"The God Boy" by Ian Cross.

Whitcombes & Tombs. 180 pp $2.70

Reviewed by Janet Oakley.

'A child should have plenty of steep I think, three meals a day, with soft drink now and then in between meals if he feels like it, plenty of room to play about in, and a home that's a little like Christmas morning all the time'.

This is what Jimmy Sullivan wants but he doesn't get it because, according to Jimmy. God doesn't do his job properly. Jimmy Sullivan is the main character in Ian Cross's 1957 novel that has recently been re-issued. He loses the battle of trying not to care about the hate between his weak Irish father who likes a little drink now and then and his manic-depressive mother.

When Jimmy realises that his father gave him a bike not to please the boy but to hurt his wife, he has a furious spate of window smashing and throws stones at his best friend. Jimmy is frustrated when he tries to tell various people about his troubles and is only offered the solution that he should not care. But he obviously does.

The novel is written from Jimmy's point of view but in language which sometimes seems a little advanced. Cross uses the technique that makes events obvious to everyone except Jimmy.

This book is much less depressing than 'Owls Do Cry'. It is witty and although unconvincing, it is a readable account of a sensitive small boy who has to worry about his parents instead of 'how big the world really is and what is behind the sky'.

Rolling Stone magazine.

Published by Alister Taylor.

Reviewed by P. F. O'Dea.

"So we go on moving, trying to make this image real,
Straining every nerve, not knowing what we really feel,
Straining every nerve and making everybody see,
What they read in Rolling Stone has really come to be,
And trying to avoid a taste of that reality".

Jorma Kaukonen "Third Week in the Chelsea".

So-called radical polemicists who intend to fill out the space between now and 1984 by denigrating Alister Taylor's efforts will find themselves a trifle confused by his latest publishing venture — the American bi-weekly rock music-political tabloid, Rolling Stone.

The paper was founded in late 1967 by an ex-Ramparts writer, Jann Wenner, in the belief that "rock'n'roll music is the energy centre for all sorts of changes evolving rapidly around us : social, political, cultural, however you want to describe them".

To this end, therefore, his paper aligns itself with the counter-culture, but maintains a sophisticated anti-militant stance. In line with Jim Morrison's five-to-one philosophy, Wenner's attitude is that strong arm tactics are not only abhorrent, but stupid and unnecessary.

According to Greil Marcus, a former associate editor now working for Creem, Wenner's attitude is not as naive as it appears on the surface. "We're younger and we're going to take over. Rolling Stone covers things from that angle. You know, the establishment has committed a hideous atrocity, but the Black Panthers, or whoever, were acting stupidly. The message of the article is that it's too bad, but they got what they deserved".

The financial losses sustained by special issues in early 1970, which contained characteristically thorough reporting on the Chicago Conspiracy trial and the Kent State Jackson State murders, may' have also had something to do with not pushing an activist viewpoint.

In the first New Zealand edition there is evidence that there may be an about face from the above precepts. The paper's advent was heralded by little pink and white stickers through the central city area, dull posters and a series of radio advertisements, presumably imported, that could only be described as hip brainwashing. Wedged between the typically precise American copy inside are four articles specifically for New Zealand consumption. They are Chris Wheeler's interview-critique of Robert Raymond, William Gruar's dissection of the Reader's Digest, Murray Horton on Leonardo Pagliara and yet another essay on the Rolling Stones' fleeting visit.

Wheeler's article provides the fullest glimpse to date of the Auckland promoter, yet there are still gaps. Raymond's relationship with the New Zealand Herald is worth a story by itself, but here it's dismissed in two lines. Another minor point not covered was Raymond's reaction to the New Zealand publication of Rolling Stone. Surely any new venture in the rock music field must concern Raymond — so why no comments?

The interesting section of the article, though, is Wheeler's summing up. While he says it's a good thing that we should be able to listen to some rock music every now and then while waiting for the revolution, he states: "Maybe me and some of m rad mates will keep our beady eyes on Raymond's bank balance for the time when dues have to be paid". Some may consider this, and the rest of the summation, pretentious wanking on Wheeler's part, but such a comment, relating to any of the promoter capitalists in the American edition, would have been axed immediately.

