DISCO BREAKS (continued from page 46) Solar recording artist Carrie Lucas is in this week's Disco Breaks' spotlight. "Dance With You/Simpler Days" is her current 12". WHAT ABOUT A MANAGER? - While DJ unionization continues to be a debated issue with DJs expressing viewpoints pro and con, other DJs are quietly strengthening their leverage with club owners and label negotiations by employing managers to represent their business interests. Just as a musician has a manager to further his career, DJs are discovering the benefits of having a manager. "The first year I started (1976)," says New York -based disco DJ manager Marilyn Green/Fisher, "club owners thought it was a joke.

The second year, I got threats. But now, they deal." Green/Fisher represents nine DJs and lighting artists, handling the business negotiations affecting their careers. "My clients are creative artists. They leave the business to me." While Green/Fisher made her share of enemies when she began representing DJs, she says that newer club owners today realize RFC IN MOTION Warner/RFC Records recently completed its first series of promo- the drawing power of a 'name -value' DJ. Among Green/Fisher's clients are Bobby DJ Gut- - tional visits to Warner Bros. Records' branches across the country, where forthcoming tadaro and Tom Savarese who spin only special engagements at a fee of $500 a night mini- RFC product was debuted. Release dates are currently being scheduled for new LPs by mum. Meanwhile, Green/Fisher negotiates other deals from mixing to producing. Gut- Madleen Kane, Inner Circle, Gino Soccio, Mighty Pope and Rosebud. Pictured (l -r) are: tadaro, who opened Infinity as well as spun at New York New York, also landed working on Bruce Tesman, New York branch manager for WEA; Veronica Brice, general manager of the "Thank God It's Friday" Casablanca project in part through Green/Fisher's efforts. Warner/RFC Records; Ed Rosenblatt, senior vice president of sales and promotion for Guttadaro also mixes for Disconet, is music director for TV show Soap Factory and just Warner Bros. Records; Ray Caviano, president of Warner/RFC Records; Mike Holzman, finalized a deal to be a music director of "Music In The Air." Savarese, who has spun at WEA sales manager; Vince Aletti, vice president of A&R for Warner/RFC Records; and Twelve West and Hurrah's and has several mixing credits has also recently finished Craig Kostich, national promotion director for Warner/RFC Records. producing his own LP "Gotta Get It Back" which Green/Fisher will try to place with a label. Another Green/Fisher client is Sharon Lee who opened the club Trinity in Hamburg, Ger- many. Elvin Rivera, another client, recently chose from several deals in different countries Delegation Is Proving To Be and decided to join Lee in Germany. Rivera is a specialist in lighting orchestration who has worked at Studio 54 and Flamingo. "American DJs are well respected in Europe," says Green/Fisher. "They are followed around like movie stars." Other Green/Fisher clients are A Multi -National Success mobile DJ Dony Lawrence, Randy Scherer and Michael Zeppetello of the Empire State by Aaron Fuchs club owner (Manhattan in Wildewood, N.J.) and difference in taste between the two Rec. Pool, Danny Tabowitz who isaDJ and NEW YORK Take a vocal group whose from - markets. Your more ethnic kind of R&B is Stargate Lighting Systems owner Richard Rossi. Green/Fisher's DJs, apart Savarese members are Jamaicans, who live in $450 week. limited in the U.K. A more European kind of and Guttadaro, earn by contract a minimum of a England, who work in Germany, and who With of DJs from R&B by groups like the Rubettes tend to be WHEN THE HEAD DJ'S AWAY, THE ALTERNATE WILL PLAY - scores are enjoying success in America, and you more in Europe but don't sell in important clubs across the country attending the Forum in New York last week, alternates have Shadybrook Records' Delegation, successful America. In the Delegation, though, across the country had to take over the reins. Wendy Hunt, who is Jeff Tilton's alternate at whose single "Oh Honey" and whose case of a there is a tremendously American sen- Boston Boston in Beantown, took over command of the large club on Sunday for special album, "The Promise of Love" are respec- Head DJ at which makes their success in fashion show. However, Hunt reports the demanding crowd came Wednesday. tively charting and bulleting pop. sibility, Boston, Hunt enjoys work- America understandable." Illusions