“Curiouser and curiouser”, said Alice
The current edition of Q (April 2001) has an enquiry concerning Arnold Corns in its regular ‘the knowledge’ section. Most of you will be familiar with this attempt of David’s to push his clothes designer, Freddi Burretti (aka Freddy Burrett), to the front of the stage, as Rudi Valentino, lead singer of the band. And as I’m sure you also know, Freddi’s contributions to the recorded output of The Arnold Corns, wasn’t all David may have claimed at the time. Freddi may be in there somewhere, but the vocal is predominantly, and unmistakably, David.
Among the better documented plans to convince the press that The Arnold Corns were a viable entity, was the front cover of ‘Curious’, pictured above. Curious was a magazine whose readership largely consisted of men who weren’t mad about women. But as at ease as he may seem in the pic, according to Q, Freddi wasn’t quite as comfortable with his new role as the cover would suggest:
“I’m just a dress designer, I don’t want to play anywhere rough. If they put us on at some of those places out of London I’d get sent up something rotten by all those butch provincial blokes.”
I do intend to do a piece for a revamped ‘Blam’s Little Spot’ that will attempt to untangle the pre-Spider’s web that is The Arnold Corns. But on a final note, we must be thankful that Rudi and the boys didn’t really make the grade. If their embryonic versions of ‘Moonage Daydream’ and ‘Hang Onto Yourself’ had been hits, perhaps Ziggy may have felt obliged to drop these Bowie classics.
Total Blam Blam (European Correspondent)