Newspaper $3 .50 October 6, 1 990 THE MCA MUSIC / BELL BIV DEVOE ENTERTAINMENT PEBBLES INDECENT GROUP OBSESSION WIRE TRAIN LIGHTNING SEEDS KELLY WILLIS COLD SWEAT YOUNG BLACK TEENAGERS BERNADETTE COOPER JILL SOBULE FATHER M.C. MARK CHESNUTT STEELHEART I IGKERTAPE CASH BOX OCTOBER 6, 1990 2 MATSUSHITA PURSUING AQUISI- bootleg sound recordings under that state's law and faces up to a year in jail TION TALKS WITH MCA INC.: Mat- and a $1,000 fine... Meanwhile, in sushita Electric Industrial Co., the California, the L.A. County D.A.'s Japanese consumer electronics com- EXECUTIVES ON THE MOVE Glendale office filed felony charges pany, which operates under the trade against two alleged bootleggers in an names Panasonic, Quasar, Technics and investigation which has resulted in the National (and which owns a 51% stake MCA Records has promoted Steve Meyer to senior vice seizure of almost 6,000 bootleg vinyl in Victor Co. of Japan [JVC]), has held president, product development. Meyer will be responsible for albums and nearly 1 00 bootleg compact preliminary talks with MCA Inc., in ref- the strategic planning and execution of all promotion efforts discs... Atlanta law enforcement offi- erence to a possible buyout of the com- cials, assisted by RIAA's Anti-Piracy for the label. Billy Brill has been named to Meyer's former pany, as reported by The Los Angeles Unit, seized 1,820 alleged counterfeit position of senior vice president, promotion. He will be respon- Times, September 25, 1990. Matsushita audio cassettes from street vendors sible for all Records' pop promotion campaigns. Zoo (pronounced maht-SOOSH-tah) MCA operating in Piedmont Park in earned profits of $1.6 billion on sales of Entertainment has named George Gerrity senior vice presi- Downtown Atlanta. $44 billion for the year ended March 31, dent/general manager of the brand-new label, which joins 1990. Matsushita spokesman Akira TIME TO GET SMALLER: The Na- Arista and RCA under the BMG umbrella. Gerrity comes over tional Association of Recording Mer- Nagano said recently that tire company, from Warner Bros. Records, where he most recently served as chandisers (NARM), in a recent with approximately $25 billion in cash vice president of promotion. Majorie Lomenzo has been and marketable securities available, meeting with major manufacturers and named to the position of vice president/chief financial officer would have no trouble paying for packaging companies, has set a goal to alterantives of A&M Records. Lomenzo has been with the label for 11 MCA, but stressed that the MCA deal is address to CD longbox director operations financial one among many being considered. packaging. Citing a recent survey of years, most recently as of and NARM's membership indicated that planning. She will be responsible for A&M's finance and ad- MCA GOT S.O.U.L: A1 Teller, chair- retailers' main concerns, relative to man, MCA Music Entertainment ministration. In another move, A&M appointed Bruce Lemer packaging of CDs, included fixturing Group, announced recently that MCA to the position of director of budgeting for promotion. In his compatibility, security and merchan- Records will market and distribute new capacity, Lemer will be responsible for administrating the dising of the product, as well as grow- S.O.U.L.: Sound of Urban Listeners, a label's pop promotion budget. Lemer, joined in ing concern over environnmental who A&M newly formed New York-based label waste. Proposed alternatives to the cur- 1 984, has most recently served as manager of budgeting, finan- directed by former Def Jam Records rent 6" x 12" dimension, were either a cial planning and analysis. Cary Baker has been appointed vice president Bill Stephney and 5" x 11" or 6" x 10" package. The to the position of vice president, publicity at Enigma Enter- veteran producer/re-mixer Hank NARM Packaging Committee will Shocklee. Stephney was instrumental tainment. Baker was previously national director, media and meet with packaging companies in in building the careers of such artists as artist relations, at Capitol Records in Hollywood. He will November to see the progression of the the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J, while oversee the company's profile in the print and TV media on proposed changes before a final meet- Shocklee has been one of the most in- both coasts. Lynn Shults has joined All Nations Music as ing in January to decide on the recom- demand producers of the past decade, vice president and general manager, Nashville operations. mended size of the CD package. Lomenzo lending his talents to discs by the likes Shults, who began his career in the music industry with Acuff- of Bell Biv Devoe, Jody Watley, LL Cool ENVIRONMENTALLY SPEAKING: after a Alliance for Survival, the peace and Rose Publications, returns to the publishing industry J, Paula Abdul, Slick Rick, Ziggy Marley notable tenure (1978 through 1989) with