" 5 BUK. IN I EKN4TION4L

A ; : sell Named Music Shoppe International: Regional Promo See Canada From The Inside Mgr,, Polydor \ Scribner Discusses The Pleasures, MONTREAL — Bob Ansell has become

I regional promotion manager of Polydor Pitfalls Of Touring North Of The Border Ltd. Formerly the Ontario-Manitoba pro- motion representative. Ansell's ! By David FarreSi responsibilities wili include the entire Ot- — tawa Valley-Quebec-Maritime region TORONTO "American acts would be amount from which to deduct travel ex- far better off signing with penses. lodging, English market. He is now based at Canadian personal expenses, and Polydor’s head office in Montreal and agencies because we know the pitfalls of then there are rental expenses on equip- will continue to report to the director of traveling, we have an intimate ment and an apartment back home which national promotion knowledge of each province and we also has to be paid for." Prior to joining Polydor last year. know the clubs and concert halls better Beyond the border problems. Scrib- Ansell was with CKOC in Hamilton. As a than anyone in the U S." ner's agency has been following a road member of the music department, he This is the opinion of Ron Scribner, of unprecedented gains. One of the first pioneered a progressive program president of Music Shoppe International. things he did on taking over Music

format, and produced the ' Bob Ansell Canada's largest progressive talent Shoppe three years ago was to system- j Show." booking agency Over a span of three atize operations, becoming one of the

| years. Scribner and his agency staff have first Canadian agencies to do so. Canadian Profile in if j SWEET TOMORROWS are order to- come up from the ground floor to a $4- Americanized day is any indication. Sweet for 10-year- Domenic T roiano Band million a year business anchored in the “I think our operations are becoming old Sally Boyden of Australia, that is. TORONTO — Within a month, the wealthy touring market of Ontario and very Americanized We were the first, to Here Sally is pictured with Mrs. Tammy newly-formed Domenic Troiano Band, rapidly expanding into Quebec and my knowledge, to set up categories for Fraser, wife of the Australian prime led by the highly-respected ex-Guess western Canada booking talent with a separate staff minister, as the two celebrate a gold Who guitarist, has established itself as a Imports Figure Big specializing in these areas. For instance, album presented to Sally at the official very important band in Canada. Scribner figures that approximately we have a club department staffed by government residence in Canberra. Sal- While many acts carry machines to twenty-five percent of his income is de- three persons; a one-night department ly Boyden is the youngest Australian establish themselves. Troiano has done rived from imported groups and is confi- which handles colleges and secondary ever to receive a gold record for a single it largely on the basis of enthusiasm and dent that "more and more U S and in- schools, with a staff of four; and recently or an album Prize is for her recording of dedication. Within days of announcing ternational acts are going to be looking we opened a lounge department, han- “ The Littlest Australian . his band ready for work, club dates were toward signing exclusive Canadian agen- dled by Robbie Lane. In the U S. there is

' set and was on the road Within cy deals in the future quite often a TV department as well, a few weeks of playing before live au- Concept Prods. Until recently, many foreign acts were which strictly handles placement of diences, Toronto's CHUM-FM radio ap- signing in the U.S. for North American talent on TV programs We haven't ex- proached the band to do a live concert Confirms Canada representation but in many cases the panded to that point as yet but I'm look-

broadcast That done, plans are now un- policy backfired when they reached ing into it." derway for national syndication of the For BC Rollers Canadian soil What sort of prices can a foreign 60-minute tape and demand may lead to TORONTO Following weeks of "This is an enormous country.” Scrib- manager expect to earn in Canada? editing the broadcast down for album negotiations. Tom Wilson has confirmed ner says. "T ravel expenses alone can eat Scribner bases his figures on his own purposes. Canadian tour dates for the Bay City up all of your profits. We have an intimate bookings as follows. Presently without label affiliation, the Rollers. knowledge of the country, we know On a rock band without a known name band has garnered critical praise every President of Concept Productions in which hotels offer what and at what and no record affiliation, up to $2,000 step of the way A former member of this city. Wilson has been negotiating price." per week. With expsoure, an act of this Mandala, Bush and . with the Rollers' American manager, Sid In terms of Canadian acts playing in nature can go as high as $4,000, lodg-

Troiano carries enormous weight in this Bernstein for agency representation for the U.S . Scribner has established a ings included. With a recording contract, country's musical community, primarily the teen group in Canada. strong rapport with agencies in the working club dates, the price can go as as a musician with a high degree of in- As announced by Wilson, the Cana- Detroit and New York areas and uses high as $7,500. tegrity and finesse. dian tour itinerary for the group will be them for the same reason he expects At the disco level, an unknown act can

