Neil Young Articles An article on Neil Young at Roxy Theater, Los Angeles, CA with producer David Geffen and promoter Bill Graham
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 23 Aug 96 13:43:20 GMT
From: "B. Sorensen" <i12bent@hum.auc.dk>
To: rust@death.pobox.com
Subject: LA Times, Sept. 22, 1975
Hey Rusties - here's some weekend fun for you. I found this article
in a
Neil-related book. A publication all hard-core Neilites ought to have.
But
which one is it? Just how hard is your core? If you think you know
where
this comes from tell me. Sorry, no prizes....
ROXY: POP-ROCK TAKES A STEP UPTOWN
"Well I made more enemies today than in my whole life," David Geffen,
one
of the partners in the new Roxy Theater, complained to Bill Graham
Thursday afternoon in a way that made you know he really liked the
attention of being besieged by friends for tickets to Neil Young's
sold-out
opening that night.
Graham, the San Francisco-based rock producer who is planting his first
real roots in Los Angeles as a partner in the club, was ready with
his own
tale of woe.
"Los Angeles is really different from San Francisco," he said, laughing
to
himself at the calls he had been receiving Thursday. "Up there I might
have two or three quote stars unquote calling me for tickets - record
artists or important people around town.
But here everyone is a quote star unquote. Guys all day have been calling
up saying, 'Billy, baby, this is Harry. I need six tickets for tonight.'
"Harry, Harry, who in the hell is Harry? Then he tells me he's the
vice president of Bugaloo Records or something and that he would consider
it a personal favor. If I'm in a good mood I tell him I'll try to find
him
some standing room in the kitchen..." He, too, obviously liked the
attention.
------------
Even more than Neil Young, the real star Thursday was the Roxy itself,
a
stylish, elaborate step uptown for contemporary pop-rock music, and
the
five men who put it together.
Ever since rumors about a new club began circulating months ago, there
has
been enormous record industry attention focused on it. The reason:
Three of
the industry's genuine titans were behind it - Lou Adler, David Geffen
and
Elliott Roberts, who, through either record company or management firms,
are associated with such artists as Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Neil
Young, Cheech & Chong, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash,
America,
Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne and Eagles.
Because Adler, Geffen and Roberts have dealt so closely with artists
for so
long, they felt they could provide an atmosphere that would eliminate
many
of the hassles that artists complain about in clubs. Thus, they could
not
only lure major acts who have moved onto large, 10.000 and 15.000-seat
halls back to Roxy for an occasional, intimate appearance, but attract
new
talentby providing a comfortable (there are even carpeted dressing
rooms
with showers) surroundings.
Graham joined the Roxy partnership this week, adding even more power
and
stature. The fifth partner is Chuck Landis, who formerly ran the Largo
burleque club in the building at 9090 Sunset Blvd., that now houses
the
Roxy. By opening with Neil Young and following (in upcoming weeks)
with
such acts as Richie Havens, Cheech & Chong, Poco, Jackson Browne,
B.B.
King, Miles Davis [ ] the Temptations [
] strength of the club is
obvious."
The rest is illegible. The blanks are words covered by a thumb on the
hands
holding the newpaper in this photo....
Enjoy!
bs
Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies
Aalborg University, Denmark
More on Bill Graham and his life as a rock & roll promoter.
Thrasher's Wheat - A Neil Young Archives