Musical Majority Anrwuncement
`
`NO BOARD?
`Two Labels Seen
`A bandoning New
`
`EIGHT LABELS TAKE
`CD Packaging ANTI-RATINGS STANCE
`
`BY IS HOROWITZ
`NEW YORK Warner Bros. and
`Elektra Records have apparently
`given up attempts to seek early ac(cid:173)
`ceptance for all-board Compact Disc
`packaging that bypasses the jewel
`box.
`Their packaging experiments
`with two top acts, which generated
`a firestorm of protest from retailers
`and consumers beginning last
`spring, have been shelved indefi(cid:173)
`nitely, according to a highly placed
`source.
`While comment could not be ob(cid:173)
`tained directly from creative ser(cid:173)
`vices executives at the labels, fur(cid:173)
`(Continued on page 70)
`
`BY SAM SUTHERLAND
`LOS ANGELES Eight U.S. record
`companies have taken public stands
`against proposed ratings measures
`for sound recordings, including the
`Recording Industry Assn. of Ameri(cid:173)
`ca (RIAA) recommendation of an in(cid:173)
`dustrywide generic sticker.
`The move, which marks the first
`significant shift in label postures
`since the RIAA framed its position
`earlier this summer, was signaled
`Thursday (26) with an announce(cid:173)
`ment from the Musical Majority, a
`recently formed anti-censorship
`group, that the A&M, Geffen, Is(cid:173)
`land, IRS, Tommy Boy, Modern and
`Gold Mountain labels have added
`
`their support to the fledgling
`group's own stance.
`Of those companies, only A&M
`has reversed a formal approval of
`the RIAA position, which held that
`24 signatory member firms would
`voluntarily apply a generic warning
`sticker to product deemed potential(cid:173)
`ly offensive. An RIAA spokesper(cid:173)
`son confirmed that the other seven
`had not signed the RIAA statement
`on ratings, and are thus making
`their first public statement on the
`issue.
`Geffen Records founder David
`(Continued on page 68)
`
`Griffey, Zappa
`Begin Seminar
`On Political Note
`
`NEW YORK The sixth New Music
`Seminar began here at the new Mar(cid:173)
`riott Marquis Hotel last Thur,sday
`(26) on a decidedly political note,
`with keynote speakers Dick Griffey
`and Frank Zappa urging grass(cid:173)
`roots involvement in the issues of
`apartheid and record rating respec(cid:173)
`tively.
`Griffey, chairman of Solar Rec(cid:173)
`ords and president of the Black Mu(cid:173)
`sic Assn. (BMA), urged the record
`industry to act as "a communica(cid:173)
`tor" on the issue of apartheid in
`South Africa. "Most young people
`here don't know what institutional(cid:173)
`ized racism is," Griffey said during
`his convention opening remarks.
`"Our responsibility is to make them
`aware.''
`Within the industry itself, Griffey
`also proposed a three-pronged pro(cid:173)
`gram that includes recognizing a
`(Continued on page 68)
`
`Move over Bing Crosby. It's time to get rock•n' to the RAS
`Recorda Reggae Christmas LP. Featuring Jama•ca's top
`recordtng artists, th1s is a dehghttul holiday treat everybody can
`rejoK:e to. Retailers make sure you have plenty in stock. Contact
`RAS Rocordo, 301 564-1295. Also City Hall, Rounder, Acbon,
`Kenyon, Gemini, Big State, Rtchmond Bros., Western Merch. and
`Silo distribution.
`
`The intersection of instinct and imagination. WHAT IF (SP-5097).
`The new eJbum from TOMMY SHAW. Where his gu1tars, vocals,
`keyboards and songs prove the power and possibdities are
`eodless. Startong from the first Single " REMO'S THEME (WHAT
`IF)" (AM -2n3). Produced by Tommy Shaw and Aochle Cannata.
`Mixed by Greg L.adanyi. ON A&M RECORDS, COMPACT DISCS
`AND BASF CHROME CASSETTES.
`
`•
`
`Cutbacks at Record Bar:
`Layoffs, Store Closings
`
`of 18 employees, the reassignment
`of 12 others, and the erasure of 10
`currently vacant slots.
