Kenwood Goes Kirshner Feted In London Wilburn Chelsea Columbia SQ Exec VP, Gen. Mgr Inks New Talent NEW YORK - Buz Wilburn has NEW YORK-Kenwood Electronics LONDON -A reception to welcome New Talent Search been named exec vice president and will introduce a line of good SQ prod- Don Kirshner to London drew top general manager for Chelsea Records, ucts. Kenwood (marketed in Japan Kirshner was in Europe searching the newly -formed Wes Farrell Orga- under the Trio banner) markets re- members of England's musical world. John Barry, who wrote "Born for new talent. Kirshner, president of nization record label which will be ceivers, amplifiers, tuners, tape equip- Kirshner Entertainment Corp. is the manufactured and marketed by RCA and compacts. The product Free" under Kirshner's supervision ment SQ and won two Academy Awards for man who signed and discovered Car- Records. line will be marketed in all of its ole King. David Gates of the Bread Wilburn will immediately start major markets around world. the song, Lynsey Rubin, Kirshner's the latest song -writing discovery; Ken group, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, signing new company personnel and The list of Columbia's SQ disk Glancey, managing director of RCA; Neil Sedaka and Tony Orlando of artists. system adherents is growing rapidly Dick Roe, head of Decca Records sin- Dawn. Commented Wilburn, "In recent both in the U.S. and Japan. In addi- gles division; Norrie Paramor and "We're looking for another Carole years, the trend of the industry has tion to Kenwood, other audio equip- B. J. Kingham, associates of Sir Lew King," said Kirshner upon his return been toward the independent produc- ment manufacturers who have be- Grade and Bob Baker, producer of from London. "We think we've found tion company as a means of specializ- come SQ system licensees are Sony, "The Persuaders" were among others her in Lynsey Rubin. Miss Rubin has ing creative needs. This evolution has Sherwood, Harman-Kardon, Master- to greet Kirshner. Also attending just produced "Storm In A Teacup," met with a lot of success but more work, Lafayette Radio, Radio Shack were for Kirshner. The song, as recorded often with failure. While it has Len Beadle and Ed Levy of ATV by and Instruteck Corp. Kirshner's London office. the Fortunes, has just been re- spawned an era of artistic innovation Columbia Records is also receiving leased but is already on England's top and creativity that has given us a key support from record companies 10 list. wealth of great music and broadened throughout the world. EMI, Van- Grammy Awards Currently the ATV -Kirshner Music recording talents, it has been self- guard, Stan Kenton's Creative World Group is a hot music publishing com- limiting because it did not have spe- label and CBS/Sony have all opted (Cont'd from p. 9) plex, with such international hits as cialization and personalized attention for SQ. "The Persuaders" theme by John Bar- in all areas of marketing. will begin with Glenn Miller nostalgic fy (winner of two Academy Awards "I believe that Chelsea Records will music by The Singers and Swingers, as the composer of "Born Free"). "Is set a precedent in the industry by Musical Isle followed by dinner, and climaxed by This The Way To Amarillo" by Neil fulfilling these conceptual needs and the telecast, announcements of addi- Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, re- being able to carry them through, (Cont'd from p. 7) tional awards and dancing to the mu- corded by Tony Christie (which re- utilizing the vast and far-reaching sic of Ray McKinley and his Orches- cently received an International Gold arms of manufacturing, promotion, belief that simplification of inventory tra. Record), "Son Of My Father" with and stocking procedures could pro- sales, marketing and the market - At Chicago's Marriott Motor Hotel, Chicory Tip, "If You Could Read My penetrating abilities of RCA Rec- duce a sizable upswing of sales. Smokey Robinson will host and the Mind," with Gordon Lightfoot, and At ords." least one additional major loca- Second City Cast will act as masters the recently released "Loving You Wilburn tion is expected to be opened within a of ceremonies at an evening devoted Ain't Easy," with Pagliaro. Prior to his new position, month, said Russ Bach, was exec director of A & R for Capi- vice president to honoring the nominees. Spiced In 1971, ATV -Kirshner Music Group tol Records, in Los of Musical Isle in the company's with entertainment, the event will in- tied as a leading publisher in BMI headquartering headquarters office in Hollywood, clude Angeles. Among the many artists he and personal performances by with Screen -Gems -Columba (which worked Glen Campbell, others are under consideration for the Hathaway, B. B. King and Kris Kris- Kirshner had formed). ATV -Kirshner with were future to provide an even broader ge- tofferson, plus Steve Goodman, John published smash albums and singles, Anne Murray, Helen Reddy, Sea ographical spread of market coverage Prine, Wilderness Road and the Chi- including such Beatle hits as Train, The Band, Wayne Newton, The for the firm. cago Symphony Brass Ensemble. "Imagine", "Ram","Uncle Albert", Letterman, Bobby Gentry, Peggy Lee, Nashville's party in the National "Plastic Ono Band", "Oh Woman, Oh Nancy Wilson and many others. Guard Armory will honor the nomi- Why", "Another Day", "Power To Wilburn will headquarter in the Klein Suit nees m.c'd by Ray Ste- The People", and "We Can Work It new Chelsea Records offices in Holly- and will be wood and New York, from where he (Cont'd from p. 7) vens, who will perform along with Out". Loretta Lynn, Mickey Newberry, Kirshner personally supervised will supervise the new label's world- Incidentally, there were no specifics Freddie North, the Statesman, Candi "Lazy Bones", with Johathan King, wide activities. in the McCabe article to indicate Staton, Conway Twitty and possibly "Yes, We Have No Bananas", with where his research into costs came the Al Green Show, flown in especial- Count