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A disillusion* starting over ay iviarK riatte Gamecock Staff Writer In the early 70s, he was a living legend; his albums sold by the score. But now John Denver's records sit idly on the shelves of record stores across the United States. Denver is in a slump. If it's not just a slump, then his fans have lost their appetite for the home-grown, country music Denver dished out at the beginning of the decade. He doesn't give many interviews and is a complex man, having been scorned for the past few years because of his apple pie image and love of nature. Many believe Denver is a phony -- a weak-willed hypocrite whose only claim to fame was the "fluke" hit Rocky Mountain High nearly 10 years ago. But Denver is more. He is a man who feels he needs to spend more time with his family -- his wife Annie and two adopted children, a Japanese girl and Indian boy but is torn by his love of music and performing. "After a while you get tired of the cameras and the lights and all that kind of stuff," he said before a concert at the Carolina Coliseum early this year. Denver hasn't released many records lately. His last album, entitled Autograph was panned by critics and fans. "I'm sorry," he said at the Coliseum, "I'm not a very prolific songwriter. Right now, RCA is after me to make a record. If I have (written) a record full of songs, I'll give it to them. If I don't, I won't. That's not the way I work." The way Denver does work is by intriguir.;; a large cross-section on the American public. His last albums have fizzled like wet firecrackers. The same, laminar Denver massage is still there but, unfortunately, it's the one we've heard for I BACK TO CAM FASHION SLi S" , MANY STYLES IjaU a %A I All Akl PU I-^i inff miHR jn A HOT FASHION ITEI SAFARI SHIRTS LEVI'S DINIMM i LEATHER JACKETS MANY STYL1S ft COl AIOVI STCMS PLUS dTHRI ! ?- DOWNTOV DEE CEE BRAND* Overall* In Colors - 1 ? Tannic M w j 1 W ~ 'X V KB */ ?> ?> mr m w-w I LAYAWAYS WELCOM FREE ALTERATIONS JUttt'At'iif.' ..-'V /; ed Denver again vpam nnrl linup 0rnwn HrnH nf Tt'c 1mm family and garden. Over and over again. Denver set up his press conference in Columbia like he did in any other city during his last 100-town tour. He refused to give private interviews, talked about his role on the Commission on World Hunger and performed a concert. Then he headed for the next city on his list. It's all staged. Denver answered the questions and ended the conference when he telt like it. Just like his concerts. In Columbia, Denver was forced to answer to questions about his role in hoarding gas for personal use. He lashed out. Denver claimed the gas was never meant for his own use. He said it was for a project "that involved developing alternative lifestyles." Denver also took the opportunity to criticize the media and the way it handles "responsibilities." He claimed the poor handling of "responsibilities" is the reason he refuses private interviews. He doesn't iU 1 11 ?? mum uiey wuik wen. From the moment he set foot into the USC basketball office, shaking everyone's hand - from TV cameramen to coliseum ushers -to the moment he walked out the door, Denver was distracted, irritable and combative. He can live easily in his Windsong environment with roadies and his band, but the outside world is tough - it likes to criticize the "Aspen Cowboy". IV viunu ai LTCIIVCl O LUIH.CI U 13 <X mixture of young and old. There is some kind of magic in the air, but no way to define it. No beer is sold at Denver performances a it is rare when the crowd rises from its MASTER CHARGE | ] VISA [Jl! AMERICAN EXPRESS! i r ; i ASSEMBLY ST., DOWNTOWN I COLUMBIA MAU, 2nd LEVEL I PUS SPECIALS! I ft #%!#? I fSfm I %WI\d FROM I Mm H 12". I IRTS 14" I * m f ? ; 10" I ST. LEO 1 O88 Si IOOT LEG I v 79MI cms II iPICIALS AT iOTH STORES M * rn Ml A A IVI ? St* B [ I VN MNI.lt ~?|| n Painter* Pants 995 8 Levi's cordmu g E DENIM BEU. |J seats. It's a comfortable evening. Denver tries to conjure an image of what is happening in his life and let the audience enjoy it with him. He has been hit with accusations that all of his music and images are alike. And riehtlv so. Denver's current album, Autograph, died on the charts. There were no notable singles Sunday^^^"'' Feati TUF ITU JL JLJLJLU JLUV j "I Love Be BILL PINKNE CHAIRMEN O "Give Me Just A) i ARCHIE BELL "ICan'tStc | THE SH j I 4 'Mirrflo "D < AT1J JL VI\/ SECOND Doors Open Sunday at Beach Music Festival In The Air | State Fair Grounds. I Temporary Liquor License #69, S Limited Number 0 I Ticket locations Meri's Record Shop, Sou School Kids, USC Travel Center, Musician I Send money order ? checks) payable to Festival Mail to: Beach Music Festival Columbia Jaycee's | P.O. Box 11385 , Columbia. SC. 299.11 Nu ticl I I Name } Address J City I MAIL TH 9stfons at the Carolina Coliseum. from the effort. "Maybe I'm not as pop'Mar as I once was. People are not buying my albums as much as they used to and I haven't had a hit in a long time." Endearing himself to millions of fans was easy. Now those fans have drifted away and a dejected Denver is alone. He has to start again. rflk Ji Columbia jY| y Jaycee's H^^Sept. 7th iring FIBERS ach Music" Y'S DRIFTERS F THE BOARD Little More Time'' ! & THE DRELLS j >p Dancing" i 1AKERS ;ach Days" l| NATURE I i . AA "" * liuup.m. nam or snine II Conditioned CANTEY BUILDING I Special Beer & Wine Permit 0SP58 || >f Tickets Available | nds Familiar (Columbia & Myrtle Beach), I or cashiers check (No personal j Columbia Javcep's Tvrnci/* - - ^ ? ^ lflUOAV/ I TICKETS: j $8.00 in advance (plus .50 handling $10.00 at the door per ticket) | mber of Amount tets enclosed ! I State.?: Zip I IIS COUPON j