December 1972

CONTENTS

The Christgau Consumer Guide

THE CHRISTGAU CONSUMER GUIDE

Robert Christgau

Alice Cooper, The Hollies, Ike & Tina, more

Mail

MAIL

Dear CREEM: I just figured it out! Budgie is Black Sabbath imitating the Stooges.

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Buddah Records has signed Spider Man! The first Spidey record, From Beyond the Grave, is already out, and a series of Marvel Rockomics will follow.

Features

Deep Purple Ain’t Schizoid!

Lester Bangs

Maybe Just a little little Loony...

Letter From Britain

Everybody’s in Show-biz Everybody’s a Star

Simon Frith

September 13th and the fat cats are stirring. Bolan has strained his hip, Bowie has surrounded himself with camera-smashing heavies, Jesus Christ is playing the Palace and "Darling David" had the teenies screaming from the roof-tops for a week.

Features

BEER AND FROTHING IN TEXAS

Jake Tarwater

A gentle quest for the American crotch...

Bette’s the Biggest

Vince Aletti

Bette Midler’s gonna be the biggest Star around, that’s what Peter says.

Features

Leon Russell in Tulsa

J.R. Young

Suddenly Last Summer

“Child of God” Plays Second Fiddle to Leon

Maijoe Gortner has been popping up in all sorts of strange places lately, not the least of which are a few surprise appearances at selected Leon Russell concerts. He originally turned up as a somewhat off-the-wall guest on the late night tv talk show circuit, following in the tradition of Monte Rock III and Brother Theodore.

Meat

Sandye Carrol

Chicago is a meat town. Everybody knows that, but in Chicago, people actually talk about meat.

Creemedia

LADY SINGS THE BLUES

Dave Marsh

There is a moment of improbable terror when Diana Ross sings that final line, a peak of tension that contains everything that made Motown great.

SHORT TAKES

FLASHES

Creemedia

BOOKS

Test Pattern for Living, The Gourmet Cokebook, more

Records

Nuggets: Psychedelic Punkitude Lives!!

I learned about golden oldie collections the hard way.

Juke Box Jury

Greg Shaw

ROCK-A-RAMA

BULLDOG (Decca):: Featuring Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli from the Rascals, this has more of the legendary New York sound than any I've heard in years. Recommended for fans of the Good Rats.

Rewire Yourself

CREEM A/V

Richard Robinson

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Audio-Video Equipment But Were Afraid To Ask

CREDITS

The Beat Goes On

Robot A. Hull

Rod Stewart got his American start in Detroit, in a lot of little ways that count — the Faces could fill up any house in the city well before they could do it anywhere else — and, apparently, he's never forgotten those early standing ovations.