The Curtain Rises on a New Era for Broadway
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$5.95 (U.S.), $6.95 (CAN.), £4.95 (U.K.), Y2,500 (JAPAN) 11.1..11,..1..1.11.1...1..11.1.111 I II In #BXNCCVR 3 -DIGIT 908 #90807GEE374EM002# BLED 780 A06 B0128 001 MAR 02 2 MONTY GREENLY 3740 ELM AVE # A LONG BEACH CA 90807 -3402 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC, VIDEO, AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT - APRIL 21, 2001 The Curtain Rises On A New Era For Broadway Atlantic Revives Musical Theater Gains fresh Creativity Even As Some Artists Struggle To Make Voices Heard Dance's Big Beat BY WAYNE HOFFMAN Rent seemed to offer Broadway Now that the dust has settled, ing a show, which makes investors BY MICHAEL PAOLETTA NEW YORK-Five years ago this a way out of the doldrums after insiders have divided opinions and wary of taking creative risks. NEW YORK -Two years ago, week, Rent hit Broadway like a years of declining box office and mixed emotions about the state of New composers are developing Big Beat Records stopped put- meteorite. A modern retelling of daring shows -but they often ting out product. Now, with the Puccini's La Bohème, Rent trans- find themselves consigned to off- imminent release of Plummet's ferred the setting to New York's Broadway or regional theaters. gritty East Village and translat- Record companies are releasing ed the opera into a rock -inspired cast albums from more unusual score. The musical, by a then - shows -but with almost no sup- unknown composer, filled its port from radio, they have trou- BIG stage with then -unheralded ble finding an audience. actors and immediately attracted "[Musical theater] has a certain a then -undiscovered Broadway sickness deep in its o I heart that needs to be addressed," one composer KALLMAN LACH I USA AHRENS GORDON spiked hair, college students in laments, while another argues that "Damaged " -a radio -primed leather jackets, and thrill -seek- lackluster productions. New voices musicals in the U.S. Broadway box this is a new "golden age." track steeped in trance and ing suburbanites. would revitalize the form, critics office receipts and attendance The truth, perhaps, is that they breakbeat rhythms -Big Weeks later, Rent took home the posited, and the American musical records are climbing -but so is are both right. (Continued on page 88) Tony Award for best musical. would never be the same. the astronomical cost of produc- (Continued on page 80) Scandinaviao Music Finds Metal Tours: A Sure Thing, Nashville Studios Grapple Second Home In Germany Thanks To Multi -Act Lineups BY WOLFGANG SPAHR With Country Music's Woes BY RAY WADDELL HAMBURG-Nordic acts are conquering the German Spring is in the air, flowers are in bloom, and "hard record market. BY CHRISTOPHER WALSH concerned about the long -term via- music" multi- artist tours are gearing up for their sum- Following the individual successes in recent decades For Nashville's numerous corn - bility of their businesses. mer road assaults. of Abba, Ace of Base, Aqua, Roxette, and Björk, there mercial recording studios-among Country music represented just Already routed and on sale are the 2001 editions has been a veritable Scandinavian invasion of the Ger- the best -equipped, maintained, and 8.5% of overall album sales in 2000, of Ozzfest and the Vans Warped tour. Soon to fol- man charts in the past few months by such acts as A -ha staffed in the down from 9.2% in low is Pantera's Extreme Steel arena tour, and from Norway, Bomfunk MC's from world -declining 1999, Gc-rmany Fetes 10.2% in '98, plans are being finalized for another Family Values Finland, and Andreas Johnson and sales of country mu- and 10.8% in '97. Echo Awards' tour this fall. Rednex, both from Sweden. sic have contributed Historically, coun- These outings are geared not IN TOURING 10th Anniversary "Scandinavia has always been an to an ongoing dilem- try's popularity has only to provide value for fans NEWS Page 47 important source of good pop music," ma that many feel been cyclical: There (while still turning a healthy Polydor Germany managing director has been worsening. have been rumors profit) but also to expose acts at all levels in a Jörg Hellwig says. "Whether it's Backstreet Boys, `N After a discourag- of the genre's