Stag September 1981

We have republished all 1981 issues, which include articles featuring Marc Stevens, Sue Nero, and Lisa de Leeuw, and pictorials of Hillary Summers, Tiffany Clark and Lysa Thatcher, and much more. We republished all 1980 issues in 2020.

Stag September 1981

The Concert in Central Park is the first live album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released on February 16, 1982, by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded on September 19, 1981, at a free benefit concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park, New York City, where the pair performed in front of 500,000 people.[1][2] A film of the event was shown on TV and released on video. Proceeds went toward the redevelopment and maintenance of the park, which had deteriorated due to lack of municipal funding. The concert and album marked the start of a three-year reunion of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.

Delsener presented the plan to Paul Simon in the summer of 1981. Simon was enthusiastic about the idea, but questioned whether it could be financially successful, especially given the poor audience attendance of his last project, the autobiographical movie One-Trick Pony. Simon's confidence had declined and he had sought treatment for depression.[12][13] He questioned whether he and Art Garfunkel could work together,[9][10] but contacted Garfunkel, who was vacationing in Switzerland. Garfunkel was excited about the idea and immediately returned to the US.[7][8]

News reports[20] and the Michael Doret-designed posters[21] of the Central Park show named the musicians individually and did not bill them as "Simon & Garfunkel"; that the two singers would perform together on stage in a reunion was not officially announced until only a week before the concert when it was published in New York newspapers.[8] The two stated in interviews that further collaboration was not planned.[18][22]

The concert took place on Saturday, September 19, 1981, on the Great Lawn, the central open space of Central Park. The first spectators, many carrying chairs or picnic blankets, arrived at daybreak to secure a good spot.[23] The Parks Department originally expected about 300,000 attendees.[20] Although rain fell throughout the day and continued until the start of the concert,[14] an estimated 500,000 audience members[18] made this the seventh-largest concert attendance in United States history.[24]

The stage backdrop depicted an urban rooftop with water tank and air outlet, symbolic of New York's skyline. At twilight, the backing band went onstage, followed by New York's mayor, Ed Koch, who announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, Simon and Garfunkel!"[23] The duo entered through a side stage door, took center stage amid audience applause, looked at each other and shook hands,[18] and began the concert with their 1968 hit "Mrs. Robinson".

"The Late Great Johnny Ace" was interrupted when an audience member ran to the stage and shouted at Simon: "I need to talk to you!" The man was carried away by security, and Simon finished the song. The incident provoked associations to the song's lyrics, in which Simon speaks as a first-person narrator concerning the deaths of Johnny Ace, John F. Kennedy and John Lennon. Lennon's murder by an obsessed fan had taken place less than a year previously, not far from the concert site.[26][27] Despite this association, Simon said that he was not afraid of any on-stage incidents. In May 1982 as a guest on Late Night with David Letterman, he explained that while it is not unusual for fans, for example, to jump onto the stage with flowers, this action was new to him, but also felt that the man simply appeared intoxicated. His greater concern was that the song's premiere was ruined.[28]

The concert was filmed for television broadcast and the home video market. It was produced by James Signorelli, and directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, a specialist in music documentaries who had worked on The Beatles' film Let It Be, and executive produced by Lorne Michaels, who had recently departed the NBC-TV comedy/variety series Saturday Night Live. Simon himself financed the US$750,000 cost of the staging and the video recording.[23] It is unknown how much HBO paid for the television and video rights of the recording; US$1 million according to some sources,[18][27] over US$3 million according to others.[37] The film includes the two songs that had not appeared on the album, and at 87 minutes, runs 12 minutes longer.[38]

An October 1981 review in Rolling Stone called the concert "one of the finest performances of [1981]", one that "vividly recaptured another time, an era when well-crafted, melodic pop bore meanings that stretched beyond the musical sphere and into the realms of culture and politics."[49] This reviewer noted that Garfunkel's voice was noticeably restrained in high passages, though still harmonious, and that the evening's only weak spot was the "Kodachrome"/"Maybellene" medley, because neither singer could raise the right level of emotion for the rock songs.[49]

Drax was reinstated on the Active List on 10 September 1984, beginning his second and final period of regular service. He retained the rank of lieutenant with seniority from 10 September 1981 to reflect the three years he had served.[7] He was promoted captain on 10 March 1986.[8]

