Rock Around The World: Boston-Starz-Widowmaker -Article/TITLE><script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-9302529-2']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); </script> </head> <BODY><CENTER> <TABLE width="80%"> <TR> <TD align="left" ></TD> <TD align="right" ></TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER> <HR NOSHADE size=3 align=center> <DIV class=Sectionhead style="" > <ILAYER class=Sectionhead style="" > <ILAYER class=Boxlist style="" > <DIV class=Boxlist > <P style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" > </P> <DIV class=Boxlistheight style=" width: 1087.666667px; height: 38.400000px; top: 0px;" > </DIV> </DIV> </ILAYER><A name="1507329"></A> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 760.200000pt; height: 11.500000pt; top: 24pt; left: 32.650000pt;" > <LAYER top=32px left=43.533333px width=1013.600000px height=15.333333px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,1013,15" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Bookman Old Style,serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >24 <SPAN style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;" >Rock Around the World </SPAN><SPAN style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt;" >• </SPAN><SPAN style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;" >October, 1976 </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 760.200000pt; height: 20.400000pt; top: 84.500000pt; left: 32.650000pt;" > <LAYER top=112.666667px left=43.533333px width=1013.600000px height=27.200000px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,1013,27" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: 0.950000; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Garamond,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; font-size: 24.624000pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >BOSTON </SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 188.850000pt; height: 394.950000pt; top: 104.900000pt; left: 32.650000pt;" > <LAYER top=139.866667px left=43.533333px width=251.800000px height=526.600000px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,251,526" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >I was reading an article recently about record <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >companies which maintained that the first rule </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >in the record industry is that there are no rules, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >a statement that would get no argument from </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.870000pt;" >the members of Boston, Epic's newest </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >discovery. In the 'traditional' manner, groups </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >are supposed to "pay their dues" on the road </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >for an unspecified length of time before getting </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >That Big Break; groups who follow a different </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >path and just explode on the public suddenly </SPAN>(Boxy Music is a good example) are sniffed at <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >suspiciously by the media and the industry at </SPAN>large. </SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Boston's a band that, if categories must be made, would fall into that 'explosion' group. However, rest assured that these guys are no <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >slouches when it comes to chops; remember, a oand with no live appearances is a band that'll </SPAN>have trouble attracting label attention. What <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Boston did have was a superb demo tape, con</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >cocted in a basement by Tom Scholz, Boston's </SPAN>resident tall person (also guitarist, keyboard <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >player, songwriter, and producer). Combining </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >a mixture of influences ranging from Argent to </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Foghat to Queen, Boston had emerged from </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >the depths of their homemade studio with an </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >identifiable sound. but without any strong in</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >dividual personalities. Again, the 'rules' for rock 'n' roll almost demand that at least one </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >member of a band stand out from the others, if </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >for no other reason than to serve as a living </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >representation of the band in the public's </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >mind. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Alas, no such luck with Boston; the best they <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >could muster was Tom Scholz's height. and </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >that can't even begin to touch the charisma of </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Steve Tyler's teeth. In lieu of shining individu</SPAN>ally, Boston has become a group that operates </SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 186.700000pt; height: 382pt; top: 104.900000pt; left: 226.300000pt;" > <LAYER top=139.866667px left=301.733333px width=248.933333px height=509.333333px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,248,509" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; line-height: 0.980000; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >very much $.% ith a group consciousness in the <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >forefront. not unlike Genesis or The Moody </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Blues. Their sound leans toward hard rock 'n' roll, but their sense of both dynamics and har</SPAN>monies prevents any of their numbers from becoming tedious. </SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: 0.980000; margin-top: 2.400000px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >As a direct result of the band's internal cohe<SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >siveness, their first single, "More Than A Feel</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >ing," has had to sell solely on the basis of what </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >was contained in the grooves—nothing else. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >What a shocking notion for the record in</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >dustry! Radio stations were puzzled. but it </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >didn't stop them from jumping on the record </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >when they got it. "More Than A Feeling" has </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >become a national breakout, and the band's debut album and tour will capitalize on the </SPAN><SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;" >musical </SPAN>popularity they've achieved. </SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Working in isolation has been beneficial for <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Boston. as they've been able to concentrate on </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >the music exclusively; the result is an assurance </SPAN>that yes, <SPAN style="font-family: Bookman Old Style; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt;" >we </SPAN><SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;" >can </SPAN>play this stuff very well, and a <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >confidence in being able to play it live that will </SPAN>stand them in good stead on the road. </SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >I've seen Boston in a live situation twice: the <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >first time was a Friday night rehearsal in a </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >warehouse, the second at an outdoor concert, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >only their second time in front of an audience. