COUNTRY MUSIC, SEE "SPOTLIGHT LOUNGE ACTS ON LAS VEGAS" FACE CHALLENGES IN THIS ISSUE 08120 SEPTEMBER 11, 1971 $1.25 A BILLBOARD PUBLICATION SEVENTY -SEVENTH YEAR The International Music- RecordTape Newsweeklÿ CARTRIDGE TV PAGE 19 HOT 100 PAGE 60 0 r TOP LP'S PAGES 62, 64 Softer Sounds, Retailers Ring Up Heavy B &H Plant to $$ on Campuses 3 -Month Sales Gains Aud Magnetics By BRUCE WEBER By BOB GLASSENBERG By JOHN SIPPEL gust as the peak month of the LOS ANGEI.ES Audio sounds, LOS ANGELES - The mass - NEW YORK -Softer vol- last three. All agree that they Dealer Survey Magnetics, magnetic and video leaning merchandisers and full line less expensive groups that their re- have had to work to maintain NEW YORK The nation's tape manufacturer, has acquired mainly to the acoustical side of ume outlets report - has shown a steady this climb. They also agree that record retailers are enjoying the the manufacturing facility of the music scale, and many new, tail business Tape upswing since April, with Au- the business upturn will con- fruits of the widely reported Bell & Howell Magnetic non -chart artists are making tinue. retailing, a Co., of Irvine, Calif. Terms were campus appearance inroads this general upswing in Jim Schwartz, Schwartz Bros., survey by Billboard's chart de- not disclosed. fall. Although there is a dis- Washington, D. C., reported sub- indicates. Dealers quer- The acquisition of the 100,- in what agents think World B'cast parment crepancy stantial gains on five stores in on their business 000- square -foot plant enables about the money situation on ied reported manufac- Recordings Sold his chain over sales levels of a today as compared to three Audio Magnetics to campuses, most agree that the ago. Furthermore, sales at ture magnetic tape in six pro- entertainment committees have year months ago as follows. By IAN DOVE his recently opened sixth store, SALES UP DOWN ON PAR duction facilities: Gardena and become more discerning and Columbia Mall, Columbia, Md., Singles 45% 30% 25% Irvine, both in California; Mex- knowledgeable about artists CHARLOTTE, S.C. - Prod- 17% ico, New York, Canada and Broadcasting is delivering sales at 60 percent Albums 55% 28% since last year. uct from World Pre -recorded Portugal. It markets audio cas- Systems -producers and manu- ahead of projection. There has also been talk "The fact," Tape* 48% 6% 36% settes, cartridges and open reel college and university en- facturers of World Transcrip- interesting from Schwartz said, "is that each of * 10 percent of dealers queried tape in more than 75 nations, tertainment committees about tions from the 1930's-will be recorded tape did including several behind the available early next year on the our other five stores is different about pre- being shut out from holding continued on page 8 not respond. continued on page 66 shows in large arenas without a Jazzology label based here. fee to the local promoters. These George H. Buck Jr., head of cities include Philadelphia, San Jazzology, which deals mainly Francisco, Denver, Dallas, in authentic jazz, purchased the U.K. Pye Bows Hr., Memphis, Miami, Tampa, and World music catalog, and has continued on page 25 continued on page 66 24 -Track Albums By BRIAN MULLIGAN Music on March as Army Editor, Record & Tape Retailer LONDON -The Golden Hour label, offering 60 minutes of music -some LP's will have as Plans Closed -Circuit Net many as 24 tracks -for a recommended retail price of $3.60, will be introduced by U.K. Pye WASHINGTON - The U.S. An experimental programming in October. Army will set up its own radio division has been established, The brainchild of managing director Louis network to operate strictly at continued on page 4 Benjamin, the Golden Hour concept is not only military posts - providing the a considerable technical achievement by Pye's record industry with another IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII backroom staff but is also regarded as a value - major exposure outlet for prod- for -money innovation. It is hoped that the LP's uct. Tests of a new closed cir- NOTE TO RADIO will capture the public's imagination much in cuit radio operation for the the same way as did the company's pioneering Army will be launched within & RECORD COS continued on page 57 the next few weeks at Fort Car- LOS ANGELES - Starting son in Colorado. Purpose of the Tuesday (7), all records (singles new closed circuit radio system and LP's) for review should be 5 prepare for their basketball gane against a will be to provide command in- sent to Record Review Dept., The Jackson Bid Discrete Dialog formation material to military Billboard, 9000 Sunset Blvd., "Dream Team" composed of Elgin Baylor, Ben Davidson, By CLAUDE HALL personnel at installations in an Los Angeles, Calif. 