`Ron Cruickshank, president of
`Record Bar, says the company's
`original projections for 1985 proved
`far too optimistic. "We were geared
`up for a 20% growth, and sales have
`been flat," he says. "That's the big(cid:173)
`gest single thing, and we've had to
`program ourselves to gear back.
`We've had too much money going
`out."
`Computer problems in Record
`Bar's new warehouse have been
`compounding the chain's cash
`crunch, leaving many outlets with(cid:173)
`out the proper product mix going
`into the all-important holiday shop(cid:173)
`ping season. "We're not getting the
`product out there fast enough,"
`(Continued on page 70)
`
`BY FRED GOODMAN
`NEW YORK Flat sales are being
`portrayed as the culprit in a series
`of major cutbacks by record retail
`giant Record Bar of Durham, N.C.
`Approximately 40 administrative
`positions-representing as much as
`30% of Record Bar's home office
`staff-were cut on Sept. 19. Five of
`the chain's 193 stores have been
`closed in the last month, with more
`to come, and the fate of several oth(cid:173)
`er Record Bar ventures is unclear.
`The layoffs, the first in the com(cid:173)
`pany's 25-year history, came just a
`week after Record Bar's annual
`chainwide convention at Hilton
`Head, S.C. They include the release
`
`Fann Aid Concert
`Raises $10 Million
`In Sales, Pledges
`
`'rhis story prepared by Paul Grein
`and Kip Kirby.
`
`CHAMPAIGN, I1J. Last week's all(cid:173)
`star Farm Aid benefit at the Univ.
`of Illinois here raised approximately
`$10 million in ticket sales, merchan(cid:173)
`dising and pledges. That's one-fifth
`of the total event organizer Willie
`Nelson hopes ultimately to reach,
`counting mail-in pledges and retail
`sales of Farm Aid merchandise. In
`addition, Nelson notes that the toll(cid:173)
`free 1-800-FARMAID phone lines
`will remain in operation for one
`year.
`Additional revenue could be gen(cid:173)
`erated by a possible Farm Aid al(cid:173)
`bum and videocassette. But Nel(cid:173)
`son's manag-er Mark Rothbaum
`notes that reports of an album and
`video release are premature.
`"All ancillary rights would have
`to be negotiated directly with the
`(Continued on page 68)
`
`0
`
`"' 00
`
`0
`0
`
`"' 00
`,._
`
`-4"
`
`0
`
`Apple Exhibit 1228 Page 00001
`
`

`

`IN THIS ISSUE
`
`VOLUME 98 NO. 40
`
`OCTOBER 5, 1985
`
`NEWS .. Eight record companies have taken public stands
`against the stickering of records . .. Flat sales are being blamed for
`cutbacks by the Record Bar chain ... Eiektra and Warner Bros. ap-
`pear to have abandoned their experiments with all-board CD pack(cid:173)
`aging ... Keynote speakers Dick Griffey and Frank Zappa sounded
`a political note at the New Music Seminar . .. The Farm Aid benefit
`concert raised approximately $10 million in ticket sales, merchan(cid:173)
`dising and pledges ... 3/The controversy over lyric content has not
`spread to the U.K. or Europe . .. Billboard and European Music Re-
`por1 have entered into a joint venture . .. MGM/UA Home Video's
`Bill Gallagher praises his distributors . .. 4/ZZ Top's new album
`heads the list of October releases. 0>6/Spec's Music's prospectus
`paints a rosy financial picture ... 72/Motown Records is using an
`unusual audio/visual sales pitch for its fall and winter releases.
`4 Executive Turntable
`56 Gospel
`64 Album & Singles Reviews
`52 Classical
`52 Latin
`72
`Inside Track
`.
`50 Dance Trax
`56 Jazz
`
`9
`
`INTERNATIONAL .. EM I U.K. managing director Peter Jamie(cid:173)
`son has warned that the c'ompany's product may be taken away
`from the group's distribution arm . .. Newsline: Australia.
