Two on THE ANIMALS (1984)

Text by Mary Anne Cassata, Robert Barry Francos, with Michael McDowell
Images from the Internet


This may get a little confusing, but here we go:

The first article/interview with British scene-makers Eric Burdon and the Animals, is from FFanzeen number 12, from 1984. It was written by Mary Anne Cassata. It sets up the following Q&A interview which was done by Robert Barry Francos and Mary Anne Cassata, and was originally published in Blitz magazine, issue #49, dated May-June 1984. The second half is reprinted with the kind permission of the Blitz publisher, Michael McDowell.

To give you the bigger picture: Rock writer - and my friend - Mary Anne Cassata had managed to get us into the Animals show at the Beacon Theater in New York City in late 1983. I had already seen the show in Buffalo with Bernie Kugel and Mad Louie (“the vinyl junkie”), so I knew we were in for nearly three hours of non-stop excitement. They didn’t disappoint.

After the grueling show, the two of us went backstage. Alan Price was already long gone, having had a limo waiting outside the back door; as soon as the show was over, he just split, leaving his stuff for the roadies to handle.

The Animals’ dressing room backstage was not large, being “L” shaped and about the size of an average living room, but it was packed. The first person I saw was Chas Chandler (d. 1996). I said hello, and he tiredly said hi back. Then I asked him, “Why do you think Slade never made it here in the States? I saw them a couple of times in the early ‘70s, and they were great.” He became very enthused, talking about what it was like managing them, and how they deserved better. We talked for a short while, and then he had other people to greet. I certainly appreciated the attention.

After saying goodbye, I turned the corner and saw Eric in the corner of the densely smoke-filled room (many substances were being inhaled there), surrounded by some hangers-on. I knew I would get one question in, so I turned on the tape recorder and asked him about the blues. His eyes focused, and as he was so happy to talk about his favorite topic, we chatted for a long time, until someone announced that the band had to get to the after-party for Saturday Night Live. With that we shook hands, and we left to get some relatively fresh air.

The Animals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
The first piece below is Mary Anne’s, as it tells of the Animals’ history, and sets up the interview, from Blitz, which follows. As we both used the same interview material, there is some redundancy, but the Q&A is more complete, so there is a bit more info for the starved fan. – RBF, 2010

THE ANIMALS: It’s Their Lives!

Text by Mary Anne Cassata
© FFanzeen, 1984

The ‘60s music is returning and the Animals are a vital part of it. As with most reunions, hopeful rock bands often fall short, somewhere between a disappointment and disaster. Either the spirit force isn’t present or yesterday’s music doesn’t quite mesh with today’s modern rock sounds.

This, however, is not true for the brawling British blues rock band from Newcastle, England. There’s no denying the Animals had its share of personality conflicts. This inevitably let to the band’s demise in the mid-‘60s, but the music never suffered as a result. The original Animals, co-founded by Eric Burdon and Alan Price, formed in 1962, and continued to perform till 1965.

For the first time in over 18 years, all of the original Animals are back together, performing for sold-out houses across the country and Europe. To band members Hilton Valentine (guitar), John Steel (drums), Bryan (Chas) Chandler (bass), Alan Price (keyboards) and the incomparable Eric Burdon (vocals), the reunion tour seemed like they never left the road almost three decades ago. “People everywhere just seem to love us. They go away happy,” beams John Steel. “It has been great for us. Couldn’t be better.”

In the early ‘60s, clean-cut ambitious young rock bands like the Dave Clark 5 were singing songs about being glad all over, and Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits professed his affections for Mrs. Brown’s lovely daughter. Meanwhile, the Animals directed their harsh lyrical statements to working class people and adopted the bad boy image, like fellow Britishers the Rolling Stones and Them.

The Animal’s musical, stance was an expression of individualism and personal liberation. The intent of classic songs, “It’s My Life,” “House of the Rising Sun,” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” remain as affluent today as it did to the ’60’s generation. These hits were successive, and within a brief two years, the Animals completed three sold out tours. Being successful had allowed them to live out some very real rock’n’roll fantasies, but what actually turned out resulted in more than what they had bargained for.

In a business that’s for profit, sometimes artists unknowingly get caught up in dishonest management direction. Needless to say, the Animals were a prime target and never saw any royalties from the early recordings. “Managers are supposed to look after the money and make sure things go properly,” says Valentine with a disgruntled sigh. “Our manager was pretty terrible. We were making all these records and going on tour, and all the while he was supposed to take care of things. But after the tour you find out it didn’t work out that way; he didn’t take care of business at all.

“We all searched, trying to get our money, and found out possession is nine-tenths of the law. We were told, ‘This is not attainable now.’ All you get are doors slammed in your face. All kinds of things happened. One manager we had to fire, and the other one was a pretty terrible manager.”

There doesn’t seem to be much concern at this time, since the Animals are a lot more careful with their business affairs. For devoted fans, it is really exciting to have the group back together and it would be disheartening to think the band could be the victims of a ruthless manager again. Earlier in the tour, it was reported they had to fire their road manager because he wasn’t getting the job done sufficiently.

The Animals’ new studio album, Ark, is an intense offering which, on its own, has received enthusiastic response. Burdon’s powerful, scorchy vocals are his best ever. It comes as no surprise that the Animals’ influence on American rock’n’roll has been plentiful. Popular rock artists Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and many others have included Animals classics in their live performances. New York’s own David Johansen remains the most prevalent, as last year he scored a national hit with the melody of popular Animal songs, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place / Don’t Bring Me Down / It’s My Life.” When first issued as a singe, it proved to be Johansen’s largest selling record in years. Recently, he released another Animal’s classic, “House of the Rising Sun,” which is only available as an import from England.

Much of the material on the new album was written by Burdon and several of his songwriting friends from the West Coast, where he presently resides. Alan Price, who originally left the band in ’65 after a rift with Burdon, contributes a song to the long awaited effort. Since the original demise of the group, Price has been the most successful of the five band members with this own group, the Alan Price Set. He scored big with solo albums and British television appearances. In 1973, he acted in, wrote and performed the score for Lindsay Anderson’s film, O! Lucky Man! In 1974, he reached the British top-ten with “Jarrow Song.” More recently, Price performed in a musical production of Andy Capp on the British stage.

Chas Chandler was credited for the discovery of Jimi Hendrix, and managed the artist’s career from 1966 until his death in 1969. Later, Chandler managed the English rock band Slade for nearly a dozen years. He also ran IBC Studios and started Barn Records until 1982, when he sold his music business interests. He was also working on a book about his life as a member of the Animals, but put the project aside to fill in some more chapters in real life with their reunion. [Unless someone can tell me otherwise, as far as I know this book was never published – RBF, 2010]

Hilton Valentine remained perhaps less interested in a music career after the breakup. He lived in Los Angeles for a brief spell before returning to Newcastle for the first reunion of the band, in 1977. [I happily met Hilton when he made a guest appearance in June 2002, playing with garage rocker Michael Lynch at Under Acme in New York City – RBF, 2010] John Steel also dropped out of sight for a while and worked in a factory making parts for refrigerators. On weekends, he doubled as a guitarist playing with local British bands in tiny smoke-filled pubs. “I was quite happy actually,” he states. “I wasn’t starstruck.” Steel, for a shot while, also joined forces with Chandler in the management of Slade.

