Movie Ever Made Place

pop -rock are totted up, Jung keeps his eye on the great major- lando. As for the new wave of German "alternative" pop, Lock 'T' IL,IÉI_ 'T' IÌII ity, the MOR fans who love the music of Howard Carpendale, sees chances for German -language music on the continent. In baritone Marco Bakker and Heino. the U.S. and U.K. one would have to synchronize the lyrics, The alternative so- called "green" music is a way of express- probably impossible for many of the bands. "But we're now in ing opinions about the state of the world, but buyers of MOR the foreground of the alternative movement," he says. repertoire simply want to relax and be entertained, he says. Jochen Leuschner, head of national a &r at CBS, based in There have been deep expressions of pessimism about the Frankfurt, agrees it was considered, until comparatively BRINGING HOME German record industry but now Jung, and his colleagues, recently, impossible to create good rock or pop using German rContinued from page T-I see reason for "mild optimism- though by no means satisfac- lyrics. Artists insisted on patterning themselves on acts from tion. I think the trade will overcome its insecurity. the U.S. dangerous nationalism. But German youth has a new sense or U.K. "My belief is: rather 1% less of market share than 1% democracy and has learned to express its discomfort and off For him, the change came with the first chart successes of the profit margin." elings." "pioneering" artists like Udo Lindenberg, Nina Hagen, Peter Siegfried E. Loch, managing director of WEA Music in Ger- There are times when half the chart positions in Germany Maffay and Marius Mueller- Westerhagen. Some of the Ger- many, also reflects on the changes going on, especially as day come from German studios. And some 35 %of EMI Elec- man- language productions were so strong musically that it they affect the tastes of the record buyers. "Today's batch of ola's total turnover is generated now by national product. was obvious they had a chance of commercial success abroad. 13 -17- year -olds no longer accept that rock'n'roll can only be Contrary to new wave and punk rock as evidenced in the Leuschner picks out as prime examples Kraftwerk and Hagen. sung in English. They've done away with the old ideas and dis- U.K. and the U.S., Jung feels that Germany's new flush of al- Today's trend towards German lyrics is a socially -based one covered their own language. ternative groups and artists write constructive lyrics and show which he describes as "a new patriotism," a trend by no "They want to be able to understand fully the music they support, albeit criticism as well, for the state. means restricted just to the area of entertainment. like. They now believe that German is every bit as good as Eng- He reckons young fans have switched over to German lyrics Young pop fans, he says, no longer go looking for idols in m lish. And that's why it will be increasingly difficult for foreign because they are "bored" by productions from the U.K. and the show- business establishments of America or Britain. The acts to get their product in the charts." punk movement that originated in Britain grabbed a hold in á America. And his attitude is equally in line with other top Ger- Since WEA in Germany set up its Formula D campaign, m man industry executives when he adds: "Our music industry Ger- Germany but in an original way and was extended into the do- man productions have boomed. Loch says WEA was a pace- mestic rock scene. has outgrown its tendency towards imitations which, along - m setter in the push for local music. "Now German product rules side the disco wave, just about brought our business to the But while encouraging each new development, the CBS re- á the marketplace," he claims. "Last year we couldn't even lease E brink of disaster." philosophy remains: "Quality before quantity." imagine that a group like Ideal or Marius Mueller-Wester- Now he's pleased with the new orientation towards German Peter Kirsten, Global Music chief, recalls clearly the days hagen would sell 200,000 albums even before they hit the when music. Top spots in American or British charts, he says, no the road to Germany was a one -way street in the music charts. But today's sales figures prove that never before has business, longer add up to a free ticket to the German best -seller lists. with Germany essentially on the receiving end. But the German scene created so many new names, almost over- now, he REO Speedwagon, he points out, were high in the U.S. charts says, Germany is recognized internationally as a night." source nation. for weeks on end but created barely a ripple in the German And he cites Bots, DAF, pop pond. Spider Murphy Gang, Fehlfarben, "No producer in the world cares where a song comes from if Rheingold, Ideal and BAP, all in the six -figure it's right for his he EMI Electrola in Germany developed a concept of "erasing" sales category artist," says. "That's very different to a few with each release. years back." the basic prejudice in the country against multinational corn - panies by giving newcomers creative freedom. The company Loch likes to recall the history of the German music mart. In As music publisher, Kirsten offers his original copyrights di- has formed small production teams that operate independ- the mid- 1970s, he says, Munich was a talent melting pot for rect from Munich to the U.S., and with success, too, as evi- ently and, as Jung puts it, "have their antennae tuned to international groups. Giorgio Moroder and Pete Belotte dis- denced by the Jacksons' "Blame It On The Boogie" and more young talents." covered Donna Summer. Producers like Frank Farian (Boney recently K.C. & the Sunshine Band's "Dancing With My The Welt Rekord and Musikant labels have presented Jung M.) and Dieter Dierks, and acts and names like Tangerine Shadow." and his team with almost 90% as a success rate. Virtually ev- Dream, Klaus Schulze, Kraftwerk, Klaus Doldinger and Super - As a label chief, Kirsten foresees a continuation of the trend ery album released has scored, and names involved include max's Peter Hauke were "setting new standards that even towards rock. It's reflected in two of his current releases, both Rheingold, Fehlfarben, Bots, BAP, and the Spider Murphy aroused enthusiasm abroad. featuring foreign artists who arrived in Munich to give a boost Gang. And there's clear proof that musicians in the rock idiom "For years, James Last has been a key musical export. Ger- to their careers. feel comfortable with the EMI free rein policy. All these acts man electronic musicians influenced bands like Ultravox in In fact, Rhonda Heath didn't fly in from New York for Global have sold hugely. Britain. Conny Plank showed new dimensions in music pro- but for Silver Convention. She was nearly three years with the Now Jung aims to intensify his selective release policy, duction." disco group before it broke up in 1977, touring the world with o which has given EMI the best chart score of all German record And Berlin received vital impulses through the long stay the act. Then, a session singer basically, she met guitarist ñ company. "The courage to show self -discipline and be criti- there of David Bowie. There was Nina Hagen. Groups like Guenther Moll, who produced her first album. The set is "For- m cal," he says, "plus setting priorities, brings us back to a Ideal and Interzone. ever And More," due out January on the Global label, and it's co healthy trading situation." He cites foreign artists who have launched careers in Ger- nothing to do with disco. m But he says he'll not lose contact with one key target group: many: Donna Summer, Helen As interesting, with an even stronger rock flavor, is Ricky Schneider, Devo, Al Jarreau, N the MOR buyers. While massive sales for new wave German Manhattan Transfer, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Tony Or- (Continued on page T-4).13) co MOVIE EVER MADE - T GERMAN PLACE. YOUR MARKET IN by and produced written PASSPORT DOAT«, music man hind »ME DODINGER' the KLAUSUs www.americanradiohistory.com.

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