Where've All the a &R Execs Gone?
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>ti3DIGIT 908 000317973 4401 8829 HAR90I:1Z '1ONTY GREENLY APT A 3740 ELM LONG BEACH CA 90807 VOLUME 100 NO. 30 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT July 23, 1988/$3.95 (U.S.), $5 (CAN.) X -Rated Videos Face Up Labels Bemoan Lack of Skilled Staffers To Changing Marketplace Where've All The A &R Execs Gone? playing X -rated inventory. the few fully qualified senior A &R people you look for are all tied up, or BY AL STEWART "There has been a change in the at- BY STEVE GETT people in the industry are bound by they're in really a good situation NEW YORK After years of steady mosphere," says David Kastens, an NEW YORK As several new and ironclad contracts with their current where they have points on major acts growth, the adult video industry is executive for Video Corp. of Ameri- major labels try to staff their A &R labels. and would be walking away from a smarting. Not only have continuing ca, one of the largest U.S. adult video departments, high- ranking record "We've been looking for about six significant bonus situation." legal hassles taken their toll, but an suppliers. "Summer has always been company executives are bemoaning months for someone to head our Another record company that has overabundance of product has led to slow for adult video, but now we the lack of midlevel A &R staffers A &R efforts on the West Coast," found it tough to locate an experi- widespread price slashing and a are seeing far fewer titles released with the experience needed to fill se- says Mike Bone, president of Chrysa- enced executive to head its A &R de- sharp reduction in new releases. (Continued on page 77) nior jobs. At the same time, they say, lis. "The problem is that the senior partment is the newly reactivated Industry insiders say that the num- Uni Records. Label president David ber of new feature -length titles re- Simone says he has interviewed "be- leased this year should turn out to be tween 60 and 80 people on both coasts half the number released last year. since last October" in his quest for a What's more, the titles being re- Canada Nears New Mechanical Rates senior VP of A &R. leased, though still graphic, steer they are to making a deal. ly Hills. "To be honest, I've had to change clear of unusual sexual behavior, par- BY CHRIS MORRIS Paul Berry, general manager of While Berry said that the terms my focus," says Simone. "I found ticularly any form of aggression to- LOS ANGELES Canadian publish- the Canadian Musical Reproduction presented in his speech have "essen- that the people I would consider ward women. The packaging, too, ers and record companies are cur- Rights Agency, unveiled the pro- tially been agreed to," Brian Robert- ready to be a senior VP of A &R were has become more "sanitized," as one rently hammering out an agreement posed Canadian rate structure in a son, president of the Canadian Re- absolutely in a contractual situation supplier puts it, so that retailers are on new mechanical royalty rates for speech July 11 to the annual meeting cording Industry Assn., later indicat- where they just were not available. less likely to come under fire for dis- the first time in more than 60 years. of the National Music Publishers' ed displeasure with Berry's (Continued on page 78) But the two sides differ on how close Assn. at the Beverly Hilton in Bever- (Continued on page 76) Virgin, Chrysalis ADVEFTISEMENTS 4 Formats Share Mull Withdrawal Spring Arb Glory BY SEAN ROSS From Stock Mart NEW YORK Urban WGCI -FM moved into sole possession of first BY NICK ROBERTSHAW place in Chicago radio, while top 40 LONDON The Virgin and Chrysalis WHTZ "Z100" New York, crossover labels, two of the U.K.'s most aggres- KPWR Los Angeles, and news /talk sively expansive independent leisure KGO San Francisco all opened their and records groups, may soon revert leads, according to the Arbitron to private ownership following brief spring 12-plus overall ratings for the and unhappy flirtations with the Lon- top four markets. don stock market. Other major success stories in the Virgin chairman Richard Branson first spring books -considered by has announced plans to take the com- (Continued on page 68) pany private again, less than two years after it was floated on the Lon- don stock exchange. And the Chrysa- lis group of companies, which went Musical boundaries have been shattered! Shadow Man, the new South, the startling debut by one of today s most passionate and public in 1985, could also be planning release from Souti Africa's Johnny Clegg and Savuka, compelling vocalists, Shona Laing. Now on her first -ever U.S. 7eturn to private ownership follow - combines rich tradtional Zulu music with western-style rock to Tour. 1st single "Soviet Snow" Top 10 Aternative; Gavin pick for (Continued on page 74) produce an infectious blend of irrestible pop tunes. Led by Johnny AC. Arrives at CHR this week. 12" Popstand remix out next week. AND NEW MUSIC Clegg's distinctive voice, this six member multi- racial band hits the Available on TVT Records (TVT2470). Upcoming from TVT -The states by storm with their first single "Take My Heart Away." Catch Timelords' #1 U.K. Hit "Doctorin' The Tardis" and The Jack Follows page 54 NMS preview, p. 6 Johnny and his band on tour with Steve Winwood. On Capitol. Rubles' LP "Fascinatin' Vacation." 