DISC ussions
by Greg Hall
Who says the record
industry is not Big Business?
Look at the success of the
album Saturday Night Fever if
you need proof. RSO Records
claims that not only is it their
company's biggest profit
making commodity, but, with
13 million copies sold world
wide, it is also the top-grossing
album in recorded history.
They say that, dollar for dollar,
the soundtrack from the movie
of the same name_has outsold
Fleetwood Mac's Rumours,
Peter Frampton's Comes Alive,
Stevie Wonder's Songs in the
Key of Life, The Eagles' Hotel
California, and Carol King's
Tapestry.
Not only this, RSO might
have to supply its own
competition to knock SNF out
of the top spot on the sales
charts. Last week the company
released the soundtrack to the
soon-to-be-released film version
of the hit Broadway show
Grease. The 50's nostalgia
musical again sports John
Travolta in the lead, coupled
with Olivia Newton-John.
There is already a hit single by
this duo at the top of the charts.
In June or July, the RSO
soundtrack of the forthcoming
film, Sgt. Peppers Lonely
Hearts Club Band is scheduled
to hit the record shops. This
album again features the
phenominal Bee Gees, along
with such lesser(?) names as
Peter Frampton. Both new
soundtracks are again (as with
SNF) two-record extravagan
zas listing for $12.98. A new
Bee Gees studio album is in the
can and set for August
ARTS and CULTURE
release--advance reports from
Billboard indicate another long
string of radio monopoly is in
store for AM radio addicts.
Columbia Records is gear
ing up its publicity department
for the forthcoming release of
new albums by Boston and
Bruce Springsteen (rumored to
be a two record set--WIOQ FM
in Philadelphia is now playing a
pair of new songs. Also
rumored for the album is a
cover version of the Spring
steen/Pattie Smith collabera
tion "Because the Night"). The
albums should hit around June
Ist. Springsteen is scheduled to
appear at the Spectrum over
Memorial Day weekend.
Will Gregg Allman appear
at Capitol Campus for the
Spring Concert? Probably not,
too many problems with
security...details when and if
they develop.
The Band's feature-length
film The Last Waltz opens in
major cities this month.
Advance reviews agree with
those of the three-record
soundtrack--a great rock docu
ment filled with outstanding
music and rare treats from
guests like Dylan, Neil Young,
Joni Mitchell, and Van Mor
rison. Although the Band will
no longer tour, they have in the
works a new Band album, plus
new solo projects.
The new Moody Blues
album, "Octave" will be
released by London Records
the first week of June. Also in
June a solo album from
ex-Doobie Brother Tom John
ston, who will revert back to
the sound of the old Doobies
albums...A Neil Young album of
new material will hit May
15th...A150 due in the next
couple months are albums from
the Rolling Stones, and a
two-record Graham Parker live
set (3 sides live, the 4th will be
a 12 inch 45)...Coming yet this
month is a new Bob Seger
album, and Hall amd Oates'Live
...Steve Martin's skit and song
King Tut, from a recent
Saturday Night Live Show, has
been recorded as a single.
Eddie Money (Columbia)
Eddie Money has two key
ingredients going for him;
Columbia's "New Artist" pro
gram (see what they did for
Boston, Springsteen, and Karla
Bonoff), and equally powerful
Bill "Filmore" Graham as a
personal manager. Breaking
this album to the public was
Columbia's job; they made a hit
single out of "Baby Hold
On". Graham's job is obvious;
to get Eddie Money, an ex-cop,
into the performing spotlight
and keep him there as long as
possible, and to get him
established as one who sells lots
of records. With the double
barreled protection like these
Dates
And Places
MUSIC AND DANCE
May 18-21" The Merry Wives of Windsor" by Nicolai, presented
by Hbg. Civic Opera Association--Lehrman Aud., HACC
May 16 "Danceteller" dance troupe at Capitol Campus Aud. Free,
12 noon.
May 11 Albee's drama "A Delicate Balance" at performing Arts
Workshop Theatre, 49 Market St., Lancaster.
May 12 Film "Seven Percent Solution" at Life-Sciences Theatre,
York College, 8 p.m. 50 cents.
