Direct To Disc Production Rises Due To Consumer Demand Increases by Jeffrey Weber package has been designed to come into contact with the record only cn the outer LOS ANGELES - The success of the direct rim and the center label. disc recordings has given impetus to a Nautilus also offers a hand signed, sharp rise in their production an increas- as sequentially numbered edition of "The First ing number of companies are entering the In Line." The first 1,000 records pressed direct disc field, hoping to tap the large were hand signed by the artist, each disc audiophile demand. Prior to 1976 there coming with a notarized certificate of were less than a dozen direct discs authenticity. A purchaser of the special available. This year alone may find direct signed and numbered edition will have the disc production equal to the number total of option to purchase the same serial number titles previously available. Currently, there of any future release. are at least six discs soon to be released Audio Financing and at least five more in the production In a development unique to direct disc stages. recording, audio equipment manufacturers MILLENNIUM SIGNS FOSTER - Songwriter Bruce Foster, a descendent of Known for its superior sound quality and Stephen Foster, was recently signed Millennium a are beginning to play an increasingly im- by Records, new label subsidiary of lack of noise and distortion, direct disc Casablanca Records. Foster, the label's first artist, has been a session musician. His first portant role in direct disc production. In recording utilizes no multi -track recording LP, "After the Show," will be released soon. Shown the (l-r) : what may be the first modern direct to disc at signing are Iry Biegel, ex- techniques. The music is recorded live (an ecutive vice president of Millennium; Jimmy lenner, president Millennium: Foster commercial recording of a symphony of and entire side at one time) from the Victor Benedetto; vice president studio orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra con- and general manager of C.A.M. Productions. microphone console directly to a cutting ducted by Lorin Maazel will be featured in With claims of lower groove distortion lathe. This results in the creation of a Humphrey Will Receive an album to be released in early April. Ad- and increased dynamic range, a few master lacquer which is then plated, com- vertising, promotion, and distribution to yielding mothers which produce the record panies have produced discs to be played at RIAA Cultural Award retail stereo outlets will be handled by Disc - 45 rpm. The companies retaining the stan- stampers. Any mixing is done live, as it hap- Senator Hubert H. washer Inc. of Missouri, the prime financial dard - pens. Because of the nature of the process 33 -and -a -third speed cite an almost Humphrey will receive the ninth annual backer for the project. Discwasher is a loss in music on an editing is impossible. 25% album as a reason RIAA Cultural Award March 23, at a dinner record/tape accessory manufacturer. Ad- for not going to 45 rpm while others claim in the Washington Hilton in Washington New Releases vent Recording of Cleveland is creating a that today's fine cartridges sound worse at D.C. Sheffield Lab of Santa Barbara is the new label, Telarc, especially for this record a faster playing speed and may even be Humphrey will be cited for his support of largest producer of direct discs. While most and others that will follow. United Sound of ruined by the faster speed. legislation that led to the establishment of of Sheffield's products are recorded in Los Burbank, , and its affiliate, Crystal Clear Records of San Francisco, the National Foundation for the Arts and Angeles, the metal mothers are shipped to Phonopress Inc., will process and press the and advocate of the faster speed, has also West Germany where the records are product. Humanities, the John F. Kennedy Center incorporated the use of white vinyl rather for the Performing Arts, and the National manufactured. The completed record is Audio manufacturers are financing than the traditional black. The white vinyl Portrait Gallery. then imported to the . Shef- direct discs by advertisements in the album record is 30% thicker than a normal black More than 1,000 guests, including mem- field has a separate research and develop- itself. Direct Disc Inc., of Tennessee, is vinyl pressing. Crystal Clear has recently bers of Congress, heads of various federal ment facility in Big Bear, California, releasing an album supported by six adver- released an album featuring Laurindo agencies and record company executives devoted exclusively to advancing the tisers. In a double fold jacket, the inside Almeida, with an earlier release entitled are