`COMMENTARY .. Guest Column: Songwriter Sheila Craft ex(cid:173)
`amines "harck:ore lyrics." .. Letters.
`12 RADIO oo--Country music broadcasters at Radio '85 blamed a va(cid:173)
`riety of factors for the format's ratings slump . .. out of the Box.
`.. Newsline . .. 16/Vox Jox ... Yesterhits . .. 17/Featured Program(cid:173)
`ming.
`18 RETAILING .. The framework for a new national network of
`computerized one-stops has been set in motion . .. 19/New Re(cid:173)
`leases . .. 22/0n the Beam.
`23 VIDEO RETAILING .. Musicland's new commitment to full-line
`horne video was outlined at the chain's recent convention.
`26 HOME VIDEO .. Sony's High Definition Video System is about
`to make its debut in movie theatres . .. Newsline.
`33 VIDEO MUSIC .. New York's Irving Plaza rock club has ended
`its "video-free" policy ... New Video Ctips ... 36/MTV Programming.
`CE-1 SPOTLIGHT ON CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT
`36A PRO AUDIO/VIDEO .,. The upcoming AES convention looks
`to be the largest one yeL .. Audio Track . .. video Track.
`38 TALENT .. Aerosmith has a new lease on rock life ... 39/Talent
`in Action: Neil Young, King, Ray Charies ... Boxscore.
`41 COUNTRY .. Tri-Star Pictures and MCA Records are joining
`forces to promote "Sweet Dreams," the movie about the life of
`Patsy Cline ... Nashville Scene.
`45 BLACK .. Morris Day is branching out with his new single, "The
`Oak Tree." .. The Rhythm & the Blues.
`54 CLASSIFIED ACTIONMART
`59 CANADA .. The recording industry is getting ready for a six(cid:173)
`week cooperative celebration of domestic product . .. Maple Briefs.
`61 UPDATE .. Newsline . ..caJendar . .. ufelines ... New Companies.
`
`CHARTS 0>6/Chartbeat: "Part Time Lover" becomes the 26th
`top. 10 hit of Stevie Wonder's career.
`
`Hot Singles
`14 Hot 1 00 Singles Action
`17 Adult Contemporary
`50 Dance/Disco
`41 Country Singles Action
`42 Country
`44 Black Singles Action
`46 Black
`60 Hits of the World
`62 Hot 100
`
`Top Albums
`16 Rock Tracks
`22 Compact Discs
`52 Latin
`44 Country
`48 Black
`.56 Spiritual
`60 Hits of the World
`66 Top Pop
`Top VIdeo/Computer
`20 Computer Software
`23 Kid Video
`24 Videocassette Rentals
`26 Videodisks
`28 Videocassette 5ales
`
`• @Copyrisht 1985 by Billboard Publications. Inc. BILLBOARD MAGAZINE (ISSN 0006-2510) is
`published weekly (except for the last week in December) by Billboard Publicaoons. Inc •• One
`AstorPfaza, 1515 Broadway, New Yof'k, N.Y. 10036. Subscnption rate: annuaJ rate, Continental
`U.S. $148.00. Sec;ond class postage pakf at New York. N.Y. and at addiUonal mailing office.
`Current and back copies of Billboard are available on microfilm from Krau.s Microform, One W•
`terStreet, White fltains, N.Y. 10601 or Xerox University Mtcrotilms, 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann
`Arbor. Mich. 48106. Postmaster, plo .. o send dian&•• ol ocldr"' to - .1 . P.O. Boa
`1413, Rivo<ton, N.J. 08077, (609) 786-1669.
`
`LYRIC ROW NOT ECHOED OVERSEAS
`Idea of llating System Finds Few Foreign Proponents
`
`This story compiled by Nick
`Robertshaw and Peter Jones in
`London, with assists from Jim
`Sampson in Germany, Willem
`Boos in Holland, Glenn A. Baker
`in Australia and Vittorio Castelli
`in Italy.
`
`LONDON Stateside controversy
`concerning explicit, violent or pro(cid:173)
`fane song lyrics has found few ech-
`
`oes in Britain or elsewhere.
