Outlandos d'Amour: 1977/79

3 new rockers roll on old wave...

Three new and rather young rock'n'roll groups invaded Zellerbach Auditorium on the Berkeley campus Sunday night and proved the veracity of a pop-musical adage - that one way of going forward is by looking backward. 

The Police (a British-based trio), The Knack (an LA quartet with British sounds), and Robert Johnson (from Memphis with British contacts) are all definitively "new wave" because of their generation and their musical perspective but there is little "new" about the music they presented.

And that's the way they, and their fans, want it.

The Police, organized by American Stewart Copeland (who plays excellent drums), is actually fronted by bassist "Sting" (that's all just "Sting"). Sting, with his bleached long crewcut, sings each number and jumps around, while playing bass, much like Peter Townshend of The Who, ca. 1969. He, naturally, wears a jump suit. At Zellerbach the backup harmonies, presumably provided by guitarist Andy Summers on their current A&M recording, got lost in the audio overkill.

The Police aren't very melodic but God knows they're rhythmic that is, loud. Even their hits ('Roxanne' and 'Can't Stand Losing You') are power-plays, and the meter throughout the set was steady and hard-driving.

'Born in the '50s' is not only a Police number, it's also an identification of the group's generation, and of the source of its musical inspiration.

There are bits of early rock styles in most of the Police performances, and occasionally they use an attractive, tight reggae-calypso rhythm. And if Sting isn't as strong a singer as the recording indicates, his compositions or "structures" are remarkably clean.

The Knack is Beatles-based in conception with Doug Feiger as lead vocalist and backup guitarist and Berton Azerce on solo guitar; Prescott Niles plays bass, Bruce Gary is a quite good drummer.

The Knack didn't have the sheer energy of the Police, or as much variety rhythmically - but they do dabble in melodies. Because high volume is usually equated, by the new-wavers, with high energy and audience-captivating good times, the lyrics of virtually every Knack presentation were lost in the audio stratosphere.

Since their first LP isn't out yet we'll have to wait a while to hear what they were singing about Sunday evening, although one line (by Feiger) did intrigue me. He said, "Girls is what rock'n'roll is all about."

Really? And isn't that a sexist remark?

Oh, well. The Zellerbach evening began with Robert Johnson, who has more personal experience in the music field than all the night's bandsmen combined (excluding, perhaps, Copeland).

Johnson is a combination showman, singer, knocked-out guitarist and composer. He works with bass and drum backup, ploughing through rockabilly, blues, jazz and considerable foolish commentary with reckless abandon. Like the Police group, Johnson on stage lacks the harmonic balance that his records project and, also, the personal discipline.

He's got good material ('I'll Be Waiting', 'Wish Upon a Star', 'Responsibility', etc.) but presented a scatter-shot sort of set.

I'm not sure this sort of concert, with lots of kids smoking and dancing in the aisles (jerking, jumping, twitching equals "dancing") is appropriate at Zellerbach.

The new-wave rock is noisy, free-for-all stuff; I like the zest and energy and informality. But it isn't at its best in a sedate concert setting or in a formal nightclub arrangement, either.

These are electric sounds for jumpin' and carryin' on.

(c) The San Francisco Examiner by Philip Elwood

Police and Rats - Invade Rock Scene...

Dramatic change seems to be taking place on the rock scene. Out of the ashes of punk rock, a new spirit of rock and roll is emerging. An enthusiastic audience stands ready to embrace it, if the two sold-out concerts by virtually unknown bands on Sunday and Monday are any indication.

A full house greeted the Bay Area debut of the Police at UC-Berkeley's Zellerbach Auditorium on Sunday, and the following night, another capacity crowd filled the Kabuki Theater in Japan Center to see Ireland's Boomtown Rats. Both bands just released their first albums two months ago.

These groups belong to what is loosely termed the new wave-a catch-all category for young bands who have returned to a tough, crude, fundamental approach to rock and roll. It is a school of music that encompasses sounds as diverse as the strident sledgehammer rock of England's Clash to the melodic lyricism of the Bay Area's own Greg Kihn Band, from the ornate stylings of Boston's Cars to the cartoon caricatures of New York's Ramones.

What these bands all share is the idea that style and attitude play a role at least as important as the musical content. Certain lyrical themes - mainly the loneliness and alienation of modern urban life-crop up consistently, but not universally.

