SINGLES: P11; ALBUMS: P26 MAY 31, 1980 RECORDS IAD RETAIL\GVIDEO BROADCAST 1 \GSTD OS D3LISI \G Europe's Leading Music Business PaperA Morgan -Grampian Publication80p What, another EMI replacing RRP album? By RODNEY BURBECK LET ME make it clear from the start that I havenotbeen on the poteenbeforewritingthis story. But did you hear the one about the Irish singer, the Italian with 'list price' plan producer, the American major record SHAKING HANDS abovetheir and the English EMI RECORDS has taken a positive step retail prices clearly indicates that these are not being respective national flags, Larry Page company? reflected in prices charged to the consumer and their (left) and Takayasu Yoshioka. Listen while I tell you. alongtheroadtowardsabolishing usefulness has inevitably come into question." JohnnyLogan won the recommended retail prices with a new pricing EMI is telling the dealer to fix his own prices at a level EurovisionSongContestfor structure which replaces RRP with a "list he can live with and by not publishing a RRP it is hoping Larry Page's IrelandwithWhat's Another price". to discourage "money off" offers. Year,right?HisIrishrecord The company has been able to contain most dealer company, Spider, leased the song At the same time it has held dealer prices of pop albums prices as a result of its cost-cutting efforts of the past year joint venture through Release in the Republic - although with its last price rise nearly a year ago it - including swingeing redundancies. of Ireland and signed Logan to would have been justified in raising them at this time. It is One aspect of EMI's prices package - bringing tape CBS/Epic for therestof the also reducing tape prices by up to 15p, but singles rise to prices into line with albums - will be welcomed by in Japan world. 70p - coming into line with most other companies - and dealers and consumers. And the second part of the TOKYO: A new Anglo-Japanese Are you with me so far? classical albums rise to £3.29. package -a re -launch of the "Poundsmashers" discount recording venture has been forged Enter the album. Last week In a letter to dealers this week, managing director John scheme due to be announced next week - is also expected here between Britain's Larry Page Pye Recordsrush -releasedan Bush claims: "The overall effect of these measures should to please dealers. and Takayasu Yoshioka, president album, Johnny Logan (N129). be very limited indeed as regards your total costs." Instant dealer reaction this week came from Martin of Discomate Records, a subsidiary But wait, a full page ad in last But some dealers may regard the new list prices, some Anscombe, of The Pop Inn, Thetford, Norfolk: "So of the Tokyo Broadcasting System week'sMWannouncedanother of which are substantially lower than the previous RRP, what? I see no difference between RRP and list price. I'm and JVC. Johnny Logan album - exactly as being tantamount to a reduction in margin. The new sure some shops will just change the wording of their They have formed an operation the same as Pye's except this one album list prices (with former RRP in brackets) are: mid offers to 'so much off EMI's list price'. And some of the called Union Sun Alliance which is containsthehit single - price £3.30 (£3.45), standard pop £5 (£5.29). new list prices definitely represent a cut in margins. But viewed by Yoshioka as "the start of "available now only from Justifying the move away from RRP, Bush writes: we must thank EMI for holding most of the dealer prices an enterprise of international Spartan". "The current extent of discounting against recommended down." significance to the record industry". Consternation at Pye and a Artists on USA will be produced certain amount of cigar -chewing or acquired by Larry Page .for USA over at CBS where plans for a SOME LABELS may be feeling and distributed in Japan exclusively follow-up single andanewly the draught, but there is plenty by Discomate and in the UK by his recorded Johnny Logan album Boots moving into of good cheer at Capitol Records own Rampage Records. Placement (yes, another) were being - as you can read in the label's in the rest of the world will be at So will therealJohnny Logan special 12 page supplement inside Page's discretion. album stand up please? this week'sMusic Week.General Discomate was set up in 1976 and Sorry, dealers, but they areall manager Martin Cox talks about that year had a three -million seller legitimate.Althoughthere is videoat low prices his year at the helm, and there with the Page -produced Beautiful some chuntering at Pye about By SIMON HILLS are all sorts of crazy price structures. are details of all the bands like Sunday by DanielBoone.The seekinglegaladviceontheir "We are looking ata price of Dr Hook, Bob Seger and Sammy company now distributes Abba in position. BOOTS