January 1988

CONTENTS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Although INXS have been touring this proud and free nation of late, they did meet with a spot of controversy in their proud and free home, Australia, just before coming stateside. It seems that Job Bjelke-Peterson, the premier of the Australian province of Queensland, is adamantly opposed to the venerable condom dispensing machine.

Creem Profiles

DEF LEPPARD

(Pronounced “Boy Howdy!”)

LETTERS

Thanks for another article on the Cure, possibly the most important band of the ’80s in that they have covered almost every style of music and that they seem to have control over their work and are willing to sacrifice. It’s a bit disappointing to learn Robert’s most brilliant lyrics (“Figurehead,” “Siamese Twins,” “Faith” and “At Night”) were written on drugs—but at least he’s learned to cut down.

WRITE CREEM'S CAPTIONS & WIN A MARVELOUS PRIZE!

Like most of our million-plus readers, you probably feel—quite incorrectly—that you can write better captions than our team of trained caption-writers. Although we scoff at such thinking, we’ve decided to test your mettle with this wonderful contest.

ELEGANZA

Although it's easy to make a good record-let's face it, aU one really needs are some good songs, several fine musicians and a dandy singer or two-it's not so easy to title a good record. In fact, as I look back on the thousand-year history of rock, it seems that it's darned hard to come up with a good album title.

45 REVELATIONS

Ken Barnes

The new R.E.M. single almost snared it at the last minute, but I’m still going country with the Single of the Bi-Month, as I guess I’ll have to call it now. I’ve been obsessed with Baillie & The Boys all summer. The harmony arrangements on the LP are sumptuous, and Kathy Baillie’s voice is pure liquid heartbreak.

THE BODEANS' Bubbling Crude

Moira McCormick

What distinguishes a great band from an average band is often hard to pinpoint, but you could say it all boils down to motivation. The “would-be’s” and “wannabe’s” play the music biz game because they wanna be rich and famous, rolling in cars, girls and clothes, and they figure rock ’n’ roll’s as good a means as any to that end.

HIDE THE PURINA! ITS THE PET SHOP BOYS

Sylvie Simmons

It’s tea time here in London. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are eating scones and dainty white sandwiches. Neil is chomping unashamedly, while Chris is making nice crenulations around the edges. Chris used to study architecture, Neil used to be a pop journalist and an editor at Smash Hits.

Records

PEPSI-COLA SALAD

Richard C. Walls

By the time this appears everybody and their mama will already have had their say, answering those two pressing questions, a) is this a worthy follow-up to the best-selling album in the history of Western Civilization, and b) is this more than a worthy follow-up to the best-selling, etc.

Features

The Cars: The 50,000 Mile Tune-up

Roy Trakin

Dr. Yogi Bup is the alias Elliot Easton uses when he checks into a room on the road. Imagine that.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds Creem January 1988

METALLICA Back To The Garage

Judy Wieder

Although they’re not interested in spandex or technicolor hairdos, Metallica are rapidly becoming kings of the ’80s metal heap. These spontaneous, free-thinking, headbanging princes are everything today’s defiant, jean-clad thrash fans have ever dreamed about.

THE RAMONES: Halfway To Sanity...And Back Again!

Kris Needs

1987. It’s a full decade after the Summer Of Hate, and we have the 10th studio album from the Ramones. And whadaya know! Even though there must now be a couple hundred Ramones songs thrashing around on various vinyl, the band still has the same sound after all these years. Of course, there have been minor aberrations.

ROCK • A • RAMA

Dadgum if this old boy don’t sound like a good buddy the very first time you hear him. No surprise, considering the reference points: Jones has ties to country’s Outlaw movement—Willie recorded his “Living in the Promiseland” and Waylon guests here—and he also takes a cue from Nashville’s new traditionalists.

CREEMEDIA

Kris Needs

Some inescapable facts accompany RunD.M.C.’s latest venture onto the big screen. They are probably the biggest rap group in the world. They sell millions of albums, sell out the biggest arenas, and are now powerful enough to launch their own line of clothing.

MEDIA COOL

Sure, it’s incredibly contrived—but I mean that as a compliment in the best possible sense. It’s contrived in the same way that, oh, say, And Justice For All or The Karate Kid were contrived, and there’s a very good chance that those two left you feeling great.

Tom Waits: Town Crier

Bill Holdship

I’m a little nervous—and I don’t get this way often these days. But I’ve heard that Tom Waits can be a difficult interview. Plus, he’s probably one of the most mysterious people I’ve ever had to profile. A lot’s been written about him, but no one seems to know much about him.

WIN A WHIRLWIND WEEKEND WITH THE ALARM

DOES LIFE SEEM ALARMINGLY QUIET THESE DAYS? WE AT CREEM MAGAZINE AND I.R.S. RECORDS THINK SO. BUT THE QUIET DECEIVES-IT’S ACTUALLY THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM. THE ALARM-THOSE WELSH LADS WHO WERE BORN TO LAUGH AT TORNADOES-HAVE A WHOLE NEW STORM BREWIN’.

Fabler Than Before... Tie George Harrison Interview, Part Two

J. Kordosh

As promised last month, we continue the George Harrison interview, which was prompted by the release of Cloud Nine, his first album in over five years. This continuation finds a relaxed Harrison talking about everything from Madonna to Elvis to LSD to life after the Beatles to life after death.

CENTERSTAGE

Casey McCabe

There were a few things at Farm Aid III I’ll wager you won’t see at many concerts. That includes 70,000 people doing a perfectly executed wave, little white-haired farm wives dancing to the strains of Lou Reed, an eight-minute set by the Grateful Dead, and 20-foot TV images of Dick Clark and Sarah Purcell, our Farm Aid host and hostess.

TECH TALK

Billy Cioffi

If someone were to write the history of L.A.’s musical scene from the late ’70s to the present, Dave Alvin would be the subject of a chapter or two. The quiet, soft-spoken songwriter/guitarist has been as important a figure as anyone in terms of establishing credibility in a city whose integrity-after the glorious ’60s—was undermined by hype and critical disgust with the empty calories of the corporate “rock” image and sound.

NEWBEATS

Steve Appleford

Mojo Nixon and his partner Skid Roper are strangely out of their element, virtually trapped in a little square room deep below the Hollywood soundstage of The Late Show. Wearing their road-worn denim and sitting with a couple of buddies, they wait anxiously for their big moment which will come later that night.

Backstage

Backstage

Where the Stars Tank Up & Let Their Images Down