expected to attend. Singers Perry technical aspects of the process. cover is completely taken up with advertis- "San Francisco Ltd." Como and Ray Charles will entertain. Within two weeks Sheffield will be releas- ing. The Ear Drum, a Los Angeles audio White Vinyl Postmaster General Benjamin F. Bailar will ing "Discovered Again" featuring Dave dealer, reputed to have the largest selec- Marty Ansoorian, of Award Record present Humphrey a special album con- Grusin, Ron Carter, Lee Ritenour, Harvey tion of direct discs, has the center section. in Los Manufacturers Angeles, responsible taining a first -day -of -issue commemorative Mason, and Larry Bunker. An album of solo Teac Esoteric (advertising a $1,600 for pressing the white records for Crystal stamp honoring the centennial of sound classical piano, a year in the making, cassette deck), Micro-Seiki, Great Clear, told Cash Box that, although not yet recording. featuring Lincoln Mayorga, has just been American Sound, Dahlquisl, and the conclusive, the lack of traditional carbon released. Kenwood Professional Series round out the black in vinyl may make for a quieter Nautilus Recordings, a division of Orion rest of the inside cover, each featuring a record. Other companies assert that any RSO Withdraws Marketing of Shell Beach, California, has model in the top of their line. color other than carbon black would result just come out with "The First In Line" with Umbrella Records of Toronto has in a decrease in sound quality. Award uses $7M Stones Offer Randy Sharpe. In packaging their product, released their second direct disc, entitled black vinyl for the overwhelming amount of NEW YORK - RSO Records has withdrawn Nautilus developed a polystyrene cover "Nexus." Their first effort was a rock album its other business. a seven million dollar offer to the Rolling that reportedly protects the disc from dust, entitled "Rough Trade - Live." The United Due to the lack of tape, only a limited Stones for their recording rights in the Un- heat, warpage, and the conduction of static States Distributor is Audio Technica, a number of pressings can be made from any ited States after protracted negotiations. electrical charges. The cardboard jacket manufacturer of audio accessories and master if the original quality is to be main- The announcement came from the Robert and paper liner are eliminated. The new phono cartridges. tained and once the stampers deteriorate Stigwood Organization. No official reason no further duplicates can be made. Each was given for calling off the negotiations but record is then a "limited edition" and the a spokesman for RSO stated it was based Entertainment At NARM 1 retail prices reflect this, as audiophiles pay strictly on commercial considerations and from $12 to $25 per album. is not influenced by the personal affairs of RIAA Announces the artists. Haven & Arista Board Executives Sever NEW YORK - Jerry Moss, president of Relations A&R Records, has been elected chairman LOS ANGELES - Haven Records and of the board of the Recording Industry Arista Records have severed distribu- Association of America (RIAA), succeeding tion relations due to "philosophical dif- Mo Ostin, chairman of he board of Warner ferences," according to Haven vice- Brothers. president and general manager Eddie In other RIAA executive board develop- Lambert. The "amicable disassocia- ments following the recent NARM conven- tion," said Lambert, is official im- tion, D.H. Toller -Bond, president of London mediately. Arista had been distributing Records, was re-elected treasurer of the Haven's product for the past year. RIAA, and Allan Cohen, vice president of finance for Private Stock Records, was re- elected assistant treasurer of the organiza- tion. In addition, Terry Ellis, president of Chrysalis Records, and Neil Bogart, presi- dent of Casablanca Records, were elected to membership positions on the RIAA's ex- ecutive board. Pink Floyd Platinum SIGHTS AT NARM - Seen at the NARM NEW YORK - Pink Floyd's latest album, Convention at Century Paza in Los Angeles "Animals," on Columbia Records, has been (I to r) are: Herb Belkin, vice president of certified platinum by the RIAA. marketing and creative services of ABC FIVE WHO PLAYED - Attendees at the NARM convention were treated to 2 number of The group will begin a three-month Records; George Albert, president and concerts during the gathering. Pictured during performance are (clockwise starting top North American tour on April 22 at Miami's publisher of Cash Box and Jay Morgen- left): Tony Orlando, Shirley Bassey, Ronnie Milsap, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Janis Ian. Baseball Stadium. stern, president of ABC Music Publishing.

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