music we For Everyone in the Business of Music JULY 261997 £3.35 Mercury faces THIS WEEK McGee and Branson: name change 4 Strong importspoundsees rise 5Music Mercury Pnze: 'We'llfiglit for music' by Martin Talbot He says the création of the commit- A spokesman for Branson says he STelstar Prodigy's The Fat Ôf The Land o^aboutdrugspofdrugs music. and wh^they^oorto whenBecause they IVe look had to Twi: M ! ïétÂWmk . j^DMXgoesoff airand into liquidation o runs DMX Inc in the US, is the liquidation means the THE RIVERDANCE EXYRAVAGANZA HAS FINALLY RETURNED TO T "r Y A 71 r i ;r LWI n M, > Jm MUSIC I ROM Tlli; SHOW » * * "l-*' • * :-0 jtî- ^ ?• RIVERDANCE EYOKES THE CELTIC PASSION AND RICH EMOTION THAT HAS CAPTIVATED AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES THE SENSATIONAL ALBUM IS OUT ON CD AND CASSETTE IN STORES FROM 28TH JULY NEWSDESK: 0171-921 59S0 or o-mail n NEWSFILE James aimsto raise MPA's profile EM(EMI Group enjoys increased market ils global share market rise share by 1% last jobthink in araising lot of thcpeople profile, think but record I still labelers ii year to a total of 19%, group chairman Sir Colin when,companics in fact, do ail wc thc bave Creative a lot work of crentsays. nt for lie. Southgate told the company's agm on Friday. Southgate impact," hc says. ing of rights, „ deliveredsaid il had satisfactory been a difficult résulta year. while but EMI HMV Music outperformed had MPA'sJames membership. also wants "The to surveypast secrc- the licensing."James is standing down as chair- the market Southgate also suggested the S35m savings didn'l bave 'ell, but theythe tee;man bis of placethe pop is beingpublishers' taken commit- by MPA ariseexpected quicker to resuit than fromoriginally its US planned, restructuring as it had should closed , Music'snight ago, Andv replacing Heath. Morne — to get t< the EMI US label earlier than envisaged. rameslly want hopes addrcssed," for a closer he says.working I nternThe Création imposes strict embargo c publishers. "Andy did a great th ationshiponset of withclectronic the BPI. deiivery, "With newetmanSf Création has reached an agreement with PPL in its bid circulatedto stop early a letterradio tobroadeasts every radio of andOasis TV tracks. station PPL has Oasisrestricting album them before from 6.30pm broadeasting on August anything 11. Any from early the Marsh builds RCA team broadcaster'sbroadeast will PPL be deemedlicence. to The be movea breach follows of the the threebreaking stations of an lastmonth.embargo on the band's new single by ready for autemn attack JohnReid Reid, takes the ex-marketing new roie directorin Canada of London Records, byM in Talbot working for the Company in New York, Marsh's absence, they will report to has been named chairman of PolyGram Group Canada. BMG music division président Jeremy financemost recently for BMG as Classics. Worldwide head of BMGMarsh chairman says it Johnwas important Preston. to put in chairmanHe will assume Joe Summers the rôle retires.in October Reid when has beencurrent président changesMarsh has at announcedRCA, which a sériéswill follow of senior the commercial"He is a very background," senior player says with Marsh. a real theplace company, a strong which management has a busy team autumn for of A&M/lsland/Motown Records of Canada sii Goldsmithdeparture ofand managing marketing director director Hugh face"Simon between will be marketing the administrative and A&R. inter- His Besides continuing work with Gary KLF's Cauty returns to recording Kristina Kyriacou. ariiy retuming job is to balance the books and give the Wu-TangBarlow, Mark Clan, Owen, RCA Olive,is planning Robyn andthe Jimmy Cauty, one half of the KLF, has made his first foray to RCA ai naging di first releases by former Take That star intoDrummond. a recording Cauty, studio a former since member he split of with Brilliant partner before Bill pressJoseph frora joined Sega UKthe twolabel years as headago. He of soapHoward star Donald,Natalie Imbrugha,former Neighbours London's linking with Zoo Records founder and Echo & The Mark Owen and North & South since Buming's Steven Houghton and hotly- Bunnymen manager Drummond, has been working on : threi moving to marketing two years ago, tipped pop quintet Five. The company solotracks project-titled at north London's Triple Konk A-will Studios. coïncide It is believed with a the Harvard Business School in the US 01 becomingIn parallel senior moves, product head manager. of promotions SIeeper a spécial event in October. SeptemberHe has appointed 1. Simon Robinson h tions,Dave Shackalso takingbecomes a director place onof promo-RCA's towardsMarsh the will end returnof November. from Har Evangeli switches to Logic andthe newDavid position Joseph of has commercial been promoted directe: t. relationssenior management manager Suzanneboard, while Old artist has to Hego ison only the thebusiness second course BMG execu- w< Former Proto founder and label boss Barry Evangeli has been promoted