European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Just a Man and his message by Daryl e. Green staff writer he audience at the Galaxy club on Rhein main a West Germany received a free civics lesson last week from professor Curtis Mayfield. The packed House at the base s enlisted club paid no admission Price to see the soul Singer though they might have better appreciated it if they had. The evening with Mayfield was like a trip through the hearts and Heads of those who came up hard in the nation s inner cities some surviving and some not. It was a lesson in Man s inhumanity to Man As Well As his duty to Mankind. Mayfield s songs preach the evils of drug abuse the Wisdom of gun control and the necessity of waking up to see the world for what it is in order to make it what it can be. Mayfield began singing in the late 1950s at age 16 As a member of the soul group the impressions. His songwriting abilities produced hits As Gypsy woman keep on pushing and people get ready. After 12 years with the impressions Mayfield began a Solo career in 1970 in order to concentrate on his songwriting and producing. His efforts have not been confined to records. He composed the soundtracks for movies As superfly Claudine let s do it again a piece of the action and Short eyes in which he was featured. Mayfield s career which spans four decades and Many hit records appears to have reached its Peak. The audience at Rhein main seemed to have trouble relating to his message of social consciousness. The Singer with a grading Mustache found himself in front of a disco crowd that night people just dying to get on the dance floor to Rock to a syncopated beat. But a Mayfield performance Ain t that kind of party. His music is More Apt to Rock the mind than the body. The fact that he had just stepped off a trans Atlantic flight two hours before going on stage and was suffering from a hoarse voice did not help much. His voice strained As he reached for the High notes on move on up. But the Singer songwriter s voice was never one to Challenge a Nightingale. It s the words that count in his songs. And in this area the sound technician did the show a disservice As the music was turned up to disco like decibels often causing the lyrics to go unheard. When Mayfield broke into one of his old standards it s alright some members of the audience began clapping to the beat. But Many others stood Back arms folded across their chests As though they weren t quite sure what to make of All this. There is nothing More to make of it than what is there. With Mayfield what you see is truly what you get. There is no synthesized gadgetry in his music no distracting pyrotechnics or other diversions in his stage performance. It s just a Man and his guitar backed by three other musicians a Man singing of what he knows to be the truth be it Good bad or indifferent. The message May have been lost on some this night. Those who were just waiting for the disco to begin after the show got what they came for. Those who took the time to digest what they had been fed received an invaluable lesson. Fan clubs fanatics need not apply by Russell Kishi United press International Ean Marshalek could barely hide her excitement As she described what would be the latest of her More than 100 encounters with Engelbert Humperdinck. Speaking from her room at the Las vegas Hilton where Humperdinck would be appearing in concert Marshalek said she s been a devoted Follower since 1970, when she heard his recording Winter world of love. There is no one who puts on a better show Marshalek said. Some people think Tom Jones is the greatest but no Way. My husband won t watch Marshalek s husband Melvin willingly made the trip to Las vegas just As he has accompanied Jean to virtually every Humperdinck performance she s attended from coast to coast and several Points in Between. Jean is the president of Humperdinck s fan club in Baltimore known As Engelbert s Angels in Humperdinck Melvin owns a trophy naming him Humperdinck s no. 1 male fan. While some critics might look at Devotion with a jaded cynical Eye Blanche Trinajstick says Jean Marshalek is a Model example of a Good Loyal fan. Trinajstick 65, is president of the National association of fan clubs headquartered in her Home in Boulder Colo. She is retiring this year pleased that the current image of fan clubs is a Good positive one. For years fan clubs had a negative image due to people who used