On RCA 2422, it has 'Armstrong' on the A side and 'Lady and the Outlaw' on the B side.  Both tracks are identical to the ones found on John's album, "Cannons in theRain".  I can confirm that as I was generously sent a copy by Stephen Mainwaring.  To both of you, many thanks.

Thank you, also, to Arnold de Reus of Arnhem in Holland who sent me a Dutoh single release on Capitol 5C 00680595 of 'Marshall Wind' b/w 'Back in Pomona'.  In this case they are both direct takes from the "Willard" LP.

I wish I could give you news of further releases from John, but when I last heard at the beginning of July he was still negotiating to get a record deal that was really right.  Though not yet on a label, it would seem John is as busy as he has ever been.

One of the projects he's heavily involved in is the Kingston Trio reunion album he is doing with Dave Guard and Nick Reynolds.  It is due to be released in America on theUnited Artists label, though I don't know yet whether it will be given a UK release.

While waiting for that we can contemplate The Monkees having a hit all over again with 'Daydream Believer' now that it has been re-released over here on the Arista label.  I'm sure the royalties will be welcome!

I'll hand over now to Hal Blaine who, of course, has played with John, and had this to say during my interview with him.

My association with John and Buffy was one of their albums on Capitol ("SignalsThroughThe Glass") a long time ago.  That particular day that I first met John, I thought he was a very nice looking guy and she was a very lovely looking lady.  I thought they made a great couple.  Kind of woodsy, outdoorsy.....and they had obvious love for one another.  Their music certainly showed that, too.  They sang beautifully together, with absolutely no problems in the studio whatsoever.  It was as smooth as silk.  He was not over-finicky or jealous of his songs.  You know, one of the hardest things in this business is working with a songwriter, because nothing is ever quite the way they seem to imagine it or hear it.  Even if they were ever to hear it, it still wouldn't be right.  So there's very few songwriters that you can work with when it's their baby, as such.  Anyone could go in and out a John Stewart song and then, when John hears it, he might say, "That's a marvellous job," or, "I hate it," or, "What have they done to my song?"  But when it's the writer himself doing it.....very, very difficult.  I find John Denver very simple in hisdirection.  He lets it out and that's it.  Stewart was sort of the same way.  JohnPhillips is the same way, too.  You find that the ones who are so crazy with that, never really have good product.  Happy, flowing, there's no real rhythm to whatever happens because after a bit you start playing, you know, so mechanically.

I guess I spent two or three days at Capitol with them and we were always friendly.  I've seen him on shows where I was accompanying somebody, they've always been extremely nice to me.  I have a hunch he's yet to come.  I really believe in this business that there is no such thing as losers.  I think there are just winners who quit a little too soon.

You may be interested to know that John celebrated the American Bicentennial by taking part in an all-day rally inWashington, where he sang on the steps of the Capitol building, and was actually seen and heard doing so on coast-to-coast American television.  Billed as The People's Bicentennial, the theme of the rally was meant to remind the country that 1776 was not just about independenoe, but about revolution.

As one of the pamphlets said, "It's time to rally together for economic justice, and true political and eoonomic democracy by challenging the stranglehold of the giant corporations over the affairs of the nation."

The spirit of the 60's lives on!

Now for a few comments fromTomWaits, whose work is much admired by John, and who I interviewed in June (see ZigZag 62).

You know Stewart?  John is a sidekick of mine.  I don't get to see John as much as I'd like to.  I'm on the road quite a bit. He's just moved to L.A.  Got married and everything.  I think he's a fine writer, I admire him very much.  I just don't get to see John that much.  We played on a bill together a lot.  Denver, San Franoisoo, Philadelphia.....yeah, John's a real jitterbug.

It's funny about John.  He's popular in California, you know, very popular there.  Same in Phoenix, Arizona.  That album he did was recorded live at The Celebrity Theatre.  In fact, I've played there myself several times, even opened the show for John. He very rarely goes East.  I don't think he's ever played NewYork.  Got close recently, but was taken very ill.  It was very unfortunate.  Had a new album out ("Wingless Angels").  In fact, he was in Philly right after it came out and we played on the bill together at a place called The Bijou in Centre City downtown on Broad Street.  We played there for three nights and it was real good.  Then he was sick.  He was on his way to New York, going to do a whole East Coast tour in the wake of the album.  It was a very bad time to take ill.  I'm sick all the time, I'm just used to it.  John hasn't got used to it yet.  He still has a strong difference between feeling good and feeling bad.

I first met John in Denver, Colorado.  I was opening the show for him.  Yeah, that's where it was.  He new something about my songs before we met and I was aware of him as well.  We hit it off just like that.  Started bullshitting, telling stories, it was real good.  He's really a crazy sumbitch.  He's got a lot happening.  He's crazy'.  That's why we hit it off.  Actually, I'm just a very normal American, but John's crazy.

A lot of you will be very pleased to hear that Nick Kimberley will soon be getting in copies of John's, "The Phoenix Concerts" Songbook, into Compendium Bookshop.  His address and telephone number were listed in OR9.  It's a fine book, plenty of excellent photos, and all the lyrics and music to the songs featured on that live double album.

You may have read in the music press that Ace have signed up John Woodhead to be their new lead guitar player.  John was formerly Stewart's guitarist and had a lot of kind words expressed about him in OR9.  I, for one, am looking forward to Ace playing over here again and to getting to meet John Woodhead.