ELECTRONICA's LONG -TERM POTENTIAL NOW the FOCUS "It's
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ELECTRONICA'S LONG -TERM POTENTIAL NOW THE FOCUS (Continued from page 5) David Holmes on 1500/A &M; Josh variations are endless, ranging from tion, we were always shat on and over- artist prices do really well, but the iron- raves, which frequently draw thou- Wink and Jamie Myerson on Ovum/ the hip- hop- influenced trip -hop and looked [for a modern rock station]. But ic thing is we've laid out some of those sands of people, concert promoters are Ruffhouse/Columbia; Mulu and Beth breakbeat to the reggae- spiced jungle it was also our fault, because we individual artist's albums hoping for the also attempting to exploit and expand Orton on Dedicated; Talvin Singh and and ethereal ambient. Aggressive, couldn't commit to a lifestyle. We were kickback, and it hasn't happened," he this new audience niche. Howie B. on Island; Cornershop on uptempo techno sounds previously giving the owner a disco station during says. "The artists who were already This year saw several attempts at Luaka Bop/Warner Bros.; Moloko on aligned with the rave movement are the day, and at night we would try to established in the genre still sell con- bringing the typically underground Warner Bros.; Roni Size & Reprazent now also classified as "electronic." push forward the revolution with the sistently, but the whole [electronic] environs of live electronic shows to the and Lamb on Mercury; and Death In "There are a lot of people taking alternative house." music push hasn't done anything to road with festival -style tours. This Vegas and Lionrock on Time! Bomb. exception to the broadness of the cate- assuage or contribute to sales." summer saw the Electric Highway But for all of the product in the gory, but I think it's fine," says Mulu's BUT DOES IT SELL? tour, featuring Crystal Method and market, only Prodigy's Mute/Maver- Laura Campbell. "Quite frankly, the Despite a glut of product, Levesque THEY LIKE TO SCORE Fluke, while the Big Top tour hit the ick set "The Fat Of The Land" and sound is evolving so quickly and mutat- says sales are brisker than ever -and As majors explore new areas of road with 808 State and Loop Guru, Portishead's eponymous set are cur- ing into so many different concepts that not exclusively by the handful of acts exposure for their electronic acts, the among others. Another multi- artist rently on The Billboard 200, charted that have been embraced by main- field of movie soundtracks is proving to tour, dubbed Chaotica, was canceled at Nos. 59 and 150, respectively. The stream radio and video outlets. be reasonably effective, if not extreme- before it began. Prodigy set made its chart debut July "The visible artists are doing well, ly active. It's certainly a move that has 19 at No. 1. but we're also seeing sales out of some met with positive response from the THE ROAD MORE TRAVELED Regardless, the major signing spree of the second- and third -level artists artists involved. L.A. -based indie Moonshine Music, continues. High on the list of hotly tout- like Speedy J, Tricky, DJ Shadow, and "It's a union that makes perfect which toured label acts this fall under ed new projects due in '98 are famed Goldie," he says. The latter artist's next sense," says Transeau, who is among its Moonshine Overamerica banner, producer/DJ Scott Hardkiss' act God album, "Saturnz Return," is due out on the artists who contributed material to announced plans this year to enter the Within on Columbia and recently London Jan. 27. `The kids that are into the soundtrack to "The Jackal." "Elec- touring fray by launching its own con- signed Warner Bros. group Natural that have a scene of their own, and tronic music, by nature, is atmospher- cert promotions arm, Overamerica Born Chillers. DreamWorks is prepar- they're looking for stuff that's not on ic and cinematic." LLC (Billboard, Nov. 15). ing to bring revered U.K. act Pro - the charts or radio. Hip -hop is still that TVT Soundtrax is looking for an Moonshine president Stephen Levy pellerheads to the States in early '98 way. The kids are trying to one -up each encore performance of its million -plus considers these tours dubious, noting with the debut album "Decksanddrum- other and get to things first." selling "Mortal Kombat" soundtrack that there's a serious "lack of exper- sandrockandroll," while Virgin is eye- The success of many acts, however, with the follow -up, "Mortal Kombat: tise" in reaching out to the genre's fans. ing a February release for the latest is affected by regional tastes, says Annihilation," which features Juno "There is a certain naiveté about from Massive Attack. Sire will have an MULU Levesque. While acts that originate Reactor, Future Sound Of London, and what our market truly is and how to active first quarter with Jimi Tenor's from Europe or Detroit's renowned KMFDM. attack it," he says. `The other [tours] "Intervision," as well as new albums by it kind of makes sense to pull it all warehouse and club scene sell well for The "Spawn" soundtrack, mean- approached the electronic market as a Broadcast and Morcheeba. together for the world to consume." the Troy, Mich. -based retailer, Los while, paired such unlikely cohorts as rock market, and that's not relevant. Arista will get a jump start on the Recent mainstream electronic music Angeles acts, for instance, have had lit- Atari Teenage Riot and Goldie with Crowds go to raves because of the pro- competition Dec. 16 when it issues breakthroughs have been by acts cre- tle luck in the chain. Korn and Henry Rollins, respectively, moters putting them on -not because Robert Miles' "23AM," which shows ating a hybrid of sounds that also dab- Still, not all retailers are convinced to create one of the more inventive film of the artists in general. That was the Italo -house star opting for a more ble in traditional pop elements. The the genre is expanding sales. Chris accompaniments of the year. One cut missed, and there was an overestima- ambient/electronic sound this time. most notable examples are Olive, who Wester, music buyer for Minnesota- from that album, Filter and the Crystal tion of how many people were going to In light of this active product flow, reached No. 9 on Billboard's Hot Dance based Down in the Valley, says that Method's "(Can't You) Trip Like I Do," show up." it's no surprise that retailers are mild- Music/Maxi- Singles Sales Chart with while he has noticed increased media ended up with respectable airplay, In addition to a growing number of ly concerned about there being too "You Are Not Alone," and Sneaker coverage and the renewed efforts of peaking at No. 29 on the Modern Rock more engaging live acts, Levy says, much of a good thing. Pimps, which topped the Heatseekers record labels, sales remain static. Track chart. fans are becoming more educated The bandwagon mentality of many Album chart earlier this year with "The dance samplers at developing- Taking a cue from the popularity of (Continued on next page) labels, says Dave Levesque, a senior "Becoming X." music buyer for the 37 -store Harmony 1500's Blaine says nuances of the House chain, has wrought a flood of genre are already becoming perma- U.K. PONDERS APPETITE IN U.S. FOR ITS ARTISTS substandard product. nently entrenched in pop music. "Elec- (Continued from page 5) "As with any boom, whether it's a tronic music production will have a revival or interest in something new, major influence on the future. Whether trend (Billboard, Feb. 15). there are generally open. It's just mu- underground there." you're going to see a glut of releases," that music is classified as electronic or Now that bands that had been on sic to them." Electronica was never tipped from says Levesque. "Some releases are an not, there will be bands using those ele- such package tours as Electric High- Morcheeba vocalist Skye says that here to take the U.S. by storm; the lat- excellent representation of the style - ments. Techno will enhance, not way are back home, and Prodigy's star- playing support on U.S. tours to both est rock find, be it Suede, Blur, or and some are highly questionable." replace." tling No. 1 debut on The Billboard 200 Live and Fiona Apple enabled the Oasis, was expected to conquer Amer- On the other hand, others believe the for "The Fat Of The Land" is a sum- group to see new audiences. "Most of ica. For a decade, experimental "left - JOINT- VENTURE APPROACH genre will have a harder time fully con- mer memory, the notion of a new the gigs we do here are college gigs. field" dance has been left to develop at Some majors have opted to combat necting with mainstream audiences as "British invasion" of electronic acts The ones we did in America were dif- its own pace, without being touted as this problem by tapping into a rich field more than a passing trend. seems naive. ferent. We had rock audiences for the any year's big thing. of indie labels or individuals with an Still, labels in the U.K. are optimistic Live gigs, and for Fiona Apple there Yet suddenly, within a few months, expert grasp of the electronic commu- ROCK STILL RULES? that American fans will warm to the were anything from 16- to 17- year-old it was expected to take on the world's nity.