European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 19, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Robert Plant Wiser and still unpredictable Zykira Billik the associated press my Elcome to the latest h a phase of Robert a we Plant s career h m Post hippie a a in person the 44-year-old Singer is web impish and Coy and. More than a Little flirtatious tossing out quips and double ent Endres with a naughty sidelong glance. His face May be More creased than in Zeppelin years but his mane of hair is blonder then Ever and he s wearing a distinctly Youthful shirt barely buttoned Over his Chest. My past Plant says with a wicked Grin and a playful glint in his Eye is like this uncontrollable Girlfriend that always lets you Down in the wrong but on record he s trying to turn away from his own past not Only led Zeppelin but his Solo career in favor of the past of music itself. Plant s current album Fate of nations has a subdued mature feel steeped in what he Calls the motifs of the music of i wanted to make what i be got to say More Heartfelt the Singer said. I. Thought that the significance of being a Singer should t be just lost in a few male gestures and the typical Rock n. Roll idiom. I think i m steering into a zone which is quite honest. It fits me better. It s like i be gone and found the old flares the emotional flares Are Back. I found a Niche that i d forgotten about and it fits me Good. I did t have to think about trying to please myself or trying to twist the music round to keep my imagination and my professional state of mind in Good shape. I just fell into this Groove. I d be Happy to make several records sounding like this rather than Whiz around changing the Groove. I wanted to say something and i wanted to employ some the music Oft the album that Plant is performing on his current tour which includes stops in Germany next month Robert Plant is a Man of contradictions and proud of it. Is Jim Derti Eim reflects the contradictions of Plant himself. There Are introspective songs like the dramatic and aching come into my life the soaring and hopeful i believe and the almost lounge Lizard Groove of the greatest gift. There Are also two of. Plant s trademark rooster in the barnyard vocals promised land and 29 Palms just to remind you he s still bowled Over by the right woman. It seems to please him immensely when it s suggested that no one Ever knows to expect from him from one album to the next. He thrives on that unpredictability in his life away from music As Well he says. I think i do respond to the Call of the wild if you like what s left of it he said. I do sometimes see a Bird or a group of crows catching the wind. And i see them diving and swirling and i wonder Why i can t do it. Then i do whatever the equivalent is i vanish for a bit. I m not really a settled person. Fortunately the people around me who Are involved with me professionally leave me to my own devices. There s no Campaign to make me into something else. I m Lucky enough to Lead quite a realistic life but 1 Don t think i d like the idea of it being any different. Ever Independent Plant refuses to Bow to the whims of the record buying Public. I could make records like this and radio and All the will of the world May want something totally different. But if i do this i m at peace with but then he admits one weak link in his philosophy. I really hate mainstream pop he said and at the same time i m trying desperately to have a hit. Such a contradiction in Daryl Hall concert i stings see pages 22 & 23 the better half of the Hall and Gates duo that had a string of hits in the 70s and 80s is touring Germany this month. Short subject military Singer gets his shot at stardom by Chuck Vinch and Cruger staff writers anyone who has More than a passing interest in pursuing a career As an entertainer dreams of that elusive big break. Air Force tech sgt. Louis Edwards May have just gotten his. Edwards an aircraft maintenance technician at Osan a Korea was named the grand prize Winner tuesday in the Uso at to countdown to stardom 93 Competition for his soulful octave jumping rendition of Simon and Garfunkel s Bridge Over troubled Waters. Winning the contest in which service members at overseas bases around the world strutted their stuff for a panel of professional entertainment judges netted Edwards a Check for $5,000 and a free demo recording session at Sony music s new York studios. I m just ecstatic about the whole thing Edwards said. I still can t believe country music superstar Ricky Skaggs who has devoted much time and Energy to the Uso As a Volunteer performer on several worldwide Tours announced Edwards As the Winner at a press conference. Second prize Worth $2,500, went to Seaman Tania Willis of the Navy s administrative support unit in Bahrain while air Force staff sgt. Towanda Stallings formerly assigned to Aviano a Italy took the third place prize of $1,000. Kevin Mccarthy a Uso spokesman said the contest allowed anyone with the guts to get behind a microphone in front of their Peers a Chance to for several weeks in late september and Early october local competitions were held at 22 overseas bases 12 of them in Europe. Base winners each received $500 and the Chance to submit videotaped performances to a panel of judges that included Skaggs. Various music Industry executives and military entertainment officials. Stallings a 29-year-old-Singer, said she already has plans to spend her winnings. I m going to spend the Money i be won on Christmas presents and a trip Back to the states for a family reunion next August she said in a wednesday Telephone interview. Stallings who has never Sung professionally but Sang in a gospel choir at Aviano had previously won $500 at Aviano for winning the base Competition with some jazz renditions. She was transferred last week from Aviano to a radio relay station at Arazos in Southern Greece where she is a Security policeman. I May have won the $500 at Aviano but i m still waiting to get the Money she said. Pam storms International military Market manager for at to said the local response was so overwhelming in some places that preliminary qualifying rounds were required to trim the number of entrants in the final base level Competition. While Uso and at to officials consider the contest a rousing Success Mccarthy said there is no final decision yet on whether to make it an annual happening. Friday november 19, 1993 the stars and stripes 19
