European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 20, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Isaac Hayes returns again by Dennis Hunt los angles times Inger Isaac haves first record in live years Ike s rap hey girl is a pop anti drug message. Given Hayes lengthy absence from the recording scene is in possible thai this is yet another Story about a performer who fell prey to drugs himself7 after All. Hayes Imago in Iho Early 70s was that of Ihu Tum and flip scr the personification of Coo the big muscular Guy with the shaved head wearing shades Gold chains and no shirt often ranked by gorgeous women but Hayes says the image the record and he Nalus Are no connected. An image is just that an image he said in a recent Lela phone no review. In the entertainment Industry. You can t really fell what someone is like by looking Al i hair image you d probably to wrong most of the time " in fact Hayes says he has always been wary of drugs 1 Back m the 60s i Learned about drugs he said. I saw what it did to other entertainers. I be worked with musicians who were addicted. We had hem on methadone programs. I never wanted to fall into that trap the tap portion of the new record is an introduction to Hayes reworking of the re Oldie hey girl. In she song which to part humorous and part ominous he is chiding ins Girlfriend for succumbing to crack. I wrote the rep myself he said i wanted to make a statement it joins drugs Hayes will no doubt to accused o being a copycat his single is certainty similar to Trie pain theoran juice Jonus hit in which the Singer berates a woman Lof cheating on him 8ul Hayes has Boon doing rap monologues since the late 60s. Hayes was also innovative in other areas. His crackling stimuli theme helped set the Lone for 70s Inspru Menlaos and contributed to the birth of disco. However singing has never been his so Rengh. Hayes1 deep voice does not have much Range and registers Little emotion. Still his songs work because of his intriguing vocal presence vocally i m no doing anything very different he said. Why change now this is Hayes third comeback attempt. He engineered one in 1975 after two hitters years and another in 19bo. Both were fairly successful. Judging from the material on his new album this one should work. Too. The new album a held if turn is Vintage Hayes dressed up Wilh modern Lee no pop touches. The second comeback was the toughest because he was also coming Back from bankruptcy declared in 1976. Financial mismanagement by those in charge of his Money he charged led to his ruin. He spent the rest of the 70s playing catch up a1980 hit single. Don i let go a disco remake of Roy Hamilton s 50s song spearheaded a Hayes revival. But by 1981, he was Back in oblivion. The last five years Hayes said have been fairly uneventful. I be been living in Atlanta sort of out of the Way he said. I spent a year in London too i Haven t been doing thai much just mile Odds and ends to survive and keep the Bills paid coping Wilh business and personal problems which he chose not to explain in detail have kept him Busy. I could t really get Inlo anything creative until those things were cleared he said. Last year 1 was finally at a Point where 1 could really concentrate on work Hayes 44, has nol really changed much. An Active bodybuilder he has maintained his muscular physique. I be always needed physical he said. When some people have problems they turn to drugs. My Oullet has always been physical activity. It makes me Hayes has not performed since doing a show in Spain in 1981, but he of Pecos to go Back on the Road next year if the album is a hit. I be missed it he said. I realize How much when he also misses Iho recognition i Tike being recognized. That gels in your blood and does t go away of you have to go to the supermarket at three in the morning because you won t have to bother with fans looking for autographs it s a hassle but it s Nice. I d like to have to Deal Wilh that Hay a the personification of Cool in of Andrew Lloyd Webber brings Back the phantom by Gregory Jensen United press International Ndrew Lloyd Webber the Midas of the musical is touching Gold again. His opera like Trie phantom of the opera is another resounding Success ready to follow Evita and cals around the world. I is an evening Hal restores sex and Romance to the modern musical Wilh a full quota of pulsating melodramatic tension said one critic with Complete accuracy. Princess Diana saw it and cheered and flinched a Bil at its crashing chandelier a first night throng at the biggest event of London s Heater year gave in a 10 Mizulo standing stamping ovation. Some critics were somewhat less wild. But there is no doubt Hal Lloyd Webber the richest alchemist in musical theater has another hit to 90 with those which already have made him a multimillionaire. Phantom is also a vindication for the girl he married and for Broadway director Hal Prince. Both Sarah Brightman and director Prince whose last Lew shows have been less than hits Are in top form. Loyd Webber with Starlight express and his Surprise hit latin requiem behind him turned to Gaston Beroun s 1911 novel As an Opportunity to write something closer to True opera and to feature his second Wile. I be been wanting to write big love songs for a Long Timo bul i be never really had the plot to do ii he says. Phantom is that Chance. Its Basic Story Musl be familiar to everyone irom two famous movies and a flock of other versions the hideously deformed Page 16 the stars and stripes musical Genius who lurks in the bowels of the Paris opera House and uses every murderous Irick including cutting Loose a massive chandelier to rain death on an audience to promote lha career of the chorus girl he loves. Lloyd Webber and co author Richard Stilgoe went Back to Laroux s novel he wrote 63 of them and Cut out All the movie accretions like a plagiarized composer being scarred with add. Their phantom has been disfigured from birth. They Gallop through the Story s basics concentrating on big melodramatic moments. Loyd Webber wraps these in music which is half gorgeous and Lush half Clever opera pastiche. Maria Bromson s designs Are lavish Prince s staging is full of intriguing magic and lha thrills and emotion run High. Brightman 4 Doe eyed deaf voiced performance ought to lower the collective raised eyebrows of the British press which has been fairly Nasty to her for months. It is hard to find anyone Wilh a Good word to say about pretty frizzy haired Sarah Brig honian one London newspaper wrote 1s months ago. A chorus Girt in cats once a dancer with a Lamousin sexy dance group Sarah has been depicted As a Gold digging Home wrecker who got where she is Only because of her husband. Look she is going to be a great Star and 1 Don t think being married to me has helped her Al All Lloyd Webber said than. On the contrary in has probably knocked her Back a couple of they married on the fire night of staight express Loyd Webber s roller skate Winner which opens on Broadway in february and recently whizzed through its 1,000th performance in London. Monday. October 20.1966 the Range and purity of Brighlman s voice in her husband s requiem stilled some criticism especially when its Pic Jesu became an astonishing pop music charts hit. But carping continued right up to phantom s opening night. It ought to end now Brightman plays the phantom s beloved with verve and Appeal. She has thai Star Quality which attracts the Eye at ail times. Her cultured Soprano moves easily Between Rock and operatic idioms and leaps without vocal gear changes to a be Clear top a Flat Michael Crawford Best known for Light comedy and lightweight musical roles uncork a Mica of surprising Power and Range As the phantom. The lyrics by Tola newcomer Charles Hart 25. Are Apt and promising and Gillian Lynne s musical staging and choreography show exemplary finesse. If a very meet Wigent material Gays Prince 58, it s nol a potboiler. We re not doing count Dracula. La s a Romance and it s Ateo pretty yet of phantom of the opera to toss than a total. 100 percent Success it May be because it tries to occupy two stools Al once. Loyd webber1 icon is neither entirely opera nor wholly popular but some of each. Prince s staging is neither gleaming High tech nor old fashioned stagecraft but blends both. Yet a spectacle phantom b admirable As drama it is fun of Mafa dramatic thrips and Loyd Webber s sleekly intelligent sumptuously orchestrated music Rod with Irra Sistare Power. To phantom of the opera is playing at her of majesty a to tartar on Hay Mariot Dottl 7 4spjn., s3ms06