A&R representatives from five Amer- between June 1 8-23 in hails under 4.000 U.S. acts to use Canadian agencies when get as hig-h as $2-3,000. With a name and ican record companies have expressed capacity The tour will take in Halifax. playing here. a record, the price can go as high as interest in the group and. following a "There are imbalances.” Scribner $10,000 for a six-date booking. N.S.; Montreal. Que ; Toronto, Ont; and dub brief tour of the prairie region in Canada, Windsor. Ont notes, however. A Canadian act playing At the show level, an unknown act can the band will travel to Los Angeles for south of the border is expected to pay a earn up to $4,000 for six dates in a club further exposure Troiano is aiming for Tavares In First 30 percent entertainment tax from his The price can go as high as $8,000 in a nothing less than an American record gross earnings, “and that can murder a club if the act has a record and/or has contract. Japanese Tour Dates group financially." he says. some nostalgia in its show. The lineup includes Wayne St. John LOS ANGELES — Tavares is in the Border Crossings Buoyant Market (from CBC-TVs Music Machine) on midst of its first Japanese tour Begin- Foreign acts in Canada have little trou- While the recession was felt more percussion and lead vocals; Jimmy ning last Wednesday (12), the Capitol re- ble crossing the border to work here and deeply in the U.S. than Canada, many Norman (Rough Trade) on drums; Keith cording artists kicked off a five-city pay. on a sliding scale, a maximum of 1 acts in Canada strive to attain recogni- Jones (Martha Reeves) on bass and schedule which will conclude in Tokyo percent from their net earnings. tion. Scribner sees this excess of talent vocals; Dave Tyson on keyboards, syn- May 19 "The 30 percent levied on our acts in as a good sign.

thesizer and vocals; Fred Mandell The five-member group, consisting of the U S. is just too steep — what it really “The recession hit here, to be sure, but

(Lighthouse) on keyboards, synthesizer family members Feliciano "Butch." amounts to is restraint of trade." he says. what it meant was that talent buyers and vocals; and Domenic Troiano on Ralph, Arthur "Pooch." Antone “Chub- Groups can apply for a rebate on ex- fought harder to get available dollars guitar and vocals. by" and Perry Lee "Tiny" Tavares is per- penses at the end of the year, but for a which meant bigger buying habits in forming In an interview. Troiano told Cash Box selections from its first three small act the money to survive on down many cases. It is hard on the small group albums that one of the big reasons the Guess and introducing material from its there is just too small to make it worth- but it means they have to work harder. latest Who broke up was because Burton Cum- LP "Skyhigh." while. What it means is. you're left with x' With the situation the way it is right now.

mings felt it was the right time. only the strong survive. "I'm sure it had been coming for a long Blue Mountain Summer School "Packages have become popular in time. I n fact, when I joined they said they the U S. of late and I think we're going to

it knew wasn't the type of thing I was into To Expand This (3rd) see more of them right now. Acts work- but they needed a shot in the arm Even Year ing with me that could work in Canada if the last album had been a gigantic TORONTO — The Blue Mountain Sum- of the Ian and Sylvia duo), will deliver successfully as part of a package are The success, the Guess Who were destined mer School of Music has been expanded folk seminars and instruction. Ian Thomas Band coupled with Rush, or to split up." in this its third year of operation to cover The Blue Mountain school was first Moxie with Rush. In regard to the new band, Troiano jazz. rock, music history and artist established by Richard Stultz in 1974 as "Rush is a great example of how a said: "It’s a six piece band with the management a cooperative venture between Geor- hard-working act attains success. Two versatility to be able to sound like a lot Former Lighthouse founder Paul Hof- gian College and George Brown years ago they opened for another act at more and is able to touch all the bases fert is set to handle rock sessions which College The objective is to provide Massey Hall here One year later they

that I like. It's turned out to be a great will include information on recording music lovers of all ages and levels of headlined the same hall and they return band and a very exciting time for me techniques, song writing and problems musical ability with a unique cultural ex- in June for two more nights as head- right now. It feels like starting all over of everything from booking agents to perience. liners.

again. A new start A whole new bunch of electronic equipment maintenance. A broad section of people attend the "I think this will happen more and more new music." Fred Stone, also of Lighthouse, will strictly summer program, some through across the country. Acts such as Heart. Mixing jazz with R&B and a touch of head up a jazz program which includes scholarships funded by private dona- Hammersmith and Deja Vu will be doing progressive rock, the Domenic Troiano instrumental instruction, improvisation tions and awarded on the basis of finan- their own shows, hopefully carrying a Band has succeeded in creating a new and composition as well as jazz history cial need, recommendations from teach- lesser known Canadian act with them, sound which is working very much to and culture. ers and a letter filed with admission ap- and then the star system that we have all their advantage right now in Canada. Sylvia Tyson, a solo artist (and one-half plications. been striving for will really show itself.”

54 May22, 1976