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PETER COWANGrcide-B RocfcToday, we shall examine the latest recordings ( several lower class rock groups. Like other callings rock and roll has its own class system. There ar those of unquestionable character, the ordinar hard-working diligent types and the real riff-rafi The groups reviewed here belong to the last categt ry.Lou Reed’s latest album, “Rock N Roll Animal on RCA, comes closer than any other attempt t capture the primitive essence of 20th century rod Recorded live at the Academy of Music in Ne1 York, it is Reed without fear, Reed in the flesh an Reed unchained.Side A is a knockoi with strong-flavored vei sions of “Sweet Jane and 13.U minutes c “Heroin,” done quite di ferently than his Velvlt; Underground versior Add to this a beautifi and majestic guitar w troduction by Stev Hunter and it’s one fin production. Side B ha “White Light/Whit Heat,” “Lady Day” an “Rock and Roll.” anotl er monster.In his Cabaret shaved head look, complete wit something that looks like a dog collar and matchin wrist accessories, Reed has come a long wa: Belgian artist Guy Peellaert, who illustrated th book “Rock Dreams,” a personal fantasy where t drew contemporary rock stars in appropriate se tings, says “He (Reed) is America for me today. ★ ★ ★I am really disappointed with Silverhead’s “1 and Savaged” album on MCA. I thought it had greepromise from the cover art, a ringing wet younlady staring at herself with groupie disgust, but it’ pretty bad. Another amateurish rock band who hire a good artist to boost their image. Fooled again.★ ★ ★Kiss, another newcomer and optium glitte: group, fares slightly better, but not much. “Kiss” oi Casablanca (one of the more interestingly designei new labels, incidentally) is also 100 per cent kille rock. But Kiss has some class. It is the only rod group I know of that has its own love theme, “Low Theme From Kiss. That in itself is worth a fe\ points.Other than that, they are American, wea bizarre makeup, seem to be well-rehearsed musi cians, but need some fresh material. Except for th rocking “Black Diamond,” Kiss doesn’t do much that hasn’t been done before.★ ★ ★; Black Sabbath used to be a group I completely ignored. But I did not know what I was missing. Their fifth album,“Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath” on Warner Brothers, is strange stuff. Exponents of the “heavy metal” sound, the group plays a droning kind of horror fantasy, full of ghoulish images and deathly darkness. Gene Simmons of ig**'The music has a sameness, a repetitive qualit of the same heavy-laden chords being strummei but it is also curiously compelling, I feel entire] strange when listening to it. They conjure up a gre; evil darkness, which is some trick for a four-ma aggregation.
Newspaper Details
Oakland Tribune
Oakland, California, US
Sat, Apr 06, 1974
Page 32
Full Page
Clipped by
Olav S.
NO 21 Apr 2024
Other Publications Near Oakland, California
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