MUSIC WEEK NOVEMBER 1, 1975 C c c c

PART 3 The signing of ^1^ cSifn^ri :i suffered no ai isinecl a suffered no anxiety regardin.. this. DONOVAN, IN 1966. was my CLIVE DAVIS' first signing to CBS in his new position of Vice President Tears; and Liza Minnclh s.g my first artist-signing, since" ri llrst signing. I'd been very caiuious and General Manager was Donovan. Mickie Most had just signed to Epic contract even though wc had from the start Donovan ila/8hi up to this point, sticking largely to and the marrying of his commercial instincts to Donovan's potentially Bar bra Streisand. seemingly endless sirim/ a the business side of tilings, ethereal talent seemed too good to miss. Davis was right — for a relatively Negotiations with Donovan high-quality hits, Sunshi^ Icaring about the unfamiliar parts low outlay, the partnership was highly successful. But four years later, were never models of dhciency. Superman, of the Columbia operation and Donovan, because of inaccurate advice, signed to Warner Brothers before Donovan's manager, Ashley ; Your Love Like Heaven, Jenntf^ generally undcroing a quasi fulfilling his contractual obligations to Epic. In this excerpt from his had told John Hammond that lie Juniper, to name a few. ^ apprenticeship, while J watched autobiography, Clive Davis explains the struggle to keep Donovan. was interested. But several months concerts were major niusJl the A&R Department from a went by and we heard nothing events, and he always succeeded? distance. After all, 1 was the several cf his tapes and I was quite Dylan at the time, and 1 think it Finally I called Kozak in knghnul. weaving a near-magical " lawyer, the Johnny-comc-latcly. taken by the ethereal, Lilting was Donovan's lyrics which caught He reaffirmed his interest, but said appearing olten in a flowini. ^11, and I was being watched carefully compositions. I felt that he had a me. Like Dylan, he was one of the that he couldnT begin discussions gown surrounded by Howe wliiic by many, both inside and outside good chance to emerge first contemporary singer- until they had taken legal readings songs and chatter never failing the company. I felt that 1 importantly in this country. songwriters to convey really on the Pyc contract. It seemed 1 understood music and creativity, Lqually significant, his contract sensitive ideas in his lyrics. like a stall, and I was anxious. I lift his audience into an entrance ! but so docs everyone else in the was about to expire. Nonetheless, 1 thought that the really wanted Donovan to be my state. He became an important music 'business. I had to be I asked John Manunond. who comparison to Dylan was unfair. first signing and everything was spokesman for cultural chance ' extremely careful. also liked his work, to make an Donovan's music was entirely still up in the air. both England and America." Bm Donovan was a perfect approach at the Newport Folk different - softer, melodic, even A few months later, kozak the story doesn't end here. beginning. He was under contract Festival. Donovan had already mystical ... 1 strongly fell he called and said that he and Let's move on to 1969. pn at the lime to Fye Records in recorded , could be a unique artist on his Donovan were in . 1 been getting unhappy calls, both and distributed in Universal Solider and Colours and, own. Moreover, I never objected naturally agreed to meet with from him and Mickie Most, fi Was America through an affiliate label while Hickory had gotten some to signing artists of similar talents them and we hud a long, long talk. as I expected, a conflict between named Hickory; and. while he chart action, Donovan was still who had genuine ability, I always Donovan seemed very much like Most's commercial insticis wasn't well known in America, considered an Fnglish artist very resisted the impulse to close doors. his songs gentle, warm and Donovan's experimental impulses he'd had several hits in Lngland, much in the shadow of Dylan The result was that Chicago witty. Me had an almost spiritual I tried to slay neutral in the finht where he was sometimes called a and a pale imitation of Dylan at comfortably joined Columbia after air about him. He was also an but it was easy to by sympaihciic "British Dylan." I listened to that. I was deeply taken with we already had Blood, Sweat & artist with very definite ideas. Yet, to Most. He and Donovan had even when he asked lor been extremely successful; I didn't commitments, like our using his want to see them break up. The own art and design concepts for result in such cases almost always album jackets an area very was a decline in sales. important to him his manner On the other hand, you cannot was friendly and winning. His sit on an artist. Like gifted musical plans were far-reaching. Me children, artists have to be "eiven planned to make commercial room to grow. If you try to "limit records, but he also wanted to try them to a particular area of a Broadway musical and several creativity, however successful, the different projects for children, the result is rarely good. By contrast, idea of which fascinated him. if an artist feels free to Fine. 1 told him of Columbia's experiment, and fails, he or she strong Broadway tradition, and will most likely rebound. Few that we had just added a line of artists have an unbroken string of children's books and records to Columbia's catalogue. He was successes anyway. There has to be i impressed. I asked him whom he'd a stubbing of toes. So 1 kept like to record with, and he urging Mickie to give Donovan the mentioned Mickie Most, the top room he needed. But now Most British producer who had made his saw his reputation us being on the mark with Herman's Hermits and line. He was an exacting producer . Epic, in turn, had and a successful one. If just signed an exclusive producing Donovan wanted to do things he contract with Most; a nice didn't approve of, he fell that coincidence. Most also had a good Donovan should do them with * feel for single hits, and it was clear someone else. that Donovan had a potential for A lot of phone calls went back rr getting very, very ethereal; and forth. And then Donovan marrying his artistic talent to disappeared- I heard that he'd Most's commercial instincts gone to live in Greece; for quite seemed perfect. some time he was completely out In fact it was for several of touch. Mis father had become years at least. his manager and, though his father i Our risk exposure to Donovan was a very pleasant man. he was W K was relatively small, signing him not at all experienced in music. P for 100,000 dollars and giving him The lack of communication was a guarantee of roughly 20,000 disquieting to me. m dollars a year for five years. 1 More than six months later, 1 ,:T -:K m

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