lost it. We don't really knowwhether we wantinterested in his. That's always been.
one or not. If she gets pregnant we'll want one, but I'd like her not to be"This is why I've started with the Plastic Ono and working with Yoko...
pregnant fora bit -she's been pregnant since! met her!
to have more outlet. There isn't enough outlet forme in the Beatles. The"I'd like her to stay slim for a year and then maybe have one. But we don't
Ono Band is myescape valve. And how important that gets, as compared
fancy birth pills, because! don't trust them and anything else is out of theto The Beatles forme, I'll have to wait and see.
question (laughs) because it's inconvenient. We're not like that -we try to"You have to realise that there's a peculiar situation in that if 'Cold
act naturally at all times. That's one of our problems, besides death. It's inTurkey' had had the name 'Beatles' on it, probably it would have been
God's hands." Richard Williamsa No 1. 'Cold Thrkey' has got Ringo and me on, and yet half the Beatles
tracks of AbbeyRoadrm not on, or half the tracks on the double album- and even wayback. Sometimes there might be only two Beatles on a
- NME DECEMBER 13 track. It's got to the situation where if we have the name 'Beatle' on it, it
IMAYBE WRONG, and I hope I am, but these are dark days forsells. So you get to think, 'What are we selling? Do they buyit because it's
The Beatles. A few days ago John and Yoko and I talked in a one worth it, or just because it says 'Beatles'?
hour 15 -minute exclusive interview. He was pleasant, together,"George is in the same position. I mean, he's got songs he's been trying
straightforward, mellow and resolute, and only in references to Paulto get on since 1920. He's got to make an album of his own. And maybe if
did his voice drop in doubt.
he puts 'Beatles' on the label rather than George Harrison, it might sell
He told me, "Paul and I both have differences of opinion on how things
more. That's the drag. Of course we could each make an album and call it
should be run. But instead of it being a private argument about how an LP'The Beatles'. But that would be cheating.And that's not my scene.
"Anyway, folks, remember the Plastic Ono Band LP from Toronto,
should be done, or a certain track, it's now a larger argument about theorganisation of Apple itself. Whether we both want the same thing fromreleased December
Apple in the end is a matter of opinion. But how to achieve it -that's where
the 12th, with a nice
we digress. Mainly, we disagree on the Klein bit. But you know, I don't
picture of the sky, andreallywant to discuss Paul without him here. It's just that as far as I cana fab calendar inside
see, Paul was always waiting for This Guy to just appear and come andof a year's events withsave us from the mess we were in.
John and Yoko, with
"I'm a quarter of this building and it became a question of whether
poetry and fun."I should pull my moneyout if I could -which I probably can't. I did say
Alan Smith

BEATLES AREt ON THE BRINKOF SPLITTING

THE HISTORY OF

THE HISTORY OF=

A MONTHLY TRIPHROUGH MUSIC'S
GOLDEN YEARSTHIS ISSUE:1968

FROM THE ARCHWESOF
NM E 6 MELODY MAKER
THIS MONTH: 1967!

"I'm interested in the"Ideal tike to stayroression of pop"
THE BEATLES

in one place"

THE PINK FLOYD
THE

LED ZEPPELIN

CREAMTHE DOORSBOB DYLANOW PLUS!

NK FLOYD HENDRTHE HISTORMISSEDANY OF OUR
PREVIOUSISSUES?

41:
EMI

IE

0

HISTORY OF

FROM THE ARCHINFROM THE ARCHIVES OF
NME& MELODY MAKER
THIS MONTH:19661

E sts MELODY MAKER

THIS MONTH:1965!

S

...-

G

BOB DYLAN

THE BEATLES"I don't want to lie to you"" We're growiu up!"

THE BEATLESBEACH BOYSSTEVIE WONDERROLLING STONESTHE CREAMROY ORBISON
THE WHOBOB DYLAN\7',.
ROLLING! STONES THE BYR DS \JOHN COLTRANE'WALKER BROTHERS-4 0,

itt/, MARIANNE FAITHFULL)

THE WHO \SIMON & GARFUNKELYARDBIRDS SONNY & CHER KINKS ANIMALS BURT BACHARACHWW

EY THE WHO.

PLUS! RAVI SHANKAR NANCY SINATRA THE KINKS THE TROGGS
I

I

NCUT.CO.UK/STORE

1969

Readers' letters

OC OBE a

ACCORDIONISTSONLY !
THE NEW INSTRUMENT
OF THE CENTURY ! !

