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I'm old enough to remember Rodney's career as a Hollywood scenemaker and trend setter. I actually went to the English Disco and endured Sweet recordings blitzing the ballroom and other glammers, slammers, tranners and teeny groupies. Of course, before he hopped on the glam bandwagon he had already intro'd Bowie to L.A. in a dress(well before his breakthrough and subsequent appearance at the Santa Monica Civic!), could be seen backstage at many early Three Dog Night shows (not kidding folks - Rodney was on that scene too - how's that for cutting edge - a hot new L.A. band circa 68 and '69 with big groupie appeal - Three Dog Night - count Rodney in)and of course Rodney would excercise his very limited writing abilities in the likes of many early publications such as World Countdown and countless others - it's all happening as he becomes a rock 'n' roll Rona Barrett (if you don't know what I am speaking of get an LA education). Oh yeah, and he had a Davy Jones hairdo which earned him a stand-in (the Monkees too - were trendy with a groupie draw). So our hero Rodney, a man with little talent, writing ability, looks, or much else going for him, transcends all and becomes the most impossible DJ ever.
Without the slick vocal chops, to say the least, our wimpy voiced icon gets a Sunday night gig on KROQ. Armed with Melody Makers and New Musical Express he begins breaking the UK punk scene in L.A. = Sex Pistols. At that time, My friend Neil and I, both long haired hippies with beers and bongs in hand cruising in his hopped up Plymouth Duster (not what you would picture as typical Rodney listeners, yet, more typical than most posseurs would know), would listen to his show religiously as New York, UK and local LA bands were exposed via indie, import, demos or acetates. This stuff really turned our heads = Runaways! The f*cking Starwood!! Rodney and Kim Fowley did their best to get the Whisky rockin' again after too much Rocky Horror and Cycle Sluts on the scene. The Golden West Ballroom in Norwalk - which hosted an early L.A. appearance of the Ramones with Van Halen as the opening band!! Rodney broke a great deal of punk / new wave but also did wonders for the career of Van Halen! He created a little scene. It was a small scene (alot smaller than most people would care to admit), mind you, but it got the attention of the media. And caused alot of ripples which are still being felt today. And it beats the hell out of anything Elliot Mintz ever did!!
So, how's the album? Well, there is simply no way to capture the essence of what the Rodney experience is. But as a far too short crack at it, I suppose this will have to do. Four stars just for the fact that this CD and movie even exist. Don't ask me for a play by play. Buy it yourself and write your own review. Why do you care what I think anyway?
As far as his radio show goes, the best thing is to find tapes of original broadcasts with all their obscurities and faults - the warts were what we needed and wanted - radio on the edge. That era is gone (though his show still runs) and no movie or compact disc is gonna capture the new-ness of the original events. But spin it anyway and take some of my memories with you.
fade out with modern folk quartet ....
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2004