Eric Burdon, meanwhile, proved to be no slouch either. He continued to lead new versions of the Animals, one of which included ace Police guitarist Andy Summers. A couple of hits ensued, such as “San Franciscan Nights” and “Sky Pilot,” before the line-up disbanded. He traveled around the U.S. studying the blues from such artists as Johnny Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williams. Then the funk r&b group War formed, and gave Burdon his last popular song, “Spill the Wine” in 1971. Later, in the mid-‘70s, he tried his hand as an aspiring actor in the film The Eleventh Victim (1979), and the play Comeback, in Hollywood and Berlin in 1982, but that too proved short-lived. [www.imdb.com/name/nm0121007]

When news of the reunion of the Animals began to surface, John Steel was at first skeptical. “I got this call last January from a guy named Ron Weinberg, who said he wanted to the get the Animals back together. He wanted us to make a record, too. I said, ‘You got to be kidding!’ He said he spoke to Eric, Chas and Alan, and they all gave their approval,” he continued with a slight smile. “I figured, if he could get those three together, it was a lot, so I said, ‘Keep talking…’”

That’s what Weinberg did, and the more John pondered the idea, the more convinced he became that the reunion could have its possibilities. At first sight of one another, all were wary of the outcome. “Since everyone else wanted to do it,” Steel continued, “I thought maybe it would be fun. The first thing we did was get into a studio and work on the new songs to see if it could be realistic. I think, without a spoken word, we all really wanted to try it out,” he related. “We went back to the old hits and all: I think that is what a foundation is all about.”

Steel was also quick to point out that the reunion “isn’t another nostalgia trip,” and that he hopes the new material will reach a wider audience. “We wanted to give something we could be proud of,” he said with enthusiasm. “We know we have to do our old material, because that’s what people want to hear. I think that is one of the things that really worked out well. Our oldies have been on the radio for over 18 years now; we’re surprised a portion of our audience is younger kids.”

Life on the road is better than expected, despite the fact some of the animosity, which lead to their original break-up 18 years ago, still lingers. “Our personalities are quite strong,” confirms Valentine. “When this happens, there are bound to be clashes. It’s very difficult to put together different personalities that are strong. We all see different ways to doing things. One person sees it this way best and the other one doesn’t.”

At this point, the Animals are secure that the tour will be completed, but have no plans for a permanent situation. “Somehow we seem to be in sections. We started with a world tour that was supposed to bring us up to November. It’s past that now,” explains Steel. “We are now doing another section of shows in Europe and plan to record a live album soon [due out in April 1984 – Ed., 1984] [Recorded live in Wembley Arena, London, England on December 31, 1983; released in 1984 – RBF, 2010] . I think when we finish this tour we have to all sit down and think, ‘Can we go on and do another tour?’”

Although the band wants to record another studio album soon, they really don’t want to be pressured into promoting it. “It’s hard to say. We don’t know what’s going to happen. We might end up going for each other’s throats and it could suddenly end bloody,” laughs John in mock seriousness. “We all seem to have this friction; we always have and probably will, too.” This tension of personality conflict certainly gives their music its rough and gritty edge.

In 1976, the original line-up reunited the first time in their hometown of Newcastle, to record the album Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted. Although the effort received remarkable praise from music critics, it ended up as a commercial disappointment.

Since the success of the reunion has been so overwhelming, Hilton Valentine is more than somewhat surprised that people have been so supportive. “People always come up to me and say, ‘Can I have your autograph?’,” he beamed. “They say it’s for their mother or something. Then there are the mothers who come up and say it’s for their daughters. It’s really nice.”

At first mention of the group getting back together, Hilton seemed anxious and yet very cautious. “I got very excited, but wanted to be consulted more before I made my decision,” he recalled. “Johnny (Steel) and I were in Newcastle when Weinberg came up to have a chat with us. My first question was, ‘How does everybody feel about it?’ He said everyone wanted to do it, so I said, ‘Okay, I guess it could be done’.”

FFanzeen asked Hilton why extra musicians were added to the original line-up, and why doesn’t he play lead guitar on the songs. “First of all, when the Animals broke up in ’66, we were headed toward augmenting the band anyways,” he replies. “It’s pretty much like where we left off. We are experimenting on a much larger scale. We have a brass section and did some new things over in London with this sort of line-up.” Additional musicians are included in the live show to expand the music arrangements and to add a more full sound.

“This time around we have four extra musicians (Nippy Noya, percussion; Steve Grant, lead guitar; George “Zoot” Money, keyboards; Pat Crumly, saxophone and flute), so actually it’s a nine piece outfit,” explained Steel. “It gives us more variety and color with the whole thing, don’t you think? I think it’s good to have extra musicians to work with. It adds something more to the songs.”

Hilton paused momentarily before replying to the second part of the question. With a shy laugh, he added, “The other guitar player is much better than I am. I like playing chords on the early Animals songs, and on the new material I basically just play rhythm.”

Some of the back-up musicians on the tour were also featured on Ark. The album, recorded rather hurriedly in time for the concert tour, was produced in London by Steve Lipson and the Animals. Much of the new songs dominate their live set, which seemed to be equally accepted by audiences, as well as the older favorites.

During the first quarter of the tour, the Animals brought their live show to the Midwest, but almost didn’t make it out of there alive. Reports of a hurricane were brewing in Dallas, Texas, at the time of the group’s arrival at the Southern state. Though the storm was imminent, the scheduled show was sold out that night. All the band could do was hope for the best. Luckily, no one was hurt, just pretty shook up. Hilton recalls that fateful night:

“The gig was still on, as far as we knew, so we flew into Texas. We didn’t know whether to stay or move on to Austin. By that time, the police had boarded off the town and we had to stay there.” It was nearly 3 a.m. when the monstrous typhoon hit and the hotel guests were told to leave their rooms and take refuge in the lobby. “Windows were popping out all over. I don’t remember much after that. I went to the bar to get drunk. I figured if I was going to go, I wanted to go drunk silly.”

The Animals recently performed in New York City at the renowned Beacon Theater, to a wildly enthusiastic crowd. Eric Burdon, still in fine form after all these years, delighted all for two-and-a-half hours. His riveting blues vocal is a distinct Animals musical trait. Modestly dressed in a two-piece black suit and dark glasses, Burdon worked the crowd, ranging from ages 15 to 40, into an absolute frenzy, leaving them screaming for more. As familiar organ sounds spilled into the hall, Eric flashed a satisfied grin and wailed into the microphone, “There’s a house in New Orleans / They call the Rising Sun…”

Many high points that evening included “Bring It On Home,” “It’s My Life,” “Misunderstood,” and Burdon’s solo of “San Franciscan Nights,” which along with Alan Price’s only solo of “O! Lucky Man!,” was added later to the tour by the demands of the crowds, according to Burdon. The bluesier tunes, “I’m Crying,” “Boom Boom,” and “When I Was Young,” seemed to retain more lyrical sentiment than just an “oldies but goodies” merit.

Later, after the show, Eric and the band (with the exception of Alan Price, who hastened out of the hall) relaxed backstage and spoke with FFanzeen. Chas Chandler, interested in our comments on the show, asked publisher Robert Barry Francos what he thought of it. “I’m a big fan of yours,” said Robert. “Thanks to this guy in Buffalo named Mad Louie, I got to see the show up there, too, at Shea Auditorium. Both shows were intense.” Chandler listened intently for a moment, and by the look on his face, seemed relived it was favorable. “The tour has been doing good, so far,” he said, sipping a glass of wine. “It’s amazing. When we played in London, all these papers picked up on us the same day. Some of those papers are the equivalent to magazines like Time and Newsweek in America.” Chas said he enjoyed being in the States, but can’t wait to get back home to Newcastle and work on the new material for the Animals’ next album.