`Industry opinion in the U.K. holds
`that self-regulation has worked per(cid:173)
`fectly well in the past and will con(cid:173)
`tinue to do so. The notion of a lyric
`rating system is widely regarded as
`being just short of absurd.
`John Deacon, director general of
`the British Phonographic Industry
`(BPI), notes: "One of the main rea(cid:173)
`sons for the success of the British
`
`Top Pickers Lend a Helping Hand. FarmAid organizer Willie Nelson is ftanked
`by Neil Young and John Cougar Mellencamp, as the trio surveys the early
`morning crowd at the Sept. 22 benefit concert in Champaign, Ill. (Story, page
`one.)
`
`record business of late has been the
`sensitivity of the record companies
`to the demands of the consumer.
`Put simply, the customers are get·
`ting the music they want.
`"The industry's output is in effect
`a reflection of public taste," says
`Deacon, "and it makes no commer(cid:173)
`cial sense either to offend listeners
`or to place retailers in jeopardy by
`issuing records with dubious lyrics.
`Self-regulation is brought about by
`normal commercial pressures."
`He adds that if BPI members
`were ever to request guidelines,
`they would be provided, but that no
`such request has ever been re·
`ceived. U.K. companies voluntarily
`sticker releases deemed likely to
`give offense; CBS, for instance, has
`done so with recent Marvin Gaye
`and Joan Rivers albums.
`But even here, some retailers
`warn that any hint of censorship is
`more likely to attract some youthful
`record buyers than to deter them.
`Nevertheless, controversy in this
`field is not unknown within the U.K.
`marketplace. During the heyday of
`the British punk bands-whose cen(cid:173)
`tral ambition was to be as offensive
`as possible--records like the Sex
`Pistols' "Never Mind The Bollocks,
`Here's The Sex Pistols" succeeded
`in arousing the hostility of the con(cid:173)
`servative establishment, thereby
`helping to guarantee their commer(cid:173)
`cial success.
`Where the Obscene Publications
`Act has been invoked, retailers have
`(Continued on page 70)
`
`Keyrwte Speech at Video Confab
`
`MGM/UA's Gallagher Praises Distributors
`
`NEW YORK A strong defense of
`video wholesalers is a key element
`of a keynote speech by Bill Gal(cid:173)
`lagher, president of MGM/UA
`Home Video, at this week's conven(cid:173)
`tion of the 56(}-unit strong National
`Video Co. at the Princess Hotel in
`Acapulco.
`Gallagher, whose keynote Mon(cid:173)
`day (30) is a highlight of the five(cid:173)
`day confab, has arranged an un(cid:173)
`usual video presentation. He has
`taken clips of 10 home video compa(cid:173)
`nies whose executives appear on a
`"Studio Executive" panel Wednes(cid:173)
`day (2) and has compiled them into
`a 25-minute presentation as part of
`his address.
`Before the convention, Gallagher
`stated that his 30 years of experi(cid:173)
`ence in the music industry, much of
`them as top sales executive at Co(cid:173)
`lumbia Records, have made him
`particularly sensitive to the "value
`of two-step distribution, particular(cid:173)
`ly if one is marketing a sizeable cat(cid:173)
`alog,
`"A distributor who enters into an
`agreement agrees to represent the
`broad base of a manufacturer's cat(cid:173)
`alog. To a company in the video in(cid:173)
`dustry that lives on hits alone, this
`philosophy may not be very impor(cid:173)
`tant, but my company, MGMIUA,
`represents the most classic catalog
`in the film industry."
`Gallagher says MGM/UA's di(cid:173)
`rect selling policy protects his
`wholesalers via terms that do not
`undercut them, a policy in effect
`since 1982. As Gallagher puts it,
`"My wholesalers support me and
`
`share my risks."
`MGM/UA's distributor network
`involves 27 to 30 companies, al(cid:173)
`though representation by such
`firms as Commtron, Metro and
`Sound with their multiple setups
`swell the ranks even further.
`Gallagher further contends that
`
`visibility of product in key mass
`merchandiser outlets such as K(cid:173)
`mart, which does not rent product,
`eventually feeds consumer traffic
`to the video specialty dealer who
`buys from his distributors.
