EDITOR’S NOTE: “Rock Legend” Kim Fowley joins us for this month’s issue as a guest writer — just in time for the Philadelphia Music Conference. His list of accomplishments includes producing such noteworthies as Helen Reddy, the Germs, and the late Gene Vincent, and he’s written songs for the likes of KISS, they Byrds, and Dangerous Toys.

Described by some as the Hunter S. Thompson of rock, described by himself as the missing link between Orson Welles and Chuck Berry, Fowley is a former Mid-Atlantic resident who still thinks the “Delaware Valley has the potential to be the next Liverpool.”

By KIM FOWLEY
May 1993, HOLLYWOOD — As I sit in Tinsel Town, where we barely escaped Los Angeles Riot II (maybe next time), my thoughts go out to you rock explorers attending the Philly Music Confab. Good luck! I hope you get wined, dined, and SIGNED… or you learn something or find folks who can help you make a living in the music industry, a.k.a. “showbiz.”

I lived and bled in Kensington, MD from Dec. 12, 1988 to August 15, 1989. I was the jack-of-all trades/coach/consultant/producer etc. at a local recording studio during the time. It was an uphill battle the whole way.

I used to scream, “Live local, think global!” Hardly anyone listened. We never advertised — it was word-of-mouth and flyers, flyers, and more flyers.

I began to contact record companies, production companies, publishers, investors outside of the Mid-Atlantic area. That’s when the tide turned and business began to boom.

My then-partner Michael Mangini and I began to get action. We co-produced and released three 12-inch rap/dance records: “Crack City” by 4 The Hard Way (Major Records), “Pop My Pocket” by Girls on Fire (Elektra Records) and “Shake” by Mass Extension (West Records). All three releases failed. Then we got lucky.

Michael and I “spec’d” studio time to local Baltimore group Child’s Play. The band was signed to Chrysalis Records. The demo of the song we produced and recorded got local airplay. We had arrived! Sort of.

Our production of “Mountain Hop” by Van Bergen got airplay on 180 radio stations on the syndicated Doctor Demento Show.

As a songwriter, I obtained three covers by Kevin Raleigh (Atlantic), Flower Leopards (Triple X), and Crashland (Regular/Festival).

HBO carried a John Lennon special with Kim Fowley as master of ceremonies during the Toronto segment. Even though it was “old news,” it became “gold news.” Phones began to ring. The studio began to become booked.

Polygram put out two greatest hits re-packages with Cat Stevens and Sir Douglas Quintet. Fowley had one song on each CD. Time-Life Warner and Era Records (Canada) each released material by Kim Fowley in two “golden instrumental” packages.

Three books came out during my Maryland visit: Ira Robbins’ “Encyclopedia of Rock,” “He’s a Rebel” (Phil Spector‘s unauthorized bio), and “Neon Angel,” a rock book. Fowley was mentioned in all three.

The Leather Nun (Wire Records, Sweden) needed an eighth album recorded. They journeyed to our small Maryland studio due to the activity I created. CBS/Sony distributed the album in Scandinavia, and Rough Trade distributed it in the rest of Europe. Our record charted in Sweden. We were happy.

Dance Music Report in New York City wrote an article about Mangini and Fowley. Noise Records in Germany contacted us after reading the piece. We recorded an “international sound” compilation album for them featuring rap, dance R&B, and go-go music by local artists. They were happy!

The moral of this story is that we made noise in your region using logic, hard work, and reality. We started in a 1,000 square-foot empty room with no equipment and no business. Soon our business paid for itself.

Mangini became the co-producer of Digable Planets (Pendulum/Elektra). He and his co-producer Shane Faber are co-producing material for the next recording projects of Jody Watley and Lisa Lisa.

Our food runner became Shaka on two separate 12-inch rap records for Arista. He has just been renamed Hutch Rivers and is working in pre-production for his next series of recordings.

Kim Fowley, since leaving Maryland, has had material recorded by Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Primal Scream, and L-7 (with special guest Joan Jett). Anthrax, White Zombie, and Redd Kross have performed old copyrights of mine that were originally recorded by KISS and the Runaways. I wrote, produced and published music used by the U.S. Skating Team at last year’s Winter Olympics. I am happy.

So, Mid-Atlantic people, now it’s your turn! Make your band/studio/song/club/dream come true. It can happen to you. Do it yourself! It’s your turn to be the next Seattle!

At last month’s South by Southwest Music Conference, I heard a Delaware group that knocked me out: Shovelhead! An Axl-sounding Nirvana on a post-Seattle level. Their songs “Weight of the World” and “Wanda” are rock classics! Ultramatics, refugees from Maryland and Virginia (in such bands as Voodoo Boys and Rio) are becoming the talk of the underground in L.A. They have been described as “21st century rockabilly gods.”

So come on, come on, there’s got to be other super stuff where you are!

If any studio wants to re-live my Maryland experience, I’m ready to re-locate again. I miss your East Coast winters. Peace.