Eric Burdon, with a drink in his hand, huddled in the corner of the dressing room, and was being entertained by several female guests. The 42-year-old legend has always been an ardent believer in emulating the rock’n’roll lifestyle to the extreme and intends to make a film of the recent tour [As far as I know, this also has never appeared – RBF, 2010]. One difficulty he faces with the newfound project is the resistance of the other band members to be seen on film. Eric, however, confident in his power of persuasion, hopes to have the film finished by spring.

Picking up a copy of FFanzeen [No. 11], Burdon carefully inspects it and places it in his coat for future reading. “That’s a fine looking magazine,” he says, nodding his head in approval, giving the high sign for an interview. He sits down and one of the women pours him a drink of whiskey, and the other, kneeling, lights his cigarette. This typical backstage setting is nothing new to Burdon, who relishes and comes to expect it with each performance.

“Fire away,” he said to us. The conversation focused on the blues, one of his favorite topics. “The blues have a lot to do with working class, but more to do with sexuality,” he explained. “I remember hearing one of the first blues songs I heard; it had a lot of saxophone in it. It was a real sleazy, sexy sound. I think the white kids are more political and the young black kids are more sociological, and come from that background. They understand because their parents were fighting about being unemployed and subjected.”

Eric, in his childhood, used to “hang out with black Americans in particular,” and feels these people view the blues as ecology. “That is what makes it working class, I think. My first instant feeling about the music was sexual and very meaningful,” he continues. “Johnny Lee Hooker only wanted to express himself through his guitar and voice about what was wrong with his situation. I am more drawn to the erotics of blues than the politics of the blues.”

Going on to define different levels of the blues and what kind of people it included, Eric stated, “I think there is an understanding between working class humor and black humor, where worship is involved,” he expressed. “There’s the marriage of songs, the love lost, and the forgotten songs; and then there is the pimp and whore relationship. What about the guy that doesn’t have anyone at all?”

Eric laughed at the thought of the blues ever catching up with him during a live performance. “I try to keep it under wraps. I try to keep on the political side of the blues, mainly because I am white and European.”

He is also concerned, socially, with America, on a musical aspect. Eric hopes one day people will acknowledge Chuck Berry as the “poor lord of America. I learned more about the United States before coming over here though Chuck Berry records than I did from books over in London. His rock’n’roll records were fucking documents of the time.” Perhaps the blues will make a “return some 20 years from now – who knows, maybe next week,” Eric offered.

Earlier in his career, Eric worked with blues great Johnny Lee Hooker, who, to this day, has had an incredible influence on Burdon’s music. At that time, Hooker seemed more than willing to combine creative efforts with a long-standing admirer. “Johnny really loved the fact that I was interested in him. I really get the feeling he was flattered by it,” Eric recalls. “At one point, I was hanging out too much with him. It was very sad. I watched him drink himself to death.”

Before taking leave for the night, we asked Eric how he felt about David Johansen’s remake of the Animals’ songs. “One night I saw the video on TV. It was funny watching him sing it,” he said with a Mona Lisa smile. “I thought it was a little too short, too. It was alright. I like the new arrangement.”

With a fond farewell and a hi-yo Silver, Eric Burdon and company rushed off into the night to their questionable future. All Robert and I could think of was to look at each other and ask, “Who was that blues man?”
* * *


THE ANIMALS: Loose Change

Text by Robert Barry Francos and Mary Anne Cassata
Introduction by Michael McDowell
© Blitz, 1984

To reiterate the history of the Animals here would be redundant. Suffice it to say that the British band enjoyed great aesthetic and commercial success between 1964 and 1966 with such singles as “I’m Crying” (MGM 13274), “Bring It On Home To Me” (MGM 13339), “Don’t Bring Me Down” (MGM 13514) and “The House of the Rising Sun” (MGM 13264), as well as cracking the album charts with such blues-based releases as Animal Tracks (MGM SE4305) and The Animals on Tour (MGM SE4281) before dissolving in 1966.

The legendary band return in 1983 with the original line-up intact. They released a studio album, Ark (IRS SP70037), which has since produced two hit sings, “The Night” (IRS IR-9920) and “Love Is For All Time” (IRS IR-9923). The band is presently working a live recording, scheduled for April release.

The Animals’ first American concert of the Ark tour transpired during the last week of July 1983, at Shea Auditorium in Buffalo, New York, a performance deserving of many superlatives. Lead vocalist Eric Burdon remained in fine form, taking command of the stage for over two hours, with a set consisting primarily of new material, interlaced with Animals classics.

The following interview was conducted at the Beacon Theater in New York City at the end of 1983. In attendance were lead vocalist Eric Burdon, lead guitarist Hilton Valentine, bassist Chas Chandler and drummer John Steel. Only keyboardist Alan Price was not present. – Michael McDowell

Blitz: Do you think that the Animals are a blues-oriented band because of the working class background of the members?
Burdon: It’s more than just being working class. It has more to do with sexuality. I like the blues because of its sexual connotations.

Blitz: In which ways?
Burdon: When I was younger, I used to hang out with Americans. Blacks in particular. My first feelings about the music were sexual and very meaningful. I remember hearing my first blues song, which had a lot of saxophone in it. It was a sleazy, sexy sound. I think the young, white kids were more political and sociological. The black kids understood the blues. It is only the young, white intellectual that sees it on its political level. That’s what makes it working class. It is like saying, “I want every other Saturday off at least once a month for my workers. I want to fuck up the Russian government,” which is something like what great revolutionary characters say. Then the media zeroes in on it. That’s what makes it a working class hero. I think there is an understanding between working class humor and black humor, where worship is involved. There are so many different shades and textures to blues. There are marriage blues songs. There are the long lost and forgotten songs. There is the guy who doesn’t have anyone at all. Then there is the pimp and whore relationship. It does creep up on me in performance. I try to keep up on the political side of it, mostly because I am white and European. I currently live back and forth between Los Angeles and London.

Blitz: So your implication s that white people see the blues politically and that black people see it socially.
Burdon: I don’t think they see it at all these days. It will come back. Look at what is happening socially in America now. Look at Chuck Berry. One of these days people will recognize him as the poor lord of America. His rock and roll records are not rock and roll records: they are documents of the time. Before coming over for the first time, I learned more about America from Chuck Berry than from books in London. Chuck berry is brilliant. There are some wonderful songs on his more recent albums.

Blitz: In the 1960s, it appeared as though many middle class guitarists were going south to find some musician to teach them the blues.
Burdon: That must have been some kind of trip! I get the feeling from John Lee Hooker that he really loved the fact that I was interested in him. He was flattered by it. Sonny Boy Williamson was, too. I was hanging out with him, as well. I watched him drink himself to death. That’s all whiskey under the bridge now!

Blitz: It has been speculated that the original Animals line-up dissolved in 1966 as a result of personality conflicts. Are there any difficulties now?
Valentine: Well, the personalities are quite strong. When that happens, there are bound to be some clashes. We all see different ways of doing things.

Blitz: The members of the Animals allegedly experienced financial problems after that 1966 break-up. What happened to the royalties?
Valentine: That’s what we would like to know! We had a terrible manager. We were making records and going on tour while he was supposed to be taking care of things. After the tour, we found out that he was not taking care of business. You try to get your money and you find out that possession is nine-tenths of the law. We tried to check things out, only to find another door slammed in our faces. We’re told that nothing is obtainable now.

Blitz: There have been a couple of different versions of the Animals. Was it Andy Summers who joined the band briefly in 1968?
Steel: Yes. The original Animals broke up in 1966. Then Eric formed Eric Burdon and the Animals. That is where Andy came in.
Valentine: Alan Price was the first to leave in 1965. John left in 1966, six months after Alan did. We continued for about six months after that. Eric then decided to form his own band at that time, with all the San Francisco stuff.