`To the doomsayers who believe
`(Continued on page 70)
`
`Bllboard Forges New Unk
`Vldh European Music Report
`
`NEW YORK Billboard Publica(cid:173)
`tions Inc. has announced a joint ven(cid:173)
`ture between Billboard and Europe(cid:173)
`an MWiic Report (EMR). Tbe venture
`will be headquartered in Amllter(cid:173)
`dam. Tbe principal JllOIIeriY of EMR
`8E~~~aw~p~tion
`covering the Pan-European market
`for radio, tv programllllll'll and tbe
`mWiic induab'y at large.
`Eurotipe~t, started 16 month&
`ago, ia the compiler and publiaber of
`tile European Top 100 charta, reach(cid:173)
`ing 6,000 readers weekly.
`'lbeo Roo&, fOilllder and publisher
`of Eurotipaheet, bas, in a 20-year
`music industry career, held key roles
`with EMI, WEA and Phonogram. He
`8 a.l&o the founder of Flying Dutch(cid:173)
`man, a leading international miWc
`m&l'keting company.
`Roos will continue aa president of
`EMR, and will a1eo function aa pub(cid:173)
`lisher of Billboard operations in Eu(cid:173)
`rope. Eurotipsheet reeently located
`
`to new headquarters in Amsterdam,
`and aa a result of the alliance with
`Billboard will share new office space
`in lmldoo with tile magazine.
`Sam Holda worth, publisher of Bill·
`board magazine, ootea that the "syn(cid:173)
`ergy exillting between tile two publi(cid:173)
`cations ia ideal. The alliance
`atrengthena Billboard's overall posi(cid:173)
`tion in Europe. Theo Roo&' industry
`experience and leadership combined
`with the experience and resources of
`Mike Hennessey, managing director
`of Billboard Ltd., will help position
`and strengthen publications in the
`international home entertainment
`business."
`Eurotipaheet was established to
`serve a growing Pan-European mu(cid:173)
`sic marketplace, and Roo& now plans
`to expand tile publication overall and
`increase its news coverage. EKR
`aleo baa plana for radio and tv as
`wellaa other media-related ventures
`in the music field.
`
`Page 00002
`
`

`

`Calendar
`
`Weekly calendar of trade shows,
`conventions, award shows, semi(cid:173)
`liars and other notable events.
`&nd information to Calendar,
`Billboard, 1515 Broadway, New
`York, N. Y. 10036.
`
`SEI'TE.BER
`Sepl 30-0ct. 3, National Assn.
`of Recording Merchandisers
`(NARM)Retail/Manufacturer Ad(cid:173)
`risory Committee Meeting, Shera-
`n Harbor Island, San Diego. (609)
`424-7404.
`
`OCTOBER
`Ocl 5, Music Law Synposium,
`85, Mandalay Four Seasons, Dal(cid:173)
`. (312) 988-5580.
`Ocl10, American Jewish Con(cid:173)
`(rtSS Cultural Achievement
`Award Dinner, Pierre Hotel, New
`York.
`Ocl 10-11, Electronic Accesso(cid:173)
`ries Show, AUantic City (N.J.) Con(cid:173)
`vention Center. (215) 67&-7562.
`Ocl10-12, Fourth Annual
`NARM Independent Distributors
`Conference, Sheraton Bal Har(cid:173)
`bour, Bal Harbour, Fla.
`Oclll-13, Country Music Assn.
`Talent Buyers Seminar, Hyatt Re(cid:173)
`gency, Nashville. (615) 244-2840.
`Ocl 11-13, 21st Annual Retail
`Advertising Seminar, Westin Ho(cid:173)
`tel, Chicago. (212) 244-8780.
`Ocl 12-16, Audio Engineering
`Society (AES) Show, New York
`Hilton, New York. (212) 661-2355.
`Ocl 14, Country Music Assn.
`Awards Show, Grand Ole Opry,
`Nashville. (615) 244-2840.
`Ocl 15, Annual BMI Country
`Awards Dinner, BMI Nashville
`quarters, Music Row, Nash(cid:173)
`¥ille. (615) 259-3625.