The Pagliara article, as far as can be ascertained, is factually correct and does present both sides of the story, finding one of them sadly lacking. Again, some of the comment would have been chopped in other places.

Gruar's shredding of the Reader's Digest is more of the same. Headed by a graphic of a printing press spewing forth "twaddle", "gossip", "inanity", "distortion" and "nonsense", it covers already welltrodden ground fully. If anybody at all wants to launch an attack upon the rightwing viewpoint, the obvious place to start is the Digest. Take away one point for originality — but add two more, for thoroughness.

Generally the standard of the New Zealand writing is a light-year away from the involving prose of the original — whose distinctive style has ensured success to the point of a 250,000 circulation throughout the world. The same criticism applies to the advertising — from Radio Hauraki's blatant paste-up, to Allied's "Are you man (sic) enough for David Bowie"? approach, to Frank Zappa quoted in the course of another as saying "Just what the world needs. Another record label". No, that's not correct. In fact, I would be lying if I wrote that. Who the record label concerned quotes is Bill Taylor, from the Sports Post, as saying it's good to see a new name in local record companies. When in doubt, always ask the experts, as my mother used to say. What then is in store for the future? God knows. I don't. However, in the not-too-distant past the paper has carried an articulate and perceptive article on Nixon's inauguration by Joe Eszterhas, a brilliant five-part series on the Apollo 17 launch by the doyen of popwriters, Tom Wolfe, "Post Orbital Remorse"; what really happened to Tim Leary and revealing vignettes on Robert Mitchum and then — newlyweds James Taylor and Carly Simon. The future, hopefully will be just as promising, especially if the Hunter-Thompson — Raoul Duke dual personality reappears.

Two points do arise : This time, there can be no shrill screeches of "rip-off'". The first issue ran to 52 pages for 50c, most of it well worth perusal, and the size is more often in the region of 70 to 76 pages. Second, according to Graham Culliford, advertising and production head of the New Zealand issue, circulation could eventually reach 25,000. If that is the case, and it looks likely, it means a substantial change in the reading habits of young New Zealand, simply because the bulk of the material, especially the extensive review section, won't leave much time for other reading. This entails a responsibility on the part of the New Zealand staff, a responsibility to be aware of where the beads of the projected audience are. They could, possibly, fall flat on their faces if they are not. Apart from that, and the need for ironing out minor typographical blemishes, it looks like they'll make it.

A prominent critic, Duncan Wise, comments:

Pat O'Dea asks what is in store for the future. Alister Taylor claims to have a number of promising features lined up. Highlights in the local content of the next few issues will be a Sam Hunt review of the Johnny Cash concert, Dick Nicholls on "The Taniwha Disaster 1973", and Murray Horton on film maker Rudall Hayward. Branching away from the arts will be yet another Tony Simpson feature on the Labour Party and its boss. Hope you get it right this time, Tony! And there will be some analysis of the local press and N.Z. sunday papers, plus a probe into the N.Z. Record Industry itself. The 'Random Notes' column will provide local food for gossip.

Taylor claims he intends to broaden the scope of "Rolling Stone", by introducing substantial political material into its current hip/rock content. In pop culture itself "Rolling Stone" is close to being no more than a sophisticated propaganda machine for hip capitalists and other exploiters of rich young people. It is a truism within the trade that all publicity, no matter how critical, is good publicity.

On the evidence of this first N.Z. edition of "Rolling Stone" there is a urgent need for the magazine to extend its scope. Of its fifty-two pages, only about a half of one page is devoted to an attempt to cover the world scene in any perspective other than "cultural". The "World News Roundup" is a pathetic collation of but eight items, including one on cannabis reform in Texas and another on hard-core porn. In effect this is no better than the cable pages of the dailies from which censors at both ends hack out the real news. A responsible World News Roundup in "Rolling Stone" would be an excellent start towards improving the magazine.