HAS committed itself to sellingpre-recordedvideomusic £19.95 as we think itis right in the Hagar who have giventhem Japan as well as many other best- I'll try and explain the next bit software and is planning a special same way as albums don't really sell week after week of chart success. selling Japanese and international as concisely as possible. Italian for more than £4.95." artists. producer and songwriter launch of four music video cassettes retailingat£19.95Insteadof Mirauer also explained he expects Roberto Danova recorded 11 recommended prices of between £20 the prices of video cassette to come tracks with Logan beforethe down anyway and that while people contest for his own label Ritz and and £30. The sales push has been organised haveabettervideo thanaudio ReleaseinIreland.Afterthe by the company's equipment buyer, "memory", the music element will contest,Logan's newlabel, Walter Mirauer, and will help introduce repeatability to the Spider,turned down theold ToThe video programme. tracks, as did CBS, preferring to featureBlondie'sEat BOXY MUSIC Beat, Black Sabbath, the Average He went on to say,that video go with new material. White Band andthe Boomtown cassette sales will help prepare the So Release added the hit single Rats. Mirauer emphasised that they company for the advent of the video - for which they have the rights will also tie in with album sales. disc where it sees a mass market. inEire, remember - and the "Because both Blondie and the Plans are also being made to use FLESH ± BLOOD resulting album was picked up by Average White Band connect with a the Videad in-store video promotion export company Derby Records record so it is very attractive to us," service,topromotethevideo who promptly did a deal with he said. "We see the combination of cassettes along with audio albums. It Spartan for this country.. audio and video as highly desirable. is due to begin in mid -June when all Nothingwrongwith that ' "We have a view about the pricing the product is on the market. NEW ALBUM -AVAILABLE NOW underEECregulations. ofpre-recordedvideo material See Video Special, pages 16, 17 Meanwhile, Pye heard there were and 20. some Johnny Logan tracks up generally and, as with records, there ALBUM POLH 002 CASSETTE POLHC 002 for grabs, leased them for the UK and rushed out an album. They knew CBS didn'twant them, but they weren't aware Floyd win the Silver Clef that the Irish album was on its way across the Irish sea. PINK FLOYD have won the 1980 Music Therapy Silver Clef award for services So, dear dealer,if you are to British music. Floyd's Roger Waters will receive the award from the Duchess of Gloucester atthe Music Therapy annual lunchatthe faced with a confused customer Intercontinental Hotel on June 27. wondering which Johnny Logan The charity, which aidsseverelyhandicapped children through music, album to buy - just tell him the celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. one about the Irish singer, the News of the establishment of a new permanent centre, augmenting the work Italian producer ... carried out at the Goldie Leigh Hospital in Plumstead, will be announced at The dispute over who should the lunch. manage Logan was settled out of Tickets for the lunch can be obtained from Anthea Norman -Taylor, at E.G. court in Dublin last week. Management, 63a Kings Road, London SW3. Tel: 730 2162. Retailing p6 International p8 Video p16, 17, 20 Tipsheet/Talent p21 Singles and albums listings/Select Singles p24 Classicalp28 Chrysalisfeature INSIDE p30 AmericanCommentary/LP reviewsp34 Opinion/Performance/Dooley's Diary p35 Capitol advertorial see centre pages. MUSIC WEEK MAY 31, 198U Virgin offers President launchesnewjazz low price on three LPs label Et country music series LIMITED EDITION special prices are being offered by A NEW mid -pricelabel Gryphon Records, of New York, album, Here I Love You, produced has already been a US hit and is in Virgin Records for several aimed mainly at jazz fans, and includes albums by Lena Horne, by French recordcompany, the UK discochart.Catalogue current releases. Gabrr Szabo, Mel Torme, Ruth Garance. numbers: MER 14 for the ordinary The first 10,000 of Devo's new and a new mid -price series Brown, plus a live album, Montreux The country series from President seven-inch version, and MERX 14 album, Freedom Of Choice, for country music - both '79. will carry the prefix PRC 100 and for the 12 -inch. includes a free colour poster retailing at a recommended Futureproduct will include firstreleasesincludealbumsby materialfromproducerAubrey Johnny Paycheck, Stonewall CO-INCIDING WITH the and the first 2,000 cassettes will £3.50 - are being launched company's anniversary, retail at £3.99. Mayhew and includes the rights to Jackson,BobbyHelms, Lloyd 20th The first 10,000 copies of by President Records.