Prince Miller, and "Girl of My from. ly from Texas for the occasion. Dreams", with Gerry Munro, are all UA Promo Meet on Klein continued to break down climbing high the music charts costs advising that studio time, throughout the world. Sees Changes freight, art, color separation and BeII1Howe TV Series HOLLYWOOD-United Artists Rec- overhead amounted to 69.9¢ per unit (Cont'd from p. 7) ords has just concluded a two day if the album sells no more than 600,- Although his primary aim is music, national promotion meeting in Los 000 units. Of course, it decreases as Adler, McGuire's De- Kirshner is also involved in television more sold. Barry "Eve of Angeles. Helming the various sessions are (In this week's edi- struction", many Jan & Dean sessions and film production. Kirshner is now was Gene Armond, national promo tion of Cash Box, Apple has an ad and Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" developing a television film series manager. Heading the list of UA at- that breaks down these costs at vary- which will be a musical western in- ing quantities.) LP. tendees were UA president Mike Making his debut as a producer volving a rock group. He is involved Stewart and vice president Bob Skaff. Klein concluded the cost breakdown with the Turtles' Top Ten "It Ain't if the idea proves successsful, he will Under a newly -instituted table of indicating that inventory costs ran Me Babe", he continued with "Win- in this project with Ernie Pintoff and organization, the label's promo opera- 65.2¢ and the concert oasts, which dy", "" and many oth- have created his fourth multi -media tion will be completely independent amounted to more than $200,000, ers for the Association before begin- group. He is also co -producing with of its branch organization, with all breaks down to 33%0 per unit at 600,- ning his long -running relationship Joe Cates, a daytime musical TV regional promo men reporting direct- 000 units. with . Among his show starring James Darren. ly to Armond, and all local men in The cost, therefore, "The music field is like a gold at 600,000 units many awards he is especially proud mine," turn reporting to their regional chiefs. sold is $9.16 per album, meaning that of his Grammy for "Record Of The says Kirshner, "and the After lengthy seminars regarding Apple loses $1.02 per LP. Year" creative manager is the person who as producer of "Aquarius/Let knows how to mine the gold." artists and product, and the formula- Meggs The Sunshine In", a 21/2 million sell- believes tion of a policy whereby regional pro- Letter ing #1 record by the 5th Dimension. Kirshner that the trend in motion meetings will be held month- He produced music will swing back to melodies A letter from Brown Meggs, Capi- also soundtracks for with simple tunes and a simple mes- ly in all UA districts, Armond an- tal Records vp, who was quoted Petula Clark and Elvis Presley TV nounced regional promotion changes. in the specials. sage. He also feels Broadway is ripe New York Magazine article, was also at the moment for Lerner and Lowe Tom Klimaski has been promoted distributed at the press conference. Howe is already represented on the and Rodgers and Hammerstein. to the position of eastern regional The letter written to New York Mag- Bell label with four albums by the 5th "Basically says Kirshner, "people promotion manager. Klimaski, former azine was written to "correct certain Dimension, including the two -record still want to be entertained." local UA promo staffer in Hartford, of the more glaring inaccuracies and "LIVE" LP currently on the charts, Connecticut, will remain based in that misquotations in the statements at- "Portrait", and "Love's Lines, An- city. tributed to me in the article." gles and Rhymes", all three gold al- Roger Bland has been upped to the Meggs denied that he supplied any bums, and "Reflections", a new collec- post of southwest regional promotion information to McCabe about the tion of earlier material. Hit singles manager. Bland, who previously had costs or profits of the LP. on Bell include "The Declaration", handled the label's promotion in Dal- "Puppet Man", "Save The Country", Klein also las, will continue to headquarter there. denied that Columbia "On The Beach", the million -selling Harvey Levitt, formerly with Lon- Records or Bob Dylan was getting a "", "Loves 25¢ per don Records, has been named mid - album fee from Capitol be- Lines, Angles & Rhymes", "Light western regional promo manager, cause Dylan is featured in the pack- Sings", "Never My Love" and "To- based in Cleveland. age. The 250 sum is an equalizing gether Let's Find Love". factor agreed upon at the time of the contract which gave Capitol U.S. disk distribution rights and Columbia U.S. Mesler UA Tape rights as well as CBS interna- tional disk and tape rights. Sales Manager In his legal action, Klein also asks Barry, Kirshner, Rubin HOLLYWOOD-The appointment of for damages for "injury to Abkco's Jack Mesler to national sales man- credit and reputation as a result of ager for UA Records, has been an- defendants' malicious, wrongful and `Venus' To nounced by Mike Stewart, president willful publication of such defamato- of the label. Mesler assumes his new ry matter. post immediately and is situated at All monies collected from the legal ATV -Kirshner the UA headquarters in Hollywood. action will be donated to the U.S. NEW YORK-World-wide publishing Mesler's most recent assignment committee for UNICEF for the ben- rights to the music and lyrics of was as southwestern regional sales efit of the Refugee Bangladesh Chil- "Venus," the hit song of the 1950's manager out of Dallas, Texas, a dren. The $150 million figure was ar- made famous by Frankie Avalon and position which he held for the past rived at by asking for $15 for each of Johnny Mathis, has been acquired by eighteen months. Mesler reports di- the ten million refugees. Uttal, Howe the ATV -Kirshner Music Group. rectly to Stewart.

Cash Box - March 11, 1972 47

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