Consumer Hike Seen by RICHARD M
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AN INNOVATIVE MARKET COMES INTO ITS OWN SPOTLIGHT INSIDE 08120 ,'14t 1 i-J:NITU. i iin:-c. t.tf1l. i Y Gt.;. .Ti NEWSPAPER 3 7 4 (, L t`1 L N ( rl C A > J!.)U 7 O A Billboard Publication The Radio Programming, Music /Record International Newsweekly May 9, 1981 $3 (U.S.) Endorse Tapes? No Deal IN WAKE OF WEA MOVE Chrysalis Pacts Will Nix Artist Testimonials Consumer Hike Seen By RICHARD M. NUSSER WEST BERLIN -Chrysalis Records is mov- Chrysalis joint chairman Chris Wright during For All Labels' Lines ing to stop its artists from endorsing blank tape a panel discussion on home taping at Bill- By JOHN SIPPEL Music by adding a restrictive clause to its standard board's International Industry Confer- LOS ANGELES -Across- the -board shelf or simultaneous suggested list and wholesale Kempinski contract form, following an attempt to buy out ence (IMIC) at the Bristol Hotel catalog prices of recordings are expected to price rise. Maybe this business needs its own at least one of its acts from a tape endorsement here. zoom up another 20 to 50 cents, triggered by Reagan. Somebody who will get us to try deal. Wright said he was not at liberty to name the WEA hike in wholesale costs (see separate something else. Somebody has to take an extra The action was disclosed Monday (27) by the act his label tried to buy out of the endorse- story page 3). hard look to help us regain our old $4.5 billion ment contract, but the only act signed to Merchandisers surveyed on the WEA move, zenith. We must talk things over. Why don't Chrysalis who has been plugging blank tape also bringing $7.98's to $8.98, predict a litany we ever hear from a label before major IMIC: Global Unit lately is Deborah Harry, lead singer of of other developments: schlock will penetrate changes come? It would be nice if they even Blondie. deeper into browser bins (Billboard, May 2, listened to us." For Video C'rights Wright says he doesn't view the restrictive 1981), developing acts' albums will he more Rosen wonders if the industry is headed By MAKE HENNESSEY & PETER JONES clause as a negotiable item since most artists difficult to find in retail locations, home taping toward "$1 over list" at retail. And his contem- WEST BERLIN -A call for the formation of wouldn't want to challenge it. will mount, midrange priced product will gain poraries all see immediate price rises in retail. & Suns. a rack, a world organization to coordinate the defense The Chrysalis chief says the clause hasn't yet an ever stronger foothold, store personnel will Dave Crockett of Fathers of authors and composers rights in an age of been applied to an artist's contract, but will he be more sparse and unit sales will dip even one -stop, retail chain combine, will immedi- headlong technological development was is- introduced in all future agreements. more. ately isolate his WEA product and increase the mood the average big ticket through his firm's computer. He sees 30 sued here last week at Billboard's 1 Rh Inter- "I don't see it as a problem," comments But generally, the of national Music Industry Conference. Wright. "It's certainly in their own interest not user canvassed is philosophical, given the re- cents more for albums and 15 cents for singles. The call came from Prof. Erich Schulze, to endorse blank tape and home taping. The cent string of price increases. Jim Bonk of Stark admits he and his Camelot president and general manager of GEMA. the problem comes when an act gets very big and a Allan Rosen of the 20 -odd Flipside stores is stores' crew have been huddling. They just (Continued on page 62) (Continued on page 65) typical: "It 4 ill he more difficult to adjust to a (Continued on page 72) RCA's Vidisks Sold Solo By GEORGE KOPP NEW YORK -While retailers and distributors across the country complain of an RCA videodisk software shortage. RCA's distributor here is actively so- liciting record and video software outlets to carry the disks with or without the players. This marks a sharp departure from RCA's previously announced strategy of selling SelectaVision as a "system." but RCA stresses it has no control over the way its independent distributors market the product. "That's why we go with local distributors," says an RCA spokesman. "They know their market." The RCA videodisk is prominently displayed here in Disc-O -Mat and (Continued on page 56) 3 Bow Classical Mid-Lines By ALAN PENCHANSKY CHICAGO -Three mid -price classical labels are set for unveiling as the trend toward increased exploitation of the $5.98 to $6.98 price stratum contin- ues. Both novice classical customers and veteran