ctP3 _o 88049GRE ENL YMON T OO ARAV MONTY GREENLY htC SM 14011 03 10 S 374 0 EL M UCY' LONG. BE ACH CA 90807 NEWSPAPER I A Billboard Publication The International Newsweekly Of Music & Home Entertainment June 11, 1983 $3 (U.S.) ALBUM VCR Action CONFIGURATIONS MULTIPLY AFM Agrees Spurs Entries Odd Formats Vex Dealers on Royalties By EARL PAIGE John Denver's next album, like its original, but this helps." Even so, In Blank Tape and SAM SUTHERLAND predecessor, to ship in both conven- Spano suspects the public views For Vielclips tional and digitally mastered audio- many limited edition titles and spe- NEW YORK -This week's Con- LOS ANGELES -Valuable mer- phile versions; and fresh activity in cial packages as "gimmick releases." By LAURA FOTI sumer Electronics Show in Chicago chandising hooks or confusing gim- the realm of oversized cassette mer- More critical is Norman Hunter, is scheduled to see some major mar- micks? Retail and one -stop buyers chandising packs. purchasing manager for recorded NEW YORK -The American ket entries in the blank videotape appear divided over the prolifer- A &M, meanwhile, ships its new product at the 149 -unit Record Bar Federation of Musicians (AFM) and field, as well as instances of market- ation of unusial record /tape prod- Police album, "Synchronicity," in 36 of Durham, N.C. They should at label representatives have reached ing redirection and the launch of a uct, price and packaging configura- different cover graphic combina- least have changed the stock num- agreement on royalty payments for full spate of promotional cam- tions. These include cassette -only tions this week. The unique design ber," complains Hunter of the Du- the commercial use of promotional paigns. It's largely the result of a releases, the revival of the 10 -inch scheme, utilizing separate strips for ran Duran album. `Many stores like video clips. The settlement is now flourishing blank tape market, as album and ¡he injection of new each of the band's three members, ours are computerized, so this is con- being sent to AFM members for rati- VCR sales continue to skyrocket and songs (usually a hit single) into pre- will vary color and placement on fusing." Hunter further contends the fication. pricing stabilizes. viously available LPs. different runs; even a monochro- reworked version nay be "unfair to The agreement apparently re- Audio tape receives less attention Cited as examples are Capitol's matic version will be included. consumers who have purchased the solves a long- standing issue between from suppliers more concerned with Duran Duran and Thomas Dolby Typical of dealer reactions are original." the two parties, but does not affect cashing in on the video explosion, reissues, in which each act's debut those prompted by the Duran Du- Inventorying headaches aren't the video clips' promotional uses, such but there are line changes and pro- album has been rereleased with an ran album, now freshly augmented only snag posed by such products. as broadcast on cable television or in motions there nonetheless. additional cLrrent hit; an elaborate by the inclusion of the act's "Is Package uniformity is once more the clubs. The biggest news in video is Sony limited edition of the forthcoming There Something I Should Know ?" issue for buyers wary of odd -sized, "Both sides are satisfied with the VHS -format videotape. The com- Talking Heads album with a higher, single. To buyer Frankie Spano of one -off projects. Several reached in outcome," says Victor Fuentealba, pany that invented Beta has a T -120 $12.98 list dictated by its all- plastic Stan's Record Service, Shreveport, this survey cited i ickie Lee Jones' AFM president. "We are concerned (Continued on page 90) jacket and clear vinyl disk; plans for "It makes sense. I was still selling the (Continued mr page 92) (Continued on page 100) - Inside Billboard - THE US FESTIVAL'S financial fate was unclear this Fast weekend, pending the outcome of its country music quotient Saturday (4). The verdict on the event's three days of rock over the Memorial Day weekend appears on page 3. COMPACT DISC DELIVERIES are the major preoccupation of CD -en- thused retailers as the new system takes hold in the U.S. Many are attending this week's CES in Chicago to secure supply information. This issue and oth- ers -the digital "sound," the need for more pressing facilities -are explored in a series of special CD reports on pages 42 -48. BUFFALO'S WUWU has a new GM, Lee Zimmerman, who was PD of the market's WBLK for the past four years. But the onetime WBEN veteran says he won't be copying his ex- employer's sound. Radio, page 12. COMPUTER SOFTWARE represents new business opportunities for many record /home entertainment retailers, and a number of software distrib- utors are