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >On each occasion, there was an air of self-con</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >fidence about the music that transcended any difficulties on stage (the live gig was plagued by voltage-happy gremlins in the P.A.). </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: 0.980000; margin-top: 2.400000px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Boston's "dues-paying" days are now behind <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >them, and they face a bright future, secure in </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >the knowledge that people are into them be</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >cause of their musicianship. It's a comfortable </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >bit of knowledge to possess. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 120px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >—JIM KOZLOWSKI-<SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" > </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 185.500000pt; height: 31.800000pt; top: 527.150000pt; left: 34.700000pt;" > <LAYER top=702.866667px left=46.266667px width=247.333333px height=42.400000px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,247,42" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: 1.380000; margin-top: 2.400000px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Garamond,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; font-size: 24.624000pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >STARZ </SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 185.300000pt; height: 276.800000pt; top: 527.150000pt; left: 223.200000pt;" > <LAYER top=702.866667px left=297.600000px width=247.066667px height=369.066667px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,247,369" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 33.600000px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >This year's discovery from Capitol Records is <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >a raucous little band called Starz, who have </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >been opening shows around the U.S. this </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >summer for the likes of Aerosmith and ZZ Top. Processed and packaged by the same folks who </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >brought you Kiss, and complete with logo </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >strongly reminiscent of Aerosmith's flying A, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.870000pt;" >Starz have the potential to knock over </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >audiences on sheer volume alone. They're </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >unquestionably in the same category as Kiss, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >with a bit more subtlety. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 2.400000px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Starz was formed in New York City not long <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >ago when musicians Joe Dube, Richie Ranno. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Brenden Harkin and Peter Sweval met up with </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >singer Michael Lee Smith of Birmingham. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Alabama, a refugee from the southern boogie </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >band scene. Their sound coalesced under the </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >aegis of Jack Douglas, Aerosmith's producer, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >at the Record Plant, and their debut LP, </SPAN><SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Starz, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >offers no pretense as to what this band is about. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >A straightforward rockpile, 9 of its 10 songs are </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >headache material if heard at the wrong time </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >(early or sober). "She's Just A Fallen Angel," </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >their bid for a hit single. is easier on the ears </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 185.300000pt; height: 276.800000pt; top: 527.150000pt; left: 415.800000pt;" > <LAYER top=702.866667px left=554.400000px width=247.066667px height=369.066667px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,247,369" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 33.600000px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >and stands out as the only really melodic track <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >on the album. Except for "Monkey Business," </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >a funky little number, the rest is familiar-</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >sounding hard rock, the kind of tunes that are unmemorable after their last note dies down re</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >gardless of their repetitious hammering. How</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >ever, Starz' material is at least their own—no </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >umpteenth cover version of a Chuck Berry </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >biggie, no rehashed blues, no stellar guest mu</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >sicians, and no synthesizers. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Musically Starz offers nothing new; they are <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >simply a luckier hard-working band than you </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >might find in any steamy rock'n'roll joint on </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >either side of the Atlantic. Drummer Dube's </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >primitive backbeat coupled with Peter Sweval's </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >stark baselines set up a solid foundation for </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >dancing. Guitarists Richie Ranno and Brendan </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Harkin are average in their command of </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >patented rock licks, and thankfully restrained </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >on record. Michael Lee Smith's singing is right </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >in the screamer tradition; he's not an original </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >by any means, but he </SPAN><SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >can </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >sound hot doing </SPAN>certain tricks within his range. </SPAN></P> <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: 1.260000; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 9.600000px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Live appearances are Starz' forte, judging <SPAN style="font-family: Bookman Old Style; font-size: 7pt;" >by </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 185.300000pt; height: 263.100000pt; top: 527.150000pt; left: 608.500000pt;" > <LAYER top=702.866667px left=811.333333px width=247.066667px height=350.800000px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,247,350" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 31.200000px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >the excited teenage reaction to their shows with <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Frampton. Charlie Daniels, Roxy Music, Ted </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Nugent, Blue Oyster Cult, Outlaws, & Styx. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Starz generate enough energy to earn them standing ovations, encores and lit matches. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Their success on the Aerosmith dates prompted </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >both</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt; vertical-align: super;" >.</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" > a compliment from Steve Tyler and a </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >mysterious incident which ironically capitalized </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >on one of the group's song titles, "Pull the </SPAN>Plug." </SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Performing for the first part of their tour <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >without benefit of a released album, Starz </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >managed to build a word-of-mouth reputation </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >that has followed them from their opening in </SPAN>Charleston, West Virginia to the Cape Cod <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Coliseum and beyond. New York's Alison (The </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >"Nightbird") Steele broke their album on </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >WNEW-FM, and it remains to be seen what </SPAN>the boys behind the scenes will do to make <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Starz stars. As for the boys in the band, well, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >they've certainly got the right attitude for the </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >job. Starz'll kill ya! </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 110.400000px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >—KRIS DILORENZO-<SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" > </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 371.800000pt; height: 20.150000pt; top: 834.950000pt; left: 36.700000pt;" > <LAYER top=1113.266667px left=48.933333px width=495.733333px height=26.866667px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,495,26" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: 0.940000; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Garamond,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; font-size: 24.624000pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >WIDOWMAKER </SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 185.300000pt; height: 315.100000pt; top: 855.100000pt; left: 37.300000pt;" > <LAYER top=1140.133333px left=49.733333px width=247.066667px height=420.133333px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,247,420" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Ever since Britain started exporting rock bands, it's been a truism that most of those <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >bands have been possessed of a flair that bor</SPAN>ders on arrogance. The Stones, Humble Pie <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >(cheeky name, that), Led Zeppelin, Bad Co., </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Queen, etc.—and now Widowmaker. Bursting </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >from the electric volcano of Luther 'Arid Bend</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >er' Grosvenor (Spooky Tooth, Stealer's Wheel, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Mott The Hoople) and Steve Ellis (Love Affair, </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Ellis), Widowmaker has the credentials, the looks and the talent to become one of rock's </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >brighter stars this year. In actual fact, Widow-</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >maker has been on the boards for almost two </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >years, and when their debut album was re</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >leased a while back, it demonstrated the fact </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >that taking one's time in organizing the music </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >pays off handsomely come release time. That </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >album, depicting the five musicians in sundry </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >superior postures, told it all. Everyone knew </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >that Ariel Bender had claimed a unique 'sound' </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >on guitar when he was with Spooky Tooth, a </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >sound that was dark and foreboding but </SPAN>strongly compelling. That sound got lost in. <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Mott The Hoople; being a founder of a band </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >rather than a hired member freed </SPAN><SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Luther </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >to re</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >claim his trademark. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 4.800000px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >As for Steve Ellis, the voice was the vocal <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >(sorry, gang) point; with Love Affair, Steve spat </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >out the words with more power than the rest of </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >the band could manage. When he formed his </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 184.600000pt; height: 315.100000pt; top: 855.100000pt; left: 228.600000pt;" > <LAYER top=1140.133333px left=304.800000px width=246.133333px height=420.133333px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,246,420" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >own band. Ellis, he picked sidemen who <SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;" >could </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >stay with him, and he corralled Roger Daltrey </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >for a producer. The ultimate Ellis band didn't </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >jell chemically and eventually dissolved. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Widowmaker is the culmination of Steve <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >Ellis' and Ariel Bender's search for the proper band. Steve and Ariel, together with the other </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >three members (Paul Nichols-drums, Bob </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Daisley-bass and vocals, and Hu</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt; vertical-align: super;" >y</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >.' Lloyd Lang</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >ton-guitar), felt the energy immediately when rehearsals commenced. Steve Ellis was the last </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >member to join, turning up at a practice on the </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >urging of Roger Chapman of The Streetwalk</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >ers; each member of the band had had any </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >number of offers from other bands, but the en</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >tity that was Widowmaker emerged eventually </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >as the best bet. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 4.800000px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >When the album was released, it was quite <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >apparent that it was one of a handful of </SPAN><SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >quality </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >albums that has reared its vinyl head in 1976; </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >however, as with any new band, the question of </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >whether or not Widowmaker could cut the </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >mustard on stage hung unanswered in the air. </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >In England, they latched onto tours supporting </SPAN>Boxer, Nazareth, and The Who (Daltrey's as<SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >sociation with Ellis no doubt played a major </SPAN>role in getting Widowmaker on that tour); in <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >America, they played a month of dates with the Electric Light Orcfiestra. This scribe was lucky enough to witness their New York show, and I </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 184.550000pt; height: 64.500000pt; top: 1105.700000pt; left: 418.800000pt;" > <LAYER top=1474.266667px left=558.400000px width=246.066667px height=86px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,246,86" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >came away most impressed. Luther/Ariel is a <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >veritable ball of energy on stage, never staying </SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >in one place for too long, while Steve Ellis as</SPAN><SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >sumes control of the pacing of the set with ease. </SPAN></SPAN></P> <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.600000px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 2.400000px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 1.120000pt;" >In many ways, Widowmaker is a 'typical' <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >hard rock act, but that don't upset them; as </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 184.600000pt; height: 53.450000pt; top: 1105.700000pt; left: 608.250000pt;" > <LAYER top=1474.266667px left=811.000000px width=246.133333px height=71.266667px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,246,71" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <P class=Style17 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >Steve Ellis puts it, "Musically, there's a whole <SPAN style=" letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >generation that missed out on rock and roll .. . getting up and enjoying yourself. We're filling </SPAN>that void." Rock on, to be sure. </SPAN></P> <P class=Style1 style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; line-height: normal ; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 115.200000px;" ><SPAN style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" >—JIM KOZLOWSKI-<SPAN style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.370000pt;" > </SPAN></SPAN></P> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 760.200000pt; height: 49pt; top: 35.500000pt; left: 32.650000pt;" > <LAYER top=47.333333px left=43.533333px width=1013.600000px height=65.333333px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,1013,65" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" ><CENTER> <IMG src="0096D024_Picture1.jpg" alt="Picture" align="top" height="65" width="1013"></CENTER> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 378.250000pt; height: 394.950000pt; top: 104.900000pt; left: 415.450000pt;" > <LAYER top=139.866667px left=553.933333px width=504.333333px height=526.600000px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,504,526" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <DIV style=" margin-top: 4.800000px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 7.200000px; margin-left: 0px;" ><CENTER> <IMG src="0096D024_Picture2.jpg" alt="Picture" align="top" height="513" width="504"></CENTER> </DIV> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 185.500000pt; height: 245pt; top: 558.950000pt; left: 34.700000pt;" > <LAYER top=745.266667px left=46.266667px width=247.333333px height=326.666667px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,247,326" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <DIV style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0.466667px; margin-bottom: 4.733333px; margin-left: 0.466667px;" ><CENTER> <IMG src="0096D024_Picture3.jpg" alt="Picture" align="top" height="321" width="246"></CENTER> </DIV> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 0pt none #FFFFFF ; width: 379.900000pt; height: 260.200000pt; top: 845.500000pt; left: 418.800000pt;" > <LAYER top=1127.333333px left=558.400000px width=506.533333px height=346.933333px bgcolor=#FFFFFF CLIP=" 0,0,506,346" class=Box style=" background-color: #FFFFFF;" > <DIV style=" margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.666667px;" ><CENTER> <IMG src="0096D024_Picture4.jpg" alt="Picture" align="top" height="346" width="505"></CENTER> </DIV> </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" border-top: 2.533333px solid #000000 ; width: 573.650000pt; height: 0pt; top: 525.850000pt; left: 221.300000pt;" > <LAYER top=701.133333px left=295.066667px width=764.866667px height=0px CLIP=" 0,0,764,0" class=Box style="" > </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Box style=" border-top: 2.866667px solid #000000 ; width: 574.850000pt; height: 0pt; top: 815.750000pt; left: 221.300000pt;" > <LAYER top=1087.666667px left=295.066667px width=766.466667px height=0px CLIP=" 0,0,766,0" class=Box style="" > </LAYER> </DIV> <DIV class=Boxlistheight style=" width: 1087.666667px; height: 1713.066667px; top: 32px;" > </DIV> </ILAYER> </DIV> <HR NOSHADE size=3 align=center><CENTER> <TABLE width="80%"> <TR> <TD align="left" ></TD> <TD align="right" ></TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER> </BODY></HTML>