Rockpalast Archiv

12.Rockpalast Rocknacht 16.-17.April 1983

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Translation: Rachel Holznienkemper and Family

Kevin Rowland & Dexy´s Midnight Runner´s

Dexys Midnight Runners Foto WDR/Manfred Becker WDR text 1983: Kevin Rowland & Dexy's Midnight Runners is the first group at the 12th Rockpalast Festival. Kevin Rowland founded his band in Birmingham, England, at the end of the '70s; earlier, he had played in an unsuccessful punk band. Unhappy with the little audience feedback and the weak musical substance of this group (according to him), he did something new, something completely different which reminded him of his earlier youth. The result was the first edition of Dexy's Midnight Runners.

The name is the description of a leisure time activity that some people in the mid '60s dedicated lots of time to. They met at their friends or in a room at a youth center, gathered around a record player or a jukebox, and listened exclusively to music from black American soul singers. These gatherings happened mostly after midnight. Dexys were pills that stimulated to stay awake till early morning, and also took away any inhibitions to dance. The followers of this music thought of themselves as an exclusive circle, and felt like conspirators for a better music.

Kevin Rowland laid his conception according to that. The title of the first Dexys LP, 'Searching for the Young Soul Rebels', as also the first hit of the group, 'Geno', came from this way of thinking. Rowland also continued building upon this myth in the following times. He tells the history of the Dexys and their views like an adventure novel in the form of reports; he refuses to give interviews. He disbanded the first edition of the group when he realized that the Dexys weren't making any progress.

He returned again after a two-year pause. He had announced that only his name and that of the band would remind of the earlier group. It was true. Kevin Rowland had managed a synthesis of soul and Celtic folk music. He not only worked with brass, but also with stringed instruments. Upon release of his LP and single ('Come on Eileen'), he was once again celebrated as a sensation. This was proven when Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners went on tour. The image of 'Keltic soul- brother' was formed as the musicians appeared in a stage photo (which looked like the inside of a warehouse) dressed in overalls, ripped pullovers and scarves. Kevin Rowland, quite a personality, was always in front and in the center as the main person, impressing all the fans at the concert with his passion and concentration. (Official Text)

"Overalls, ripped pullovers and scarves. Requisites that could have come out of a warehouse - stamped the image 'Keltic soul-brother' with their music from folk and soul elements. We got to know Kevin Rowland as a musician that is obsessed with the vision of leaving an impression on the audience by using simple methods. He gives a lot. He works hard. He embodies emotion, passion."
From: 10 Jahre Rockpalast.

In 1978, the band, Dexys Midnight Runners (named after the uppers, Dexadrin), was formed from the former punk group 'Killjoys', with singer Kevin Rowland (considered arrogant), who was born August 17th, 1953, in Wolverhampton. They called themselves a stax-soul band. They very quickly found their way into the charts and were considered the new live band. Personnel problems caused a break and Rowland needed 18 months to re-form the band. Now more than ever, Keltic folk music became part of their sound. With 'Come on Eileen', they landed a giant hit (GB #1, G #6, US #1), and the single was awarded the Brit Award in 1983. In 1985, the band was re-formed again and their image was changed. Now they showed themselves as smart boys in suits. At the end, the band was made up of only Rowland and the studio musicians.

Musicians:

Kevin Rowland - Voc/Guit
Helen O'Hara - Fiddle
Steve Brennan - Fiddle
Simon Walker - Fiddle
Andy Hamilton - Sax
Nick Gatfield - Sax
Spike Edney - Voc/Tromb
Billy Adams - Voc/Guit/banjo
John Edwards - Voc/Bass
Seb Shelton - drums
Bob Noble - Voc/Keyb

Setlist:

01  Geno                                       (4'00'')
02  The Celtic Soul Brothers                   (2'54'')
03  Let's Get This Straight From The Heart     (4'13'')
04  Plan B                                     (4'30'')
05  Let's Make This Precious                   (4'36'')
06  There There My Dear                        (7'10'')
07  Come On Eileen                             (5'22'')
08  All In All                                 (6'00'')
09  Jackie Wilson Said                         (2'45'')
10  Tell Me When My Light Turns Green          (4'58'')
11  Until I Believe In My Soul                (12'10'')
12  Respect                                   (10'15'')
13  Kevin Rowland's 13th Crime                 (3'25'')
14  Keep  It Pt 2                              (4'26'')
                        

Discography

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels (1980)  Odeon 064-07319
Too-Reye-Ay                         (1982)  Mercury 6359097   
Don´t Stand Me Down                 (1985)  Mercury 822989
Geno                                (1983)  EMI 752068 Sampler
The Very Best Of....                (1991)  Phonogram 846460 Sampler   
1980-1982 The Radio 1 Sessions      (1995)  Strange Fruit
Bbc Radio 1 In Concert [live]       (1995)  Griffin Music
It Was Like This                    (1996)  EMI