genre that often lacks support from either radio Sync, or even Bon Jovi, Scandinavian producers and song- ingly sparse booking demise before -fol- or music TV. writers are never far away. Scandinavian acts are still in." schedule last year lowed by a new gen- "So many bands rely on a hit record at radio, and Universal's roster includes such acts as the Cardigans (especially in its latter half) and the eration of artists coming along and if the next single isn't a hit, their career's over," and A *Teens (both Swedish), Darude (Finnish), Barcode increasing bite that new technolo- breathing new life into the music. says Vinnie Paul, drummer for Pantera. "We've been Brothers (Danish), and Briskeby (Norwegian), to name gy is taking out of the commercial But this time, some fear, the around 11 or 12 years, and I really believe it's but a few of the latest Scandinavian successes. facilities' economic pie, many audio nadir may truly be at hand. The because of all the work we've done on the road. Heinz Canibol, EMI Electrola president /CEO, Ger- professionals on Music Row are (Continued on page 89) Our fans know they won't hear us on MTV or (Continued on page 85) (Continued on page 82) the debut album featuring the hit single » .Get In The Booth 55.95 US $6.95 CANADA 6> liar IN STORES MAY 15 www.atlantic -records.com THE ATLANTIC GROUP i (c''2001 ATLANTIC RECORDING CORP. A TIME WARNER COMPANY o 74808 025 2 7 ADVERTISEMENT www.americanradiohistory.com Now that you've made it, it's time to put your finances front and center. Achieving long -term financial success is a two -sided effort: growing your assets and protecting Strategies what you've built. With decades of experience in both asset management and insurance, to help make Prudential can help you develop a smart strategy for growing and protecting your wealth. your wealth Team up with an advisor you can trust. Learn more. 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Equal Opportunity.o A42717- 20010404 www.americanradiohistory.com Billboard Napster Under Fire For Non -Compliance Editor in Chief: TIMOTHY WHITE Company Favors Search Databases Over File-Filtering Technologies EDITORIAL Executive Editor: BRADLEY BAMBARGER Managing Editor: DON JEFFREY Director of Special Issues: Gene Sculatti; Dalet Brady, Associate Director; BY EILEEN FITZPATRICK At the hearing, Patel sided with the RIAA. Nichols was present for the hearing, he did not Katy Kroll, Assistant Editor Marin Jorgensen, Specie Issues Coordinator LOS ANGELES 10 ureau Chiefs: Leila Cobo (Caribbean and Latin America), Bill -lolland -After receiving a severe At one point during the April hearing, she participate; RIAA outside counsel Russell (Washington), Melinda Newman (L.A.), Phyllis Stark ¡Nashville) tongue lashing from U.S. District Judge Mar- quipped, "Maybe I will need to shut you down." Frackman says Nichols will play an important Art Director: Jeff Nisbet; Assistant Raymond Carlson Associate Editor: Wayne Hoffman ilyn Hall Patel about its failure to comply with But RIAA senior executive VP/general coun- role. Fraekman, an RIAA technology expert; Copy Chief: Bruce Janicke Copy Editor: Andrew Boorstyn the terms of a preliminary injunction, Nap- sel Cary Sherman says the remark was made attorney Robert Silver, a technology expert Senior Editor: Ed Christman, Retail (N.Y.) Senior Writers: Chris Morris (L.A.), Chuck Taylor (N.Y. ster continues to reject technologies that representing Napster, and Nichols were sched- Talent Editor: Larry Flick (N.Y.) Special Correspondent/Music Publishing Editor: Jim Bessman could help it resolve its legal problems. uled to meet Apn113. Rap/R &B Music: Gail Mitchell, Editor (L.A.) The March 5 injunction- requiring Napster "The is, is Country/Christian Music: Deborah Evans Price (Nashville) basic point what Napster doing Dance Music: Michael Paoletta Editor (N.Y.) to eliminate copyrighted material from its site V. 9SY )napster isn't working at all, and there are other methods, Pro Audio: - Christopher Walsh editor (N.Y.) Digital Entertainment: Eileen Fitzpatrick, Editor (L.A.) stems from a copyright infringement lawsuit which they have refused to use," says Frack- Radio: Frank Saxe, Editor (N.Y.) Heatseekers Features/Music Video: Carla Hay, Editor (N.Y.) filed by the Recording Industry Assn.