Blitz: What line of work was everyone doing before the reunion took place?
Steel: Right before the reunion, Alan Price had just finished a musical on stage in London called Al Capp, based on this comic strip character. Chas Chandler had just sold his business, a studio and production company. He was going to take off for a couple of months and buy a word processor and write a fact/fiction kind of book. I worked with Chas most of the time after the band broke up. We managed Slade. They were a very big hit in most parts of Europe, Australia and Japan. They were big in America, but not as much. About five years ago, I got fed up with the music business and went back up north in England, back to my roots.

Blitz: And Slade?
Chandler: They were ahead of their time. And look what happened with Quiet Riot!

Blitz: What did you do after your association with Slade?
Steel: I got a job with a friend who owns a factory that makes parts for refrigerators. I was production manager for him. I was also playing with a blues band. I was actually quite happy. Then I got a phone call in January 1983 from a guy named Ron Weinberg, who said he wanted to get the Animals back together again. He wanted us to record and all.

Blitz: What was your reaction to that?
Steel: I thought that he was kidding! I asked him if he had talked with anyone else and he said yes: Eric, Chas and Alan had already given their approval. If he could get those three together, it was a lot! Since everyone else wanted to, the more I thought about it, I thought it would be fun. The first thing we did was get into a rehearsal studio and work on some songs to see if it was realistic. So we started straight off with new material. We wanted our new material to reach out to the people without having to depend on our hits. But we also do the hits, because that’s what people want to hear.

Blitz: Is it difficult for the band to break newer material when people want to hear the hits?
Valentine: We haven’t experienced any of that on this tour. People are pretty patient. I think they want to hear the new songs, too.

Blitz: Your live show is augmented with lead guitarist Steve Grant, keyboardist Zoot Money, saxophonist / flautist Pat Crumly and percussionist Nippy Noya. Why are you using additional backing musicians?
Valentine: When the Animals broke up in 1966, we were heading toward augmenting the band anyway. I think back-up musicians add more color to the songs. It works out very well.

Blitz: Why have Steve Grant play lead guitar on all the songs except “The House of the Rising Sun,” instead of you taking the responsibility?
Valentine: Because he is a much better guitar player than I am! But I play the chords on the early Animals songs. On the new material, I am basically playing rhythm.

Blitz: In Buffalo, the band performed only material by the original Animals, but in New York, Alan Price did his solo single, “O! Lucky Man!” and the band played “San Franciscan Nights,” which was a hit in 1967 for the newer Animals. Why did you decide to put those songs in?
Burdon: I like that sound. Also, I think that’s what people want to hear. I have to give them what they want. I was pressured. That’s the truth!

Blitz: You were caught in a hurricane in Texas.
Valentine: Like idiots, we flew into Texas when a hurricane was imminent. The gig was still on, as far as we knew. By the time we flew in, the gig was cancelled. So we said we could either stay there or move to Austin. But by that time, the police had bordered the town off. So we had to stay there. The hurricane hit the town at about three o’clock the next morning. The windows were popping out. We had to come out of the rooms into the lobby on the floor, with blankets. I don’t remember too much about it after that, because I went to a bar to get drunk. I figured that if I was going to go, I waned to be drunk silly. It was scary!

Blitz: Does touring feel the same as it did when you first started?
Steel: Just about. Things are on a much bigger scale now, with the amount of equipment that we travel with. It’s pretty much like where we left off. We were experimenting with a much larger line-up just before we broke up in 1966. We had a brass section and did a couple of gigs in London with that sort of line-up. The extra musicians we have now give us more space to experiment with different things.

Blitz: What kind of comments are you getting from fans on this tour?
Valentine: “It’s great to see the Animals back together again! Can I have your autograph? It’s for my mother, not for me.” Then there are mothers that say, “It’s not for me. It’s for my daughter.”

Blitz: How has the press reaction been so far?
Chandler: Amazing! Three weeks ago, we played in London. Papers we never heard of picked up on us in the same day. Some of the papers are like Time and Newsweek are in America.

Blitz: On the Ark album, Eric Burdon resumed writing most of the material?
Valentine: Yes. He co-wrote with various people that he knows in Los Angeles. Alan Price has a song on there, too. The guitarist, Steve Grant, has a couple of songs on there. I have no songs on it. I am no writer. We produced the album ourselves, in conjunction with Steve Lipson, who happened to be available at the time. We just recorded it and went on tour. It all happened very fast. We do most of the new album in our live set.

Blitz: Have you heard any of the live covers of Animals songs by Bruce Springsteen or Tom Petty?
Valentine: No, I haven’t. But I have heard mention of them.

Blitz: What did you think of David Johansen’s remake of your songs?
Valentine: I haven’t heard it, but I have heard of it. I don’t think it was released in England at all.
Burdon: I saw him do it on television one night. I thought it was a little too short. But it was alright. I really did like the new arrangement. I was very flattered by it.

Blitz: There is such a need for rock and roll now.
Steel: I have a daughter who is 18. She feels the same way. So do her friends. They are bored with heavy metal rock. Now they even listen to the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and a lot of stuff from the 1960s. They listen to that more than the current stuff. I think younger people now are more broad-minded. They are quite happy listening to the Rolling Stones. They don’t give a damn if the guys in the band are in their 40s. The music is still good. That’s the kind of reaction we were getting from the start. That is what we want. It is perfect!

Blitz: Bands popular 20 years ago have become big cult heroes now.
Burdon: I think you’re right. I saw a German television special about a man who runs a blues school in Chicago. It was called “I Am the Blues.” It turns a really sexual thing into thoughts. That is what makes the blues so great. This is an example of what I was talking about earlier.

Blitz: What plans do you have in the event that the reunion does not work out?
Valentine: Hopefully it will work out. If not, I will go back to Newcastle, get a new band together and probably do some writing. In order to do some writing, you have to have some time. Your head has to be in the right position.

Blitz: Do you plan on making the reunion a permanent situation?
Steel: I don’t know. It’s hard to tell. We seem to go in sections. We started in July with a world tour that would bring us to the end of October, which involved a studio album. It is past October now. We are on another section, another series of shows in North America. After that, we go back to Europe for a while and record a live album. It will be a mix of our hits and some of the new material. It should be released some time around April. We are working on new material now. Once we finish the series of tours in England, we have to see if we can carry on for another year. We must take it step by step. We would like to do another studio album. If we do that, we would be pressured to promote it. We have no way to knowing what is going to happen. Who knows, we might go for each other’s throats in the meantime and it will suddenly end bloody! We all seem to have this friction between us. We always did and probably always will. It’s a matter of whether we can ride over it or not.












BONUS:

GARY GLITTER: Come Join His Gang (Yeah)!

Text by Mary Anne Cassata, 1985
Introduction by Robert Barry Francos, 2010
Live photos © Robert Barry Francos
© FFanzeen
Record images and videos from the Internet

The following article, written by Mary Anne Cassata, originally appeared in FFanzeen #13, from 1985.

Thanks to Mary Anne Cassata, I had the chance to catch not only Gary and his enormous toup play at NYC’s Limelight, which she mentions below, but I also had the opportunity to attend the press conference earlier, where FFanzeenphotographer extraordinaire Cathy Miller took a photo of him holding up one of our logo t-shirts (and another of me standing with Gary).

Yes, I know all about his disturbing sexual - ah - reputation, both in the UK and abroad, but this article was from way before any of that was known, and besides, this is a discussion about his musical legacy, not his jail-worthiness (rightful in my opinion). That being said, it is hard to read this interview today in hindsight without seeing irony in nearly every paragraph and many song or album titles.

