NEW 1JMPLJT[FI UFTWA1L WAFTB See Page 30 SM 14011 E8049GRE CM_ YMONT00 MAAF4 MONTY GREENLY 03 10 NEWSPAPER 374G ELM UCY z LONG LEACH CA 90P07 L A Billboard Publication The International Newsweekly Of Music & Home Entertainment Oct. 8, 1983 $3 (U.S.) SALE PRICE $150 MIL LAWYERS, MANAGERS COMPLAIN Polytram Seeking New Acts: Labels Play lt Tight By PAUL GREI\ signings is brighter than it :rs during In fixing mechanical payments. Buyer For Chappell and SAM SUTHERLAND the deepest trough of the recession. record companies are now often de- licensing arrange- LOS ANGELES -New artists may There's also general agreement ihat manding a special By IRV EICHTMAN re- be playing a central role in rebuild- de facto artist roster "freezes," in evi- ment whereby songwriting acts NEW YORK -Chappell Music Indications are that PolyGram will ing the record /tape marketplace, but dence as recently as the last quarter ceive only fractional payment of the for and its associated companies are be- not reveal a potential buyer when its most major labels are still hanging of 1982, have now relaxed. 4.25 cents per song fee now called ing put up for sale by the PolyGram announcement is made. Finding a tough in negotiating new artist deals. However, label negotiators now under the provisions of the Copyright Group. purchaser is viewed as a longterm Most attorneys, managers and seek to minimize contractual risks Law of 1976. Most sources say labels Substantiating widespread rumors process, since a general consensus business affairs executives surveyed and contain investments through a seek to hold fees to 75% of the full rate, or just over three throughout the year, official word of holds that sale of Chappell would agree t hat the outlook for new act number of strategics: mechanical PolyGram's intention to divest itself command a selling price of about cents. of the giant music publishing entity is $150 million. This figure would New acts are increasingly being expected momentarily, informed eclipse by far CBS' purchase earlier Bow Concepts At NRBA Meet asked in contracts to meet a mini- Rumors of a divesti- of United Artists Music for mum commercial standard, not just sources indicate. this year By ROLLYE BORNSTEIN ture have been continually denied by nearly $70 million, the most ever the technical standard long integral the international music company, paid for a music publisher. NEW ORLEANS -A new top 40 format to debut full -time on the Satellite to label deals. That expectation now jointly owned by Philips of Holland CBS' UA Music deal is likely to Music Network, a merger proposal affecting Broad Street Communications, and translates to closer label scrutiny and Siemens of Germany. eliminate the company as a Chappell a new "Hot Country Hits" format to be syndicated by KalaMusic, a company during production, as well as to out- bidder because it is felt that its share heretofore restricted to the easy listening arena, are likely to be among key top- right cancellation of release of first of market in music publishing would ics of conversation at the National Radio Broadcasters Assn. (NRBA) conven- albums that are deemed unsuitable. meet with governmental restrictions. tion here this week. Artists' control over certain an- Warner Communications Inc., The event runs Sunday through Wednesday (2 -5) at the New Orleans Hilton. cillary release rights. including li- currently working out an internation- The keynote address will be given Monday (3) by FCC chairman Mark Fowler. censing of recordings to film and tv, PREVIEW al joint venture in recordings with NRBA organizers are stressing the full- service nature of the event, billing it as as well as midline release or antholo- PolyGram, operates Warner Bros. the "all radio, all inclusive meeting" of the year. While small and medium mar - gy usage, is reportedly weaker than 47 55 aes to (Continued on page 70) (Continued on page 70) in the past. (Continued on page 70) - Inside Billboard - THE HOME VIDEO INDUSTRY is well represented in Cannes this week, as are the video games and computer hardware and software industries, at the International Tape /Disc Assn. European Home Video Seminar, Vidcom, and Vidcom's new computer marketplace, MIJID. Page 3. An in -depth Vidcom preview can be found in Video, pages 47 -55. NARM'S RETAIL ADVISORY CONFERENCE in Carlsbad, Calif. turned its attention to a number of key issues, among them midline product, 12- inch singles, cassette packaging, Compact Disc and inventory management. Coverage of the event can be found on pages 3, 4 and 6 as well as in Retailing, pages 27 and 32; Radio, page 16; and Video, page 44. WEEI BOSTON has been sold by CBS Inc. to Helen and Mike Valerio, the owners of a chain of New England pizza