Two majors with a relatively, new any specialized marketing tech- ing the openess to new music evi- various major's approaches. The 0 Majors interest in dance music are MCA and niques. Right now they are doing well denced in the clubs and which initial- need for developed and continued in- Capitol. Mark Brotter works under with Dan Hartman's "I Can Dream ly seemed so radical on a station like formed club promotion is consistant- ly by all. A Continued from page D -14 Doreen D'Agostino at Capitol's six - About You" and he says "Alosha WBLS two years back. He thinks li- noted marketing strategy month old department of national Meyers is coming." MCA has a sub- censing is very important but likes to that copes with the special demands are rhythmic and danceable." He progressive promotion. As a new de- sidiary label, Linyl Vinyl, as well as allow four to six weeks before U.S. re- of 12- inchers and with the variety of sees dance music as a growing force partment, they are trying out extra distributing Motown. One technique lease to allow the specialty retailers record stores from dance specialty with music video shows and club at- services such as mailing albums and he suggests as an intriguing possibili- to sell off the import stocks and to shops to one stops to the big chains. tendence up." Arista has begun to Basically this comes down to special- cassettes to DJs who usually only re- ty is, "putting the 1 2-inch versions of study potential demographics for an employ the services of remixers as ceive 1 2-inch product. They service songs on the video instead of 7- import. ized marketing reps. Cost conscious- with their new Jellybean remix of Jer- 70 pools and individually many Bill- inch." He also points out that the cur- Right now Warners has ZZ Top's ness both in the number of titles re- maine Jackson's "Dynamite" and the board reporters. They take ads in the rent nomenclature of "dance music" first club hit with "Legs" that was aid- leased and in the amount of pieces. Steve Thompson remix of Icicle pools' trade sheets as well as publish- is somewhat superfluous: "20 years ed by an excellent video and the pro- Works' "Whisper To A Scream." ing their own newsletter. Brotter sees ago we were dancing to the Su- ducer's exposure to club sounds in Mix Masters Another label with a relatively new dance music becoming more a re- premes but nobody called it that," Germany prompting him to release interest in 12 -inch remixes is RCA. Continued from page D -16 quirement than a choice for a &r with underlining the bottomline that most his own 12 -inch mix. They've got an Field promotion rep Steve Stoff de- Paradise Garage. He is noted for the majority of pop becoming dance- majors want hit songs, not just dance album deal with English group Scritti mixes of Instant Funk's "I Got My scribed the 12 -inch as "today's sin- able. He sees the plurality of dance music. Politti and since the group hadn't fin- gle," pointing to their release Mind Made Up," Taana Gardner's of the music now as having started with The pragmatic voice of the major ished the album they are releasing a Eurythmics EP which featured alter- "Heartbeat," Billy Nichols' "Give Talking Heads and Blondie's "Heart labels comes through clearly in talk- composite 12 -inch of their two re- nating revisions by two of the best in Dee Dee Bridgewa- Of Glass" and thinks that Michael ing to Larry Yasgar, Atlantic's direc- cent Arif Mardin produced singles Your Body Up," the field, Francois and Jellybean. For Jackson & Mick Jagger's "State Of tor of dance music. He mentions that "Wood Beez" and "Absolute" along ter's "Bad Me," Gwen Guthrie's Stoff sees the EP format for remixes Been and Loose Shock" is symbolic of the universality a big concern in the WEA family is with their strong instrumental ver- "It Should've You" He as an ideal marketing format. of today's dance music. Though a trying to cut below the 3,000 pool al- sions that are extremely promising. Joints' "All Over My Face" as well is tradi- says RCA also re- thinking the new department, in a company where lowance which he sees as extremely And of course there's Prince. His as producing the Peech Boys. Jon- tional generic 12 -inch sleeve. RCA eight months ago there seemed very tough on turning a profit with new "When Doves Fly" is supposed to athan Fearing has recently worked services all the pools at the now stan- little awareness of dance music in artists' 1 2-inch. "I really believe the have sold over a 100,000 in its first on the hot selling Newcleus materi- dard of 70 -plus and 3,000 -plus general, they are going strong with companies are getting more cost week and a half of release. If Warners al. Shep Pettibone has been in- pieces. labels, an ini- Like other major chart action on releases by Tina conscious of what they give out." He can keep up the momentum with the volved with numerous Salsoul tial release for a newer artist will in- Turner, Duran Duran and Re -Flex. says the three companies are work- kind of commitment they're showing mixes. Rusty Garner is the top mix- volve a similar number to start. Stoff New releases seem also quite promis- ing in tandem to monitor pool allow- they will be a model for major label er on the West Coast working with says RCA is