January 1985
I read with amusement your Eleganza column. Bruce Springsteen occasionally gets knocked by the British music papers, but it was a shock to find an American magazine falling into the same trap. The comments concerning Bruce's attire were not meant to be taken seriously (I imagine)—only the most fanatical fan could object to them.
Christgau Consumer Guide
ROBERT CHRISTGAU
Given the putrefaction potential of the straightforwardly literary romanticism Roddy Frame affects, it’s amazing he did so brilliantly with it even once. In fact, it’s fairly amazing that second time out he gets away with it three songs worth—three songs whose verbal lyricism sharpens the consistently winsome music, which is the kind of unlikely feat critics expect of straightforwardly literary types.
Rock 'n' Roll News
Dee Snider of Twisted Sister up and got himself arrested on a profanity charge in Amarillo, Texas, but not for merely existing. No, it seems the Twisted show had something to do with the most unfortunate police action. Regular-guy Dee pled not guilty and—as a follow-up joke— informed the world that Twisted Sister regards its entire show as “an artistic expression well within the protection of the First Amendment,” Of course it is.
The Beat Goes On
Roy Trakin
NEW YORK—Winston Foster not only escaped the oppressive poverty of his Trenchtown youth, but also overcame the psychological effects of childhood taunts about his albino skin, which still causes his face to erupt in large, ugly welts. The fun-loving Foster wouldn’t let any of those obstacles stand in his way, creating the larger-than-life figure of d.j. Yellowman, the top-ranking toaster in Jamaica, especially admired by the ladies.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Rock 'n' Roll Glory Days!
Jon Bream
The Boss was beat.
dB OR NOT dB: What was the question?
Drew Wheeler
The dB’s act intelligent—but they’re not fooling me. I know all about their reputation as the prestidigitators of pop—pulling one clever hook after another from up their sleeves and conjuring rock ’n’ roll classics in front of the gapemouthed cynics. Fine and dandy.
Creem Profiles
TWISTED SISTER
(Pronounced “Boy Howdy!”)
Van Halen Have The Hots
As usual, Van Halen lead the hard life.
Features
PATTY SMYTH: WARRIORS, WARTS & SCANDALS!
Laura Fissinger
Most times the people we do features on fall into one of two categories: mega-star or brand-new big deal.
Features
YOKO ONO: IN & OUT OF THE DANGER BOX
Edouard Dauphin
In 1965, when she was already an acclaimed artist in the world of the avant-garde, Yoko Ono designed the Danger Box.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Calendar
CALENDAR
Creemedia
INSIDE THE MTV AWARDS: THE MEDIA GLITZ
Toby Goldstein
I have seen the future of video rock ’n’ roll...and it looks suspiciously like a bar mitzvah.
LETTER FROM BRITAIN
Cynthia Rose
At last! A time to speak of happy events—and I don’t mean the debut of miniscule Prince Harry. Nope; I mean that in this deeply embattled land (Miners: everyone’s support/Media blackout on miner’s strike: everyone’s scorn) suddenly inspirational music is emerging as if by magic.
Eleganza
AMERICA FIRST!
John Mendelssohn
America may have invented rock ’n’ roll, but within months of the first British screening of Rock Around The Clock, Britain’s Teddy Boys had refined a rock-inspired sartorial style that not only shamed anything we Americans had, but has survived intact into the ’80s.
Stars Cars
LITA FORD
CREEM DREEM
JOHN WAITE
Creemedia
Bill Holdship
Little Richard Penniman is one of rock’s greatest legends. If you’re interested in his past, you’d be well advised to read his new biography, The Life And Times Of Little Richard: The Quasar Of Rock by Charles White. It’s a virtual rock ’n’ roll bible (see accompanying review).
Prime Time
Richard C. Walls
Well, cable finally came to our sector, and nobody’s been seen out in the street since. The biggest revelation so far, aside from the fact that they sure show a lot of neat movies on Bravo (we’re talking Eraserhead, folks) is that MTV doesn’t seem quite as bad as everyone’s been telling me it is.
Video Video
THE GUILLOTINE, PLEASE
Billy Altman
Talk about your great moments in broadcasting.
Records
RECORDS
Billy Altman
In my mind’s eye, the Ramones’ new album comes in a completely different package.
45 REVELATIONS
Ken Barnes
September (drawing to a close as I write this) was one of those bumper crop months. The best way I’ve found to deal with a single surplus (other than exporting them to Russia) is to stack them in alphabetical order, trim the introductory remarks to an austere minimum, and plow through the stack to make sure the review candidates retain the standout qualities that caught my attention in the first place.
ROCK•A•RAMA
Richard Riegel
This album’s a lot better than it should be—I mean, when a jazz guitarist make a label debut with cover versions of “Billy Jean” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” as well as “My Funny Valentine” and then sings on the title cut, well, we’re talkin’ schlocky, right?
CREEM SHOWCASE
Once again, CREEM showcases the newest sights and sounds in the musical instrument giving readers their opportunity to follow-up on what looks like their kind of equipment! See something you like? Well, we’ve included an address—and now the rest is up to you.
KISS & TELL
Jaan Uhelszki
Do you mean to tell me that Madonna is just too busy these days to take out enough time to tie the knot with hot-shot studio whiz, John “Jellybean” Benitez, who’s been pestering his lissome miss to accompany him to the altar. (What do you mean, can’t he go by himself?
Backstage
Backstage
Where the Stars Tank Up & Let Their Images Down
CREEM