October 1986
KATRINA AND THE WAVES
MARK KNOPFLER ROCK-SHOTS
AS IT DEVELOPS!
All right! Another month! Gosh, the ol’ calendar really moves when you’re having fun—and that’s sure-as-shootin’ our way of doin’ business here at ROCK-SHOTS Headquarters. Don’t believe me? Why, just take a gander at our super, incredible contests this month!
CONTENTS
A-HA: BIGGER THAN DURAN DURAN OR WHAM!?
Perhaps the biggest touring event of the summer—on a par with Prince, the Monkees and Bob Dylan—is that of the Norwegian trio, A-Ha. The group virtually came out of nowhere last year with their smash hit “Take On Me,” from their debut LP, Hunting High And Low, and the song was further propelled into popularity with a video filled with spectacular special effects.
QUIDNUNC'S CONFIDENTIAL!
Michael Logan
Yes, that was George Michael be-bopping around Hollyweird wearing a ponytail! The rock star has flipped for this latest male hair craze but didn’t want to wait eight or nine months for the hairraising experience. He solved the problem by purchasing a phony pony, which he happily attaches to his real locks whenever the "hair today, gone tomorrow" mood strikes!
THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS THE GREATEST "BAR" BAND IN THE WORLD?
The Fabulous Thunderbirds—just another great li’l ol' band from that lone star state of Texas (Austin, to be exact)—are one of the current classic cases of perseverance in rock ’n’ roll. The Fab ’Birds have been playing their rip-roarin’ blend of blues, rock and r&b for many years now, playing small clubs and bars throughout the country, and occasionally doing a show in a small theater.
THE OUTFIELD: WE'RE AN... UH...AMERICAN BAND?
Billy Cioffi
The first time I heard the Outfield on the radio I recall thinking that the band had a refreshing pop sheen that was like a breath of fresh air compared to the usual Top 40 diet of synthosludge mannerisms. “Here,” says I, “is another one of these promising American upstarts, like the Hooters, who are giving us some good jangelling AM radio music.”
Post Script
I would like to thank you for the complimentary oneyear subscription to ROCK-SHOTS. (Selena is one of the many winners of our monthly free subscription giveaways... see page 18 for details of how you can be a winner, too!—Contest-Conscious Ed.)
BRIT BUZZ
Sylvie Simmons
It’s a tough life in today’s pop world. You never know when you’re going to come across Belgians or would-be assassins, and guns, machetes and Ninja weapons make such an unsightly bulge in a man’s black leather skirt. So Depeche Mode’s Martin (oh, what a nice name!)
RAISED ON... JOURNEY!
Ah. Journey. Now there’s a band! Journey. Featuring the inimitable singer and songwriter Steve Perry. Know him? Of course you do! The extraordinarily talented and handsome rock vocalist has become something of a legend— not just at ROCK-SHOTS Headquarters, but around the entire world as well!
A Celebration Of Depeche Mode
...And then, of course, there’s Depeche Mode! As you probably already know, Depeche Mode have been on MTV a lot recently—not to mention on the radio. But there’s a lot of people out there who might not know exactly who the band is. Martin Gore?
GRADUATION OF THE DREAM ACADEMY
"Life In A Northern Town" was such a great song, it could’ve only been sung by a band as cool as the Dream Academy! That’s not just how ROCK-SHOTS feels, that’s how a whole bunch of people feel—and it’s that same bunch of people that have made the Dream Academy’s debut album of the year’s hottest new records!
THE ROCK-SHOTS INTERVIEW THE BANGLES KNOW WHAT THEY WANT!
Judy Wieder
Different Light flows so easily, song after song. Was it a dream to make? Michael Steele (bass guitarist): Oh no, no! God, it was soooooo hard to make. We worked really hard on this record. It almost gave us all nervous breakdowns including (producer) David Kahne.
A-HA CENTERFOLD
FALCO ROCK-SHOTS
BRYAN ADAMS
JACK WAGNER ROCK-SHOTS
A-HA
Belinda Carlisle Go-Go's It Alone
Belinda Carlisle perches on the chair in her hotel room. "I think the Go-Go's did do a lot a help bands like the Bangles," she says. "But, then were other girl groups before us who helped the Go-Go's." a songfest guaranteed to reclaim the commercial glory of the Go-Go's and establish Belinda as a happenin' solo artist.
Culture Club: Return Of The Rag Bags
Sylvie Simmons
While Boy George has been off waxing his hair or posing for waxwork dummies or appearing in Japanese gin commercials or whatever it is he’s up to these days, Jon Moss has been busy helping promote the album that’s put Culture Club back in the limelight again: From Luxury To Heartache.
SHOTS IN THE DARK
Uh, oh—we can’t seem to stop these celebs from talking to each other once they get featured in this darned section! How come? Probably because it’s, like, the biggest honor of their careers to be here in the first place, and they simply must share their joy with their peers.
Hey, Hey, They're The Monkees!
“Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees/ And people say we monkey around/ But we’re too busy singin’/To put anybody down/We’re just trying to be friendly/Come and watch us sing and play/We’re the young generation/And we’ve got something to say...” When these words kicked off the first episode on NBC-TV’s new Monday night musical sitcom in September 1966, no one imagined what a phenomenon the network was kicking off.
THE ROLLING STONES Dirty Work. But Somebody Has To Do It
After several albums that didn’t exactly knock anyone out and a solo album by leader/singer Mick Jagger (She’s The Boss), many felt the writing was on the wall for the Rolling Stones. After all, haven’t they been together for over 20 years? Wasn’t it time, perhaps, for the Stones to go their separate ways?
Mechanically Minded Mike On This 'N' That
Sylvie Simmons
A good Mechanic is hard to find, but we managed to track Mike Rutherford down in West London where he was getting tuned-up for a tour of the States. Make that two tours: first he’s going out with Mike & The Mechanics, then, after six weeks at home with his wife, kids and horses, he’s back on the road with Genesis.
where have all the TAYLORS gone?
Last month, we reported that drummer Roger Taylor was leaving Duran Duran. This month—if you can believe it—the news is even worse. Yes, hot on the heels of Roger’s departure, it is now widely rumored that Andy Taylor—he of the brilliant guitar work for D2 and the Power Station—will also be leaving the Durans.
NOT JUST ANOTHER PRINCE ALBUM HOLENYOHEAD
By the time you read this, Prince’s new movie, Under The Cherry Moon, will undoubtedly be a box office blockbuster. This assumption is based on Prince’s first movie, Purple Rain, a hugely successful film that also coincided with a soundtrack album and extensive tour.
PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION
OMD
CHARLIE SEXTON