Random Notes

by Charles Young
Rolling Stone
November 15, 1976

MICK JAGGER SPENT two days playing harp and singing background with bluesman LUTHER ALLISON at P.S. Studios on the South Side of Chicago. "Weren't a dull moment from beginning to end, just like playing in a good bar" said Allison, "Mick's beautiful and he's way into the blues." The two met through RON WOOD, who heard Allison play in St. Tropez on the French Riviera this summer.

Following suit, JOHNNY WINTER is producing elder statesman MUDDY WATERS. "Some of the older guys play as well as they did years ago, but don't sound as good because the newer studios clean up the music, " said Winter. "This record's gonna be dirty, nasty, low-down blues. Muddy's influenced everybody in rock & roll and he deserves more recognition. Maybe some younger white people will buy his records now."

"I'LL RIP YOUR LUNGS out. That's pretty provocative," said MICHAEL O'DONOGHUE, writer for NBC's "Saturday Night," when asked for a good quote on the departure of CHEVY CHASE from the show at a farewell party. "No, I'm sorry to see him go. He's one of our senior comedy heads and I'll miss him. We've discussed doing a movie together but I'm reluctant to leave television because it's a discredited art form."

The cast presented Chase with a cake in the shape of him doing his Jiminy Cricket imitation and a photograph wit the inscription, "We'll miss you &" including an expletive in the tradition of EARL BUTZ.

"Officially, Chevy's off the show forever," said producer LORNE MICHAELS at the subdued party. "But this is his family and everyone visits his family."

Chase confirmed he had discussed the possibility of collaborating on a movie with O'Donoghue, though his plans remained indefinite.

THE EAGLES' CONCEPT album, "Desperado," is being made into a Broadway play and-or movie, but the Eagles aren't cooperating. The management firm of Leber-Krebs (AEROSMITH, TED NUGENT) optioned the rights to the material from Warner Bros. Music earlier this year over what Eagles manager IRVING AZOFF said were his "screaming objections. Warner Bros. had purchased the rights from DAVID GEFFEN, Asylum Records' founder. Azoff said that prior to buying the rights to the "Desperado" material, Leber-Krebs approached the Eagles with a proposal. "We totally rejected it," Azoff said. "Aesthetically, we don't think they're the right people to do it," adding that the Eagles would sue Warner Bros. over the material and "related other claims."

STEVE LEBER's comment: "Two years ago, when the Eagles weren't as big, we told Azoff about our concept. He told the Eagles and they were ecstatic. As they got bigger, Irving became less enthusiastic. But we'd love the Eagles to stay involved.

AS IF JOURNALISM schools weren't crowded enough: JOHN OATES (of DARYL HALL and & (said his journalism studies  he has a degree from Temple  helped his songwriting. Explained Oates: "They gave me attention for succinct phrases, and I write in the inverted-pyramid style of songwriting. I cram it all up front. It sounds crazy, but really I will write an incredible first verse, which I equate with a good lead. And I will write second and third verses that will diminish in their importance and quality. Then I will end up by repeating my first verse because it's so good."

JONI MITCHELL USUALLY takes flight from approaching journalists, so when we finally caught up with her at L.A.'s bistro following the local premiere of LED ZEPPELIN'S movie , we were interested to hear that she's named her new album "Hejira." She described it as "flight & an exodus. It's part of a growing diary of work. I guess you could say it's a progression." Mitchell added that she still has little use for interviews: "I don't see the point (in them). I don't have anything to say that would explain any of my works more clearly. Either they make a fool of me or I wind up making a fool of myself."

ANGUS YOUNG, 17-year-old lead guitarist of Australia's AC-DC, has caused considerable controversy in Great Britain by performing the "human kangaroo" on stage. Seems he takes off all his clothes and jumps up and down backwards. "Some people say they've never seen a rear end look so good," said Young. "Of course, anything looks good under the lights."