Chain Serves up Music

BY ED CHRISTMAN IVlaking The I3rancl MICHAEL PAOLETTA [email protected] Mercury's Agents Of Change Groundbreaking Label Co- Founders Die Within Months Of Each Other Chain Serves Up Music their deaths, the to drop its prohibition against Mercury Records also either Johnny Rockets Turns To Tunes, Web Site To Boost Its Brand names of Irving Green live music performances on initiated or early -on embraced and Art Talmadge the new medium. a number of record promotion For most reading these words, hipster favorite notes Mimi Somerman, senior VP of marketing may have faded But Green's impact on TV tactics that would become in- Gnarls Barkley and somewhat garish restau- at the Johnny Rockets Group. "We view this A, from the collective had just started. In 1957, Mer- dustry standards. rant chain Johnny Rockets go together like campaign as a cool way to teach people about memory of an ever -evolving cury's star artist Frankie Laine, For example, Talmadge sushi and french fries. But guess what? The the roots of today's music. Parents can appreci- music industry. at the behest of Green, per- helped initiate the Mercury retro- fitted, diner -like chain, with tabletop ate new music more, while kids can see the dif- But Green and Talmadge, formed on "The Nat King Cole Records Caravan, which de- jukeboxes spotlighting classic rock and Mo- ferent ways music goes back in history." who co- founded Mercury Rec- Show" with the host, marking buted in 1950 in Milwaukee town sounds, is looking to modernize the mu- Somerman says the campaign will create ords in 1944 with Berle Adams the first time black and white at George Devine's Million sical side of its operation. brand awareness and brand loyalty: "With this -were agents of change in artists performed together on Dollar Ballroom, marking the In fact, Johnny Rockets held a listening party campaign, our customers are able to take their their day, creating new oppor- the same stage on network TV, first time a label sponsored a at its Los Angeles location on Melrose Avenue in- restaurant experience and expand it to other tunities for black artists and according to Green's grandson, live tour of its roster as a pro- for Gnarls Barkley's debut album, "St. Else- parts of their lives, with music being the link." developing new ways to pro- Jonathan Ross. where" (Downtown /Atlantic) -the day before mote records. Green was also instrumen- its May 9 release. Though certainly not a cool FASHION FORWARD: In three short years, Green died July 1 of natural tal in getting Washington and or trendy brand, Johnny Rockets, by bringing a Condé Nast's annual Fashion Rocks concert causes in Palm Springs, Calif. fellow Mercury artists Count tastemaking act into its world, is surely looking has become a vibrantly strong brand in fashion He was 90. Talmadge was 93 Basie and Lional Hampton to expand its user base to include more teens and music circles. During a chat with Condé at the time of his death, also booked on Ed Sullivan's influ- and twentysomethings. Nast Media Group president Richard Beckman, of natural causes, May 28 in ential weekly TV show. The listening party served as an introduction executive producer of the concert, it became New York. In 1964, Green hired Quincy to Johnny Rockets' new music Web site, which clear that Elton John will curate the third Fash- The Chicago-based Mercury Jones as VP and head of R &B. launched a couple of weeks ago. The site, john - ion Rocks live event, to be held Sept. 7 at Radio label was instrumental in It was the first time an nyrockets.com/music, attempts to connect the City Music Hall in New York. The following breaking down racial barriers, African -American was tapped dots between today's chart -topping acts and evening, a two -hour Fashion Rocks special will signing and recording such as an executive of a white - the classic artists that inspired them. air on CBS. The event kicks off Olympus Fash- African -American artists as the owned label. New York -based lifestyle marketing firm Cor- ion Week (Sept. 8 -15). Platters, Sarah Vaughan and Talmadge, who began his ca- nerstone Promotion was tapped by Johnny Beckman hails John as "one of those once - Dinah Washington. reer at MCA, joined the forma- Rockets to help create this branded music pro- in-a- lifetime forces in music and fashion. Charis- motion, which runs