restaurants. The sale of the AM outlet clears the way for CBS' purchase of Metromedia's KRLD Dallas and the four Texas State Networks. Radio, page 14. CASSETTE PIRATES in Singapore have been using Compact Disc tech- nology to manufacture high quality bogus tapes, according to Steve Traiman of For those who like their rock with a vengeance, Axe is the weapon of the RIAA. But Traiman adds that nobody has yet been caught doing it in the PETE BENNETT. A salute to the WORLD'S TOP PROMOTION MAN, who 3. choice. Their new album, "Nemesis," 90099, shows a deadly arsenal of U.S. Page was the personal Promotional Manager for the ROLLING STONES, the talent, and features the singles, "Heat In The Street," 7 -99850 and "I BEATLES, and individually, JOHN LENNON, PAUL McCARTNEY, as Think You'll Remember Tonight," 7- 99823. On Atco Albums or spe- WMZQ WASHINGTON is gettng a new morning man, Jim London GEORGE HARRISON and RINGO STARR plus many, many more. PETE leaves KIX 106 in the same city to join PD Bob Cole at the Viacom country out- cially- priced Cassettes. (Advertisement) BENNE I I was the first recipient of BILLBOARD magazine TOP NATION- let. He replaces Deano Delgallo, who will move to another daypart. Radio, page AL PROMOTION MAN AWARD. (see inside) (Advertisement) 14. (Ptdoortisement) fOl{1N_( is SUNS Ill ;It111:s \igNight lait., "Girls 4tir consecutive. "Terorrto's in Canada 'plaZinurn album of - 11; of receiving member 1la,1,,i frame self-titledt frgd is already Founding arid theSwingers errs ofHeres .40R Split Enz out on.. band's debut. fìAtrrendvus U.S: -1 lien readies the R yvnan, the Phil Judd in the älliurr4ie bÿ Brll throughout again is the solo album l Sne You his first albrar Produend is dggres Can by fat raffia 6-song ,ttini of Heroes and of a Sons a magical first single, this farm by Al Kooper, sive liiat fender... retail tntiiifi ans rt Produced [fop fond ta equal composed mix.of.rockand .` is &slated songs MCA 7 ) $6.988 list album uecess C all 36 -39010) Canadians Phil Judd.. (MCA edition 'IOro rit ! -9030) .. (SCR $5.98 list price in th' t .S. mat a_coágs psiE . c os t, t , s -n nt,,, www.americanradiohistory.com PHILIPS Introduces The Hottest New Line In Budget Cassettesysserres CLASSETTE The Name says QUALITY...The Price says ECONOMY PHILIPS CLAssETtE_ E RAVEL BOLERO DANSE MACABRE $R SORCERER'S APPRENTICE' CMS PRELUDE TO 'I'IiI; jLjN AFTERNOON OF A FAUN GRU,yIALxNcERT O AN BEINU M VHrvrt FOl11tNF.T CNCER .- LpS L!lY (:ON(:ER'l'G1?13Ol 'A6' URCHEST \ SS OR(;II1:S'l'RA STEREO ETr L' . , RTE mpOR STEREO IMPORTED 00 DOLBY SYSTEM 0 ONLY 398 for wir Imported Quality Dolbyized cassettes 15 fantastic titles including: Albinoni Adagio Brandenburg Concerti Chopin Waltzes S y m p honie Fantastiquea Rossini Overtures Dvorak "New World" See your Polygram salesman for: Free -standing browser /merchandiser display unit Consumer flyer MARKETED BY POLYGRAM CLASSICS, INC 9 FayGram CKlsscs. no www.americanradiohistory.com 3 News NARM Hears Of `Midline Crisis' Retailers, Label Reps Confront Category's Problems By EARL PAIGE When Losk said he did not find the beginning, it was $3.99 and $4.99. midline cassette sales encouraging, The $6.98 is not midline in the con- CARLSBAD, Calif. -The indus- NARM president Lou Fogelman of sumer's mind. WEA at $6.98 goes try is confronted with a "midline cri- Show Industries, Los Angeles, said, into the artist bin and then only sec- sis," one manufacturer told delegates "You're looking at the wrong ondarily into the midline bin," he here at the National Assn. of Record- stores." said, in direct contrast to Imber's ing Merchandisers (NARM) retail CBS' Paul Smith wanted to know point. conference Sept. 22. if dealers use sufficient signing and "What we see is that midline needs Polygram's Harry Losk said he special sections for midline product. to be freshened up," said Bill Golden sees midline at a crisis point, adding "This is a product that gets no air- of Record Bar. However, Lee Cohen "When the concept was first devel- play or press," he noted. of Licorice Pizza said there is grow- oped, you got a lot of great product. Smith said that CBS now has 1,000 ing customer expectation for midline But as you mine that catalog there is midline items and has released 130 in and that cassettes in the product cat- a natural decline in excitement. We 1983, "including nearly our entire egory are gaining. have 350 titles now. We're mandat- Christmas catalog for the first time." Identification of the product cate- ing the category to be put under a mi- Solomon seemed startled, asking gory came in for vigorous discussion. croscope -we've seen attrition." Smith if he thought the Tower buyers Same Passamano of MCA said, "We arC Ticking off a number of concerns, knew this.