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Edmonton had its first taste of New Wive pop music Sunday night with the outstanding concert of England's Elvis Costello and Toronto's Battered Wives.
Costello has not been talking to the press during his Canadian tour. The reason varies, depending on who you talk to.
According to promoter Riley O'Connor of Perryscope Productions, Costello is so shy he's scared of his own roadies.
Other people say Costello is attempting to build an air of mystique by being unavailable.
The most reasonable explanation was that of another Costello tour type. "He's just tired of being asked about his name."
The Battered Wives, however, were more amenable to being interviewed. In the process, they offered interesting insights into New Wave music.
"New Wave is just an attitude," says former Englishman and band guitarist Toby Swann, "a wave of energy, very physical music."
Swann likens the New Wave movement, which includes music defined as punk, power punk, power pop, and art rock, as a huge tree with many limbs.
"One of the mistakes that have come about is journalists banging it all with the same brush. There's a world of difference between The Ramones and Television.
"You have to look at each band on its own merits, Ours has a bit of everything; rhythm and blues, rock and roll, punk, SixtieS pop harmonies."
Rock music, Swann says, had become very intellectual before the new wave. "Bands like Genesis and Yes, they've become like gods on stage. You can't relate to that. They're like machines."
"The point." interjects guitarist John Gibb "is that people are tired of apathetic music that is too ethereal.
"New Wave is making the music real, getting away from too much light shows, too many fire bombs. It's getting back to the very physical trip."
Gibb, another ex-Englishman, played many years back with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page in English recording studios. He says he dropped out of the music scene for several years, because it had lost its energy.
Physical The Battered Wives certainly are. Their 40-minute set on Sunday was reminiscent of the early Who, especially with the general white outfits and black army boots.
Jasper used his bass guitar strictly for drive; not worrying about any fancy rhythmic effects. Tiny drummer Cleave Anderson, used head, hands and feet to keep the non-stop percussion barrage going. Swann leered and cursed and generally carried about.
The voice and guitar work took second fiddle to the hyped-up bass and drums. The instruments and harmonies were strictly vehicles to generate and maintain a frantic energy.
The band emphatically disagrees with the notion that New Wave is the preserve of English bands "It's not as social a thing here as it was in England," says bass player Jasper (no last name). "But that doesn't mean it's any less valid."
In the beginning, in Toronto two to threecyears ago, image was an important part of the music, Swann says. "It's gone through that stage. Now it's real."
The musicians in The Battered Wives had all played in various other bands around Ontario. "We always wanted to really express ourselves, but you couldn't on the bar circuit," says Swann.
Finally, in frustration, Swann and the boys took on day jobs, and kept playing what they wanted to at night. "'That went on from the spring of 1977 to Christmas last year. It was the only way we could get out of the Catch 22."
Shortly into 1978, things began to pull together for the Battered Wives. They were chosen as the first band on a new record label in Toronto, Bomb Records. Bomb has credibility. Mainly because it's an offshoot of P.J. Imports. a company that distributes records manufactured and released in Europe.
After rehearsing for three months straight, The Battered Wives began playing in the six "punk" clubs in Toronto. Demand for their record down east, they say, has outstripped the record company's ability to distribute the debut album.
In Edmonton, The Nerve have been holding up the solitary New Wave flag for some time. Swann says the music will rapidly spread from the east, where it's well-established. "It's just a matter of being exposed. After tonight, everybody will be hooked!"
Back to 'Battered' Wives
John Gibb, guitarist with the Battered Wives, strode triumphantly back stage at the Jubilee Auditorium Sunday evening, brandishing a "Wives" label.
He'd just removed the offending sticker from a poster in the front of the hall, advertising the Battered Wives and Elvis Costello concert.
The Battered Wives, a four-man Toronto New Wee band, say they have no intention of dropping the "Battered" from their name.
At a press conference before the tour, their management announced The Battered Wives would be known as The Wives.
The name-change was prompted by demonstrations by a women's rights group, Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) in Montreal and Toronto. WAVAW found the band's name, logo, and album cover offensive.
Touring with Elvis Costello, the band ran into demonstrations in Montreal and Toronto. However, there has been no incidents in Ottawa, Thunder Bay or in Edmonton.
"We're getting absolutely sick of the whole thing," said band manager John Hughes.
"This woman's group has been using us to publicize themselves."
According to Hughes, and the band's Toronto publicist; Malcolm Glassfor, the group was never approached by the women's organization.
"In Montreal a month ago, the women didn't tell a store promoting our record that they would protest. But they contacted the local media," says Glassfor.
The band, says Hughes, is as sympathetic as anybody to the plight of real battered wives.
"We offered to do a benefit concert for the organization that was protesting. They refused. I'm sure women who really are the victims of being beaten by their husbands would have approved of the benefit."
In Toronto, The Battered Wives' light man is a woman.
The band is considering suing WAVAW for statements made in the media that the band "exploits, approves and ridicules violence against women."
"That's absolutely ridiculous," snaps Glassfor. "The band doesn't promote violence."
"We've been labeled as a punk band that incites riots," says guitarist Toby Swann.
"That's totally wrong. The protesters, all they're doing is ruining entertainment for the rest of the people."
The name incidentally, came about two years ago, when the band couldn't get work in Toronto. "They didn't sound like the Sex Pistols, so they couldn't get work in the punk clubs. But the rock and roll bars didn't like them either," says Hughes.
"So they were caught in the middle. without venues. The band members likened themselves to the battered wives of rock and roll.
"We'll go back to calling ourselves the Battered Wives right after this tour," says Hughes.
"We really don't care anymore. If we can't get a gig, we'll call ourselves the Ink Spots. All we want to do is play and record.
"It's just a name."
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