Glitter’s music is especially catchy, which is why his “Rock and Roll (Parts One and Two)” is still used at nearly every sport event, even after all that has come to light. Joan Jett had covered a number of his songs, as well. It’s nearly impossible not to chant along with his boom-pa-TOOM, boom-pa-TOOM (etc.) rhythm that is as identifiable to him as that chukka-chukka is to Bo Diddley, or the I-IV-V to Chuck Berry (the true king of rock’n’roll).

The show at the Limelight (which started as a church, which became the Studio 54 wannabe Limelight, then became known as the Avalon, and is currently a shopping mall called the Limelight Market [thank you, Wikipedia]) was a blast, and it was obvious that Glitter was having fun as well, both of which fed each other into a love-fest of chants, sing-alongs, and joyous mayhem. Odds are he will never tour again (again, rightfully so), therefore I am happy to have had the chance to have had the experience when I did, free and clear of any guilt-by-association. Thanks, Mary Anne. – RBF, 2010

Who ever said old rock heroes just fade away? This may be true for some but not so for British phenomenon Gary Glitter. In the early ‘70s, he was acknowledged for inventing the flamboyant Glitter Rock era in America, and Glam Rock in England. Gary sold over 18 million records and had a total of 11 top-10 British chart singles between 1971 and 1975. With the release of his first Stateside hit single, “Rock and Roll (Parts One and Two),” Gary instantly became recognized as a rock legend.

With more than a decade behind him, the founding father of Glam Rock has returned in triumph, and is performing for American audiences for the first time. In support of the concert tour, Epic Records in America has released a “greatest hits” package album, appropriately entitled, The Leader. In a recent New York appearance at the Limelight, Gary thoroughly delighted an enthusiastic crowd with old favorites, like “I Didn’t Know I Loved You (Till I Saw You Rock and Roll),” “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah?),” and “I’m the Leader of the Gang (I Am).” Not all of Gary’s song titles have parentheses.

Some of Glitter’s contenders, David Bowie, Marc Bolan of T-Rex, and in America, Alice Cooper, to name a few, helped preserve the musical movement that remained till its demise in mid-1975. Although many rock critics at the time, and the late Marc Bolan himself, had proclaimed that “Glitter Rock is dead,” Gary viewed these opinions in a different way: “Either you are into Glitter Rock or you are not,” he said, relaxing in his New York hotel suite. “I have always had my own audience. Mostly, I get a lot of skinheads and punks at my shows. You just can not say I have one kind of audience.” Although Gary says he feels like “a man out of time,” his music sure doesn’t qualify as a blast from the past.

“David Bowie said to me,” Glitter states rather casually, “’It’s strange. Some years you are really big in America and not so in Europe. Then there are other years when you are big in Europe and no so in the States.’ For me, I guess it’s like a time warp everywhere. But now I think the time is right for me in the USA.” It does seem pretty favorable for Gary, who has always attained a faithful following in the States. As he opens the show to “Rock and Roll (Parts One and Two),” the audience cheers wildly to the first sight of Glitter, who ascends down a flight of stairs to the center of the stage.

The audience has always played an important part in a Glitter performance. If his new show is any indication that Gary is determined to conquer America, then perhaps it could very well happen. Fans still come dressed to his shows in versions of re-vamped glittered remnants and six-inch heels. “They are my people, and I love them,” Gary says with a satisfied smile. “When I play, the crowd sings along in a loud voice. The audience is very special to me. When I sing, ‘Do You Wanna Touch Me,’ a sea of hands goes up. The whole place goes up. From where I stand on stage, everybody is clapping. I don’t think there are any language barriers in rock and roll. I get calls all the time from people in the States who want to come over and see my shows. It’s really a great feeling to be wanted.”

There is no doubt that Gary certainly has been a major influence on many of today’s artists, some of which include Joan Jett, Shrapnel, and Rock Goddess. These and many others have included Glitter’s songs in their repertoire.

After the successful New York appearance, Gary sat backstage awaiting the party to be given in his honor. “I really think New York is buzzing now,” he says, having a taste of wine. “This is really the best time for me. You just can’t be a rock singer and not play in the States. It has been a dream for me because I have always loved America. It’s the home of rock and roll.” So far, no performer has challenged to match the veteran performer’s distinct showmanship on stage. Instead, today’s musicians, like Adam Ant, Phil Oakly of Human League, Dig Wayne of the JoBoxers, and even Boy George, would rather regard Glitter a genius.

Nearly 10 years ago, Gary made his American television debut on The Wolfman Jack Show, in New York City. It was his 30th birthday at the time, and Gary felt a little lonely and homesick for London. “I just finished up the show and went back to my hotel,” he recalled. “I think it was the (St.) Regis Hotel [2 East 55 St. – RBF, 2010] then. I really felt pretty sad that night. I went to my room and opened the door and, to my surprise, inside were Rod Stewart, Maggie Bell, and Led Zeppelin! I couldn’t believe my eyes. What a surprise, and I was so tired that night, too. I just wanted to go to bed and sleep.”

Born with the customary name of Paul Gadd, in Bradbury Oxfordshire, Gary spent much of his childhood living in an orphanage. As a young boy, he had expressed a strong interest in rock and roll music, and formed his first band at 13 years old. Changing his name to Paul Raven, he performed for many years on the grueling British pub circuit. Under the name of Raven, he had a minor hit in London, which he considered to be “simply dreadful.” During his formative years, Gary cited Elvis Presley as an essential role model. “Elvis was my guiding light, my hero for all time,” he says. “The Elvis Presley book of pop star was my bible, so to speak.” Several more name changes ensured before finally settling on Gary Glitter.

The veteran entertainer has been delighting crowds for almost 30 years now. He started out by playing rhythm and blues, before eventually crossing over to rock and roll in the late ‘60s. At one point in his career he moved to Germany and lived there for 5 years, playing intimate clubs. At 40 years of age, Glitter doesn’t mind if people can see a “few lines on my face,” or the slow decline of his early ‘70s heydays. He agrees that starting from the bottom up again is the only way to achieve recognition once more.

“Performing is my best medium. I love it and couldn’t do anything else,” he explains very solemnly, as though he were giving a testimonial. “The only way for me to do these clubs so the people who still want to see me can. Whatever the street level is, I what I want to do. I can build it from there. I really believe the best way for me to do this is from the beginning. I think this is the right and only way for me.”

Although Gary has attained a following in the States, his greatest strength lies as a major attraction in Europe. The question that seems to come up more than often these days is, if Glitter is so popular in America, why didn’t he come here sooner? “I honestly didn’t think the time was right for me,” he replied a little uneasily, “but I think now is good for me. It took me such a long time to convince the media and public that I am something different. When I did ‘Rock and Roll (Parts One and Two),’ I was with a small record company. After they released two more singles of mine, the company was bought out by Columbia, which eventually became Arista. I just happened to get lost somewhere in the shuffle.”

It was the latter part of the ‘70s when Gary’s musical vision began to wither. At that point, he became saddled with legal problems, as well as his marriage coming to an abrupt end. The distraught performer went into a semi-retirement to rethink his goals for the future, before deciding to hit the concert trail again. “I didn’t go straight back into television and big concert halls,’ he explained. “I went out and played all the universities and small clubs. That is what builds up an audience. I think this is more of an honest way, and I feel very good about it, too.”

Earlier this year, he almost considered being an opening act for a popular British group, but declined the offer because he felt it wouldn’t be a wise career move. “I had to say no because the band was playing big stadiums and all, and had a lot of success. I just didn’t feel it was right for me. I need my own audience and I need them to feel a part of my show.” Although Gary’s music is widely known in America, he is not so as a performer. Witnessing Gary in concert is certainly a visual feat to behold. Besides elaborate outfits and dynamic stage sets – and above all glamour – Glitter gives an unforgettable show.