Capitol Records. and Phillip Glass. Together, they played environmental group, is holding a an integral part in the formation of benefit party called "BeatleBlast" on Before joining Capitol, Shults was operations director for Public Enemy, and continue to remain October 9 in rememberance of John United Artists Records and was directly involved in develop- active participants in that group's Lennon on what would have been the ing the successful careers of Kenny Rogers and Crystal Gayle. legendary musician's 50th birthday. career. S.O.U.L.'s first recording is EMI has named Kim Akhtar senior director, national Young Black Teenagers' single, The gala event is set for the Hollywood publicity. She will oversee all of the company's press activities "Nobody Knows Kelli," which was dance club Spice and will feature live in her new position out of EMI's New York Qty headquarters. Baker released August 14. The label's two musical entertainment by Buffalo Most recently, Ms. Akhtar was director, publidty/West Coast other sigings are Son of Bezerk and Springfield Revisited and the Beatle Raheem. look- and sound-a-like band Twist and for the label. CEMA Distribution announced the appoint- ORBISON COLLECTION REVIEWS Shout In addition, a birthday cake-cut- ment of Kathleen Callahan to national sales manager. Pre- ting ceremony with actress and Mama viously, Callahan worked for MCEG/Virgin Home CAREER: CBS Special Products is and Papas founding member Michelle releasing a four-CD/four-cassette Entertainment where she most recently served as president. In Phillips and Alliance for Survival peace boxed set titled The Legendary Roy Or- her new position, Ms. Callahan will oversee national sales activist J eny Rubin will take place. Ad- bison, which is the first major overview efforts for EMI, SBK Records, Chrysalis Records, Rhino mission is $10 at the door and the of Roy Orbison's career since his un- proceeds will go to Alliance for Records, I.R.S. Records, Alpha International and Bellmark. timely dea th . The set, which contains 75 Survival's ongoing campaign for peace Shilah Morrow has been appointed national merchandising recordings in all, covers almost 30 years and a clean, safe environment. coordinator for the Wamer/Elektra/Atlantic Corporation of the legendary musican's career, in- SALUTING A PRINCE OF AN ART- (WEA). Ms. Morrow has been with WEA since July of 1987, cluding his first release 'Trying to Get recently as an in-house marketing representative. to You," his first hit "Ooby Dooby," all IST: Kultur Videos is releasing a video most WEA the way through to a pair of rare 1985 tape about famed pop artist Keith also announced the appointment of Linda Tranah as the label's cuts, "Wild Hearts," from Nicholas Haring titled Drawing the Line: A national new release coordinator. Ms. Tranah joined WEA in Portrait Keith Haring. Roeg's art-house movie Insignificance, of The 30-minute June of 1983. Fletcher Foster has been promoted to the and "Indian video includes interviews with gallery Summer," a duet with position of director, media & artist development, CBS Larry Gatlin. Included with the collec- owners Leo Castelli and Tony Shafrazi Records/Nashville. In his new role, Foster will create and tion is a 32-page booklet which includes and actor Dennis Hopper, as well as implement all-encompassing media strategies consistent with many rare photos and an essay by many leaders of the international art Akhtar overall each album release on the Colin Escott. scene. Haring, the "Prince of Pop the marketing goals behind labels in Nashville. Along with CBS THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW: Over Art," had gone from being an Columbia and Epic anonymous New York City graffiti art- 7,000 alleged counterfeit audio cassette Records' Design and Product Marketing Department, he will ist to being called the successor to Andy tapes were seized in a raid on a San also direct the labels' artist image enhancement activities. A Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Antonio, Texas flea market by local, seven-year native of Nashville, Foster began his career in the LEAVES Teny state and federal law enforcement of- FLOOD AQUARIUS: music industry at the Country Music Association (CMA), prior ficers recently. In addition, nine Flood has resigned as president of people to working independently at PolyGram Records and MTM were arrested in the raid and each was Aquarius Records and sold his interests Records. He joined CBS Records in 1987, and was, until his charged with improper labeling of in the company to his friend and busi- current appointment, manager of the media and artist recordings under the Business and ness associate Donald Tarlton of additions to its Commerce Code. Among the alleged Donald K. Tarlton Productions. Flood development department. Following recent counterfeit cassettes confiscated were will be joining a consortium of U.S.