aggressively soliciting such accounts. It also represents a challenge, however, as merchandisers ponder the future of their video game commit- ments. Two exclusive reports on pages 3 and 4 probe the topic. The newest addition to the future of home en ertainment. Featurin; the You can't keep silent about ESPIONAGE. Not when its the newest discos best video clips from Duran Duran, Utopia, M chael Nesmith, Jesse Rae THE WGH AM /FM combo in Newport News has been acquired by ery of producer Roy Thomas Baker. Listen to the AOR shouts of approval fo plus, more rock and jazz stereo music videos it Beta Hi -Fi and VHS. Com- Commcor Inc., an Ohio -based doctors' investment group with no other broad- their debut album. Watch for vocal MN reaction to their "... Sound 0 patible with mono and stereo VCR's, these Vice) 45s' are affordable, re- cast interests. The takeover is expected to be complete by August; the new GM Breaking Hearts" track. The band and the album are both called ESPION peatable and collectable. (Advertisement) already out. On A&M Cassettes & is Don Kidwell, who leaves Group One's WONE /WTUE Dayton. Radio, AGE (SP -6- 4935). But their secret's Discs. (Advertisement) page 12. (Advedisem nf) Holy Diver, the debut album The Realm of N from DIO. Created by Ronnie James Dio, ó formerly of Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath. DIO's Holy Diver 1/4- 23836. N- c4t1 Dive In. D The Emergence of Produced by Ronnie James Dio, on Warner Bros. Records and Cassettes. Holy Diver. ("0, ( 1983 1\'arner Bros. Records Inc. www.americanradiohistory.com D The new and improved debut album From the worlds hottest new music band Featuring the current smash single and MTV video sensation "is there something i should know The album that launched the musical phenomenon of 1983 now adds Duran Duran 's latest worldwide single triumph to impressive collection which includes "Girls On Film'' an HIGH QUALITY, and "Planet Earth." The new, improved DURAN DURAN ,.sr ,. www.americanradiohistory.com 3 News COMPUTERS BECKON NAIRD Meet Takes Long Look Dealers Pondering At Indie Distribution's Prospects Vidgames' Future By JOHN SIPPEL 35, attended to discuss and probe said promotion costs him $70,000 where the indies are headed, now annually. CHICAGO -While independent By FAYE ZUCKERMAN that Chrysalis and Arista have de- Instead of polarizing his label au- record labels and distributors are in- fected to the "majors." Eighty -plus dience, Salvador's logic set a format LOS ANGELES The vola- from store shelves, mainly because terdependent, each must individ- - showed up at a unique two-hour ori- whereby both distributors and labels tility of the video game industry of a new phenomenon they believe ually forge its own weapons in the entation that informed first - expanded on their problems. The and might be the next new high -tech session continues to place distributors continuing battle to strengthen the timers of what NAIRD was all branch operations, because of the in than just a simple craze. Call it upgrading: customers indies' That was the retailers more market share. about. weight of their consistent hit flow, merchandising quandary. Although looking to turn their game consoles Richie Salvador of Schwartz normally get paid first, Salvador ex- some dealers still report healthy into computers by adding key- Extensive NAIRD convention Bros., Philadelphia, opened the Fri- plained. Many times when labels believe that the in- boards, voice synthesizers, and other coverage on pages 6, 88. game sales, most day (27) keynote session panel by call and can't reach him, he admit- dustry will soon be soft. Many have peripherals. Additionally, customers gist of three days of sessions at the warning the more than 85 labels ted, he is out collecting bills. He considerably. who already own video game sys- cut back inventories May 26 -28 convention of the Na- there, "We can't finance you. You urged them to talk to other sales and surveyed by tems are in many cases adding com- A number of retailers tional Assn. of Independent Record must help us discourage trans- promotion people in the operation. will start puters. Billboard report that they Distributors and Manufacturers shipping. If someone else ships our Salvador showed how prere- selling in addi- Uncertainty abounds about which computer software (NAIRD). Venue was the Pick territory, it kills our promotion be- corded video competes with records greatly reducing video game products will bring skyrocketing tion to Americana here. cause we can't amortize our people if and tapes, noting that "it's now out - inventories and only carrying top - sales in 1983. Mel Nimon, president More than 200, a record high by we don't get the business." Salvador (Continued on page 88) selling titles.