90069. All Rosey Grier, Elvin Hayes and Bill Russell. Actio takes place The Federal Communica- entertaining way. Thus, the sta- radio stations, please send sta- airing WASHINGTON - on J5's ABC -TV special "Goin' Back to Indiana," tions will program contemporary tion lists to the Charts Dept., tions Commission has asked for general comments music. Music programming will Billboard, at the same Califor- September 19 at 7:00 p.m. E.D.T. Motown is rush releasing on a petition by KIOI -FM, San Francisco, to 4- quadrasonic sys- originate at Headquarters, U.S. nia address, starting the same an album, "Goin' Back to Indiana," which will also include broadcast in a discrete channel tem. The petition filed by James Gabbert, owner A r my Command Information date. on their recent 40 -city national in- person material recorded continued on page 66 Unit here. Iillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll tour. (Advertisement) ( Advertisement i aekson "GOIN' BACK TO INDIANA" SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 raj ive 7:00-8:00 P.M. E.D.T. (6:00-7:00 P.M. C.D.T.) ABC-TV M 742 L M 742 L MOTOWN RECORDS MOTOWN RECORDS www.americanradiohistory.com > G rutñJefferson label z shlDping nowFT cer'ìfued gold 1ÓÓ1 PKFT-1001 Manufactured an IStributed Y RCA Records Tapes GRUNT logo © 1971 Afterthought Productions Corp. www.americanradiohistory.com General News EDITORIAL Free -Form Rock Play Backers MoreApparentThan Real Challenge FCC Control Policy unusual disrup- WASHINGTON The FCC's man Tracy Westen of the Stern any moment in time -sometimes The past months in our industry have witnessed - Community Law firm here, has up to 6,000 or more LP's, as from the manufactur- recent warning the broadcast li- tions at virtually all levels -many executives censees might be giving up too moved to challenge the commis- against the 40 titles available to a ing, promotion and wholesaling segments have been through that re- much control over record selection sion's general policy remarks on top 40 playlist format. The licensee volving door. At first blush it is a sad scene indeed with qualified in the free -form progressive for- the free -form programming, just as may pre- screen the whole library if executives in a state of confusion. mats has been challenged by the he has done in petition against the he wishes. Don't be misled by this picture. It is more apparent than real. petitioners for free -form rock pro- FCC's drug -lyric policy warning. The petitioners' brief reminded It reflects an industry troubled many months by tight money and gramming on Des Moines station Westen said the FCC's statement the FCC that in its "clarification" problems which are now being dissipated. KFMG -FM. (Billboard, Aug. 21, made in a letter denying the statement on the drug -lyric policy, other general economic KFMG petition for stay of the The solid rock upon which our industry is built is creativity 1971.) it suggested that the licensees could - At the same time, the petitioners transfer, has generated "substantial is A in this issue) "delegate" to disc jockeys the job which reflected in sales. Billboard survey (carried said they have withdrawn their concern" in the broadcast industry. indicates beyond a doubt, that sales in every configuration, from The Westen brief asked the Fed- of screening any records they con- original plea for stay of the trans- sidered pro -drug. (Billboard, May singles to albums to tapes, are mounting. In fact, some retailers, its new eral Communications Commission fer to KFMG to owners 1, 1971.) such as Jim Schwartz, credit some of their outlets with annual in- (Stoner Broadcasting) because the to make it clear that the free -form creases of as high as 60 percent. This is symptomatic of the new threatened full - time progressive programming -which is basically "Petitioner submits," said Westen, breed of retailer; the retailer who believes in full inventory- inven- programming has been largely re- a free choice out of many selec- "that a licensee should be able to tory which blows the minds of the buyers, be they jazz, classical or stored, with only minor flaws. tions, made in response to com- delegate to its announcers the rock buffs. The KFMG petitioners' spokes- munity request, and fully avail- record -by- record selection of music able to licensee control -does not to be played, and that this flexi- This is symptomatic of the new type of outlets opening in the run counter to the rules of licensee country. bility serves the public interest at new shopping malls and high traffic centers all over the responsibility. least as adequately as the short What we are telling you, readers, has been said before in many It was pointed out that the basis (and therefore "rigid ") playlists. ways by many noted record pioneers. It is the bottom line that Douglas Coast of free -form programming was the Petitioner believes the commission counts, and that bottom line is headed for its greatest peak yet.