Omaha Rainbow : Issue 2
He's John Stewart's new manager and, as he says, ''Although I have only just taken on John as a client, however he is an old friend and I'm a long time fan and admirer of his.'' Enough said. If you are similarly afflicted with John Stewart obsessions, write to Peter and let him know. He is keen to set up a tour of England for John, and it would be confirmation for him that there are more addicts on this side of the Atlantic than just Pete Frame and myself.
You must have read Pete Frame's "California Bloodlines'' article in ZigZag 38 - (if not, don't delay, get it today) in which Nik Venet, who produced that masterpiece, laments not having been given the chance to work with John since. Well, the Frame seems to have been the necessary catalyst, as you will gather from the following:
''Some really exciting news... John and I are thrilled, and I am sure you will be too, as John will be cutting his first live in concert album in March with Nik Venet producing. We are trying to convince RCA to release it as a double album and from all indications, this will happen. We are also very pleased and excited about Nik working with John again and we feel it may be the time for John to really break through in a major way. I think this is especially interesting in light of the fantastic ZigZag article and how it discusses some of the fascinating aspects of their relationship.''
With this news I also received what was described as a somewhat roughly edited tape of John's recent concert in Phoenix. There were sound problems during the second half of the show, so the second half of the tape is much shorter than the first. All I can say is that if this is a roughly edited one-off taping, the Nik Venet effort Should be outstanding. An hour and ten minutes, nineteen of John's songs, great atmorspere, it's convinced me of the need to get out to America and see John perform on home ground. The way tnat Phoenix audience so obviously identify with tlhe characters John writes and sings about is unbelievable. So, too, is the piano playing of Loren Newkirk...if he isn't there on that live album, then heads should roll! The othen musicians are Johnny Douglas on Drums and Arnie Moore on Bass, and they're great, too. Where can you get this magnificent tape? Well, you can't, but if you come a' knocking at my door I'll be delighted to play it for you.
What else to tell you? I hope you all saw that two weeks after Omaha Rainbow 1 came out, Rolling Stone produced their 150th issuue, upped their price to 25p, but redeemed themselves by including their first ever feature on John Stewart...Steve Moore, whoever and wherever you are, Thanks for that!
Did you know that John Andrew Tartagalia, who does what orehestrations there are on ''Willard'', is the same John Andrew Tartagalia who does the musie for ''Alias Smith and Jones''? Now that was interesting, wasn't it?
One more thing...In over four years of listening to ''California
Bloodlines'', I had always thought John called out ''Mix a part of an egg''
as he finished calling the credits oper ''Never Goin' Back''. Well,
as Pete's article tells us all, it's actually ''Nik 'Zapata' Venet".
Conclusive evidence, as if I needed any, that I must get a new stereo
system...and probably new ears as well. But not before I've saved
enough to get to America to see my hero for myself !