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. Evidence of this game of musical "Middle America still rocks, and they music as it continues to get rougher girls through to 40- year-olds." largest market. Music that was at chairs can be seen in recent deals that will always rock," says Arista A &R and dirtier, creates albums, and devel- The British music scene's diversity home in clubs and small venues was include the Los Angeles -based Thrive executive (U.S.) Jason Markey. "Yes, ops a taste for gigging. allowed these acts to develop, but the suddenly thrust blinking into the U.S. Records joining the newly formed Sire Prodigy does rock. But they're basical- Apollo 440 (Epic), Bentley Rhythm "trainspotting" obsession with creating limelight. Records Group. The first project from ly an English punk band with a lead Ace (Skint /Parlophone), Death In new subgenres, tagging, and classify- that deal is the multi-act compilation singer and beats behind them. That's Vegas (Concrete), and Supercharger ing can also limit creativity, say some MODEST U.S. SUCCESS "Sampling The Future," beat-mixed by different than a DJ. Do you think the (IndoChina) -known in the U.S. as musicians. Prodigy and Republica benefited DJ Donald Glaude. masses are going to get Howie B. ?" Supersonic-are among those in prime "Over here, everyone tends to deal from MTV play, and the Chemical A &M tossed its hat in the ring by Indeed, programmers of main- position to crack the States in coming with music by tempo," explains Griffin, Brothers doubled their U.S. sales to entering into a joint venture with elec- stream video and radio outlets, unable months (see story, page 5). "and if you're vacuous enough to do 600,000 units on their second album, tronic vets Philip Blaine and Gary or not committed enough to develop an From a British standpoint, it that, then it's ridiculous. People don't "Dig Your Own Hole," but most other Richards to form 1500 Records (Bill- audience in the genre, have relegated appeared strange that a new genre listen to music according to tempo." electronica acts have done more mod- board, June 28). The imprint's first the majority of electronic acts to late - could encompass techno, drum'n'bass, Despite the initial U.S. success of estly there, according to Virgin, with release, "Let's Get Killed" by Irish night airings and specialty programs. breakbeat, and "chemical beats," as Republica, or rather because of it, Photek and Fluke notching up 14,000 DJ/producer Holmes, bowed Oct. 6 and KACD (Groove Radio) Los Angeles well as mainstream dance and pop. much of the British press was against sales each. will be followed in March by a new was among the stations that used to mix Yet, paradoxically, the acts say, the the band, says the group's program - Because they are regarded as devel- album by former American act God a healthy dose of electronic music into wide boundaries of the U.S. concept mer/guitarist/songwriter Jonny Male. oping acts, such figures are not disillu- Lives Underwater. its playlist before switching to a more of electronic music have allowed them "They think that there's something sioning, says Lorraine Barry, head of Buoyed by its success with Prodigy, house- and hi- NRG- leaning format this to reach new audiences, free of pre- suspicious about us. One critic said we international for Virgin U.K., which Maverick has brought on new VP of summer. Jeff K., a former assistant MD conceptions and endless creation of come from the wrong side of lake looks after the Chemicals, Fluke, and A &R Jason Bentley. The noted club at KACD, says the station suffered subgenres. Ultravox." Photek. "It will happen for Fluke in jock, Quango Records co- founder, and from imaging and support problems. Paul Godfrey, programmer and Labels, too, see the dreaded E -word America because they will go back and host of two L.A. radio shows was "When it came time for this elec- writer with the three -piece Morchee- as an advantage. Juliette Joseph, head get more and more exposure to that instrumental in the pairing of Madonna tronic music phenomenon that had ba, signed to China Records' Indochi- of international at deConstruction Rec- underground market," she says. "Those with electronic luminary William Orbit, been built up in Time and USA Today na imprint here, found the U.S. a wel- ords, says, "If the term `electronics' acts have been developing their sound who is contributing to the production to come in and save alternative radio, come shelter from the "trip -hop" tag helps sell the music, then that helps us." for years. For them, promotion often of the pop icon's forthcoming album. the record companies were not looking with which British media had saddled Vanessa Rand is head of A &R for comes second to making the music and But while majors are scooping up as to dance stations," he says. "In Ameri- them. deConstruction's Concrete imprint, playing or DJ'ing, and so a fan base much street credibility as possible, the ca, most dance radio is R &B crossover, "It's quite refreshing to get out of which has such breakbeat and sample - existed before the media attention." battle continues over what exactly and we were perceived as this cheesy here. America actually understands driven acts as Dub Pistols and Death Fluke's Jon Fugler is still optimistic "electronic music" is. As with most dance station. I always had a chip on our music better," he says, noting that In Vegas on the roster. "It's a good about the band's performance in Amer- genre categories, it has fast become a my shoulder because we would be the "The Big Calm," the new album they thing that they bring it all under one ica and realistic about why, as he sees catch -all umbrella for a variety of first to play the lead track on an album, are now recording, will have country banner," says Rand of the U.S. indus- it, the U.S. business could not get hold sounds. The subsections and stylistic but when it came time to do a promo- influences on it, among others. "People try. "It's the new image of the dance (Continued on next page)

96 BILLBOARD DECEMBER 6, 1997

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