MUSIC WEEK, MARCH 3, 1979

iGUiiiin

Mayfield making

an impression

with Curtom , former lead vocalist with

Sw™ Wo Records, Orh.r ™ , Leroy Hutson and Gavin Chnstop . Curtom is RSO's first and only distribution agreement with an independent label. The company was started in 1969 by Mayfield who was lead singer with the Impressions for 12 years before leaving the group to concentrate on songwriting, producing and Curtom. Mayfield was recently in the UK to launch his first single, This Year, ■V- and to talk about Curtom which has product released on the RSO label but with a special logo. "We are aiming to cover all kinds of music, but for the meantime Curtom will be concentrating on getting its first four releases by Clifford, Hutson, PopStar Weekly is a brand new tabloid from Spotlight Publications. Unlike any Christopher and myself off the ground. That is something we hope other music paper, it's aimed exclusively at the 13 to 18-year-old market. to achieve within the next three or Because they're the people who really decide who's going to make it in the charts, four months." and what's going to happen in the discos. Mayfield says that he decided to Curtis Mayfield go with RSO after meeting the staff And that makes PopStar Weekly the first place to sell any pop product. there and being impressed by the Friends Could See Me Now, which MORE LIFE, MORE COLOUR THAN ANY OTHER MUSIC PAPER overall enthusiasm of the company. also brought her a US award as the "It's one of the last of the most promising female R and B Out every Wednesday (Tuesday in London), PopStar Weekly won't miss a single bit independent companies that have vocalist. Fellow Curtom signing of pop news. t ot allowed themselves to become Leroy Hutson, joined the It'll spot new trends before they even become trends. pan of a large . conglomerate. It Impressions as lead vocalist when reminds me of the time when most Mayfield left the group to pursue his It'll carry the hottest news and liveliest features on the acts that are really making of the record companies were solo career. Gavin Christopher, who the charts and discos tick. independents and people were very is currently working on his first solo There'll be in-depth coverage of all the best-selling singles and albums, with pop enthusiastic about what they were album for Curtom, has been a and disco charts from both Britain and the U.S.A. doing." performer since his teens and has There'll also be plenty of competitions, special offers and readership-building Linda Clifford has already had written several songs for Chaka promotions. success with Curtom via If My Kahn. And from the cover inwards, PopStar Weekly will have more full colour pictures than any other music paper. All for 20 pence. ONE OF THE BEST EDITORIAL TEAMS IN THE BUSINESS PopStar Weekly's editorial team really knows how to reach its readers, and what they want. It's headed by Editor, Sheila Prophet. She was recently Features Editor of Record Mirror. Before that, she was with I.P.C.'s young market magazines and D. C. Thomson's Jackie. The Publishing Director is Mike Sharman, who is also Publisher of the highly successful weeklies Record Mirror and Sounds. A GIANT LAUNCH CAMPAIGN With an £85,000 campaign, PopStar Weekly will be launched in the weekending March 24. There'll be heavy TV and radio spots, backed with a news trade promotion including full S.O.R. on the first six issues. With a launch like that, PopStar Weekly's target market won't be able to miss it.

Spotlight Publications Ltd. Make sure you don't, either. 2nd Floor, Wellington House, V/ 6/9 Upper St. Martins Lane, -j London WC2H9EX Publishers of Sounds. Record Mirror, k and Music Week. DAFNE AND The Tenderspots, described as 'new wave rock with a Edited ) iouch of humour and professionalism', are the lalesl r by signings to MAM Records. The CHRIS WHITE J band write all their own maleriai and their deal wilh the company is seen as a change in lalem direction MMtesMte's for MAM. Pictured lefl to right: standing Dominic de Sousa extra date (assisiani to head of A and R at WHITESNAKE, WHOSE spring MA M) Joy Nicholl (head of schedule includes Germany and US international), Geoffrey Everill tours, play an extra date al (MAM Records managing London's Hammersmith Odeon this director), Tab Martin (head of A Saturday (3), prior to their departure and R), Graham Smith (guitarist) to the States. The show has been and Nick Monas (drummer); arranged with the band's record Ring Alex Lilburn, Advertisement Manager, on 01-836 0142. silling, Mariyn Barter (MAM label company, Sunburst Records, 'n manager at EMI LRD), Steven conjunction with the organisers of Or Peter Wilkinson, Director, on 01-8361522. Hughes (bass player), Dafnc the Gunnar Nilsson Cancer Research Mancholas and A Ian Normal Charity campaign, and ail proceeds (keyboards). will go to the campaign fund. PAGE 18