With 'Roxanne', the British trio Police have created a potentially crucial record in the development of rock, breaking the AM radio barrier against hard rock, new wave hits, and bringing a fresh blast to the stale airwaves. It may be just a fluke, or it may be the start of something new for American radio. Only time will tell.

Against a stark, reggae-infused rhythm, Police lead vocalist-bassist Sting implores his girlfriend, "you don't have to put on the red light... you don't have to sell your body to the night." The conviction of the lead vocal carries the record, as the band comes to a full stop at the close of each verse, an impassioned scream breaking the silence - "Rox-x-x-anne."

At Zellerbach, The Police mixed tunes similarly influenced by the rhythms of Jamaican reggae with songs riding on the more conventional break-neck, piledriver sound of the British punk bands. When the group swirled the chunka-chunka reggae rhythm into its spare hard rock sound, the blend proved quite inventive at times.

Appearing before the Police on Sunday was the Knack, a Los Angeles-based band yet to release its first record, although the members are currently recording an album for Capitol Records with producer Mike Chapman, who has cut a hit with every band he produced during the past year.

The Knack specialises in high-voltage, loud rock that owes a lot to vintage Who. Knack vocalist-guitarist Doug Feiger, who even sports a vague resemblance to Who songwriter-guitarist Pete Townshend, underlined the Who connection further with Townshend-styled leaps and windmill arm swings at the guitar.

The Boomtown Rats, who appeared Mon- day at the Kabuki Theater, combine more modern strains, with echoes of '70s rockers like David Bowie or Lou Reed ringing in the band's music. Brand new to the States, the Rats have scored no less than five hit singles in England during the past year. 

Songwriter Bob Geldof put on a frantic display as lead vocalist, scampering back and forth across the stage, squatting on the floor, lurching about madly in an all-out effort to work the crowd into a frenzy.

Despite the charging sound of the five-piece band, it never happened. Geldof's smarty-pants lyrics - actually quite distinguishable above the relatively modest din of the band - ranged from esoteric subjects like '(I Never Loved) Eva Braun' and 'Me and Howard Hughes' to the urban landscape of 'Rat Trap', easily the band's most outstanding number.

Whether or not the people attending the shows would come back to see these specific bands again, there is clearly a curious, interested audience looking for some new excitement in rock and roll. Sooner or later, someone will give it to them.

(c) The San Francisco Chronicle by Joel Selvin

'Police' lacked authority...

The crowd at Zellerbach Auditorium was on their best behaviour for The "Police" last Sunday night, though some frenzied fans were guilty of disorderly conduct near the end of the show.

The "Police" are Stewart Copeland (drums), Andy Summers (guitar), and Sting (bass, vocals), a trio who broke into the AM radio charts a few months ago with a song about a Parisian prostitute named 'Roxanne'. Already a success in England, where they had released 'Fall Out/ Nothing Achieved' on their own label (called, appropriately, Illegal Records) they needed a single to acquaint American listeners with their highly melodic, speedy, high-energy music. 'Roxanne' did the trick. Radio programmers couldn't guess that it was a song by a border-line new wave band, they were just addicted to the climactic chorus.

Soon after the single took off, the record company (A&M) released 'Outlandos d'Amour' which contains songs just as infectious as 'Roxanne'. 'Can't Stand Losing You', the second single, is about a fellow who considers suicide after his girlfriend dumps him, and is almost pop it's so catchy. 'So Lonely' has an aching chorus that is immediately arresting: 'Peanuts' is built around a great hook; 'Sally', about an affair with a rubber doll, may never make it to the AM airways because of subject matter, but it should definitely make it to your turntable.

The band has been together only since late 1977, but each member brought their varied and unusual experience to the newly formed group. Andy Summers had played with Kevin Coyne and Kevin Ayers, Copeland did a stint with Curved Air before deciding to form his own band, and Sting was discovered singing with some jazzy group in Newcastle. (Sting will also be seen up on the screen soon, as Ace in the Who's movie 'Quadrophrenia', and he also plays a bit role in the Sex Pistols film.)

Drummer Stewart, who originally wrote most of the material, found that Sting didn't like singing other people's lyrics so he's cut one of his own tunes under a pseudonym, Klark Kent on Cryptone Records, singing and playing all the parts himself. So far it's sold an astounding 35,000 copies, but Copeland will not admit to being the mild mannered Klark Kent responsible for 'Don't Care'..

So when the Police raided Zellerbach they were playing to a packed house, not bad for a one album band. 