MM OCT-DEC Lennon, Townshend and Bruford - plus a few readers - write...
BESIDE THE C -SIDE

A fortnight ago MM's Richard
Williams reviewed Wedding
Album byJohn and Yoko Lennon,

commenting in particular on twosides of the "double album" which
in fact consisted throughout ofan engineer's test signal. Last
week he received the following
telegram from John and Yoko
in Bombay:
DEAR RICHARD THANK YOU
FOR YOUR FANTASTIC REVIEWON OUR WEDDINGALBUM
INCLUDING C -AND -D SIDES.
WE ARE CONSIDERING IT FOR
OUR NEXT RELEASE. MAYBE
YOU ARE RIGHT IN SAYING
THAT THEYARE THE BESTSIDES STOP WE BOTH FEELTHAT THIS ISTHE FIRST TIMEA CRITIC TOPPED THEARTIST.
WE ARE NOTJOKING. LOVEAND PEACE STOP JOHN AND
YOKO LENNON

afford to buy a large house

outright, because theirjobs,
unlike his, do not allow them totravel the world and virtually
workwhen they please, seems tome an excess of bad manners.
So these houses look all thesame -can they help that? Sothey pay for their radios andtelevisions on the HP- he must
remember that it was exposureon these media that was largely
responsible for the initial successof The Kinks. These people are all,well, PEOPLE. They possess thefacility to love and be happy, and if
some of them lack tolerance, Mr
Davies scarcely provides a mode.
PAULINE EDMONDSON, Watford,
Harts (MMSopt 20)(MM Nov 29)

SHAKY OFFER

We understand that John Lennon
wants to join a '56 -type rock'n'roll
outfit. Well, if he's still got thewhite drape suit he wore in
Canada and if he knows all thewords to "At The Hop", then we'll
give the kid a break. Rock on.
SHAKIN' STEVENS, ThSunsets,
Penarth, Glamorgan (MM Oct 4)

NOCTURNAL OMISSIONS"Je T'Aime" maybe an immoral
record, likewise "Wet Dream",and the BBC may be justified inbanning these songs. But whena song reaches the Top 5 then
Top OfThe Pops should play the

numberwhether they approveof it or not.
JOHN DUNNE, Ripon, Yorkshire.
(MM Oct 25)

A WELL DISRESPECTFUL MAN
I have just heard the new record"Shangri-La" by The Kinks, andI am disgusted. Not by thebanality of the music -I am no
expert on that, so I shan't pursue
the subject- but by thesentiments expressed in the song.
Once again, they are on the kick ofmocking the little man in his
mortgaged semi, who catches thetrain to work every morning.
What is it about these people
that stirs up such hilarity in Ray
Davies? That he mocks thembecause they cannot, unlike him,

E

ACCORDIOVOX

joke music taking over the chart.
While I have nothing against
West Indian pop -a lot of it is
fun and good dance music - it's"skinhead" associations are
odious to any half-educatedmind, and the sudden fantastic
lowering of musical standards,
after such a long fight toimprove them, can only be adisappointment. But perhaps
reggae will get better -that tenorsolo on "Return Of Django" andthe cellos on Jimmy Cliff's hit aregood omens for the future!
ERIC WENTWORTH, Oldham,

ACCORD IOVOX

TIM POWER Of A MIGHTY ORGANI

woe

J.fflp.ter I ...fed
hewt c.,n WINN y

own

wryly

pod., cos

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PLUGS IMO ANY AMPLIFIER
33

MSC WILLI
I 01.137 7229

Lanes (MM Nov 29)

RAVING ON

BLIND FAITH'S recent recordingof Buddy Holly's "Well All Right"
is evidence of the continuing
influence of the late rock'n'roll
singer 10 years after his death.
In case there are still some indoubt, let them listen to "HereComes The Sun" on the new
Beatles album. Holly reallywas
10 years ahead of his time.
MALCOLM JONES, London,SWS(MM Oct 4)

