LONDON—Following a tour party in Andover for the PITNEY-TROGGS package, “Major” out of Sounds Incorporated seen shaking hands with Gene’s throat . . . DAVE CLARK has BOB DYLAN’S friend DANA GILLESPIE portraying a masseur in his film “Hits in Action” . . . I’ll buy the BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD, Tracy: what else have you for us? . . . HERMAN seems to have an affinity for the “little people” . . . Is the psychedelic scene strictly for the BYRDS, who managed to irritate everyone all over again in Britain by turning up 40 minutes late for a booking at the London Speakeasy? Tuned up with apparent indifference to the audience on stage and gave us a selectio [sic] of their golden hits! I almost regret having declared in print that I liked “So You Wanna Be A Rock ’n’ Roll Star.”
Everyone keeps referring to ELVIS as that “well-known myth” . . . DUSTY had valuable antique fireplace stolen from her Chelsea home shortly after vacating it to move into a new house . . . MICK JAGGERS’ brother Chris putting in plugs for the Pink Floyd in trade papers . . . New Andrew Oldham group the APOSTOLIC INTERVENTION—and who says he can’t spell! . . . Letter I wrote to McCARTNEY requesting an audience was put in his pocket as he commented ‘fab, gear—whack’—oh, well . . . Playing in a Dutch TV studio guitarist JIM HENDRIX and his trio managed to bring the ceiling down in the studio below with “good vibrations” . . . JOHNNY RIVERS not exactly the MONKEES greatest fan, is he? . . . Hey hey—bought your ticket for the policeman’s ball, DAVY? . . . was that BOB DYLAN in London Airport or just the ghost of Christmas yet to come?
Dutch “impressionist” painters and dress designers DIMON AND MARIJKA, a husband and wife team, having an enormous impact on top pop people. (You’d dig the clothes these two wear, CHER). They specialize in original fashion and have painted unbelievable designs over JOHN LENNON’S piano and the CREAMS’ guitars. They were also commissioned to design the BEATLES new LP “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and are going to do the HOLLIES next album. Lookout! If they stand still long enough, I’ll try and get you a photo of them for the next column.
GORDON WALLER starring in TV play here called “The Fantastists” . . . THE MOVE contacted Brando to do a narrative track on their LP . . . JOHN LENNON’S latest sartorial sensation at EMI studios where he walked in dressed in full traditional Chinese rig carrying a handbag to which he pointed and spoke the immortal words—“Niceth in it?” . . . I must be only journalist who gets homesick for SONNY AND CHER—been on any good floats lately, SONNY? . . . DONOVAN has perfected the disappearing trick . . . KEITH MOON of the WHO reported smitten by lady in ‘Jackie the Ks’ fashion show . . . SANDIE SHAW overwhelmed when actor JACK HAWKINS walked into a pub where we were drinking . . . sterling work on the MONKEES here by publicist Marion Rainford . . . Is ELVIS on a second childhood; he looks younger in every picture. . . Spanish group—LOS BRINCOS—getting the big push from TROGGS manager LARRY PAGE and BEATLES Music publisher DICK JAMES . . Strange that LSD should be slang for money in English . . . Reports in papers here indicate it’s DAVY JONES versus the World . . . ENGELBERT HUMPERDINK kept the BEATLES off the top for six weeks here with “Release Me” . . . Saddest thing I’ve seen in years was the TV presentation “SINATRA: A Man And His Music” with daughter NACY [sic]—leave us with the memory of the Voice that was, FRANK.
What’s happening outside your window, PAPA JOHN—“Dancing Bear” was a beautiful song beautifully sung . . . HERMIT LEK and I fought a marathon dart game in BBC canteen . . . SIMON DEE the fastest rising D.J. on British scene now with his own TV show “Dee Time”. . . Saw James Dean in a re-run of “East of Eden,” the only film I have missed of his—no wonder there is not a pop star who does not admire his great talent . . . Reports that DONOVAN has been hiding in Inverness-Scotland, with a special girl.
Just about everyone on the pop scene has been to rave over the “Blow Up” film. Special note: star of the film DAVID HEMMINGS and I were classmates. I once threw him in a patch of stinging nettles (I was a nice child). We were approximately 6-years-old at the time. Did the YARDBIRDS realise what they were in for when they made their clip for the film?
Hey, CHER, “The Amos and Andy show” gets worse and worse here . . . KINK RAY DAVIES the star of Melody Maker football team . . . MICKY DOLENZ referred to PETER TORK as being the Huntz Hall of the group! . . . SCOTT WALKER raving over Orson Welles performances as Falstaff in “Chimes at Midnight” . . . HER ROYAL HIGHNESS refused a dance with D.J. JIMMY SAVILE (Savile was later revealed to be one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders)—it seems long hair still has its social barriers!
Pop music in Britain tends to take three paces forward and two back with certain distinguished exceptions circle as the BEATLES, STONES and KINKS. But watch out for forward motion by JIMI HENDRIX, the PINK FLOYD, CAT STEVENS and the WHO . . . THE BEATLES’ new album took approximately ten months to record and studio time which ran into tens of thousands of dollars—that must be some kind of record.