Expectations ran high and, unfortunately, it was evident from the first number that the show was not going to surpass the record. The sound system was wimpy, not big enough for a hall the size of Zellerbach, so consequently they did not have enough power to overwhelm even the people in the first rows. Even worse, Sting apparently can't duplicate the high falsetto onstage, so for example on 'Roxanne' where he almost whines, he resorted to singing in a monotone. It's like being promised a chocolate éclair and getting a donut. Live, his voice lacks the range and subtle colourings that make him so listenable on wax.

The trio is charismatic and fun to watch but for people who've memorized the record, the evening was a disappointment.

Afterwards, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland talked about this five week American tour. Stewart, incidentally, was born in Oakland and went to UC-Berkeley for two years before moving to England, because "London is the capitol of the rock n' roll universe." They had just finished three nights at the Whiskey in L.A. which Andy says were "emotionally overwhelming."

"We don't intend to add anyone to the band," Summers says in response to my question. "Part of our success is due to the fact that we're a trio. Image has a lot to do with success I think."

"This tour is great," he continues. "'Roxanne' is snow-balling, I can hardly believe we have a hit on our hands!"

Asked if they consider themselves a new wave band, Andy doesn't hesitate an instant: "Yeah, we're sort of on a new wave track. We have a certain emotional commitment to that, we're against bands like Foreigner (he makes a face) - musical inflation of that sort. We owe a lot to the Sex Pistols for opening it up for us, and I think we will make it easier for other bands to come over here too. 'Roxanne' is breaching the gap - it made it past radio paranoia against new wave."

Turn yourself in. Listen to The Police.

(c) The Berkeley Gazette by Evan Hosie

U.C. students dazzled by these Police...

The Police got a standing ovation at U.C. Berkeley from a crowd of 2,000, mostly students.

Not the Berkeley police, mind you.

This was one of England's latest rock exports, a musically dazzling trio that made its local debut at Zellerbach Auditorium.

Meanwhile in San Francisco, Irish-English band the Boomtown Rats taught an audience how to act silly and enjoy itself - while doing the Rat, a primal dance.

Police, the other two bands on their show, and the Boomtown Rats who performed Monday, are examples of the present direction of new rock bands: short, catchy pop songs that dwell not on new wave politics but on other subjects, love in particular.

In the final analysis, what counts is not the message but the music, and even with less original groups such as the Knack and Robert Johnson (a new popster, not the long-dead Delta blues singer), the result is good entertainment.

The first Police album has just been released stateside, and is picking up airplay not only on the FM rock stations, but also on AM pop stations including San Francisco's KFRC.

Not surprisingly, since there isn't a weak song on 'Outlandos d'Amour'.

The Police embody the best qualities exhibited in the current rock music, relying for success on strong melody and rhythm more than showmanship or virtuoso playing.

Most of the lyrics are about love, loneliness and various personal relationships. Songs range from 'Roxanne', about a prostitute, to 'So Lonely' and 'Can't Stand Losing You', and one youthful ode, 'Born in the '50s'.

Singer-bassist Sting (Gordon Sumner) was losing his distinctive, high voice at Zellerbach. It only brought out the band's other assets, the mixing of pop and jazz laced with reggae touches, played by American drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers.

At the Japan Center Theater the Boomtown Rats did not use short, catchy tunes to capture the audience.

It used insult and trickery to get a response. It worked.

The near-chaos level of stage performance by lead vocalist Geldof and crew brought both the punks and the properly-dressed suburban audience members out onto the dance floor, where the boundary between performer and audience quickly evaporated.

The sextet is currently popular in England, with half a dozen hits to its credit. 'Rat Trap', 'Joey's on the Street Again' and the new 'I Don't Like Mondays' mix New York Dolls stage presence with Springsteenian lyrics.

Memphis singer-guitarist Robert Johnson opened the Police show with his own power trio, churning out a set of rhythm guitar-based pop songs that lacked Police's variety and interest. To his credit Johnson has some good ideas and talent. What he needs is guidance and direction.

What Johnson lacked in basics and pacing, second-billed Los Angeles band the Knack took care of. 

The quartet has been joined on stage in the past by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, has just signed a recording contract, and knows what it's doing in the performance department.

Led by singer Doug Fieger, the group is obnoxious on stage, overly sexist in its lyric content, but it is also cute and engaging. 'My Charona' brings out the group's best and worst qualities, and has never failed to get the audience out of its seats.

(c) The Oakland Tribune by Larry Kelp