clubs for purposes other than helping the stars Trinajstick said. I m talking specifically of the Groupie image the image of people making pests of themselves using the names of fan clubs to give them an in1 with the Trinajstick said she s used her tenure As president to cultivate a More sober image of fan clubs an image which has been described As anything from promoting immature interests to worshipping false prophets. Most people who belong to fan clubs Are mature people housewives mothers and grandmothers who have no interest at All in a personal relationship with a celebrity other than a working relationship with a fan club she said. Trinajstick has devoted 30 years to the Day to Day business of fan clubs across the country and believes she knows the difference Between being a fan and being a fanatic. When they Stop being an admiring fan and Start following a celebrity with the intention of doing harm that s the distinction she said. The fanatical ones give the rest of us a bad Trinajstick has compiled a list of fan club presidents 1,000 entries in All demonstrating a Devotion that is virtually unlimited. And in some cases the celebrities show their appreciation for that kind of Devotion. Humperdinck is one performer who welcomes the adulation. Marshalek said he attends a party at the end of each year which is routinely sponsored by several of his fan clubs wherever his last performance is held. Fan club presidents often take up the cause of Clearing a celebrity s name. They object to the treatment of their favorite Star by the Media and contend that the celebrity s Best attributes have been overlooked because of negative coverage. Johnny Rodgers 20, an Art store clerk in Glendora calif., offers memberships in the Joan Crawford memorial fan club to anyone who finds much to Admire in Crawford s extensive body of films. Rodgers said he was motivated to Start the club after Crawford s daughter Christina wrote her blistering Book mommie Dearest portraying her Mother As emotionally unstable and abusive. Gary doctor president of the International Frank Sinatra society based in Anderson s.c., takes a similar position. The society was actually born in Australia in 1974 by a fellow named Bill Weeden doctor said. It was right after Sinatra made a disastrous tour Down there when he referred to women journalists As the hookers of the press1 and got himself into All sorts of trouble with Trade doctor argues that despite Sinatra s turbulent relationship with the press his recordings and his Talent Are what counts. Wednesday july 20, 1988 is l. Emmett Lewis or. Soul Singer Curtis May Field performs at Rhein main. Top of the charts top pop singles 1. Hold on to the nights Richard Marx 2. Pour some sugar on me def Leppard 3. New sensation inns 4. Roll with it Steve Winwood 5. The flame cheap trick 6. Hands to heaven breathe 7. Make me lose control Eric Carmen 8. Mercedes boy pebbles 9. Sign your name Terence Trent d Arby 10. Rush hour Jane Wiedlin top up s 1. Hysteria def Leppard 2. Ou812 Vanhalen 3. Dirty dancing soundtrack 4. Appetite for destruction guns n roses 5. Faith George Michael 6. Roll with it Sieve Winwood 7. Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 8. Stronger than Pride Sade 9. Open up and say Ash Poison 10. Scenes from the Southside Bruce Hornsby & the Range top country singles 1. Set pm up Joe Vern Gosdin 2. Don t we All have the right Ricky Van Shelton 3. Baby Blue George Strait 4. Don t close your eyes Keith Whitley 5. Sunday kind of love Reba Mcentire 6. Bluest eyes in Texas restless heart 7. The wanderer Eddie Rabbitt 8. Givers and takers Schuyler Knobloch and Bick Hardt 9. I la give you All my love tonight Bellamy Bros. 10. She does t cry anymore Shenandoah top Black singles 1. Don t be cruel Bobby Brown 2. If it in t love new edition 3. Sign your name Terence Trent d Arby 4. Off on your own Al b. Sure 5. Roses Are red the Mac band 6. The right stuff Vanessa Williams 7. Tamacita troop 8. Groove me Guy 9. Knocked out Paula about 10. Loosey s rap Rick James & Roxanne Shante top pop cd s 1. Roll with it Steve Winwood 2. Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 3. Stronger than Pride Sade 4. Scenes from the Southside Bruce Hornsby & the Range 5. Ou812 Vanhalen 6. Outrider Jimmy Page 7. Hysteria def Leppard b. Dirty dancing soundtrack 9. Faith George Michael 10. Appetite for destruction guns n roses from billboard the stars and stripes Page 17