`Ocl 16-18, Musexpo/Videxpo
`'85, Kensington Exhibition Center,
`London. (01) 968-4567.
`
`IOYEIIBER
`Nov. 9, 1985 CMJ New Music
`Awards, Beacon Theatre, New
`York. (516) 248-9600.
`Nov. 14-16, 16th Annual Loyola
`National Radio Conference, Holi(cid:173)
`day Inn, Mart Plaza, Chicago. (312)
`670-3207.
`Nov. 16-17, Ninth Annual Song(cid:173)
`writer Expo, Pasadena City Col(cid:173)
`lege, Passadena, Calif. (213) 462-
`1382.
`Nov. 20-24, Billboard's Seventh
`Annual Video Music Conference,
`ton Premiere Hotel, Univer-
`111 City, Calif. (213) 273-7040.
`
`.wiUARY
`Jan. 27-31, Midem, Palais des
`eativals, Cannes. (516) 364-3686.
`
`FEBRUARY
`Feb. 2-5, NRB '86, Sheraton
`Washington Hotel, Washington,
`D.C. (201) 428-5400.
`
`Pop Music Video Network
`Prepares for Oct. 31 Debut
`
`BY JIM McCULLAUGH
`LOS ANGELES Music Video Ser(cid:173)
`vices-a major music video distribu(cid:173)
`tion, marketing and promotion com(cid:173)
`pany-is forming the Pop Music
`Network, an affiliation of video mu(cid:173)
`sic cable and broadcast television
`channels and programs consisting
`of more than 40 million potential
`viewers.
`The primary goal of the Oct. 31
`launch, explains MVS president
`John Persico, is to secure and coor(cid:173)
`dinate national advertising for
`PMN and, in turn, offer major na(cid:173)
`tional advertisers an alternative me(cid:173)
`dia buy for next year. He adds that
`he hopes to add anywhere from five
`to 10 stations by year's end and
`boost the potential viewing audi(cid:173)
`ence to more than 50 million. He
`claims that the affiliation will pro-
`11ide a lower spot cost for national
`advertisers than MTV, which boasts
`approximately 27 million viewers.
`Among current affiliates are
`New York/New Jersey's U68, Bos(cid:173)
`ton's V66, Houston's Video Majic,
`L.A.'s Video 22 and nine other out(cid:173)
`lets in secondary U.S. markets.
`" We think the timing is perfect,"
`says Persico, "in that many of these
`stations are just in the process of
`
`setting up sales departments, and
`Warner Bros. and CBS are charging
`for clips. This is a way those sta(cid:173)
`tions can pull in national advertising
`and receive a major source of reve(cid:173)
`nue.
`''In some cases, it may mean sur·
`viva! for a small station in a small
`market. It's hard for a station to sell
`on its own."
`Persico adds that the arrange(cid:173)
`ment is non-exclusive, and that
`there will be restrictions in major
`markets to avoid advertising repre(cid:173)
`sentation conflicts. PMN affiliates
`will still tap local advertisers.
`In addition to securing airtime for
`sponsors for PMN, MVS also hopes
`to orchestrate national promotional
`events, contests, syndicated pro(cid:173)
`gramming, special features and oth(cid:173)
`er activities heretofore unavailable
`to tertiary market programs. Tar(cid:173)
`get demographics are both male and
`female 12- to 34-year-olds.
`MVS, with offices in both AUanta
`and Los Angeles, also offers re(cid:173)
`search and tracking activities for
`the music video industry. Its video
`clip charts, based on television and
`club airplay, appear in numerous
`trade and consumer publications, in(cid:173)
`cluding USA Today, Rolling Stone
`and TV Guide.
`
`Lifelines
`
`BIRTHS
`Girl, Diana Ruth, to Mandel and
`Deidy Riley Crittendon, Aug. 14 in
`Dyersburg, Tenn. She is program
`director at WFUL Fulton, Ky.
`
`Boy, Scot Lawrence, to Stephen and
`Nadine Peeples, Sept. 2 in Beverly
`Hills. He is a producer and editorial
`director with the Westwood One Ra(cid:173)
`dio Networks.
