SINGLES CHART: P.9: ALBUMS CHART: P.20 APRIL 25,1981 The record of the future mugENwa a 1 n 0 EXHIBITORS' STANDS are filling up fast for the 3rd annual Dealer Tour, organised by Music & Video Week and scheduled to visit seven regional centres during THE COMPACT disc, lipped by its developing companies as the record of the September. Europe's leading music business paper 90p future, seen alongside a conventional LP and the Sony and Philips CD players. Judging by (he bookings coming in, it looks as if dealers Dealer asks attending the shows will be able to meet exhibitors when is RRP THE LASER BEAM from large and small record companies as well as the newly opened not RRP? video companies. A DISPUTE over whether telling Note the dates in your the public what they can "expect COMPACT DISC to pay" for a record is the same diary now: September 15, as re-imposing RRP has been Bristol Holiday Inn; aired by dealers who object to September 17, price stickers on two recent WEA Birmingham, Albany releases. The Saxon picture disc of And MAKES ITS BOW Hotel; September 21 The Bad Played On, and the Newcastle, Gosforth Park SALZBURG: The compact the compact disc's development, to be no more expensive than a Hotel; September 22 Echo and the Bunnymen describe these as "revolutionary conventional high-class record Crocodiles 12-inch four-track disc digital audio system was improvements" which, coupled with player. J. J. G. Ch. van Tilburg of Glasgow, Albany Hotel; single, were both stickered by introduced to the September 24 Leeds, WEA with the wording "expect "substantially better sound Philips expressed confidence that to pay around £1.05". international music industry reproduction qualities", should "most major manufacturers will Queens Hotel; September here last week by the three ensure the system's "rapid success". adopt this system". 28 Manchester, Piccadilly As staff at Unitapes, of Long The system utilises the same 16-bit It is anticipated that the system Eaton, Nottingham, pointed out companies which have pulse code modulation (PCM) in use will be introduced to the world Hotel; and September 30 to MW, this appeared to deprive developed it in partnership, for professional digital audio market by the end of 1982, and London, Dorchester them of the right to sell at a Philips, Sony and purposes. CD recordings can .Richard Busch of PolyGram Hotel. higher price for a greater margin. PolyGram. Records Operations International While accepting that the stickers stated that there will be between 300 were removable and that a higher The compact disc has a diameter and 500 titles available in CD form. price could in fact be asked, they of approximately 4.7 inches, making By NIGEL HUNTER Lauder joins Island felt that stickers seen on the it literally pocket-size, has a playing He estimated that the compact records in rival shops would time of 60 minutes, and consists of disc will cost "approximately 30 per ANDREW LAUDER has joined therefore be made with existing cent higher than the normal LP Island Records as director of A & R, prevent potential buyers from metalised plastic containing the PCM recorders, and it is also today". paying the Unitapes price. stored sound information in The unveiling of the compact disc renewing his partnership with Island WEA MD Charles Levison computer code encapsulated in a possible to adapt existing analog chairman Martin Davis, a recordings to the CD standard with look place during the Salzburg relationship which stretches back to and sales manager Mike Heap transparent protective coating. the help of PCM processors. This is Easier Music Festival and at the stressed that WEA is not re- The disc is scanned from below by a major factor in view of the invitation of the Herbert von the early Seventies and United introducing RRP, but that in means of a solid state laser beam, immense number of conventional Karajan Foundation, which is Artists Records. Also moving to certain special cases such stickers thereby rendering the - system phonograph record versions already headquartered there. The maestro Island is Loader's assistant, Judith would be used as a way of immune from mechanical wear and available. attended the unveiling, which Riley. Both were previously with F- ensuring that the records sold in featured classical music conducted Beat Records which still continues to large volume quickly. other forms of disturbance. Philips CD players will connect directly to operate with Jake Riviera at the Heap said: "Certain releases and Sony, the companies involved in any normal hi-fi system, and are said by him and played on CD. helm. are being sold by us at a very low- dealer price, and we want that passed on to the customers, so Bellaphon UK's creditors that a lot of product is shifted because its price is very favourable. "It makes