00 blew out of Iceland to capture the continent with a cool new sound that you could call reykjat,illy, dance rock, art rock, or just smart rock. They've got the European music scene in one pocket, and a killer album in the other. so is the music. o an audacious debut featuring "birthday" and "cold sweat" cool new music from Elektra superior -quality cassettes, records and compact discs ADVERTISEMENT www.americanradiohistory.com Jhp on something comfortable and spay cool this summer. Executive Producers Beau Huggins, Freddie Jackson, and Wayne Edwards HUSHManagement: PRODUCTIONS INC. www.americanradiohistory.com a s,IMML - - --- -- __ - - - Will Par Parent Buy Commtron? .11 Bijlboard-- _f; - - -=NI --- -- - Market Activities Spark Speculation `MIMI - - - ture. He does not, however, rule out The discussion, he says, "is barely at 1 BY JIM McCULLAUGH such a scenario for some point down the appetizer stage. Contrary to ru- LOS ANGELES The turbulent the road. "We have been merely hav- mors, there are no 'heavy negotia- VOLUME 100 NO. 30 July 23, 1988 home -video -distribution picture was ing conversations with various people tions' currently taking place. One ru- further clouded last week by specula- in the last several months about the mor is begetting other rumors." MINNY MEET, MAXIDRAW tion about a possible acquisition of future of the home video business. Paramount is to host its distributor This year's Upper Midwest Communication Conclave drew more than Commtron, the largest independent That's all," says Klingensmith. network at its national sales meeting wholesaler, by & Western, par- Commtron executives were un- Sunday -Wednesday (17 -20) at Pebble 400 radio industryites -an all -time record for the 13- year -old event. Bill- Gulf ent company of Paramount Home available for comment. Beach, Calif. The theme is "team- Yvonne Olson reports that the confab, centered on the theme board's Video. Another source close to the situa- work," says Klingensmith. The stu- "In Pursuit Of Dreams," was relatively low -key. Page 10 Bob Klingensmith, president of the tion says that any preliminary con- dio's prime focus, he says, is on that video division of Paramount Pictures versations between Gulf & Western meeting and on the fourth quarter. Wave Of The Future? Corp., denied that any such deal and Des Moines, Iowa -based Comm- Unlike several other major video MCA Records, Frito-Lay, and Musicland are teaming up for a massive would be made in the foreseeable fu- tron are just that -conversations. suppliers, Paramount has made no al- promo: Discount coupons for the newest Jets album will be printed on terations in its distributor network no over 120 million packages of Doritos, and in -store signage will appear at and has indicated it has intention of doing so. every major grocery chain and convenience store in the country. Just In other video distribution develop- another promotion? Not according to MCA's Lou Mann, who calls this ments: cross -merchandizing effort "the wave of the future." Page 38 Video Duplicator Starts RCA /Columbia Pictures Home Video, one of the three major soft- SPOTLIGHT ON DANCE AND NEW MUSIC ware suppliers to pare distribution This year has provided club-goers and radio listeners with a host of Sell- Through Rack Service rosters, has begun to impose stricter sounds, including house, R &B, Latin hip -hop, rap, hi -NRG, dance- orient- jobbing firm targeting nontradition- guidelines on its remaining distribu- BY EARL PAIGE - also cracking ed rock, and Eurohouse. Dance editor Bill Coleman delineates the al video retail outlets. Paul Pas tors while severely LOS ANGELES A division of the quarelli, a veteran in video distrib- down on unauthorized transshipping. styles. Plus, L.A. bureau chief Dave DiMartino explains why new music industry's primary home -video du- uting, heads the company. Republic Pictures became the bands are prospering. Follow page 54 plicator is launching a sell- through The new rack service is targeted second independent software suppli- rack service that delights retailers to video specialty stores previously er to "drop" Commtron as a distribu- Investment Tip: Mix It Up but worries wholesalers.