`
`Boy, Ryan Joshua, to Gary and
`Dena Casson, Sept. 13 in New
`York. He is vice president of busi(cid:173)
`ness affairs for Elektra/ Asylum
`Records.
`
`Boy, Harry Nicholas, to Dave and
`Samantha Frishberg, Sept. 20 in
`Van Nuys, Calif. He is a Fantasy re(cid:173)
`cording artisl
`
`Boy, Patrick Smalley-Wall, to Dr.
`Sue Smalley and Kevin Wall, Sept.
`9 in Los Angeles. He is president of
`Radio Vision International, a licens(cid:173)
`ing agent for home video program(cid:173)
`ming.
`
`.URJAGES
`Jonathan Zavin to Bernadette M.
`Hogan, Sept. 21 in New York. He is
`a partner in the entertainment law
`firm of Zavin, Sinnreich & Wasser(cid:173)
`man.
`
`New Companies
`
`Ugly Alien Entertainment, a man(cid:173)
`agement and booking company,
`formed by Terry Selders. First sign(cid:173)
`ings include the Dose, Space Goop
`and Martial Law. P.O. Box 26,
`Mansfield, Pa. 16933; (717) 662-7035.
`
`Ben Cromer Productions, formed
`by Ben Cromer. Company's central
`focus is the syndication of rock pro(cid:173)
`gramming to album rock, CHR and
`oldies-formatted stations. 2115 Sou(cid:173)
`thall Place S.W., Roanoke, Va.
`24015; (703) 982-7397.
`
`L.P.R. International Ltd., formed
`by Larry B. Phillips. Company's fo(cid:173)
`cus is artist booking, management
`and development. First release is
`"Ooooh Sha Sha" by Kee Kee. 3458
`
`Forest Park Rd., Atlanta, Ga. 30351;
`(404) 366-6657.
`
`Mach One Music Inc., formed by
`Byron Grant and Bob Hurley. Com(cid:173)
`pany publishes the Express Music
`Catalog, a 22,000-tiUe retail mail-or(cid:173)
`der catalog of music and video soft(cid:173)
`ware . 175 Fifth Ave., New York,
`N.Y. 10010; (212) 24&-6161.
`
`NightWave Records, an indepen(cid:173)
`dent record label specializing in
`dance music, formed by John DeLa(cid:173)
`Vina and Kevin G. Toney. First re(cid:173)
`lease is "Magic," a 12-inch single by
`Brian Soares. 7985 Santa Monica
`Blvd., Suite 109-Box 440, West Hol(cid:173)
`lywood, Calif. 90046; (213) 650-3131.
`
`... newsline ...
`
`DONT DELAY: Members of the National Academy of Recording Arts &
`Sciences (N ARAS) should keep in mind that this year's Gram my
`Awards entry forms, covering the entire eligibility period for members
`and the last three months of the period for companies, must be re(cid:173)
`ceived by the following dates: Thursday (3) for companies; Monday (7)
`for members. Late filing could result in elimination from the nomina(cid:173)
`tion process.
`
`GET THE FACTS about the issues involved in the "Home Audio Recording
`Act" now pending in Congress at the New York Music Publishers' Fo(cid:173)
`rum, next Monday (7) at the Grand Hyatt's Empire Ballroom E, from 4-
`7 p.m. On hand for the discussion will be Congressman Bruce Morrison
`(D-Conn.), who recently introduced the bill in the House; Recording In(cid:173)
`dustry Assn. of America (RIAA) president Stan Gortikov; George Da(cid:173)
`vid Weiss, president of The Songwriters' Guild; and Chappell/Inter(cid:173)
`song Music USA president Irwin Robinson. For information, call Lori
`Mason at (212) 370-5330, ext. 63.