which is an under 18, Fri. -Sat. room adjoining Boston "The record is an unusual crossover," it's a to play for such PhIlly Influence ing the big floor. "Boston Boston can hold 2,000 people so challenge says Wayne Bickerton, managing director is into but playing the big floor gives The group consists of three vocalists led large audiences. My crowd at Illusions really my sound of England's States Records. "There is a big me a new challenge." Hunt, unlike many DJs who are paid by the night, receives $10 an by Ricky Bailey and has been together hour. Spinning at Illusions since August, Hunt is also excited about 'ghost deejaying' at Mushroom Chief since early 1977. Despite the fact that two of WBOS. "Ron Robin (station PD) and I have been talking about using real DJs for a year. I the three group members were Jamaican, guess the advent of WXKS gave BOS a kick in the ass." Spinning on Saturdays and Sun- Sees Label Grow they shared a passion for the Philly soul days, Hunt receives two or three on -air credits an hour which has made her a celebrity back (continued from page 12) sounds of groups like the O'Jays, and after at her club. "While the kids come to the club because 'Wendy Hunt' is spinning, the success was with Heart's multi -platinum gigging around in various bands they management is just waiting for me to flip out on an ego trip. But I'm taking one step at a selling debut album, "Dreamboat Annie," joined forces. A demo tape was brought to time." which is still poised at #165 on the Cash the attention of independent producer, Ken FORUM BITS & PIECES - Last Monday night's Casablanca bash at the Empire Roller Box Top 200 Album chart after 155 weeks. Gold, who had worked with another local Disco in Brooklyn was not without incident. While it was obvious to participants that host Because the album had already been certi- soul -influenced band, the Real Thing. In- Cher, who is a regular at the Sherman Square Roller Rink in L.A., knew her way around fied gold in Canada and was selling well terestingly, their debut single "Where Is skates, Jim McDermott of West End lost control momentarily and suffered a broken arm. enough as an import to be listed on the na- The Love" has been the group's biggest Another casualty was Eilen Bogan of Sahara who sprained a wrist ... To cope with a variety tional trade charts, Mushroom ap- record in England. Like Gonzalez'"Haven't of Forum -related tensions, Issy Sanchez of Atlantic handed out survival kits to DJs which proached virtually every major record com- Stopped Dancin' ", "Oh Honey" was included aspirin, Alka Seltzer and Whiskey Sour and Screwdriver mixes. Issy reports the pany about a licensing deal so it could be reputed to be another victim of England's Forum went relatively smoothly this year except for predictable mishaps. Last year, San- released in the States. According to Vogel, monopolistic radio situation (the country chez had to punch an unwanted provocateur who refused to leave his suite. This year, Issy there were no takers. has only one sanctioned radio station, the threw no punches but did have to bodily throw out an impostor who wandered in off the "We were in an awkward position," says government -owned BBC). street ... The DJs who won the regional awards at the Forum are as follows: Angelo Solar, Vogel, "because we were hard pressed to Shadybrook Deal Atlanta; Chuck Parsons, Baltimore/Washington; Danae Jacovidis, Boston; Lou DeVito, finance the Canadian expansion and we According to Bickerton, the deal was Chicago; Howard Metz, Dallas; Larry Sanders and Carl Uruski, Detroit; Ken Smith, were faced with a situation where nobody made for American release of Delegation Nodal, Falk, "I had known Joe Houston; Rusty Garner and Manny Siali, Los Angeles; Carlos Miami; Nathan would take the record. So Shelly and I on Shadybrook because, New Orleans; Jim Burgess and Richle Rivera, New York; Bill Kennedy, Philadelphia; decided there was nothing left to do but to Sutton (Shadybrook's president) since the George Hill, Phoenix; Gene Molnar, Pittsburgh; Tim Rivers, San Francisco; Tom Lathrop, open an office and become an indepen- days when he managed Neil Diamond, and Seattle. dent label in the States." I believed he could deliver on his agree- CANADIAN AWARDS - The third annual Award Show sponsored by the Canadian Heart subsequently jumped labels to ments." Assoc. of Professional DJs was held Feb. 24 at the CFTM studios in Montreal. The show sign with Portrait Records, and following