May 16 "Sound of Music" opens at Fulton Opera House,
Lancaster, 8 p.m.
May 13 Live bluegrass, featuring 'First Generation' and 'Hen
House', at Guernsey Pavilion, Rt. 30 East, Lancaster, 8 p.m.
May 20 Spring Concert at Capitol Campus--live music outdoors
all day, FREE.
May 12-23 Drama "The Chalk Garden" at York Little Theatre, 27
S. Belmont St., York. Info: 854-5715.
May 11-12 Musical "Promises, Promises" at Hbg. Community
Theatre, 513 Hurlock St., Hbg. Info: 238-7381.
May 17 Film "The Conformist" at Capitol Campus, see ad on this
page for times and places.
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MARK SHERMAN'S
HOME OF BUMS ; ;
3613 Walnut St. Harrisburg, Penna. 17109
two forces behind someone
trying to make it, the chances
of a positive public acceptance
are fairly biased in one
direction.
Unfortunately, Money's
music on this debut album
doesn't hold up under repeated
listenings. Hundreds have done
better at what Money attempts
to do, and hundreds have done
it worse. The album suffers
from same-ness, and a partic
ular kind of automated mono
tony that almost forces the
listener to tap his foot in
Pavlovian response.
SHORT CUTS
Brithish Lions (RSO Records)
British Lions is four Mott
(the Hoople) verterans with a
new lead vocalist/guitarist
John Fletcher. Appartently
wanting a change from the
narrow Mott identity and
image, the five changed the
name to protect the innocent
(Mr. Fletcher), however, the
sound remains the same--dense,
soupy, psudo-heavy, and tur
gid.
City to City-Gerry Rafferty
(United Artists Records)
DRAMA AND FILM
Phone (717) 652-7714
• New and used stringed instruments
• Lessons in all styles
• Expert repair and supplies
• Bluegrass records and tapes
• Friendly pickin' parlor
My first impression of
Rafferty is that he does not
differ much from the latter-day
Paul McCartney, in terms of
both style and the significance
of his musical statement. City
to City consists of economical,
tailor-crafted, non-offensive
pop songs. Most of the songs
have an abundance of cuteness
and melodic hooks, just as most
of them sound similar but have
just the right amount of
changes in coloring, tempo, and
presentation.
The majority of the album is
pleasant enough to listen to,
either one song at a time, or as
a whole while you're cleaning
up the supper dishes. It does
have some high points: a
handful of good guitar solos,
and one song, "Baker Street",
where everything comes to
gether to rise above the rest of
the album. This is the cut the
record company has chosen as a
single, and the song leaps from
the radio with its gripping,
dirty sax breaks. If the record
interests you enough to want to
hear Gerry Rafferty at his best,
go back a few years and locate
the first couple of Stealer's
Wheel albums--although hardly
classics, they are a treat.
TROPICAL
PHOTO WORKSHOP
MIAMI BEACH
JULY '7B
7 DAYS/6 NIGHTS $465*
Intensive field and workshop
training to bring new expertise to
your photography techniques.
Known professionals provide
personal and practical
instruction: film and camera,
portraits and figure, travel and
nature. Photo field trips.
*Single Rate, Double Occupancy.
Includes hotel, Modified American
Plan, parties. Free, daily film
processing provided.
Write for detailed brochure and
reservation forms:
PHOTOTOURS, DEPT. 30
7745 S.W. 33 TER., MIAMI,
FLA. 33155. PH: (305) 446-5764
Danceteller
Middletown--Danceteller, a
professional nine-member mod
ern dance company, will
perform at Penn State-Capitol
Campus on Tues., May 16 at
12:00 noon in the auditorium.
Danceteller is a Pennsyl
vania troupe formed by dance
and theatre professionals in
1975. Their repertory of dances
offers a full spectrum of moods,
from the deadly serious to the
frivolous, from the elegant to
the slapstick.
The company is now in the
midst of its third season of
presenting major concerts at
colleges, universities, muse
ums, and art festivals through
out Pennsylvania, West Vir
ginia, Maryland, Virginia, and
South Carolina.
The public is invited to
attend.