`
`A NEW EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL now has the major custom recorded
`projects of Book-of-the-Month Records, a division of Book-of-the(cid:173)
`Month Club Inc., exclusively distributed to the retail trade by Caed(cid:173)
`mon/ Arabesque. It's C/ A's first outside distribution deal. The first
`four releases to be handled under the new pact (all are three-LP sets,
`with two-cassette and two-CD set equivalents) are "Sondheim,"
`"Songs Of New York," "Bach Family" by the Zuckermans and "Bee(cid:173)
`thoven Sonatas" by Richard Goode. All were set to ship Tuesday (1).
`On Nov. 1, two more three-LP sets ship: "Complete Chopin Polonaises"
`by Arthur Lima, and "Swing Reunion," featuring Red Norvo, Louie
`Bellson, George Duvivier, Benny Carter and others. The stores and
`chains Book-of-the-Month Records had been servicing directly will now
`be handled by Caedmon/ Arabesque. For information, contact (800)
`223-0420.
`
`SLOW BOAT TO BEIJING: Neshui Ertegun, president of the International
`Federation of Phonogram & Videogram Producers (IFPI) and chair(cid:173)
`man of WEA International, will head a seven- to 10-day fact-finding
`mission to the People's Republic of China. The expedition comes at the
`invitation of Kong Mai, secretary general of the Chinese ministry of
`radio and tv. Members of the IFPI group are: Allen Davis, vice presi(cid:173)
`dent of IFPI and president of CBS Records International; Ian Thomas,
`director general of IFPI; and Nicholas Garnett, IFPI regional director,
`Asia/Pacific. The group is due to arrive in Beijing on Oct. 9, with the
`purpose of "increasing cooperation between China and the world re(cid:173)
`cording industry."
`
`Joint Telerecording Push
`
`CompuSonics, AT&T Unk
`
`NEW YORK CompuSonics Corp.,
`the Denver-based manufacturer of
`digital audio equipment, has en(cid:173)
`tered into a one-year agreement
`with AT&T to jointly promote the
`telecommunications giant's Ac(cid:173)
`cunet Switched 56 data transmis(cid:173)
`sion service and CompuSonics digi(cid:173)
`tal telerecording system.
`Under the terms of the agree(cid:173)
`ment, the two firms will participate
`in joint marketing activities, includ(cid:173)
`ing promotional events, seminars
`and sales presentations for tele(cid:173)
`recording applications.
`At a recent press demonstration
`hosted by AT&T at its headquarters
`here, CompuSonics made use of
`AT&T's land-based telephone data
`transmission system to digitally
`transmit and receive music between
`Chicago and New York (BiUboard,
`Aug. 17).
`,
`David Schwartz, president of
`CompuSonics, is a strong proponent
`of the "electronic record store" con(cid:173)
`cept, an idea that has been bandied
`about for some time, but which
`Schwartz says is now poised to "be(cid:173)
`come a reality." While that is open
`to debate, such a system, as seen by
`Schwartz and CompuSonics, would
`utilize the firm's telerecording pro-
`
`cess and hard disk equipment to al(cid:173)
`low music software dealers to re(cid:173)
`ceive an album master via a digital
`transmission from the record com(cid:173)
`pany.
`The retailers would then be able,
`in turn, to digitally transmit the mu(cid:173)
`sic to consumers who would use
`credit cards to charge their pur(cid:173)
`chases over the phone lines. The fi(cid:173)
`nal step would involve the Compu(cid:173)
`Sonics consumer digital audio re(cid:173)
`corder/player (which has yet to see
`production), which would record the
`transmission onto a five-and-a-ijuar(cid:173)
`ter-inch "super-floppy" disk.
`AT&T's Accunet Switched 56 ser(cid:173)
`vice was started last May, and is
`provided by AT&T Communica(cid:173)
`tions, a unit of the firm based in
`Basking Ridge, N.J. The service is
`capable of a number of applications
`in addition to its ability to transmit
`high-ijuality audio signals, such as
`transmitting large blocks of digital
`data, improving the effectiveness of
`data networks, and sending digital(cid:173)
`ly-encoded, encrypted voice or video
`signals and other forms of data.
`AT&T claims the system is more re(cid:173)
`liable and less expensive than satel(cid:173)
`lite-based transmission networks.
`STEVEN DUPLER
`
`Page 00003
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