through 2007. matic and talented, he is one of the few artists motional vehicle, according "Johnny Rockets is proud of its heritage," Cor- who is legendary as a legend." to Sippel. nerstone co- president Jon Cohen says. "At the As the event's curator, John will oversee artist In 1961, Mercury was sold same time, it wants to cultivate a new, younger pairings and help select classic songs that will be to the Dutch company Philips audience." With this music program, Cohen be- performed by contemporary artists. Naturally, Electronics. Green stayed on lieves the 20- year -old chain can please cus- he'll perform, too. to run the Chicago office, but tomers on both sides of the age fence. Though artists are still being booked for Talmadge left to become pres- Those logging on to the site find the interac- the concert, Beckman confirms the fol- ident of United Artists. While tive Music Routes Map. Fash- lowing: Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, there, he formed the Musicor ioned after a subway map, it Bon Jovi, the Black Eyed Peas, imprint. Talmadge eventually lets music enthusiasts trace Daddy Yankee, Jamie Foxx, Nelly left UA and ran Musicor as an the lineage of musical Furtado, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, the independent, putting out styles. For example, a ride Pussycat Dolls, Rihanna, music by Gene Pitney and on the "red line" offers , Scissor Sisters and George Jones, among others. "connections" to Kanye West. Musicor also had a Latin ros- Aretha Franklin's For Beckman, the ter that included Tito Puente "Think," Janet ideal Fashion Rocks and Tito Rodriguez. Jackson's "That's artist is one who has Mercury was rolled into the the Way Love a strong sense of style new PolyGram group in the Goes" and Ciara's and whose fashion and IRVING GREEN, right, mid -1970s and Green left the "Oh." Those in music fit "hand in glove." and LOUIE ARMSTRONG company to go into real estate. need of a rock To illustrate, he points to circa 1964 Talmadge remained active in fix are advised artists like Madonna and In addition, Mercury was tion of Mercury, initially as the music industry until he re- to take the "blue David Bowie, and musi- the "first real strong inde- head of advertising. He soon tired in 1985. Even after his re- line" (Grand cal movements like pendent label to embrace all led Mercury's A &R operations, tirement, he continued to be Funk Railroad, punk rock and "Satur- repertoire, even eventually overseeing such recordings as involved in music publishing Van Halen and day Night Fever." classical," says John Sippel, the Platters' "The Great Pre- activities, according to an offi- Queens of the This year's event - a longtime Billboard re- tender"; Patti Page's "The Dog- cial biography. Stone Age). sponsored by Citi, porter and editor who gie in the Window "; Laine's Green also is credited as Other elements of Cingular, Chevy and worked for Mercury from "Mule Train "; the Crew -cuts' being among the founders of the campaign in- L'Oreal -will cross 1951 to 1958 and again from "Sh- Boom "; and the Big Bop - the RIAA. clude custom iMixes, several media 1966 to 1971. per's "Chantilly Lace." He is survived by his wife, sold via iTunes, and channels and be Green, whose father Al was When Mercury's recording Pamela; daughters Kelli Ross free music download rebroadcast in the founder of National Rec- budget for the duet "Confess" and Roberta Hunt; three cards, distributed at more than 20 coun- ords, was an early proponent was too small to hire a second grandchildren; and six great - nontraditional retailers, tries. And for the first time, Fash- of using TV to promote re- singer, Page did both voices. It grandchildren. special events, and ion Rocks will have a wireless ap- cording artists. In 1948, he was one of the first docu- Talmadge is survived by his radio and online plication via Cingular. When pressed was among those who suc- mented instances of overdub- children Richard and Joyce; a promotions. for details about this wireless com- cessfully lobbied the Ameri- bing, according to Talmadgé s sister and brother; and five "Music has always ponent, Beckman says, "We're still can Federation of Musicians son, Richard. grandchildren. been a part of our brand," figuring it all out." 10 I JULY 15, 2006 www.americanradiohistory.com.

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