Creem – America’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll Magazine, Reviewed Issue By Issue – December 1975 (Volume 7, Number 7)

In the December 1975 issue of Creem, Lisa Robinson chronicled a few weeks with – who else – the Rolling Stones during their 1975 summer tour. The band all seemed to be in good spirits, despite Keith Richards getting arrested in Fordyce, Arkansas. Mick was particularly playful, openly making fun of Steven Tyler, Black Oak Arkansas, and Slade. By the way, Bill Carter was the Stones’ attorney who sprang Richards on trumped up charges of reckless driving and carrying an illegal weapon (a hunting knife). Carter’s resume includes being part of J.F.K’s secret service team and doing legal work for Jimmy Hoffa. Not bad for a guy whose hometown, like this typist, is Rector, Arkansas. 

In the cover story, Steve Shroyer and John Lifelander spent time with David Bowie on the set of “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” David seemed like a perfect gentleman during his interviews. He would later recall of this acting experience, “I was totally insecure with about 10 grams (of cocaine) a day in me. I was stoned out of my mind from beginning to end. 

Johnny Thunders sent in a letter to clarify that his post New York Dolls band The Heartbreakers were “very much alive.” I respect his honesty in not including “and well.” In “Rock ‘n’ Roll News,” the birth of Sean Ono Lennon was announced.  

Features: 

Last Exit from Lake City: The Outlaws Last Ride by Kenny Weissberg 

Doobie Brothers: The Reward of Facelessness by Wayne Robins 

Flashback to the Stones Tour: On the Road to Buffalo by Lisa Robinson 

Frank Sinatra’s Greatest Interview: Cadillac Woodstock by Robert Duncan 

David Bowie: Spaced Out in the Desert by Steve Shroyer and John Lifelander 

To Beat the Devil: The Allman Brothers Comin’ Around Again by Jaan Uhelszki 

Jaan Uhelszki interviewed Gregg Allman during his tabloid fodder marriage to Cher (“I bought all Cher’s records. She was my idol”). Paul Rodgers appeared as the Creem Dreem, wearing either a Speedo or pre-shrunk tighty-whities. With his dark chest hair, he looks like an emaciated bear just waking from hibernation. The features on the Outlaws and Doobie Brothers are exactly as interesting as the profiled artists. 

Quotable Quotes:   

Wayne Robins the Doobie Brothers, “In spite of (their) massive accumulation of American dream points: wealth, success, stardom – most fans probably couldn’t name more than two of the Doobies, if that. The more successful they became, the more faceless they remained.” 

Mick Jagger on Altamont, “Sometimes I think the only two people who didn’t have a good time there was me and the guy that got killed.” 

Jagger, “As long as my picture is on the front page, I don’t care what they say about me on page 96.” 

Jagger, “I don’t’ worry about my future, I’m living out my adolescent dreams perpetually.” 

Keith Richards, “There’s this phony division between lead and rhythm guitar. It does not exist. Either you’re a guitar player or you’re not. And if you are a guitar player playing with another guitar player, there’s no point in designating one thing to one…there’s no freedom there.” 

David Bowe, “I’m all for cliches. People say ‘Oh, that’s cliched,’ but cliches are important, I think, because they’re something everyone understands, they’re universal. Life is full of cliches. And I love throw away lines, then can say a lot.” 

David Bowie, “I Like cult films and I like cults, you know, people who are very intense about what they like. I’ve had that kind of following.” 

Lester Bangs on the Marshall Tucker Band, “Toy (Caldwell) is the apotheosis of the REALLY good old boy – at peace with himself, which allows him to be wild without being ugly, brutal or sleazy, a healthy troublemaker. He strikes a nice balance between the dark, ominous dissipation of the Allmans and the frenetic party-jive of Wet Willie; he knows there’s plenty of time to stretch out and let tomorrow bring its own good times.” 

Gene Sculatti on the Bay City Rollers, “I have seen the future of radiorock and it’s called ‘Saturday Night.’” 

Rick Johnson on Steppenwolf’s “Hour of the Wolf” album, “Basically forgettable hard tedium and armpit sounds. For a band that once seemed ready to take on all of L.A. armed only with filed-down Silvertone guitars, the trip to obedience school was apparently near-fatal.” 

Summary: Mick Jagger takes the spotlight in this issue, with his unbridled joy in making fun of everyone who isn’t Mick Jagger. 

Grade: B+ 

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