to head of artist relations. wide président Rudi Gassner was hasbeen hired appointed Lee Folios général from manager BMG as ofproduct Logic managerRecords, Heand cialRobinson responsibility will have at theday-to-day label. He flnan wai reportRobinson, to Marsh Joseph along and with Shack head will of first - which is designail industrie Jan Melhose from Sony as A&R co-ordinator, and also financial1995 and controllerhas spent forthe BMGpast twoUK yeariunti internationaldirector of A&R Anna Mike BroughtonMcCormack. and In itegyand ne experts to appoint a new sales team. Tower pulls out of Kingston Poole and Edwards fiveTower stores Records with hasthe closurereduced of its its UK Kingston, opération Surrey from store,six to end PR partnership northbut the London retailer this is setSeptember. to open a new store in Camden, Leadingis being disbandedindépendant foliowing PR partnership thc décision Poole by foundersEdwards HMV Classics is relaunched ways.Chris Poole and Alan Edwards to go their separate MV has teamed up with EMI Classics to relaunch the s launc m budget pricebatch HMV of 50 Classics popular label tilles, today A sampler (Monday) album with aration.Outside on"There August was 1, nosays dramatic it is an entirely bust-up amicablc over the sép-cof- containing sélections from these and future releases is feepast machine," couple of he years says. that "Chris we haveand I beenhave increasinglyfelt over the being issued at the same lime. Poole, who is launching his new opération iater this Silva Screen Screen Records' and recently-acquired Maverick German label Aegcan.Peter André, He will Mica be joinedParis andin thc George new veriture Michael's by soraelabel AndCMP the Records,partner and not headCP as of stated A&R atin Mavericklast week's in MW.the US LiamPoole McCoy.Edwards Furthcr staff including détails are Peter expected Mountsteven soon. and is Guy Oseary, and not as published. EdwardsEdwards employées has launched including Outside director with formerJudy Lipgey, Poole Cardigans collect BPI double officerassociate Joolz director Bosson. Gérard Outside's Franklin client and roster senior includes press Û' 1 BPISwedish sales bandawards The last Cardigans week, with scooped their twosingle CureUB40, and INXS, Mulu. DesTee, David Bowie, the V97 festival, Thc Lovefool going goid and their album First Band On The Edwards is also maintaining his association with n artist Bjôrk piayed a select 40-minu ThereMoon Forbeing You certifîed went platinum silver. The and Rembrandts' the compilation ITI Be Big representindependent his PRown man clients, Dave including Woolf, who Jamiroquai, will continue Kwcsi to Brewery last Monday (14). The Icelandic singer perte Mix '97 went gold, while silver awards were earned by developingand Beverly Three Knight. 4 Music,Woolf willthe publishingalso concentrate company on of old and new material, previewing several tracks fi World...EverMr Présidents S. Coco Jamboo and The Best Album In The launched by Edwards in coqjunction with Bucks Music fortheomingLFO programmer LP, Homogenic, Mark Bell. Shewith describes an eight-piece the album strir agementearlier this company year, and Famcchart he is involved as co-manager in Edwards' of Knight. man- iptember, as "braver, darker and simpler". .dotmusic > t t > SPICE GIRLS v PRODIGY AS MERCURY PRIZE GOES POP -p5 ► ► ► MUSIC WEEK 26 JULY1997 NEWS COMMENT McGee; a welcome friend in high places There will be few who will begrudge Alan McGee bis Strong pound prompts onePersonal of the triumph chosen infew achieving on the government's political récognition new as Thecreative past taskforce.five years have provided quite a rollercoaster ride for the one-time British Rail worker, front the record imports growoi gloryPersonal of Oasis's hell of - drug and problemsthus Creation's and rehabilitation, - relenfless rise to the B pies 49.3%XQ 9% (46.23(46.2%) and général multi into global record industry legend. by Paul Williams ^Butitis the smgles market in which Talking to McGee, it's impossible to miss bis huge The strength of the poun - -dies have lost -st^thmr doubtenthusiasm however-that for the lask. this There whole remains taskforce one idea nagging could lurn out to be little more than a government PR stunt. ime time the specialist multi- Luokily,prevcntthat if there's it is McGee. one person who will be determined ta market from ove s' shan 3 has risen from 28.1% to thepared gap with between 140.1 ts going exportsoc ih. further eraphasising the efiects Virgin: and there's more offersof the wideron singles, availability which wereof free once product only There will be plenty of record companies hoping Virgin 1997The Statistical new figures, Handbook, outlined in show the BPI'sthat multiples-rangingnrevalent in the indie from stores. Woolies Généra and will ease up the pressure after two years in which they CD exports rose by just 5.8m WH Smith to Asda and Tesco - cla.med weekhave swepl of Virgin ail productbefore them.