EMI Buys Into Radio As GWR Move on Classic FM by Terry Heath, Senior Ment and Growth of Good Local EMI's Part to Be Involved in Correspondent, Music Monitor Radio
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MAKING WAVES: French Stations Dominate Geneva's Radio... see page 6 SEC PAGE 5 SEPTEMBER 7, 1996 VOLUME 13, ISSUE 36 J Europe's Radio -Active Newsweekly £2.95 DM8 FFR25 US$5 DFL8.50 Oasis Roll With It For MTV f EMI Buys Into Radio As GWR Move On Classic FM by Terry Heath, senior ment and growth of good local EMI's part to be involved in correspondent, Music Monitor radio. We are not in the radio theradiobusiness,asan business," he continues, "but investmentinthefuture LONDON - The freshly-demer- we do understand music mar- growth of EMI's music busi- ged EMI Group has taken a kets. GWR, on the other hand, ness overseas." 10% stake in a newly enlarged has a good track record in As was widely anticipated, GWR Group, which has pur- radio management." GWR took the opportunity pre- chased Classic FM to create Duffypredictsthatthe sented by Time Warners deci- what it hopes will be a major combination of GWR and EMI sion to sell its 32.7% share in force in international radio. will bring increasingly impor- Classic FM to gain full control Despite having to appear without usual frontman Liam Gallagher (who EMI finance director tant benefits for EMI in the of the company, which oper- has also cancelled his participation in the band's US tour), Oasis played Simon Duffy explains, "EMI, future."It won't be immedi- atesclassical music stations live for "MTV Unplugged" on August 23, performing 13 songs for a 400 - along with other music com- ate," he admits, "but sooner or in the UK, Sweden, Holland strong audience at London's Royal Festival Hall. Marking the 67th origi- panies, recognises the obvious later GWR will run out ofand Finland. At the same nal episode of "MTV Unplugged," the one -hour performance will be broad- power of music radio-and growth opportunities in the time, EMI had expressed an cast by MTV Europe on October 16. See "Between The Lines" on page 3 TV-in developing music mar- UK. They'll be looking over- interest in becoming a share- for further details. kets locally. There are some seas-as they have to some holder in Classic FM. places where music radio, and extent already done. As and continues on page 16 INSIDE consequently the music busi- when that happens, EMI will Victoires ness, is underdeveloped, and be involved with GWR in find- Italy's RDS Launches there could well be opportuni- ing opportunities to create and Celtas Cortos Romanian Station 3 Awards To ties [for EMI] to help stimu- develop good local music radio late [non -UK] music markets stations overseas. It's not so Conquer Storm Over Danish Reform by supporting the establish- much a strategic'desire' on Disco Spoof 4 Brittany by Emmanuel Legrand SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - Radio 3FM's Workforce Dutch Music Industry After years of promoting Span- Request Show PARIS - Thestructureof ish folk rockers Celtas Cortos French music awards organi- abroad, Warner Music Spain sationAssociationdesVic- Faces Cartel Allegation has finally found solid ground NUMBER ONE toires de la Musique isto by Robbert Tilli & simply add to public preju- in Brittany, where the lively change following 'criticisms of Jeff Clark -Meads dicesover music pricing. collective from Valladolid has However,thelabelsare been touring successfully. In European Hit Radio the 1996 awards. The major change is a split AMSTERDAM -The Dutch adamant that, as before, no fact, the group seem to be prof- NENEH CHERRY between the function of gener- recordindustryisbeing price-fixing is taking place. iting from a growing interest Woman al manager of the Association investigated for the second The new Dutch investi- inCeltic music, which has (Virgin) andtheproducerofthe time in three years over gation is the third faced by swept the whole of France. A awards show-previously, allegations that it is run- the record industry in the nationwide tour of the country Eurochart Hot 100 Singles both jobs were handled by ning an illegal price-fixing EU in as many years, and is scheduled for this Autumn. FUGEES Claude Fleouter, founder of cartel. also follows renewed gov- East West France product Killing Me Softly the Victoires ten years ago and Thoughthe previous ernmentinterestinthe manager Florence Pham is (Columbia) producerofthe TV show enquiry by the Department price of music in Australia. optimistic about the project, through his company Teles- ofCommerce'sEconomic The first Dutch investi- due to the current Celtic trend European Top 100 Albums cope Audiovisuel. Control Unit found no evi- gation was precipitated by, and Celtas Cortos' strong live ALANIS MORRISETTE The controversy which pre- dence of such practices, the and exactly mirrored, an shows. "The French are always Jagged Little Pill cipitated the need for changes record