Back together again

Two of the most protracted and extravagant feuds in rock history have finally reached an amicable resolution.

The first, and most sensational, was between Paul McCartney and his arch nemesis Yoko Ono. At one impromptu session initiated by McCartney and Sean Ono Lennon (John Lennon and Yoko Ono's son) a recording of Ono's 'Hiroshima Sky is Always Blue', was put on tape in a studio at McCartney's home.

The seven minute track, produced by McCartney, is a bizarre reconciliation of the McCartney and Lennon/Ono clan, with Sean Ono Lennon playing guitar, bass and piano; Linda McCartney playing keyboards; Paul and Linda's children, Mary, Stella, Heather and James providing guitar and percussion; McCartney playing stand-up bass, and Yoko Ono singing. Among the instruments used in the extraordinary recording were the Mellotron heard on 'Strawberry Fields', the Harmonium from, 'We Can Work It Out', and an electric spinette that was used on 'Because'.

After the session, McCartney presented Ono with a remixed master of the song, telling her she could do whatever she wanted with it. There are no definite plans as yet for the track's release, but there is no doubt that it will go public at some point. Meanwhile, Ono is putting the finishing touches to a new album recorded with Sean and his trio, Ima.

An even older feud is that between Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Mike Love. Bitter rivals before the band was even begun, they've been working together on new material, for the first time in over fifteen years. After meeting at Love's Nevada home in late February, Love and Wilson recorded demos for two new songs at a studio in Glendale, California. One of the tracks is expected to feature in the Baywatch spinoff, Baywatch Nights', culturally appropriate, but hardly the most auspicious vehicle for a comeback. The second cut is planned as a possible title song to the movie Grace of My Heart, and expectations are running high that a Beachboys album containing new Wilson material will soon surface.

The Glendale session also featured Carl Wilson on backing vocals and guitar, but the whereabouts of the other living Beachboy, Al Jardine, remain uncertain. Let's hope one thing, though: That this time they will not be drafting in Glen Campbell to fill the gap.

Where will all this hatchet-burying end? David Lee Roth to rejoin Van Halen, perhaps?

Delusions dampened

Proving that he is still the pop music visionary and mighty warrior of the technological revolution that invented the Electric Light Orchestra, Jeff Lynne has stuck an expensive boot into the fortunes of San Fransisco DJ/musicians collective, Hardkiss.

The co-op recently pressed 300 promo copies of its latest release, God Within's 'The Phoenix', without expecting any clearance problems over the sample of ELO's 'Fire On High' which is heavily featured on the track. Lynne, however, was not pleased. He refused permission for the sample to be used, forcing Hardkiss to abandon the commercial release of the single in its existing form.

The tale does have something of a happy ending though, since twelve promos had already been sent out to European DJs, who immediately propelled the record to No.5 on the Mixmag chart. Furthermore, there is now a feverish demand for the unavailable song, which will do the April 10th release of Hardkiss's Delusions of Grandeur collection no harm at all.

Of course, it remains a mystery why Lynne should have come down so hard on the only people to have shown an interest in his appalling band for decades. But, no doubt, he will be happy to learn that a version of 'The Phoenix', untainted by any whiff of ELO, will appear on the Delusions of Grandeur album.

Sack that witness

At last, a news item with an O.J. trial connection. And no, it isn't further speculation that the Juice's defense lawyer, Carl Douglas, is the same man who inflicted the loopy, 'Kung Fu Fighting', on an unsuspecting world in the mid-70s.

In his attempt to prove that he is not a racist, and hence had no motive to frame O.J., redneck cop Mark Furhman has revealed that he once tried to date 'The Artiste Formerly Known As Prince''s back-up singer and co-star in Purple Rain, Apollonia Kotero.

According to his account, Furhman busted the singer on a traffic violation, and in so doing excited her interest. The two swapped phone numbers, but any more intimate liaisons were scuppered by Apollonia who was, at the time, dating the purple pixie. Still, top marks to Fuhrman for trying, and as the original Carl Douglas might have said, "That cat was fast as lightning." And I'm sure it was a little bit frightening. Unfortunately, he failed to do it with expert timing.

Showing out at the Roundhouse

Roundhouse studios' new complex in the heart of the City of London was featured in last month's Mixing It, and is a showpiece for the practical application of new technology. Their digital editing and post production suite includes the facility to produce a gold CD in limited quantities to use as a promotional tool, or as a preliminary stage to producing a master CD. Roundhouse studios is offering this service for £20 plus VAT, a price which is as close to cost as makes no difference. Called the CD ShowDisc, the service is invaluable for bands looking to send DAT quality recordings out to A&R departments, or for PR companies looking for a low-cost promotional mailout.

In a special offer to readers of the mix, Roundhouse is offering ShowDisc at an even lower price of £15 plus VAT. Sending a DAT out is all very well, but not everyone has one of those machines sitting on their desk. They do usually possess a CD player, however, and a CD certainly looks more impressive in its jewel case than a dinky little DAT. The Show Disc price includes colour labels and inlay cards, so your finished ShowDisc will really look the business.

Simply send your master tape and remittance to Roundhouse, and a flash gold CD will soon be winging its way back to you. Recordings can be on stereo cassette, DAT or 1/2" or 1/4" analogue tape, bearing the following points in mind:

1. CDs pressed from cassette recordings can only be as good in quality as the original recording, so only use a cassette if you absolutely cannot beg, borrow or steal a DAT to record your masterpiece.

2. DATs should be mastered at 44.1 kHz for digital transfer to CD. DATs recorded at 48kHz will have to be transferred through A/D converters, entailing a slight drop in quality. Roundhouse can convert digitally from 48kHz to 44.1 kHz digitally, but this process takes time and incurs an extra charge.

3. Running order (no more than 5 titles) cannot be changed, and total running time is not to be more than 20 minutes.

Make your cheque or postal order (including 50p postage and packaging per CD ) payable to: 'Roundhouse Recording Studios' and make the amount for the number of CDs you require, plus VAT and postage and packing. Two CDs for example, would be 2 X £15.00, plus VAT @ 17.5% — £5.25, plus £1.00 p & p, giving a total of £36.25.