German Labels Revitalize Artist Careers Unlike any other country in mer Deep Purple lead singer Ian The release will coincide with the the world, Germany has become Gillan and world famous tenor launch of the series at the end of a haven for artists of interna- Jose Carreras. this month. tional renown. German record Now, the company has lined up "From the very start we were companies continuously take ErrolBrown upwithoneof aiming at the international mar- international artists under their Germany's most successful produc- ket", continues Blume, "and wings and onto their roster. ers-Dieter Bohlen. The result is a employed the services of interna- Currently on the singles chart top 20 single yvithThis Time It's tional producers. This paid off. It is a you will find such acts as Errol Forever, taken off the album Secret known fact that the media believes Brown (of Hot Chocolate fame), Rendezvous. Another recentEast in everything from abroad so that Sailor, Smokie, Maggie Reilly West signing to look out for is Willy foreign acts enjoy stronger support and Christopher Cross-all vet- de Ville. than any production that bears the eran Anglo-American artists and East West A&R/marketing direc- stamp 'made in Germany-. all directly signed to German tor Klaus Ebert comments, "The record companies. What follows fact is that these chart acts can look Metronome Fischer -Z is a label -by -label rundown ofback upon great market success Recently signed to M -Street (the the most shining examples of which makes it very attractive for us new Metronome label founded last this remarkable trend. to work with them. Furthermore, it year) is Gary Puckett who was suc- is becoming increasingly difficult for cessful in the late '60s together with BMG Ariola Hamburg British artists to get a deal in their his band the Union Gap. The album British group Sailor, a pop band of own country and, as one can see, Love Me Tonight includes re -record- the '70s(Girls,Girls,Girls and A you can make good productions ings of his classic hits Young Girl Glass Of Champagne) have returned right here in Germany." and Lady Willpower as well as new tothecharts inGermany and material such as the single Layana Holland with their self -titled album Electrola (see for review page 8). plus two chart singles, The Secretary The Cologne -based company is cur- According to head of A&R Oliver and La Cumbia. Currently, the third rently featured in the charts with Helwig, itis important to be not single off the album Latino Lover is thealbum Echoesby Maggie toooverlyambitious in one's inits seventh week in the charts. Reilly, formerly project singer with approach. "It usually works best if The album was released in Mike Oldfield and famous for her you take the potentialof these Scandinavia and Portugal. rendition of Moonlight Shadow. artists and produce them specifically Living proof that her voice still for the German market; don't try to Errol Brown BMG Ariola Munich appeals to German audiences is the createalbumswith theAnglo- The company has recently signed chart album and single Every Time American market in mind." one of America's top stars for the We Touch (15 and 20 weeks in the Helwig points to Italian European market-Christopher charts, respectively) as well as the songstress Milva who has been very Cross. His current single In The Blick number one album in Scandinavia. successful over the years singing in OfAn Eye, off the album Even without their former lead German, whereas female rock star Rendevous, has been on the official singer, the group Smokie is anoth- Gianna Nannini (signed to charts for three weeks. Says product er current chart success with their Metronome since 1987) singing in manager Gerd Dornieden, "We single You're So Different Tonight. her native tongue remainsItaly's signed Cross because [MD] Thomas The group has also collected plat- best-selling female artist.

Stein and I are long-time fans of inum in Scandinavia. the artist and we believein the A recent signing to the Electrola- Polydor potential of this album." marketed Harvest label is Fischer - A current release by Polydor is the Although hislastalbum was Z who have alocal followingin duet by Chris Norman and Suzi released four years ago, he still has Germany. Harvestisplanning on Quatro entitledI Need Your Love a huge following in Germany and releasing the band's album which is included on the upcoming Sailor France which is where he has sold Destination Paradise at the end of Norman album The Growing Years. the most albums, claims Dornieden. September. The group played at the The album was produced by the Theartist is scheduledtotour recent Popkomm fair. artist together with the team of Germany with a UK release sched- Mende/de Rouge who were also at uledby Arista.Earlythisyear, Hansa the helm of successful albums by Cross's 1980 hit single Ride Like The MDHans Blume reports of success- Jennifer Rush and Falco. Wind was covered by UK dance act ful international direct signings of East Side Beat. the past including Chris Norman of But There's More... Producer Jack White has been Smokie and Les McKeown of the Evenwithouttheoriginallead extremely successful with US actor Bay City Rollers with whom Hansa singer, bands are still of interest to David Hasselhoff who accumulat- produced numerous hits which sold German record companies, such as ed gold and platinum discs from all well the world over. the Commodores who recently Smokie over Europe for the single Looking These contracts no longer exist enteredinto a dealwiththe For Freedom as well as for two sub- but currently, Bonnie Tyler is the German branch of European TV - sequent albums. The title track of most successful direct signing for merchandiser Arcade. the brand-new album Everybody theBerlin -basedcompany. Says AGreatestHitsincludesre- Sunshine (White Records/BMG Blume, "We expect salesof the recorded hits as well as some new Ariola)is the official song of the 1991 album Bitterblue to achieve original titles and will be released Youth Games 1993 (see review on one -million unitsworldwide. A mid -September in conjunction with page 8). release in the US is still pending for a tourthrough Germanyand Tony Christie, who scored a autumn '92." Holland. A release is also scheduled string of worldwide hits in the '70s Meanwhile, Tyler has accumulat- in Benelux. including Is This The Way To ed three platinum albums in Another example is Kool & The Amarillo,isalso signed to White Norway, goldin Sweden and Gang signed to the Streetheat Records. Switzerland and platinum in Music label (distributed by SPV). Austria. The new album, entitled The September single release (Jump East West AngelHeart, is scheduledfor On The) Rhythm And Ride will be In the past, East West was successful release in October. The single Race followed by the October release of with international, direct signings To The Fire is the theme song of the the album Unite. such as Israeli singer Ofra Haza, for- RTL-Plus TV crime series"Zorc". Ellie Weinert Bonnie Tyler

9 MUSIC & MEDIA SEPTEMBER 19 1992