Some of the main elements of the early glitter sound consisted of dual drummers and live handclaps. Gary co-wrote most of his songs with partner Mike Leander. Although the duo has kept in touch over the years, it is only recently that they are working together again. With his new songs, Glitter hopes to recapture some of the glory of his heyday. “Dance Me Up” is his first American single, which is supported by a video. Radio airplay is scarce for the song at this time, but a new studio album is in progress [Boys Will Be Boys – RBF, 2010].

“What I am trying to do with my music now is very much as it was in the past,” Gary explained. “I have always been very drum-oriented. The sounds we were making then were way ahead of their time, musically. They have handclaps now on every song you hear. Now they use electronic handclaps. When we did it, we stood in the studio for three hours, just clapping.” Glitter favors simple pop lyrics over the more meaningful ones, because there is a certain humor to it. “My lyrics are always about the same sort of theme. They are a little bit naughty-but-nice, I would say. I don’t like heavy-handed songs at all.”

He leans back in his easy chair and stares inattentively for a moment. Reminiscing about the old days is always a welcomed topic of conversation for Glitter. “The ‘70s were a very exciting time for me,” he recalled. “Some of those people are still around, you know. Do you know if Marc Bolan were still here, he would be big today? We used to ring each other up and say not to release our songs at the same time so we could both be at number one. It is always nice to have a number one record. We were true fans of each other, too. Marc is certainly missed by all.”

In America, some people refer to Alice Cooper as “the Granddaddy of Punk,” while British fans call Gary “Glam Daddy,” or “Gazza.” Of course, Glitter finds this category amusing, even if it seems somewhat out of context. “Sometimes they call me the Godfather of Punk, too. Isn't that funny?” Gary laughs. “I think it is really funny. It is also flattering, too. I may not be as young as I look, but I feel great. You know, Slade is having a very big success now. Do you know why?” he asks rather casually, “Because they are a live band. I am too. We are not video-oriented bands at all. We get off our asses and tour. Keith Moon told me once, ‘There is always someone somewhere that wants to see you perform.’ He was right.”

While Gary quietly contemplates the future, he strongly feels that he won’t be a forgotten hero in the pages of rock history. “I don’t think there is any age to rock and roll,” he sums up the interview. “Like everybody else, I am in search of the American Dream. I am now ready for it. I really haven’t been given the chance for the kids in America to see what I do. I just want the kids to know I am real.” The 40-year-0ld rock legend paused as though he were expecting a response before adding, “Well, we all need a little Glitter in our lives, right? Everyone.”

SPANKY McFARLANE: Really Getting to Know Her

Text by Mary Anne Cassata
Images from the Internet
© 1985 FFanzeen

The following article/interview with Spanky McFarlane was originally published in FFanzeen magazine, issue #13, in 1985. It was written by Mary Anne Cassata. In the original pressing, I mistakenly misspelled Spanky’s last name, and would like to take this moment to apologize. – RBF

In 1966, the contemporary pop group Spanky and Our Gang because a huge success with their classic “Sunday Will Never Be the Same.” In the tiny, smoke-filled Mother Blues Club, in Chicago, Spanky McFarlane and her group originated accidentally. Spanky, whose given name is Elaine, used to live in an apartment over the club. “The manager called up one night and said he needed an opening act, so we rehearsed all day and night, and got some good reviews,” recalled the lead vocalist of Our Gang, with a smile. “I was real good friends with the manager, so we performed that night.”

Before long, Spanky and Our Gang were signed to the Mercury label and hits began to populate the American music charts, such as “Lazy Day,” “Sunday Will Never Be the Same,” “Making Every Minute Count,” and “I’d Really Like to Get to Know You.” Legendary radio DJ Murray “the K” debuted “Sunday” on his show, and it almost instantly made Spanky and Our Gang a national success. “Murray ‘the K’ really made our first record for us,” says Spanky. “Back then, records weren’t usually played on New York radio stations, but he didn’t seem to care.”

Selling albums in the millions allowed the group to make many television guest appearances on such shows as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, and The Hollywood Palace. By 1969, however, the popular music group almost came to a grinding halt when their lead singer decided to retire and raise a family. Although Spanky didn’t have the desire to perform live anymore, she did remain productive in doing television commercials and singing backup for many legendary recording artists on the West Coast.

By 1974, McFarlane grew restless of her “retirement” and formed a 14 piece country and western band as the new Spanky and Our Gang. Her group performed through the Southwest as special guests for the Willie Nelson Picnic. Having garnered a favorable response with their country act, Our Gang were singed for a special one album deal for Epic Records, called Changes.

In 1981, Spanky received an important call from John Phillips, who was in the midst of reassembling the Mamas and the Papas. To McFarlane’s surprise, he expressed interest in having her assume the role of the legendary “Mama” Cass Elliot. “I didn’t even know him and he called me,” Spanky said. “I asked him who the other Mama would be, and John said his daughter Mackenzie. My only other question was ‘Can she sing?’”

The newly formed group made their debut on Good Morning America and performed up until last year, to sell-out concert halls across the country.

This past summer, Spanky and Our Gang, along with other popular ‘60s acts like the Association, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Three Dog Night, and the Turtles, appeared together in the Happy Together Tour ‘84. The oldie artists performed to more than 125 sold-out concert halls across the country. Spanky enjoyed her recent concerts and is looking forward to the next one. “It’s so much fun,” she smiles. “It’s great, especially when you’re the only girl with 24 guys.”

The following interview was conducted with Spanky McFarlane in New York City.

FFanzeen: How is the Happy Together Tour working out so far?

Spanky McFarlane: Incredible. Much better than anyone ever dreamed. We get standing ovations every night. People are smiling and happy.

FF: When did the tour open?

Spanky: We played the Beverly Wilshire Theater, which is everybody’s home in L.A. It was kind of hard to open there. We would have liked to play three or four dates before that to see what we had. We didn’t even know what the show was. But it went really well. We got great reviews there.

FF: What song do you open your set with?

Spanky: I actually open the set with one of my favorite songs, an old Martha and the Vandellas tune, “Dancing in the Streets.” See, I did my time with the Mamas and Papas in ’83, so I feel I should include some of their songs in my set, too. Now they are part of my legacy. It was great when we sat down to sing the tunes of the Mamas and Papas. We had about thirty hits to cover. It was incredible. The whole time I was with them, I told my friend, “You better see this while you can.” I just knew it wasn’t going to last. We had good press and everyone that came to see us thought we put on a great show.

FF: What has being part of the tour been like for you?

Spanky: It is funny, because everybody that is in the show spends a lot of time watching the show, which is pretty amazing, since we have done about seventy shows. I think the shows have all been of quality and the people that are in it enjoy it. We are all there for the music. When the Association sing “Walk Away Renée,” I want to be there. It’s a celebration. Between the four groups, we have 23 hits, and I don’t think the Turtles do all of theirs. We don’t have time to do them all. I perform for about 25 minutes, and I don’t’ perform all of mine, and we all do a finale together. It’s really a fun thing. When we sing a hit, the audience stands up. They love it. We all take bows and it’s a lot of fun.

FF: “Sunday Will Never Be the Same” is certainly one of the all-time favorite ‘60s songs. Did you ever think when the song was recorded in 1966 that it would be a classic today?

Spanky: Well, I certainly have no regrets about it. People just like the song and that makes me happy.

FF: Last year, with the Mamas and Papas, wasn’t there supposed to have been an album?

Spanky: We have a demo tape with ten songs. I did some writing with John Phillips and Mackenzie. It was a lot of fun. Actually, we were all writing together. I wish we had more time to do more of it. We think the songs we wrote were all pretty good.