FIVE -POINTED STARS
It is ironic in the so-called era of

Mailbagrecent4 'published a letterfrom Pauline Edmondson saying
she was "disgusted"by The Kinks'
latest record, in which Ray Davies
continues his tune of the little man
and the mortgage and the steady job.
Now comes a letter from Peter
TownshendofThe Who:I leap from the railings, sword
in hand, in defence of "ShangriLa". Ray Davies is a man who few

people know verywell. I don't
know him but I know someone
who does. This confirmed mysuspicion that it's not cynicism at
the root of Ray's writing- he loves
the working class and their simple
ways more than anybody sinceGeorge Formby. His songs- andthis applies to almost all of them-are hymns to the English way oflife. Particularly to the people
who don't always get what theywant. Look a little further along
the line and I think you'll becomeas big a Kinks fans as 1 am.
PETE TOWNSH END (MMOct 4)

OFFBEAT COMMENTREGGAE -is it a rival to rock, orrhythmic rot? This is the question
pop fans must be asking
themselves as we see yesterday's

supergroups that the Pentangle
get no recognition at all. Surely agreat group with such individual
artists like Bert Jansch, John
Renbourn and Jacqui McShee
must rate as the first supergroup.
JOHN SMITH, Nottingham(MM Oct 4)

GRAHAM BOND'S YES MAN
Chris Welch and I fortunately
agree on many subjects, but themost important single fact
emerging from these hours of
intoxicated discussion, is that
"Wade In The Water" by The
Graham Bond Organisation of1965 is the most exciting two -and a -half minutes ever recorded bya contemporary small band.
Were that masterpiece, and theequally magnificent "Love Come
Shining Through", of the same
period, to be released now, not
onlywould that organisation
receive the credit it deserved, butthese guitar -less recordings
would give a much -deserved
break to tenor and alto hornrd.,. AA%

T'......4 AAA. k

.....

{1.

on. AAAsdW. warANI

players in the field ofcontemporary electric music.
BILL BRUFORD (drummw with
Yes), London SW6 (MM Dec 20)

L

HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

145

A

1969

MONTHS' MONTH,MusicalItIpttasfly

MUNI CELEBRATE
No 1

TRACY

MI lip 1111a I. Iwo

MelodyMaker

Om Mold
ftut-lx4,1

kg NW

T

E IRE OF WIGHT POP
XVIINVSHOW IS ON!

mArAcAl. spitt
Surat Ind

Coming next...
in 1970!
SO... THAT WAS 1969. Hope it blew your mind. But that's far

from it from our reporters on this heavy beat. The staffers
of NME and Melody Maker enjoyed unrivalled access tothe biggest stars of the time, and cultivated a feel for therhythms of a diversifying scene; as the times changed, so

did they. While in pursuit of the truth, they unearthedstories that have come to assume mythical status.
That's very much the territory of this monthly magazine. Each month,
TheHistoryOfRockwill be bringing you verbatim reports from the pivotal
events in pop culture, one year a month, one yearat a time. Next up, 1970!
FLEETWOOD MAC

IT'SALL CHANGE for these non -purist leaders of the British heavy blues
boom. Guitar genius Peter Green feels himself being sidelined in his owngroup and "not happy with the way my life is being run". Drastic
upheaval, suddenly, is afoot.
THE FACESIN 1969 STEVE Marriott promised that "two good things would come outof one good thing". He was absolutely right!After his own Humble Pie, wemeet the remainder of the split Small Faces - now with the addition ofguitarist Ron Wood and the singer Rod Stewart. They are the Faces, andwe'll drink to that!
LED ZEPPEUNANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY YEAR for the artists one Scottish paper

mistakenly calls "Ned Zeppelin". The mighty band get their heads
together acoustically in the country -and makeLedZeppelin111-but also
share their thoughts with the press. Jimmy Page is profiled in depth, as is
Robert Plant. "I don't think I've got any bother," he remarks, truthfully.
PLUS

Syd Barrett!
Soft Machine!
Mott the Hoople!

148 I HISTORY OF ROCK 1969

FROM THE MAKERS OF UNCUTTHE HISTORY OF

Every month, we revisit long -lost NME and Melody Maker interviews and piece
together The History Of Rode. This month: 1969 the year of the free concert and-the super -session. "I'mfreelTo sing my song/Though it gets out oftime. . ."Relive the year.

THE ROLLING STONES PLAYED HYDE PARKDAVID BOWIE WENT INTO SPACE

LED ZEPPELIN BROKE AMERICA...and JOHN LENNON, FLEETWOOD MAC, NINA SIMONE,
THE WHO and CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG and many moreshared everything with NME and MELODYMAKER

More from UNCUT...
FLEETWOOD MAC
Am.

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