Kevin Rowland: The Wanderer (1988) Mercury 834488
Dexys: One day I'm Going To Soar (2012) Indigo Nowhere Is Home (2014) Rough Trade Let The Record Show:Dexys Do Irish And Country Soul (2016) Warner

Video/DVD

The Bridge                          (1983)  Universal
It Was Like This (Live)             (2003)  Rough Trade
Dexys Midnight Runners - In Concert (2007)  Import UK
Nowhere Is Home                     (2014)  Rough Trade
                        

Dexys Midnight Runners Internet:

Dexy's Midnight Runners Rockpalast Metropol Berlin 02.11.1982
Dexy's Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners Discography
Dexy's Midnight Runners Wikipedia EN
Dexy's Midnight Runners Wikipedia DE

DVD - It Was Like This (Live) - bei Amazon bestellen!

CD - Too Rye Ay - bei Amazon bestellen!

Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson Foto WDR/Manfred Becker WDR text 1983:  Joe Jackson and his new band will appear second at the 12th Rockpalast-Festival . Like Kevin Rowland, Joe Jackson is an english man, coming from Portsmouth. He began his musical career as a student at the 'Royal Academy of Music', with piano and composing as his main subjects. In order to gather experience and partly to help finance his studies, he played as a living Muzak supplier in a dance combo for teas or dinners in different establishments. As the rock music movement began in 1976/77 in England, Joe Jackson was also there. He formed a band called 'Arms and Legs', which didn't last long, but brought Jackson together with Graham Maby. Since then, Maby is Joe Jackson's most important partner. In 1978, Joe Jackson came with a demo band and his own songs to a producer and a record contract. In a short time, the single 'Is She Really Going Out With Him' and the LP 'Look Sharp', were on the American pop charts. The Joe Jackson Band went on a world tour and made great impressions everywhere with their perfect appearances. No time was wasted on announcements, the music was more important. Whether with 2 ® minute numbers like 'One More Time', or 'Look Sharp', or with ballads like 'Is She Really Going Out With Him', or 'Fools in Love', Jackson offered compositions and lyrics with quality that is clearly above others.

Nothing has changed up to now. Joe Jackson never sits still. Among other things, he released an album that reminded him of the youth of his father, and was essentially a swing-jazz LP. In 1981, he lived for a while in New York and in 1982, he released 'Night And Day' a record showing his impressions from this time. Jackson put together a new group and went on an eight-month world tour; the best description of this program is 'An evening with Joe Jackson and his music'. During this concert, he showed his versatility: Not only as a musician - he played saxophone, vibraphone, piano - but also as composer and lyricist. He is one of the most successful that rock music has at this time. His songs are biting commentaries on diseases of civilization ('Cancer'), critical analyses on journalism ('Sunday Papers'), and other blessings of the new times ('TV Age'). But, there are also impressive stories about some of his own positions ('Real Men') and beautiful descriptions about nightlife and the strength that music can release ('Steppin' Out', 'Slow Song'). (Official Text).

"He comes across more as a banker if he's not standing on-stage. Also, on-stage he often tries to give the impression of being off in the distance ("I don't need to applaud with the others, we have a drummer"). But, whoever hears him sing 'A Slow Song', realizes the passion beneath it all. Joe Jackson came to the concert from Japan and directly flew further on to Australia. His Roadies had jackets with the inscription: 'J.J.s Mammoth Tour. Ten Months. I am here voluntarily."
From: 10 Jahre Rockpalast.

It would take too long to tell the whole story about Joe Jackson here, who was born in Burton upon Trent in the county of Staffordshire on August 11th, 1954. That his music can hardly be categorized and that his records always make great stylistic jumps, goes along the same way that his life has. From the Royal Academy of Music, London (where he learned to play violin and piano), from a Bar Pianist in the Playboy Club up to his extended tours. But it is exactly at his live appearances where he is able to express his music very intensively.

Musicians:

Joe Jackson - voc/sax/vibraphone/piano
Graham Maby - bass/voc
Larry Tolfree - drums
Joy Askew - keyb/voc
Sue Hadjopoulos - perc
Ed Rynesdal - keyb/violin/voc

Setlist:

01  On Your Radio                              (4'40'')
02  Another World                              (4'47'')
03  Sunday Papers                              (5'20'')
04  Look Sharp                                 (3'52'')
05  Breaking Us In Two                         (5'03'')
06  Is She Really Going Out With Him           (4'15'')
07  Target                                     (3'00'')
08  TV age                                     (4'45'')
09  Tuxedo Junction                            (5'40'')
10  Steppin' Out                               (4'26'')
11  Beat Crazy                                 (4'05'')
12  One More Time                              (2'55'')
13  A Slow Song                                (7'39'')
14  Uptight                                    (1'35'')
15  The Tears Of A Clown                       (1'51'')
16  I'm Gonna Make You Love Me                 (2'55'')
17  Hoe Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You         (2'25'')
18  Heatwave                                   (2'55'')
19  Uptight                                    (1'13'')
20  I'm The Man                                (5'02'')
                        