Based on our earlier tastings in Bordeaux in November, 1981, we had concluded that the first growths were the real stars of the vintage with Margaux at the top. This was confirmed by our blind tastings where Margaux was at the top followed by Petrus as the only 2 wines in the Outstanding category. These were priced at $30 and $70, respectively. Here is the note on Chateau Margaux:

Following up on our article on 1979 Bordeaux tasted there in November 1981, this article focused on the wines we tasted in Burgundy on the same trip. We visited 6 producers and 1 negociant and tasted 16 White Burgundies from the 1980 and 1981 vintages at Jobard, Michelot, and Coche-Dury as well as the 1979 Montrachet from the Domaine de la Romanée Conti. We tasted 23 Red Burgundies from the 1979 and 1980 vintages at Chevillon, Henri Jayer, and Domaine de la Romanée Conti and 28 Red Burgundies at Leroy from the 1978 to 1955 vintages. And, as we did with the 1979 Bordeaux, we offered only descriptive notes with no scores in accordance with our policy of using scores only in connection with blind tastings.

By October, 1981, I was still 30 wines shortof my goal of 130 Chateaux for the projected tasting. A good many of the missing wines were Pomerols. I was on the phone or sending telexes to wine trade people and collectors all over the world, Chicago. Boston, New York, England and France as well as California.

Monday (2065, Wednesday 14 January 1981)Hilda assumes that the Faircloughs' marriage is on therocks and takes on the role of marriage counsellor. Mike learnsthat his dad has passed a dud cheque to Fred.

Tuesday (2066, Monday 19 January 1981)Deirdre is surprised when a friend of Ray's turns up fromHolland with a birthday present for Tracy from Ray. Rita hearsthat Hilda's been gossiping about Rita's cabaret dates.

Wednesday (2067, Wednesday 21 January 1981)Alf and Fred are furious to learn that Frankie Baldwin'scheque has bounced, and the CID quiz Fred over his involvementin the blue-video game. Len and Rita have a show-down with Hilda.

Thursday (2068, Monday 26 January 1981)Ken plays hard to get with Deirdre - then, to his surprise,Dirk van der Stek reappears on the scene. Baby Tilsley's grandmothersdisagree over the choice of names.

Friday (2069, Wednesday 28 January 1981)There's a surprise for the grandparents at Baby Tilsley'schristening. Ken is jealous when Dirk arranges a trip to Hollandfor Deirdre and Tracy.

Monday (2070, Monday 2 February 1981)Albert Tatlock interferes to prevent Ken and Deirdre gettingtogether again. Bert has hatched a desperate plan to get off thedole by going to Holland.

Tuesday (2071, Wednesday 4 February 1981)Despite sabotage, there's victory for Eddie and Arthurin the bin lorry contest. Ken and Deirdre plan a night out tocelebrate the re-birth of their relationship.

Thursday (2073, Wednesday 11 February 1981)The relief manager starts to show his true colours, andElsie has a showdown with waitress Lorraine. Unbeknown to Ken,Deirdre has a second date with Mike.

Monday (2075, Wednesday 18 February 1981)Ken questions Mike about the seriousness of his relationshipwith Deirdre. Johnny Webb and Wally Randall break up a row inJim's Cafe when a lorry driver gets overfriendly with Sandra.

Tuesday (2076, Monday 23 February 1981)Deirdre finds out that Ken is proposing an unofficial engagement.Elsie makes a play for Wally Randall - but he's hardly rushingto take her up on it. Tension builds between the staff at theRover's.

Wednesday (2077, Wednesday 25 February 1981)Following a bust-up between Fred and Gordon, Fred is suspended- and Bet and Betty walk out. When Deirdre makes a decision abouther relationship with Ken, it looks as if it's a clear field forMike.

Friday (2084, Monday 23 March 1981)Brian is feeling the pressure and it's affecting his marriage.Fred introduces his new girlfriend and she makes quite an impressionon Annie and the regulars.

Friday (2094, Monday 27 April 1981)Elsie, humiliated and depressed, stays away from work untilBet persuades her to come on a night out...and Elsie brings homea man with a rough reputation.

Bert is upset at Vera stayinag another night on the setteeand he wants her to ring Jack. Vera refuses saying that Jack shouldbe the one crawling around to see her. Eddie says he will organiseFred's stag do as he knows some exotic dancers.

Friday (2104, Monday 1 June 1981)Rita, feeling broody, suddenly stuns Len with the ideaof adopting a child. Fred contacts the brewery to let them knowhe is now eligible to be a landlord. 041b061a72