European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse To i up1 Chai demand ssy5 he of no rotator had to learn to be by Stephen Holden new York times olympian aspiration. Raw aggression and agonizing self doubt. Neil Diamond possesses an abundance of All three qualities. Tows Contra Clocy Bond forms tha chemistry of the special kind of pop stardom tha the 45-year-old Brooklyn born Singer song Ilei has sustain of Lor to decades. An Ghl show engagement Al Madison Square Garden marked his first new York ciry appearance in 10 years and has broken All Box Vilice records for a Solo performer at the Garden. In addition. Diamond has already sold out j4 shows for August a the 6,000-seat greek Tea Lei in los Angeles. His latest album. Headed Tor tie future is nearing boo 000 sales Wilhour the Spur a i a nil single. Weil Diamond who has never been a critics favorite is a performer who must be seen in concur Lor his full Impact to be left. On stage Ine jewish Elvis As he has been called is a striding pop Gladiator who roars of his songs in a Gruff oratorical Bass baritone. The material Bridges Many styles from Folk sing along to ballads that aspire to a Beethoven like Inella bitty of spin although they Are written in a rough Hen vocabulary of modern Day tin pan Alley Page 16 the stars and stripes there is no room for doubts once you gel up on Diamond reflected in an interview once you re up there you d belter not double anything you do what you re doing and just Pray thai it works out All Nghil i still watch the exits at All times to make sure people Aren t leaving. It s something i picked up from playing in the Village 20yeais Oll Slage Diamond seems an altogether different person trom his Leonine stage character. Ashen faced with his craggy care worn Lea lures scrunched up in thought to nibbled on scrambled eggs in the restaurant of a new York hotel choosing his words carefully he spoke about his he and his music in an exceedingly soil husky voice ii All stoned Wilh Pel Seeger he recalled he was my original idol. I was a kid at Surprise Lake Camp and pole came up to give us kids a demonstration and to play some songs la was basically a Folk show whore he got everybody singing along and having a Good Iii pal Lerned my stage approach after anything it had lot that because the audience was part of the show. He also inspired me As a songwriter. The first songs t Ever Learned were on the weavers albums. Ten years ago i bumped into Pete in a restaurant and was amazed to discover thai lie knew who 1 was i said. You be had or Reol an influence on my Lite lha Vou could Ever possibly imagine you re my hero monday August 11,1986 shr cd in Wlsh so Ger s folks Ness however is a lol of e in i s Presley s diam red Stu oyed machismo and Al Jolson Vaud Vioian Lazzlo jazz pc to is no coincidence thai Diamond s one venture into film was to As Sunj Jolson s role As the can Lor s son in a remake of Trio jazz a Ngov. Aug sort was he Jirs jewish pop Singer 1 was aware of when i was a life boy and thai made him special Diamond said. His example helped give me Confidence in the idea thai i could be an entertainer rather than a doctor or a lawyer when i played the Winter Garden Thea Ler in 1972,1 chose it because i knew Jolson had played Here in was his theater., in the beginning i did t know myself who i was so i scarfed of imitating other Persci mers. First it was Elvis then Harry Belafonte bul i was such a terrible imitator that i had o learn to be myself. My career As a performer has Bec i a series of self discoveries in Fiona of live performance has played a major role in determining Diamond s evolution As a songwriter a his Early Days in the music business Diamond was a sculling Young songwriter peddling material to music publishers with almost no jul Csc. 1 when you re writing for someone else it s just your name on a song you do your Besl and Hope that somebody will record in he said. I did t became critical of my own songs until i began performing them in Public. The attention focused my songwriting because i could gauge first hand How an audience would respond loan idea. There s no test like that. You look at people and see if they gel restless. Beginning Wilh the song Brooklyn roads in 1968,1 fell i had to insert myself More and More into my writing. I had studied Alan Jay Lerner s lyrics for my fair lady like a Monk studies the Bible and 1 realized i did 1 have the wit to write thai kind of song so i began to use personal insights As subject the song of which Diamond remains the proudest is the searching Ballad. I am. Said a major hit in 1971. The Lyric which describes lha angst Diamond Felt As a Brooklyn Salive living in Southern California captures a generated feeling of uproot Odness the sense of being lost Between two shores " the song links thai senso of homelessness with Iho empty Leeling that often follows sudden Success. I began writing the song during a screen test Lor a movie Aboul Lenny Bruce Diamond said i had never worked on a movie set before and the character of Lenny Bruce was about As Ditter ont from me As you could Imago. I fell disheartened and depressed and went to my trailer for lunch. My guitar was there and 1 just started writing i am. I said bul because the concept and title were so bin i Suponi the next four months finishing it. The song forced h a my of Noam i a what is this song of wisc it be in a b i h band because song lyres for to Are Verv much in s s�n9 r3T6 Iofi focu50f Yuh Diamond is equally proud of America Sims unbelief go a has sir " a. Fuss