FF: In 1974, after your retirement, you formed a country version of Spanky and Our Gang. Why the switch to country music?

Spanky: Well, in 1978, there wasn’t anything good, musically, to listen to except country music, in my opinion. I like a lot of vocal harmony, so I thought I’d swing in another direction. I was listening to the Byrds and anyone who harmonizes.

FF: What did the old Spanky and Our Gang fans have to say?

Spanky: I don’t know, and I don’t really care. When I had the country band, I didn’t even sing any Spanky and Our Gang songs. For the first couple of years, I wouldn’t even listen to them. But finally, the pressure was on and I did sing some of the songs. We worked up a little medley of songs. I can see why now I guess being a little bit selfish. I mainly wanted to do what I wanted to do.

FF: Were you trying to break out of your old image?

Spanky: Yes, I was. The thought of singing “Lazy Day” – oh, please! How can I keep singing it? It’s funny, I saw one of the guys who wrote the songs on this tour and he came backstage and said, “I know you weren’t going to sing that song.” I said, “You were right, I can’t sing it.” Even, “Making every minute count / making it groovy….” Eh!

FF: I guess lyrics like that don’t really apply to the ‘80s lifestyle too much.

Spanky: Yeah, I guess they don’t apply too well. Maybe I should rewrite some of it, and scare the shit out of some people! [Laughs]

FF: There is a cross section of people that attend your concerts. A lot of young kinds, as well as parent – not to mention the over-30 audience.

Spanky: Yes, parents have played the records for their kids and everybody sings along. It is really neat. We see a lot of people singing along and, of course, we urge them to sing along, too. At the end of the show, everyone sings along with us. All the bands come back on stage together for the finale.

FF: Why was there two different versions recorded of “I’d Really Like to Get to Know You”?

Spanky: I think one was the single version and one was an album version of the song. One was only shorter, that’s all. The original was in the album [Like to Get to Know You], we just extended it. We had quite a long instrumental for it at the end. When I produced the Greatest Hits album, I decided I really liked it. I also had a tape of everyone talking and by then a couple of the guys had died, so it meant a lot to me to have their voices there, laughing and joking.

FF: Malcolm Hale passed away at the height of the group’s career. How did that affect you?

Spanky: Actually, two members died, Malcolm and Lefty Baker. Malcolm died in ’68. We were about to start a summer show called Rollin’ on the River. When Malcolm died, everyone wanted to quit, especially me. So we all quit. In 1971, Lefty died. That can sure break up a group. Malcolm died of pneumonia. He didn’t even know he had it. He died in his sleep. We really didn’t do a big publicity thing about it. We were really in mourning. The group broke up real quietly about two months after he died. We just didn’t have the heart to get any publicity out of Malcolm’s death. It wasn’t something we wanted to discuss. We all just went our separate ways. We said goodbye and remained friends for life. Actually, Nigel, who was in the first group, helped start the second one up. The county band was really a continuation of Spanky and Our Gang. All I have left is the ties to those guys.

FF: How do you feel about performing on this tour with the remaining members of Our Gang?

Spanky: You know, the thing about it – and I realize it now – is that you get closer to the people you work with. Sometimes more than your own family. I had five brothers when I was growing up. I was close to them, but then, I haven’t lived at some since I was 14 years old. All these bands I’ve had have become my family. It is not just like losing a partner; it’s like losing a brother. I have a daughter who is very pretty and very bright and she loves rock’n’roll. When I brought my kids home from the hospital, the first thing I did was set them between the speakers and turn the music up. It probably wasn’t every good for them, but I did it anyway. I was listening to [Dylan’s] Blood on the Tracks when Nat was born.

FF: During your heyday, did you feel Spanky and Our Gang was more of a cabaret act or contemporary rock band?

Spanky: Well, that’s funny. We started out as a joke band and we played acoustic instruments. We did a lot of comedy and show tunes, folk tunes, and rock’n’roll. We did anything that pleased us. We were contented with ourselves and everybody loved what we were doing. It gave us all a chance to shine at what we do best. We sand the blues or anything we felt like doing. We always did our songs with harmony and a lot of style. We even had the first electric jug and washboard. I even had an electric banana, which was a kazoo. That was something to see. When we went over to Europe, all our equipment was stolen. The silly hats and these silly instruments we had were gone. That part was an aspect of our show. We just didn’t have the heart to find new outfits, so we dropped a lot of our comedy numbers. We did get more serious songs like, “I’d Really Like to Get to Know You,” and “Give a Damn.” It’s funny to look back in time and now we don’t do the comedy act. It’s weird.

FF: How did the Happy Together Tour originate?

Spanky: In my opinion, it evolved from the Mamas and Papas. I think if they were still together they would have been on this tour. It’s, like, a spin-off of a TV show. Everyone thinks that Our Gang is my band, but it is actually Gary Puckett’s, the Union Gap. I’m with Gary, and we’re Spanky and Our Gang again. It’s amazing. No one knows it’s the Union Gap. Everyone thinks it’s my band. It really doesn’t seem to matter.

FF: We had mentioned earlier about the reunion of the Mamas and Papas. How were you asked to assume the role of Cass Elliot?

Spanky: That tour was because John Phillips had called me and I went to spend a year with them before I ever went on stage. It was the most amazing year of my life. I changed everything. I moved to the East Coast, brought my clothes and family to be close to John and Mackenzie, who were having drug treatments in New Jersey. At the time, they had to do their way of life. We put the band together. It was very exciting. I brought a friend of mine and that is probably why we are all together now for this tour. Carlos [Bernal] used to work with the Turtles, and my ex-husband [Charly Galvin], and the Byrds. As the plot thickens…

FF: Why was the Mamas and Papas’ tour so short?

Spanky: That’s interesting. Last year, at about this time, Mackenzie went back to her TV show [One Day at a Time] . She was going to be gone for 26 weeks out of the year. It wasn’t going to be enough to tour just for the six months. Shortly after she had lost her show; by then I wanted to do something else. I felt I just couldn’t’ do it any more.

FF: What was it like, singing with Mackenzie?

Spanky: She’s a very talented actress and you know what? J A good singer, too – once she got over her initial fear of the stage, which didn’t take more than five minutes. She let her voice settle down, too. She had good power and range and, after a while, we were sounding like sisters. We were that close in our voice range, and we can get the same timbre. She is still pursuing her acting career in L.A., although I think she would like to be doing the Mamas and Papas very much. It just doesn’t seem possible for her and her father to work together. As close as they were, it was still very hard. I also want to say that Denny was really good. He was like a rock throughout the whole thing.

FF: A few years ago, your debut album had been reissued by Mercury. What did you think of that?

[1998]
Spanky: I thought it was very interesting. It had been one of the first album covers that folded out with pictures inside. When they reissued the album, it wasn’t the same cover. Good ol’ Mercury Records – good ol’ cheap Mercury Records. The cover didn’t fold out. I wish they would have re-released the Greatest Hits album [re-released in 1986, and again in 1999 and 2006 – ed.], actually, because that is more logical than our first album. We also had a bootleg album put out. They bought a tape from 1966 and put out an album in 1971 as a new album. It was called Spanky and Our Gang Live. We had been together about a week when that tape was made, and to have them put it out as our new album – after the group had three or four successful albums already. It is amazing the record company can do things like that. It was a little bit embarrassing because it was a live album. There was no overdubs or instrumentations, or a chance to correct anything. It was strictly bootleg. You never know what your own label is going to do.

FF: Have you ever considered taking your talents to Broadway?