collectors are targeted by the THE BROADWAY MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR. ON RECORD. Clive Barnes HOW WONDERFUL, A NEW SPLIT ENZ ALBUM. No need to tell you how CBS, Angel and London new entries. The Year is A super show!" Walter Kerr called the good it is, in this business word gets around. We do want to tell you how said, "Woman Of terrific. CBS's new series, "Great Performances," is part of the June release schedule liveliest, most delightful score since to pronounce its exotic Maori title, WAIATA. Phonetically it's YATAH. John Kander -Fred Ebb songs "their and will he hacked with major advertising and merchandising support. The cheering Lauren Bacall in the musical comedy And why WAIATA? 'Cause it means to sing, whistle, dance ... Just listen Cabaret." The critics are $5.98 list series has been I!_ years in development under veteran classical a &r of Hear what the excitement is about on the original cast to these lads on their new album ... WAIATA. ON A &M RECORDS & TAPES. smash 1981. Peter Munves. Woman Of The Year (AL 8303). Coming next week on Arista Rec- SP 4848. Produced and Engineered by David Tickle. (Advertisement) and marketing executive (Continued on page 44) album, ords and Tapes. (Advertisement) (Advertisement) l'l:'l'l: 'l'(M\TSIII:NI) APPEARED S() SOMI: PEOPLE «'()\T''l' DISAPPEAR. No one, not even Townshend himself, could remember the last time he'd performed on stage solo. But with Amnesty International, the London -based human rights monitoring group, Townshend found a cause worth taking into his own hands. Freedom of expression. Which, in fact, has a lot to do with a thing called rock and roll. 'l'IHE SECRET l'()LICI:MAN'S BALL. IL 9630 Also featuring Tom Robinson, Neil Innes, John Williams. On Island Records & Tapes ISLAND Manufaì 1,ert Ind ClisI' h,10.1 ïw Wn, Bns R C,lL. Iric TM Owned by Antilles Communications Ltd .. used under license www.americanradiohistory.com ZL . LI ` n e s n ce "Closer.". a nd 'd ° album, t. u p nevi get-up-and-dance his t, 383 t discover infectious,It O And full of "'fry his ros chock single, discover "Dancer." It's his first Socc¡o. pnd song, like classic to Gino his since <GLOSE closer burn Get aI occio 's S irresistible Gino s o< < io Gino ed by Records Limit ed endd produced rongden Quality SD 16041 ar Composed,drrange bY ßein' ON ATLANTIC RECORDS AND TAPES. RFC Trademark of RFC Records c MI ARAN, Reao,EAng CorPA Mbrqe ComTumco,m.a Co www.americanradiohistory.com 3 General News Paint Rosy FEAR PRICE HIKES Launch Of 45s Sell Steady RCA Vidisk After Month Say One -Stops By George Kopp By PAUL GREIN & LEO SACKS INDIANAPOLIS -After a month LOS ANGELES -Single sales Meyers, however, suggests the lat- on the market, RCA's SelectaVision have held steady in the past year, ac- est price hike will crimp sales. "It'll videodisk system has been portrayed cording to a canvass of one -stops hurt singles, there's no question as the most successful launch ever of around the country. Several have about it," he says. "And singles are any consumer electronic product for posted increases of up to 20% in sin- hurting as it is." the home. gles volume over last year, with Barney Stein of Record World Company officials offered RCA's country and r &b product especially One -Stop in Pittsburgh is also put- first tally of sales during a tour last strong. ting more older titles in its singles in- Thursday of the videodisk pressing But the one -stops for the most part (Continued on page 14) plant in Rockville. believe that WEA's six -cent hike in Roy Pollack, executive vice presi- the wholesale base price of new dent of RCA, reported that con- WEA Hikes sumers had purchased 26,000 play- Billboard photo by Chuck Pulin Assistance on this story provided back units and 200,000 videodisks so STORE CONCERT -Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager do an instore by Alan Penchansky, Robyn Wells far. RCA's independent distributor duet during a recent promotional visit to a Sam Goody outlet in New York in and Sam Sutherland. Wholesale network has bought 52,000 playback support of Sager's new LP on Boardwalk Records, "Sometimes Late At units and 516,000 videodisks, he Night." single releases, due to take effect said, saying that dealers had bought May 25, will ultimately put a crimp For Albums 35,000 players. in single sales at retail. LOS ANGELES -As anticipated, Pollack compared this product in- The WEA move from 85 to 91 WEA boosted its wholesale base troduction to the first year of sales of Buddy Huey Set To Helm cents on $1.69 list singles may have prices on albums approximately black- and -white television sets its greatest impact on newer acts.