Discography:

Look Sharp                     (1979)  A&M 64743
I´m The Man                    (1979)  A&M 64794
Beat Crazy                     (1980)
Jumpin Jive                    (1981)  A&M 68530
Night And Day                  (1982)
Mike's Murder                  (1983)  (Film soundtrack)
Body And Soul                  (1984)  A&M 6500
Big World                      (1986)  A&M 396021
Will Power                     (1987)
Live 1980/86                   (1988)  A&M 396706
Blaze Of Glory                 (1989)
Laughter & Lust                (1991)
Night Music                    (1994)  Virgin 839880
Heaven & Hell                  (1997)  Sony
Symphony 1                     (1999)  Sony CD64435
Night And Day II               (2000)  Sony CD89261
Look Sharp!                    (2001)  A&M Bonus Tracks
I'm the Man                    (2001)  A&M Bonus Tracks
Volume IV                      (2003)  Ryko/Zomba
Night and Day                  (2003)  Universal Deluxe Edition 2CDs
Afterlife                      (2004)  Ryko/Rough Trade
Rain                           (2008)  Ryko
Live at the BBC                (2009)  Spectrum  
Live Music Europe 2010         (2011)  Edel Joe Jackson Trio
Joe Jackson the Duke           (2012)  earMusic/Edel
Live at Rockpalast             (2012)  MIG Music 2CD
Live at Rockpalast             (2013)  MIG Music 2 Vinyl LP
Fast Forward                   (2015)  edel
Fool                           (2019)  Ear Music
State Theater New Jersey 2005  (2021)  Cleopatra (Todd Rundgren feat. Ethel)
Max Champion In "What A Rocket (2023)  Ear Music
	    	    

Videos:

Big World               (1986)  A&M
Live in Tokyo           (1989)  A&M
Laughter & Lust Live    (1992)  Pioneer
Stepping Out            (????)  A&M Video 866 50min. (DVD RC1)
25 Anniversary Special  (2003)  BMG DVD
Live at Rockpalast      (2012)  MIG Music 2DVD
                        

Joe Jackson Internet:

JOE JACKSON - Rockpalast WDR Studio-A Köln 14.03.1980
JOE JACKSON - Markthalle Hamburg 21.02.1983
The Joe Jackson Archive
Das Deutsche Joe Jackson Archiv
Joe Jackson - Night Music and Beyond
Joe Jackson facebook.com
Joe Jackson Wikipedia EN
Joe Jackson Wikipedia DE

Joe Jackson 2DVDs - Live at Rockpalast - order now at Amazon!        DVD Info
Joe Jackson 2CDs - Live at Rockpalast - order now at Amazon!
Joe Jackson 2LPs - Live at Rockpalast - order now at Amazon!

Joe Jackson DVD - 25th Anniversary Special - order at Amazon !

Break:

01. Moderation Albrecht Metzger and Alan Bangs
02. Don't look back (David Lindley - Loreley Festival - 28.08.1982)
03. Moderation Alan Bangs
04. Interview King Sunny Ade
05. Until the Good is gone (Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul - 11. Rocknacht - 16.10.1982)
06. Interview Little Steven & Jean Beauvoir

King Sunny Ade and his African Beats

King Sunny Ade Foto WDR/Manfred Becker WDR text 1983: Born in 1946, King Sunny Ade, whose real name is Sunda Adeniyi, is the son of a priest of the African Church (the Nigerian Methodist Church) in Ondo, a city about 300 miles away from Lagos. He made his first musical attempts in his school band, which played mainly marching music. His instrument: Bell chimes. He learned to play the drums while he was still in school and then formed a local band. At 16, he left home and moved to Lagos, where he found a job as a drummer with Moses Olaya, who was one of the most popular musicians in Nigeria. By this point in time, Sunny Ade had taught himself to play the guitar. He used the 'Finger-Picking Style', whereby the tuned the guitar to a pure major chord ('Open Tuning'). In 1966, he left the Olaya Band and founded his own group: 'The African Beats'; they started off with five members, but today have grown to over twenty members.
Four years later, they released their debut-LP: 'Sunny Ti De' (Sunny is here). According to him, it was the first JuJu LP on which the tracks were not separated from each other, but flowed into one another, so that one side of the record was really like one long medley.