business feels that enquiry in the UK by the eager to discover new music," she observes. (Maverick/Sire) concerned Fleouters partner this new investigation will continues on page 16 continues on page 16 See page 7 parzciDise is be-me- 't2e-trian to porza-oisen the new °Learn crzom aeleaseo 2D0 sept.1996 AmericanRadioHistory.Com Ricky Ralph Johnny Bobby Ronnie Michael Bell , :- Tyesvant Gill Brown DeVoe Bivins I ..., the album HOME AGAIN NEW EDITION featuring the single HIT ME OFF HIT ME OFF AmericanRadioHistory.Com M N E WS THIS WE K Oasis Unplugged: What's The Story?Radio Dimensione Suono BetweenLast week I had the rare pleasure of being invited to watch the UK's biggest The Linesband in action when Oasis performed Launches In Romania live for "MTV Unplugged." A packed Royal Festival Hall waited in eager by Mark Dezzani will also be known as Radio anticipation for the band to come on Dimensione Suono) has begun stage. It was therefore a bit of a disap- ROME -Italy's second largest testing and will commence full pointment when the band appeared commercial radio group, the programming by the end of without singer Liam Gallagher. "Liam Rome -based Radio Dimensione September. "The format will be has a sore throat," was the official line Suono(RDS)group,isto based on our Italian network from brother Noel, who went on to take launch its first foreign radio formulaofestablishedhit command of the vocal parts. He coped venture in Romania later this music and news." well under the circumstances, but Oasis month. The extensive business by Machgiel Bakker without Liam is like watching Baywatch RDS PresidentEduardo interests of theValentin without Pamela Lee Anderson, as audi- Montefusco signed a deal ear- Group, which include an air- ences in the US will no doubt be discovering. The strangest thing lier this year with Romania's line and virtual monopolies in was, however, that Liam watched the whole show from a balcony. largest industrial group many manufacturing and ser- Although the audience clapped and cheered, the enthusiasm Valentin to take a 30% stake in vice sectors in Romania, make was somewhat muted, and after one hour and 13 songs everything thecountry'sfirstnational the company the ideal strategic Eduardo Montefusco was over and done with. For some reason the "Unplugged' thing commercial radio network partner for RDS. doesn't do Oasis many favours. Noel isn't particularly apt on (Music & Media, March 16), The Valentin Group is 98% to a concern employing 76.000 acoustic guitar-his chord sequences are very basic and there isn't and to supply the technical, owned by the controversial fig- peoplewithaturnoverin much vocal harmonizing, making his compositions rather one- programming and marketing ure of George Paunescu, who excess of $900 million." dimensional. The thought often went through my head, "Are they know-how. at a recent press conference Meanwhile inItaly, RDS really that exciting? What's all this fuss about?" I do know they can Montefusco says that the countered criticism of his busi- president Montefusco has not be very captivating live, but please keep those guitars plugged in! new Romanian network (which ness success in Romania. "I am denied recent rumours that he MTV Europe, who found out about Liam's absence at the last neither head of the mafia, nor is planning to expand the com- minute, weren't particularly happy either. After statement from did I find [ex -Romanian Presi- pany's Italian radio holdings. Creation ("...Liam is disappointed not to be able to perform for the MacDonald dent] Ceaucescu's hidden trea- Insiders claim that he has been fans but had the rare opportunity to see how brilliant Oasis are sure," hesaid."Apart from negotiating to acquire Radio live..."), MTV addressed the assembled journalists with the line, Out At Go! shoe -making, textiles and the Montecarlo,whichrecently "We're disappointed. It might be reshot." cement business, my compa- broke off negotiations with the However, proof of Oasis' unrivaled popularity was the view of Discs nies control most of the busi- French RMC Group over the many journalists comparing notes on the exact set list. For future ness opportunities [in Roma- issue ofdebtrepayments biographers (will the new Mark Lewisohn stand up?) here's what By Jeff Clark -Meads, nia], and we have no (Music & Media, July 27). "We the band played on August 23 1996: Hello; Some Might Say; Live European news editor, Billboard competitors. In five yearsI are interested in exploring all Forever; a brand new song in A sharp (what else?), possibly called havebuiltupacompany expansion opportunities," Mon- One Fine Day; The Masterplan (from the Wonderwall single); LONDON - Andy MacDonald, employing myself and a lawyer tefusco confirms. Don't Look of Some Might founder of UK independent Go! Say); Morning Glory; Round Are Way (also on Wonderwall); Cast Discs, has quit the label, accus- No Shadow; Whatever; Wonderwall and a repeat of Hello.