WELCOME TO ISSUE 11 OF ROLLMO!
IN ITS NEW FORMAT NEWSLETTER
 
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1991 EDITION
 
STILL FREE OF CHARGE !
 
Dear Readers,
 
Thanks for your continued support and enthusiasm. As many will know I had BIG problems with issue 10 of the fanzine due to photocopier access and computer printer problems etc. - I won't bore you with the details again. I've managed to get hold of a cheap photocopier and Andy Goddard has allowed me to have access to his DTP so my frustrations are lessening. Sorry for lack of pictures in THIS issue, but hopefully there's a scanner on the way for issue 12 - cross your fingers! Besides, the main thing is getting the information out isn't it?
 
So here it is in its new format - newsletter, as opposed to fanzine. I won't be committing myself to 16 pages due to my recent involvement in other projects, but with the introduction of the other Kitchenware bands to the newsletter, that shouldn't be a problem.
 
Anyway, here's the update - and remember - if you hear anything on the grapevine, read any obscure articles or get to any of the gigs, drop me a line with the details.

- UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE -

    The Kane Gang are featured in this issue. The latest from Kitchenware is that Martin Brammer and David Brewis are currently working on separate projects although they have three songs "on hold" for the new Oleta Adams LP and a track on the current Sheena Easton album.

    Dave Brewis and friend recently held an auction of musical memorabilia in Newcastle. Brewis sold off some of his extensive collection of guitars, including a Jimi Hendrix original, raising loads of dosh in the process. There was talk of it becoming an annual event.

    Fatima Mansions' mainman Carnal Coughlan went to the review of comics Sean Hughes and Owen O'Neil's play "St. Patrick's Day" at the Edinburgh Fringe. Sean and Cathal are mates, as it happens,and the play actually includes an excerpt from the song "Angel's Delight" from the "Viva Dead Ponies" album. Hughes is doing some writing for Jonathan Ross and working on a sitcom, so hopefully he'll feature more music during these projects. In the meantime he takes his one-man show entitled "I Shouldn't Be Telling You This But..." to London Town and Country II on October 4th and 5th.
    Coughlan, an apparent authority on Ceausescu, reviewed Edward Behr's book "Kiss The Hand You Cannot Bite (The Rise And Fall Of The Ceausescus)" in the July/August edition of Newcastle magazine "Paint It Red". Anyone who wants a copy of the review should drop me a line.
    At the Reading Festival, the Mansions appeared on Sunday in the Mean Fiddler tent. It was reported that Cathal held "his own Sunday sermon, a ceremony far too sick for Satan's children. The gospel according to Cathal is blackened by religious indoctrination forcing itself out so vehemently it makes the exorcism in The Exorcist look like an Andrex advert."
    Fatima Mansions release a new 8-track acoustic mini-LP on October 21 entitled "Bertie's Brochures" which "represents the more tempered comer of Cathal's psyche" and includes covers of Richard Thompson's "The Great Valerio", Scott Walker's "Long About Now" and REM's "Shiny Happy People", in homage to Michael Stipe, who provoked "a stunted respiration period" when he turned up to their recent New York gig. Stipe was claimed to have left the Mansion's gig mid-way through as he "doesn't like arty bands".
    Plans are afoot for a new album representing "a panoramic new world light and air Fatima Mansions" in early 1992.

    Bubonique are distributed through APT, for those of you who haven't yet asked me. Their last single was on 12" format only [Cat. SKX 54 "Summer (The First Time)" /"Free Charles Manson".] They are currently working on a heavy metal track entitled "My Baby Gave Me Rabies" and could prove to be a play on the Thin Lizzy classic live song "Baby Drives Me Crazy", if the blatant piss-take of the Pet Shop Boys is anything to go by on their first promotional photos.

    Prefab Sprout, meanwhile, are hard at it recording their follow-up album to "Jordan; The Comeback", who "Select" magazine (who include "Wild Horses" on their October freebie Sony cassette compilation) say are in a London recording studio, planning an album release "early next year". This should be taken with a pinch of salt as Paddy McAloon was spotted on Northumberland Street in Newcastle. If you get to read this Paddy, Mrs. X apologises for not recognising you (it's not as though he was wearing a beard - Ed). He was apparently walking with his shoulder-length blonde girlfriend. Also, our friend Neil Conti has been spotted in the Newcastle area quite a bit during August so methinks something local is happening with respect to the album.
    The Record Collector article on the Sprouts looks set to be published next year to coincide with the new album/single release.
    Neil's plans for the Backstage Club are still on ice, due to recording commitments with the band. The Backstage Club is still operating in name only, but as a weekly rock venue for any bands. Their two female DJ's recently left, amid rumours that Neil was starting up again. Well, we hope he does, but not before the next gig (who am I kidding?)

    The Sprouts also appear on a "Q" magazine double cassette album compilation, released through the main record stores, with the track "Carnival 2000". It's a shame they couldn't have used "Moondog" as one of the tracks on these recent compilations as Paddy was hoping for that to be the next single. He assures us of something being released "soon, by Sprout standards!"

    Martin Stephenson and the Daintees recorded four new tracks during August with Gil Norton producing (he's done James recently, did the Daintees' first album and also Hurrah!'s "Tell God I'm Here"). They are hoping that he will do the whole album. Pete Wingfield did a few tracks earlier in the year but didn't manage to capture the real "bite" of the songs. It seems that the move in styles of the Daintees material, that Andrea Mackie will continue the jazz project with her husband and mat she will probably now be a bit to "glitzy" to justify a return to the band.

    Martin has said that he'd love to release the next album later this year with a limited free album (his as yet unreleased solo effort) with (say) the first 3000 copies, however the Word from Kitchenware is: Daintees album out next spring, possibly solo album later in 1992. Martin was asked some time ago to write a song for Joan Baez. It's still in the pipeline but the Daintees' album is taking priority.

    I visited the Heineken Big Top bash at Bristol early in August with my mate Andy Goddard to see The Daintees, who were just brilliant, despite Martin having numerous guitar problems (ie. couldn't get one in tune, despite several attempts and broke three strings during one song!) Each band member was allocated two cans of Heineken nat's piss to sup onstage. The finale for me was Martin handing over an unopened can at the end of the gig to a totally bewildered knuckle-headed bouncer, Priceless.

    Mike Chavez reviews their gig at Edinburgh Queen's Hall in this issue. Yes, they only did one night due to unexpectedly low ticket sales, struggling against the Fringe competition. Mike will also be writing a review of Martin's solo album for the next issue. Copies are NOT, I repeat NOT available, so don't even ask. Besides, Mike will only tell you to "piss off', like he did me!

    Martin recorded a traditional-type folk song of his entitled "The Battle For The English Rose" early in September.

    In the meantime, he is performing some solo acoustic shows to fill gaps:
                   Mean Fiddler (big room)       17 October
                   King Tut's, Glasgow             21, 22, 23 October
 
John Birch