nonsense of our seek German settlement dropping the trade price in order to promote a record if the dealers COUNSEL FOR certain creditors of which it closed down so abruptly. then stockpile in order to sell at a Bellaphon Records UK which The German company was not higher price later." folded earlier this year with represented at the creditors* meeting massive debts, arc investigating the and managing director Branko Treaty Of Rome to sec whether they Zivanovic. have a case against the German Shortly before the UK closure, Ronco starts parent company — one of the largest Zivanovic signed a deal for rights to and wealthiest independent record the Beatles Live In Hamburg album operations in that territory. and a large quantity was shipped to two for price It was revealed at a creditors' the UK. Immediately prior to meeting in London last week that announcing the UK company's Bellaphon UK, which closed down closure, he apparently ordered the of one scheme in January just seven months after return to Germany of all the Beatles TWO ALBUMS for the price of one its much-publicised launch, had albums. Thus, the albums cannot be is the latest offer from Ronco in a total debts of £191,920 and assets of included in the assets. scheme for its two new compilation just £5,000 (£2,200 for office After the company folded, some albums — Disco Nites (RTL 2056A) furniture, £1,999 in unpaid capital of Bellaphon UK's staff carried out and Disco Daze (RTL 2056B). and unsold records). professional obligations with A flash on the album sleeve tells The major creditors arc finance from their own savings — the purchaser that he/she is entitled Woolworths, Record Company with promises that Bellaphon to the other album for no extra cost. Services, PRT and Cool King Germany would refund them. This A similar price structure applies to Records, Unless a solution can be did not happen and promotions dealers. found through the Treaty of Rome, manager John Holman has lost at to Television advertising starts in the it seems unlikely that they will least £2,000 of his own money. ■ Granada region this week, with a receive more than token payments. After the creditors' meeting he national roll-out, radio spots and Bellaphon Germany appears to told MW: "It's a fact of life that trade press advertising to follow. have shown little interest in the companies go bust. But what hurts Posters and poinl-of-sale material plight of either creditors or former in this case is the way that it was arc available to retailers. employees of the UK operation done." Talent/Tipshcej/Retjjiling 12 • BroadcastinR/Puhlishing/Classical 16 • New rcleascv 22- 1 23 • US commentary 26 • Diary/Select singles/Performance 27 • Video extra'— centre INSIDE pages MUSIC & VIDEO WEEK APRIL 25, 1981 Edited by JIM EVANS Music j Stiff success Deals p over the sea Avatar switches to By NIGEL HUNTER overseas. Lewie's Slop The Cavalry STIFF RECORDS and its joint has now sold two million mr Spartan from PRT general manager and worldwide." y AVATAR Records & Screenworks international director Alan Conversely, a market which has switched its distribution from Cowderoy expected to be relatively PRT to Spartan. Explaining the Cowdefoy in particular are easy to break — the US — has move, chairman Jon Brewer stated, discovering that it is eminently proved stubborn. "In today's market I feel that being possible to market British new "The US has been the most a young and aggressive label, we wave contemporary product difficult area of all the countries of need a young and aggressive sales overseas successfully, despite the world. 1 thought all the signs RCA'S GRAND Prix celebrated the highlight of their UK tour at the and distribution company." the cynics who maintain it were right because they speak Dominion Theatre in London, as guests of Manfred Mann's Earlhband, with a English there, they like English tea-drinking ceremony. First new releases under the doesn't mean a light beyond lyrics, and they must be longing for Most of the faces in the picture belong to a group of 50 Japanese students agreement is the Chevy single, The these shores. a change from their bland singer- who came to the UK on a sponsored rock tour with Japan's rock/pop Taker — released April 17. Two Even so, Cowdcroy, who joined songwriters, but they've not been on magazine Ongaku Senka which has organised this event for the past seven other singles, Herbie Armstrong's the fledgling Stiff four years ago us at all yet." years. Real Real Gone and Alvin Lee's from Phonogram, admits to having Stiff is not discouraged or Also pictured somewhere in the crowd are Ongaku Senka chief editor Mr Take The Money are set for April 24 several pre-conccived notions emulating the current trend among Fukushimo fanked by RCA joint managing directors Ed Lavish and John release.