a Will Delegation tour America? "It's a wait was announced by Canadian record and TV producer Michel Daigle with Gilles Vincent protracted legal dispute, Mushroom was and see situation," says Bickerton. "We staging and producing the show. Among the long list of performers who received awards allowed the group's "Magazine" LP. Al- may initially do a promotional tour. Then if were Michel Simard and Louis Cazabon who were named Best Canadian DJs. Simard though he admits that he still has a lot to the album produces another couple of hits, spins at La Cles in Montreal while Cazabon spins at Studio One in Montreal. learn about the record business, Vogel as Joe and I believe it will, then there will be French group Voyage is currently in New York an full-scale tour." VOYAGE NEGOTIATING U.S. TOUR - quips, "From the Heart experience I gained actual negotiating a U.S. tour that is expected to start in mid -April. Both the "Voyage" and "Fly a lot of knowledge in a short time." "The American market," concludes Away" albums on TK hit responsive chords in the States so the group is eager to begin their Mushroom's release schedule for the Bickerton, "is terribly attractive. Many first U.S. engagements. "There will be no problem playing live," says producer Roger remainder of the year has been set, accord- European record people are satisfied with Tokarz. "90% of the records are the group anyway and by using a battery of synthesizers, ing to Vogel, and it will include albums by local success rather than risking the huge they will be able to duplicate the strings." The group - Marc Chantereau, keyboards and each artist currently on the label, including investment necessary to break an act in percussion; Slim Pezin, guitar; Pierre Alain, drums; and Sylvia Mason, vocals, plan six Chilliwack, Doucette, and Paul Horn. There America, but once you've done it, it tends to weeks of rehearsals. For the stage show six other players, and vocalists will be added. will also be a follow up single to "Shake It" make every other market look pitiful." While the group is performing live, a video clip of the group performing "Souvenirs/Let's from Ian Matthews' first Mushroom album, Buddah Sets March LPs Fly Away" has been set for Midnight Special. as well as the debut release by Jim Grady Records has POOL NEWS - The Pocono Record Pool is increasing its roster from 100 to 150 DJs, on Mushroom's newly -formed disco label, NEW YORK - Buddah effective March 1. The Pocono pool has distribution points in six locations. One DJ was ad- Chanterelle. scheduled the following releases for by the ded in New York, six were added in Allentown, Pa., six in Scranton, three in Elizabeth, N.J., "I see 1979 as a great leap forward for March: the self -titled debut album two in Harrisburg, one in Buffalo and 31 in Philadelphia ... The S.C.D.D.J.A. holds its Mushroom," said Vogel. "We've had some Madcats; the 12" disco version of "La once -a -year elections of officers this Wednesday at Circus disco in L.A.... In case your outstanding artist acquisitions in the past Bamba" by Antonia Rodriguez; and the 12" files need updating, the new address of The Electric Canary in Seattle is: 1405 Boylston six to eight months, and my only regret is remixed disco recording of "Standing Right Ave., Seattle, Wash. 98122. The phone remains: (206)323-8313. that Shelly is not around to witness our ex- Here" by Melba Moore. NEW PRODUCT - TK is releasing shortly a 12" remix of "I'm Gonna Dance/Music pansion. Gold Machine" by Asha which redresses the level problems that several DJs complained about. "The nice thing about our relationship Stewart, Ariola Get Also coming this week is "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward. Coming soon is "I'm In Too Deep" was that there was total and open com- LOS ANGELES - The RIAA has certified as by James Bradley, produced by Frederick Knight who also produced Ward. TK is con- munication between us. He used to call me gold Amii Stewart's "Knock On Wood" LP sidering releasing a new remix of "Fly Me On The Wings Of Love" by Celi Bee which was once or twice a day and keep me informed on Ariola Records, less than three weeks submitted by Long Island DJ Steve Thompson. Also expect "All Through Me/Some Love" about everything that was going on at the after release. It is the first gold album for by Laura Taylor. peter hart? company." both Stewart and the Ariola label.

48 Cash Box/March 10, 1979

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