Surgery Sidelines Ralphs

Guitarist Mick Ralphs is not joining Bad Company on the group’s six-date reunion tour of Japan, Udo Artists announced in advertisements in Japanese newspapers Oct. 18. The tour began that day in Fukuoka and ends Oct. 26.

The reason given for Ralphs’ absence was a health issue that required surgery. Ralphs’ replacement was Howard Leese, who plays with Heart.

The veteran rock promoter also has yet to announce any Japan spring dates for Eric Clapton.

According to the “Where’s Eric” home page, the guitarist is scheduled to play a concert in Singapore Feb. 14 and one in Hong Kong Feb. 18. Normally when Clapton goes through Asia he plays at least a week at Budokan under Udo’s auspices.

Udo is also having great success with Olivia Newton-John, whose initial five-date tour of Japan starting Nov. 25 has mostly sold out.
An extra Tokyo show has already been added, thanks perhaps to blanket coverage of the singer’s PR junket to Japan last week.

The ostensible reason for the trip was to promote not just the 40th anniversary concerts but also Newton-John’s new greatest-hits package, whose track list was selected by her Japanese fans.

However, the main reason seems to have been to promote Newton-John’s 24-year-old daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, who will make her singing debut in Japan when her mother returns for her concerts.