Spanky: Oh yes, I have. I think my voice is suited for Broadway. I think that would be a fun thing to do. I have thought a lot about that; more lately than the past. Do you know anybody who would be interested? I wish they would do the Ethel Merman story, or Ernest Borgnine. I don’t think I have anything more to say.

THE VIBRATORS: Into the Future

Text by Mary Anne Cassata
Images from the Internet
© 1985 FFanzeen

The following article/interview with British punk band The Vibrators was originally published in FFanzeen magazine, issue #13, in 1985. It was written by Mary Anne Cassata. – RBF

The Vibrators. With a name like that, what else can it be put a punk era band? This brute British quartet reunited a little over a year ago and since then has continued to drive their audiences into a frenzy at each performance. The members, Knox (guitar / keyboard / vocals), John Ellis (guitar / keyboard / vocals), Eddie (drums / vocals), and Gary Tibbs (bass) have defied sensationalism by screaming at their audiences, incorporating bondage themes on stage, and smashing guitars and amplifiers.

The Vibrators, who original formed in 1976, consider themselves to be the only true innovators of British punk music. One of the group’s early performances resulted in the premier Punk Festival, in London, which also featured the Clash, the Damned, and the Sex Pistols. Their debut single, “We Vibrate,” caused quite a stir in Britain upon its release, and the album, Pure Mania, won the support of new fans in America. The second single from the album, “Baby Baby,” followed with massive European press and helped sell out shows all over the country.

[Pure Mania (1977)]
The music is extremely harsh on the ears, but the Vibrators equally satisfy an ever growing army of punk maniacs. Lead vocalist Knox, who refused to reveal his last name, was asked to comment on the group’s penchant for violence. “All this talk about violence is rubbish, really,” he stated. “It isn’t like that at all with us. Our music may be violent, but the people that come to our shows are there to have a good time and that is what we give them. That’s all.”

Sounds like a contradiction to me.

Recently, the Vibrators performed in the New York City area to highly enthusiastic fans. Knox and Eddie took some time out to speak with FFanzeen about their first arrival in America, and their Stateside album, Alaska 127 What entailed from the interview was a very open and frank discussion about the group’/s career and future plans.

["Baby Baby) (1977)]
FFanzeen: This is your first time touring in America. How do you think it’s going?

Knox: Tonight will be our third show in the States. The first shows we did were not very good. We didn’t like it too much.

FF: Why is that?

Knox: First of all, we are on a very punishing schedule. We are not used to the heating here in the hotels and all. You get laryngitis and colds. We are sort of knocked out. Everything has goon really well. There wasn’t a disaster or anything like that; it was more equipment failure than anything else.

FF: I heard you got a very good reception in Canada.

Knox: Oh, yes, the people really liked us a lot there. We have a domestic release there called “Baby Blue Eyes.” It is doing quite well on the charts there. I really didn’t like Toronto too well. There are a lot of expensive buildings there. I saw all these people on the streets begging for money. It made me very paranoid. All this money and the people are really poor.

FF: New York audiences are among the toughest to perform for. How did you feel about that?

[V2 (1978)]
Knox: We knew it would be. It was alright. We came in from Cincinnati and ended up here only in time for the soundcheck. We have hardly had any sleep at all. We thought we played well, I guess. It wasn’t really an over-the-top show, but that is how we wanted it. We know we are capable of doing much better than we did. Besides, it wasn’t the right kind of place to do our show. We like it to be a certain way. There wasn’t enough fooling around. It seemed more like a presentation than anything else.

FF: In 1976, what was it like to perform at the very first Punk Festival, in London? I can imagine all the violence that night.

Knox: Oh yes, it was very violent that night. We didn’t get any proper reviews on that show either. Such a shame; a real pity and all. People just thought it was distasteful, but it put punk on the map. Just to talk about it is very exciting. Punk music, more or less, just had to happen. It was really always in the air. It was a new kind of music that brought people about that were bored with the old stuff.

Eddie: Punk means a different thing now than it did before. It used to mean to be individual, to be yourself. It is very much a one-dimensional thing now. Personally, I think we belong to it now just as much as we did before.

FF: How has punk music changed over the years?

Eddie: Today, every song is played in 2/4 and it is fast and furious. There is little room left for craft anymore. As it stands in 1983-1984, it means a different thing altogether. It is up to us to make the music and let the people fit into their little bags. I have heard kids say we are an amazing band.

Knox: If you look at early pictures and styles of punk, they have changed quite a bit. The hardcore look and the hardcore sound has changed. In those days, it was better and more inventive. We were before the Clash and the Pistols – no, we were about the same time as the Pistol. We knew all these people from before. We started our band in school. We had always talked about starting a band. Most of the successful people in punk seem to have gone through the art school syndrome. I did.

FF: What events led to the band’s breakup in 1980?

[Alaska 127 (1984)]
Knox: Some of the people in the band began to go off in different directions. Some got into drinking and things like that. All they did was fuck it up for the rest of us. It was more like a family splitting up, or a marriage gone wrong. It is one of those things that is very difficult to talk about. Sometimes when you become very successful and our, you find out some people aren’t really into doing a lot of that. The band never really reached its full potential.

Eddie: We just carried it on and on ‘til it came to a grinding halt. When the others left, I kept going. When we got together last year we put out an album called guilty. Our latest album is Alaska 127.

FF: Eddie, why was “Baby Blue Eyes” released in the States and “Flying High” in England? Why not the same song for both countries? It’s harder for us to obtain British imports.

Eddie: It wasn’t us, it was the record company. They thought it was the best thing to do. But we think “Baby should be a better choice for America.

FF: Do you usually write the songs as a unit?

Eddie: We usually come out with ideas between us and work on them together. It seems to work out fine between us. We get four different varieties; sort of like the Beatles.

FF: Judging on what music is popular today, is there a remote possibility of the Vibrators becoming more mainstream rock?

Eddie: We seem to be moving in an upward direction and punk, so to speak, seems to be going down a blind alley. Punk music has moved away from where we are now. We have sort of retained a position where we have created music that is exciting and intelligent, as well. I think punk has moved away from being an intelligent source of music. Hopefully, it will move in a forward direction again. What we are trying to do is experiment with new ideas without losing that sort of flavor.

[Guilty (1989)]
Knox: We have run over rocky ground before, so we are used to it. We are very adaptable and getting better all the time. Punk people don’t realize that without change it becomes stale, or a dead form of expression. We have to change our music to get better. Punk music is just another type of rock music, and one day it will be assimilated into ordinary rock.

FF: Do you still spit on the audience?

Eddie: Yeah, but the audience spits at us, too. When we first started out in London, there was a lot of spitting and things like that. It has sort of died out now.

Knox: Those kids had really gotten good at gobbing from 20 feet away. We used to let them gob and shake their hands.

FF: While on stage, why all this aggressiveness toward the audience?

[Pure Punk (2009)]
Eddie: We have a tremendous amount of energy. If there is violence, it is done in a constructive way. From time to time we do break tings on stage. It’s the excitement and all.

Knox: I can get reasonably aggressive now. I am very much into playing. The violence at our shows is very small. When the violence is done on stage it seems like the right thing to do. Sometimes I think I can really smash this bloke one in the head.

FF: Then the audience still plays an integral part in your performance?

Eddie: Yes, the people are there to enjoy themselves. They dance and jump around, leap and scream. That is why they are there. Wee don’t want them to sit and politely clap. We want them to have a good time at our shows.

Knox: If you go to our concerts the kids really go crazy knocking each other about. It looks like they are fighting but when they leave they wring out their shirts, and take a deep breath and stagger on home. I want to give the people that come to our shows the buzz that the Who gave me.