CDs, Home Video Rentals Stoke The Fire Jan. Sales Warm Dealers' Hearts This story was prepared by Earl December's brisk pace as bills from and sell- through -video movies," Paige and Chris Morris in Los An- their large fourth -quarter buys says Ross. "Both categories exceed- geles, Edward Morris in Nashville, came due. But in recent years, Janu- ed expectations this month, and and Geoff Mayfield in New York. ary has emerged as a strong record- both were hardware driven." business month. Like Goman, Ross Exercise titles were a leading cat- NEW YORK Home entertainment points to fourth -quarter hardware egory for video sales in January, retailers say hot compact disk sales purchases as a catalyst. says Ross. and video rentals helped their stores "January has gotten better be- CDs earned 50% of the volume for overcome January's wicked winter cause it has been stimulated by CDs (Continued on page 72) storms. Record dealers characterize cur- rent music product as tepid, but EMI Executives. EMI Music Worldwide's new board, which was appointed after the reorganization of the company's management in 1987, meets for the first time they say strong postholiday CD sales led to January increases. For in London. Shown, back row from left, are Guy Marriott, board secretary; Colin Bon Hodgson, office of the chairman, finance; Richard Burkett, managing director, some chains, the configuration ac- Jovi, Houston Top manufacturing and operations, Europe and international; Rupert Perry, managing counted for as much as 50% of the director, EMI Records U.K. Eire; Allen month's music volume. and Herford, office of the chairman, human resources; David managing EMI Meanwhile, as anticipated, video NARM Best-Seller Lists Stockley, director, Music International; Don Zimmermann, president, international marketing, EMI Music; and Alexis Rotelli, stores and record -video combos for U.S. sales of 4 million copies last BY PAUL GREIN managing director, EMI Music, continental Europe. Shown, front row from left, are profited from an unusually strong year, wasn't among the NARM fi- Peter Andry, president, international classical division; Bhaskar Merlon, chairman assortment of traffic- building rent- LOS ANGELES Bon Jovi and nalists for best -selling album. But and chief executive officer; Joe Smith, president, Capitol Industries -EMI Inc.; and al titles, with "Dirty Dancing," "La Whitney Houston, two of the hot- the trio's pop /crossover rap block- Irwin Robinson, president, EMI Music Publishing Worldwide. Bamba," "Predator," and the long - test hit-making machines ever to buster was nominated as the best- delayed "Platoon" leading the pack. come out of the Garden State - selling black music album by a Music sales at Tower Records' 42 New Jersey-are among the top group. In fact, because of its sales U.S. stores are "way up," according nominees for the 30th annual Best volume, the album is considered to to Stan Goman, the chain's execu- Seller Awards sponsored by the be the front -runner to win that EXECUTIVE TURNTABLE tive vice president, who reports a National Assn. of Recording Mer- award. i 34% increase in overall volume and chandisers. The Best Seller Awards are voted a 20% comparative-store increase Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" on by NARM member retailers, RECORD COMPANIES. MCA Records /Nashville names Chuck Rhodes to the for the month over January 1987. and Houston's "Whitney"-each of rackjobbers, and one -stops. The newly created position of director of adult contemporary promotion. He was Like several other retailers, Goman which sold more than 5 million awards are considered the only in- the music director at KVIL -FM Dallas /Fort Worth. MCA Records promotes cites new CD players bought during copies in the U.S. in 1987 -are dustry recognition of over -the- both Frank Turner and Billy Brill to the position of vice president of promo- the holiday -selling season as a cata- among the finalists for best-selling counter sales of prerecorded prod- tion. They will be based in Atlanta and Sun Valley Calif., respectively. Turner lyst for music sales. During the album, along with three albums uct. was national promotion director, and Brill was national singles promotion di- month, the configuration pulled 45% that sold more than 4 million copies In addition to being nominated rector. of the record division's sales. domestically last year: "White - for the top award - best-selling al- A &M Records in Los Angeles makes the following appointments: Chuck The 616 stores operated by Min- snake" (which has since advanced bum -Bon Jovi is a finalist for best- Gullo is named vice president of distributed labels. He was Chicago regional neapolis -based Musicland Group to the 5- million -sales plateau), Mi- selling album by a group. The band sales manager for the label. Aileen Randolph is appointed product manager. "did fine in January," says Gary chael Jackson's "Bad," and U2's took that title last year with the She was an executive assistant at Wing Records. Ross, senior vice president of mer- "The Joshua Tree." same album. Bon Jovi is also a final- CBS Records Special Products in New York appoints John P. Penna to the chandising and marketing. The Beastie Boys' "Licensed To ist for best-selling music videocas- position of national director, marketing and sales. He was a group product Not too many years ago, many Ill," which was certified by the Re- sette. All of the nominees for manager at Economic Laboratories. music webs would dread January- cording Industry Assn. of America (Continued