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LION’S EYE
May, 1977
Record Review.
Sixties Bands Alive & Kicking
by Alan Gasmer
Sleepwalker — The Kinks
Arista 4106
The Hollies Live! (import)
Columbia 90401
The Yardbirds Great Hits
Epic PE34491 :
The Beach Boys Love You
Reprise/Brother MSK 2258
What do all these vintage rock and roll
bands of the great bygone decade of the 60’s
have in common? By the looks of it, they are -
alive and well and living in the 70’s.
The Kinks, who scored big in the sixties
with the tunes, “You Really Got Me,” “All
Day and All Night,” and early seventies
with the unforgettable “Lola,” have just
released their first album in about two
years.
Although their last couple of releases
covered a central theme story revolving
around the music, I’m happy to report that
their current release, Sleepwalker is a
departure from that mode. Those witty pur-
veyors of rock and roll with a message have
gone back to producing straight rock
albums ‘with no themes, but some good
stories anyway.
To keep their old fans satisfied while at-
tracting new Kinkniks (I am a member) to
their growing cult, they are beginning to
move into the mainstream of rock which
~ has so long missed their presence.
The new tunes still contain those witty
lyrics, upbeat songs, and sharp playing by
the bad. As a matter of fact, main Kink
Ray Davies’s voice has gotten higher on this
7 album.
Such songs as, Life Goes On, Sleep-
walker, (the single), Juke Box Music, are
just highlights of this quality record. I
sorely missed a sing-along sheet to follow
some extremely interesting lyrics.
Exquisitely recorded and produced at
Konk Studios, (where else?) the Kinks have
always been overshadowed by other big
English groups such as the Beatles, Stones,
and The Who. Sleepwalker simply reaffirms
my belief that the Kinks are one of the
classic groups of the British rock scene and
have turned out one of the best albums this
year.
The Hollies are one of those groups that
seem to have been around forever. They are
responsible for the classic tunes as, Carry
Anne, Bus Stop, He Ain’t Heavy He’s My
Brother, Long Cool Woman, and many
more. What comes to my mind while
listening to this enjoyable album, is that it
is modeled after “The Beach Boys 1969,”
released a couple of months ago.
This album contains fifteen songs on one
single L.P. with such high quality, that it
puts Paul McCartney’ s recent live set to
shame.
Plans call for a state-side release in the
near future as it has already gone gold in
England.
The Hollies, like the Beach Boys, have
that certain summer sound to their music
that you can listen to all summer long and
not get bored. Hurry and pick up this im-
ported treasure for those warm summer
nights on the beach. Just think, the har-
monies, the sand, and the Hollies .
The Yardbirds’ importance in the annals
of rock music has been awesome. It is not
only for the music they produced, but also
for their use of avant-garde musical
techniques at a point in time when other
British bands were attracting fans with just
simple but catchy tunes.
Try to imagine a band that contained
such giants as: Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page,
Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, and Paul Samwell —
Smith at one time or another. Eric Clapton
went on to John Mayall and Cream, Jimmy
Page formed Led Zeppelin, Jeff Beck went
on to Truth with Rod Stewart,Keith Relf
formed the original group Renaissance, and
Paul Samwell-Smith works with Cat
Stevens.
So on this basis alone, this reviewer feels
that if you are into heavy bluesy-metal rock,
listen to where today’s groups got their
roots.
The recording is part stereo and part
rechannelled stereo — for effect.
With all the hullaballoo concerning Brian
Wilson’s return last year, you would think
he just created a new Good Vibrations.
Aside from all the repackages, Endless
Summer, Spirit of America, Live in London
. and last year’s anniversary l.p. 15 Big
Ones, this is no surfing album brother! It is
a return to the short tunes of the Friends,
Smiley Smile era in which most of the short
songs were written by Brian as is also the
case on this album.
Considering the fact that this is the first
totally original Beach Boys album since
1973, it is a welcome addition. Although I
. was not impressed by the L.P. at first, the
- record has a tendency to grow on you with
repeated listenings.
Standout songs
Johnny Carson, a rocker, Roller Skating
Momma, Let’s Go On This Way Again.
If you're looking for a Surfin’ U.S.A. you
won’t find it on this album. It is strictly
recommended for avid fans that can un-
derstand and put up with Brian's self-
indulgence.
Because of the lack of space, I haven't
done these groups and albums a real justice
in describing my opinions so briefly. Maybe
next year.
I would like to thank: The Spectrum,
Electric Factory Concerts, Larry Rubin,
Marie Langner, all the record companies
for their assistance and especially Stuart
Morris for his constructive inspiration. The
GAS thanks you alllll. . .
Concert Line-Up
SPECTRUM
O’Jays/Truth
Elvis Presley
Emerson, Lake,
Pink Floyd
JFK
© 8 8 8 + 0 3 so 8s 0 8 so es eo
Rte A May 20-$6, 7, 8
ae ria SOLD OUT
....June 20, 21-$7.50, 8.50, 9.50
....June 28-29- $7.50, 8.50, 9.50
Peter Frampton/ Lynyrd Skynyrd/ J. Geils Band plus a surprise
® & + 2 3 8 0 es 8 se 0 as ses 0.
TOWER
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia........
aes June 11-$10
rrr May 15-$4.50, 9.50, 6.50
Johnny’s Dance Band/Foreigner/ Tim Moore
® 6 8 6 8 eo 8 4 8 8 ss se 6 sv se sn
Seno June 3-$4.50, 5.50, 6.50
BIJOU
Brecker Bros./Brand X .............. header May 16-17
Grover Washington Jr......... May 18-21 (recording Live album)
Valerie Carter.......... i ae es es May 23-24
Jesse Winchester... ...... 5.0... 000. ahi ane May 25-28
RR aaa EE EER
Rething
| 3 flerent.
include a tribute to
First
Impressions
by Alan Gasmer
With much pessimism and at the same
time optimism, this reviewer went to see
the hottest rock group in the nation —
BOSTON. In case you've been on another
planet for the last six months, this" debut
group has sold in excess of 3 million copies
of their first album. As newcomers to the
rock world and yet selling so many albums
without much formal stage experience and
training, you can understand my beginning
apprehension.
After waiting nearly 45 minutes on the
boring Sammy Hagar to finish his set, (a.
cure for insomnia) Boston appeared on
stage.
The sold-out Sorting (19,000) held its
breath. In opening with ‘“‘Rock and Roll
Band,” and travelling through such already
considered classics as “More Than a
Feeling,” Long Time,” Peace of Mind,”
Boston displayed a very professional stage
presence for such an inexperienced band.
They gave the ecstatic fans what they came:
to hear — their hits. :
The transfer from studio to stage was
very accurate as lead-singer Brad Delp now
doubles on guitar. Main-man Tom Scholz,
‘acting very subdued in the corner, carried
on with his weird brand of special effects
which have made him famous in his own
right.
In addition to playing their already
proven formula, Boston also previewed five
songs as-yet-unreleased on their forth-com-
ing album.
All in all, they were tremendous. To
really appreciate the full impact of Boston,
you have to see them live. In such a short
period of time, it’s obvious that Boston can .
definitely rock along-side the established
bands in the business.
tl
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Americans have already made. -
The change to Chick-fil-A.
A golden brown boneless breast
4 of chicken seasoned to perfection
and served on a hot toasted,
buttered bun.
In this burger-crazy world where
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SANDWICHES
abounds, try
NOOSA SLOAN
oupon
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