In the meantime, the 'stretch' principle in the Ju-Ju music has caught on. 'Sunny Ti De' was the first from up to now 40 LPs, from which none has sold less than 200,000 in Nigeria. Ju-Ju music is based on the 'call-answer' complex between the talking drummers and the singers. It has been around since the '20s, but was given new pep in the '50s when western instruments were brought in. In the meantime, electric guitars now dominate. Synthesizers have also left their imprint on Ju-Ju music - and Sunny Ade and his musicians themselves have given the music some new impulses. In 1981, Sunny Ade signed a contract with Island Records in which he gave up worldwide rights to all his records (except in Nigeria). Then, he recorded the album, 'Juju Music', for Island in Togo, specially produced for the western market. The new hits are in part essentially faster versions of some of his hits and is his first 'tracks' album since 1971.
Remarks: If you are interested in more information about 'Black Music', you can read about it in the book 'Rock Session 7' (RoRoRo-Sachbuch Nr. 7687) - Official Text).

"A little excitement up front: King Sunny Ade did show up, but his band was still in Nigeria. A day of rehearsal was lost. Finally, the band was also there. A diplomatic problem was also resolved: During the concert, the Nigerian ambassador had a loge on the left side of the stage. King Sunny Ade was definitely the most unusual band till that time in the Grugahalle. They were enthusiastically greeted by some, and either turned off or not at all understood by others. The first band that really played itself into a trance."
From: 10 Jahre Rockpalast.

King Sunny Ade was born in 1946 is Oshogbo, Nigeria. At 16, he left school and went to Lagos to play music. Next, he played in Highlife Bands as a drummer, and in 1966 formed his first band, the 'Green Spots'. In 1974, he changed the name of the band to 'African Beats'; in the eight years, he brought out 12 LPs with a Nigerian label. African Beats, often sporting more than 20 - 30 people, prevail as the masters of JuJu music and are the most popular band in Nigeria. Ade was also called 'Minister of Enjoyment'. In the music which is strongly oriented in African cultural music, Ade also placed western instruments like the pedal steel guitar or accordion along with the 'classic' instruments like the Talking Drums. In foreign countries, Ade couldn't book large successes; he did have moderate successes after the first Reggae fever as Ethno became a term, and through the release of the LP 'JuJu Music', through Chris Blackwell at Island Records.

Musicians:

King Sunny Ade - guit/voc
Bob Akaigbe Ohiri - guit
Segun Ilori - guit
John Akpan Okoumo - guit
Ademola Adepoju -Hawai-guit
Jelili Lawal - bass/vibraphon
Akanbi Moses - drums
Omoroga Shina Abiodun - Congas
Ganiyu Alashe - perc
Michael Babalola - Marraccas
Tiamiyu Olaitan - Talking drums
Rasaki Aladokun - Talking drums
Babatunde Temiola - voc
Mathew Olojede - voc
Olufemi Owomoyela - voc
Adeniyi Falaye - voc
Jacob Joshua -voc

Setlist:

01  Gbeyo Gbeyo                                (5'20'')
02  Otami Mayomi                               (5'52'')
03  Synchro Feelings/Ilako                     (3'43'')
04  Mo Ti Mo                                   (7'14'')
05  Maajo                                      (6'30'')
06  Penkele                                    (6'20'')
07  Ja Fun Mi                                  (8'49'')
08  ?                                          (4'55'')
09  Tolongo                                    (7'44'')
10  E Wele                                     (4'25'')
11  Mo Beru Agba                               (6'30'')
12  Synchro System                             (6'24'')
13  Drumming                                   (6'30'')
14  Ma Jaiye Oni                              (12'10'')
15  Samba                                      (3'02'')
16  Sunny Te Ariya                             (3'40'')
17  E Saye Ray                                 (1'40'')
18  Drumming                                  (11'20'')
19  ?                                         (14'20'')
                        

Discography:

Juju Musik                  (1982) Island 204770
Live at Montreux            (1982) PolyGram   
Synchro System              (1983) Island 205320   
Aura                        (1984) Island ILPS 9746
Vintage King Sunny Ade      (1984) Nigeria
Explosion                   (1985) Sar
Togetherness                (1985) Sar
Gratitude                   (1985) Sar
The Truth                   (1985) Sar
Live Juju Live              (1987) Rycodisk  
The Return of the Juju King (1988) Mercury 
E did (get up)              (1996) Mesa 
Odu                         (1998) Atlantic/TIS/Easwest
His Evergreen Hits          (1998) CD; African Songs Ltd. CDAS 89707
Seven Degrees North         (2000) CD (US); Mesa 91100-2
Synchro Series              (2003) Rycodisk
Divine Shield               (2004)            
            

King Sunny Ade Internet:

Mesa Recordings - King Sunny Ade
Interview by Jason Gross (June 1998)
King Sunny Ade Wikipedia EN
King Sunny Ade Wikipedia DE

CD - Juju Music - bei Amazon bestellen!

Fotos © WDR/Manfred Becker

Pictures of the 12.Rocknight


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