on page 24) Elektra Records in New York names Michael Alago director of a &r and the month when sales would fall off Tita Grey director of dance music promotion. They were, respectively, an a&r representative for the label and national director of dance music promotion for Sleeping Bag Records. Diane Gilmour is appointed director of media relations for Atlantic Rec- Ss Woes Prompt Sale of Praxis CD Plant ords in New York. She was associate director of media relations for the label. RCA Records in New York announces the following appointments: Lou Cinram To Purchase Its Canadian Competitor chase of 3.4 million common Praxis lost more than $1.2 million BY KIRK LAPOINTE shares -36% of those outstanding - in the three months ending Sept. 30; OTTAWA Cinram Ltd. has made a for 40 cents Canadian each, or $1.36 in the year ending June 30, it lost deal to take over its competitor, million Canadian. Cinram is to make $2.8 million. Praxis Technologies Inc., Canada's a cash offer for the remaining The Mississauga, Ontario, plant financially ailing first compact disk shares. suffered from problems almost plant. The purchased shares are now from the start, including operating Under the terms of a deal an- held by Armadale Enterprises Ltd., losses and failure to make on -time RHODES TURNER BRILL GULLO nounced Jan. 27, which is subject to the family holding firm of Praxis deliveries. By the time Praxis had government approval, Cinram chief Michael Sifton. Neither Sifton settled many of its operating ail- Vaccarelli is named director of production. He was associate director of pur- would gain control of financially nor Cinram officials were available ments, Cinram and a Quebec firm, chasing for CBS Records. Ron Stricker is appointed regional marketing coor- L troubled Praxis through the pur- for comment at press time. Americ Disc Inc., were already on dinator. He was a general manager of a Camelot Music store. line in Canada. Kenny Ortiz joins Capitol Records in New York as associate director of a &r In January, the company dis- for black music. He was national dance promotion director at Elektra Records. missed 30 of its 83 employees and Nancy Weber is named director of production for EMI-Manhattan Records actively sought out partnerships or in New York. She was a production manager for Manhattan Records. joint ventures to stave off further Arista Records in New York makes the following appointments: Bruce Epic Paints New Portrait erosion. Meltzer is named international production manager. He was marketing re- "Our aim is for people to view The plant's board approved the search manager for RCA Records. Jeff Levy is appointed attorney. He was an BY STEVE GETT Portrait as a very artistic, tasty la- Cinram offer at its Jan. 22 meeting. associate at the law firm of Cooper, Epstein & Hurewitz. NEW YORK A major realignment bel-and to make it ,mean some- Cinram is the country's largest sup- Solar Records in Los Angeles appoints the following: Doug Wilkins, vice is changing the picture at Portrait thing," says Grierson. "We realized plier of records, tapes, and compact president of promotion and marketing, and Delores Carr -Manigo, Artie Records. that it was pretty much stagnant disks and had been looking for ways Dunning, Charm Warren, Frank Williams, Doris Butler, and Myra Wes- The CBS subsidiary label is and was just kind of sitting here. It to invest some of its profits. Late ton, promotion /marketing representatives. Wilkins was national promotion di- adopting a new focus on eclectic had Sade and Cyndi Lauper, but last year, it acquired a 10% stake in rector for West Coast black music at A &M Records. and nonmainstream product, ac- they're artists that come up with an ElectroSound. Ann Carli is promoted to the position of vice president of artist develop- cording to Don Grierson, Epic /Por- album every two or three years. It remains unclear how the new ment for Zomba Enterprises Inc. in New York. She was director of artist de- trait senior vice president of a&r. Portrait didn't really have an identi- firm would operate. velopment for Jive Records. The development of Portrait's ty, and that's what we're looking Cinram has an unblemished rec- new talent roster calls for the acqui- for." ord of bottom -line success. Al- DISTRIBUTION /RETAILING. RCA /A &M /Arista Distribution in New York makes sition of jazz, folk, Latin, cabaret, As part of the realignment, Sade though its CD operations have lost the following promotions: Yvonne Paoletti, national video sales manager in and new age acts. Original movie and Lauper will be transferred to money, its overall profitability al- Los Angeles, and Bob Anderson, New York branch manager. Paoletti was soundtracks and cast recordings the Epic logo. lowed it to write off costs associat- Western regional video sales manager. Anderson was a sales representative will also be released on the label. Initial releases on the revamped ed with the start of the CD division. for the company. Additionally, a reissue program of Portrait will surface in May. These With major clients moving to Cin- JEM Records Distribution in South Plainfield, NJ., appoints James Cuomo historic material will emerge under will probably include new albums ram in recent months, CD pressing to the position of East Coast sales manager. He was on the sales staff of the the Portrait Legends banner. (Continued on page 80) could prove a profitable venture, label and recorded two albums for Passport Records. too. (Continued on page 74)

4 BILLBOARD FEBRUARY 6, 1988 www.americanradiohistory.com