increasingly aware of the ing with Thomas Dolby's "Dissi- ances. He still believes that the most involvement in dance music. artists like Kim Carnes. Raul Rodri- need for multiple mixes on 1 2-inch dence" and an Industry album per- effective early promotion and testing The variety of attitudes exposed in- guez has been producing groups including the 7 -inch edit for radio. As haps begetting a Shep Pettibone can be done with pre -release copies dicate certain similarities among the like Man Parrish and IRT. an example he cites M &M's "Black remix 12 -inch. going out to key DJs in urban music Stations White Stations," a song that Bobby Shaw moved over to MCA centers like N.Y., Miami, Atlanta, Phil- I an many spoke with thought to be from a long run at Warner Bros. adelphia, L.A., Baltimore /Washing- of the commercial ra- acute critique dance promotion in March of '84. At ton, San Francisco and Chicago. He dio and a record that dichotomy MCA he is handling both rock and sees that it is very important to get made the traditional long haul up dance promotion. He sees the de- the 1 2-inch version on the LP to max- from the clubs to college radio before partment as being so new for MCA imize sales of both. Atlantic broke /41 charting. that it's premature to comment on hardcore club music into the pop Single 6664°Nev's 12" Dance charts with Shannon's "Let The Mu- jungle beat sic Play" 7 -inch and are now working tropical The hot, dance on making the LP soundtrack from u wane "Beat Street" live up to its massive makes wann l IIIERUA'A makes u PÓPLOCK street buzz. Larry emphasizes the makes u wanna rapport between promotion and club MUSIC INTO am PUN DJs as being crucial. "When they get THE NEW REHAC behind a record they stay with it." He DIMENSION! ANOTER MI -00 cites Laura Branigan's "Self Control" as well as Shannon as one of their (213) 650 -0368 MCCOnnle Records more successful 12- inchers. Yasgar oNIKÉ 8306 Wilshire Blvd . Sude 475, Beverly Hms, CA 90211 notes, "Atlantic is in it strong," an at- titude that is only tempered by the kind of cost conscious pragmatism that underlies the commitment of most majors. WARD Warner Bros. /Sire is having a field day with dance music. From the pre- viously mentioned "White Horse" to Prince and Madonna, they've had Western great luck in crossing records out of a club base to a broadened public. Association of Craig Costich heads Warners' newly titled dance and contemporary music HE'S GOT IT! Rock Disk Jockeys department. With the new title they have a new comic book like logo and some intriguing marketing ideas. YOU'VE GOT IT! New Music is nothing new to us. For 5 years now, WARD They are about to begin distributing a has been exposing new artists with the most progressive club new merchandising piece that is a one -by -one foot box -like structure DJ's west of the Mississippi. If you're attending the New Music that can either be suspended as a Seminar, be sure to pick up a copy of our bi- weekly com- mobile or wallmounted. This will dis- Body prehensive tipsheet, The WARD Report at stand B -3. play new 12 -inch product or, when there is an album in conjunction with Otherwise, you can contact us at 405 Shrader St., San Fran- the 1 2-inch, both as in the case of cisco, CA 94117 [(415)668 -0900, Telex: 340179 Wang Chung. They intend to use the WUPUBTLXSFO] for information regarding subscriptions or device in everything from mom & pop stores to major chains like Tower. any of our other services. Warners also maximizes the WEA dis- tribution system by distributing their own marketing aids and in -store play 'p * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * copies of new releases for selected * * stores. Costich sees one of the big- The Street Sounds of Los Angeles * gest developments at Warners being Harmony the increased interface between pro- 4( * * motion, a &r and marketing. He men- tions Tom Draper at Black Music 4( * Marketing and Russ Theyret from Po- 4( * * pas as people he constantly works 4' dip * with. He believes that whatever the 4' Reakbeft cost factor the days of generic pack- 7" Single WR -1 -008 -A Current 12" releases aging may be numbered. "It doesn't * Uncle Jamms Army The Egyptian Lover have to be elaborate four-color 12" Dance Mix WR -1 -008 -D artwork, but individually designed a 12 "disco UJA 1001 Mini LP D.M.S.R. 00661 packaging gives the consumer a fla- * Dial-A-Freak My Beat Goes Boom vor of what the music's about. For in- stance, with Wang Chung the cover AND NOW, Yes,Yes,Yes What is A DJ if He Can't Scratch * had a guitar motif that communicat- The Ultimate Scratch ed that while they were a high tech group it was still a guitar based Uncle Jamms Army /Egyptian Lover sound." He also feels that urban ra- The (BODY) Video... dio has lost some of its edge to pro- (also available for bookings) * gressive formats like WLIR, KROQ * For more info: and 91X. These stations are display - "Body Harmony" P.O. Box 122 Harbor City, Ca 90710 CREDITS: Special Issues Editor, Ed Ochs; Assistant Editor, Robyn (213) 292 -0675 Ask for Wells; Cover Design, Douglas Brian On Records * 292 -0879 Mr. Clayton * Martin. ti9artior * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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