Seagram Completes Polygram Buy Job Cuts Seen Starting in January
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
DECEMBER 28 1998 ISSUE 600 VOL. 57 NO.1 WWW.CMJ.COM MUST HEAR • Seagram Completes PolyGram Buy 5 Job Cuts Seen Starting In January On December 10, Seagram formally completed its $10.2 billion acquisition of PolyGram, creating the combined company Universal Music Group: In a statement on the company's restructuring, UMG CEO Doug Morris didn't disclose the number of layoffs, but industry watchers have speculated that 2,000-3,000 jobs (of the combined 15,500) will be cut. Announcements about staff cuts and artist drops are expected in January. "The integration of these two companies presents a rare opportunity to create an organization that is well positioned for profitable growth," Morris said. "UMG will be a lean, flexible organization that will benefit from economies of scale, while nurturing astrong local entrepreneurial spirit in its management team around the world." UMG's worldwide executive team will also include Vice Chairman Bruce Hack, President/C00 Zach H E LAC 0 PTE RS Horowitz and International Chairman/CEO Jorgen Larsen. The Universal restructuring plans, many of which were first outlined in aLos Angeles Times article in November, include the merger of Island Records and Mercury Records. Jim Caparro and John Reid will run (continued on page 14) Snot Singer Killed In Car Crash Springsteen To Tour Lynn Strait, the 30-year-old singer and lyricist of the hard rock band Snot, With EStreet Band died in a six-vehicle car crash Bruce Springsteen has announced December 11. Reportedly, Strait was plans to launch a worldwide tour exiting California Highway 101 with his legendary E Street Band in between his native Santa Barbara and summer 1999. Rumors of a tour Carpinteria at about 1p.m., when his had circulated since Columbia's 1992 Ford Tempo collided with a recent release of Tracks, The Boss's southbound pickup truck driven by (continued 00 page 14) four-CD box set of unreleased songs. T he (continued on page 14) DEVIL IN A WOODPILE Sugar Ray Takes More Melodic, THIS Diverse Approach On '14:59' WEEK'S By Ron Hart its 1995 Lava-Atlantic debut, 15 CMJ RADIO 200 If you were anywhere Lemonade And Brownies, SPIRITUALIZED Live At The Albert Hall near a radio last Instead, Sugar Ray summer, it was delves deeper into 18 CORE RADIO difficult to escape the sun-baked funk- STEREOLAB Aluminum Tunes the freewheelin' pop and urban 22 INTERNET BROADCAST fun of "Fly," the V19.1 grooves that OFFSPRING Americana breakthrough propelled "Fly" to 20 INTERNET RETAIL single from West the top of the 02 The Best Of 1980-1990 Coast metallic modern rock charts, 26 RPM funk band Sugar E "This is certainly a ATLANTIC GROOVERIDER Mysteries Of Funk Ray. With the iron different direction still hot from the success of l'or the band, who make 27 LOUD ROCK its multi-platinum note of (continued on page 56) MESHUGGAH Chaosphere sophomore album, Floored, 28 TRIPLE A the group re-entered the BECK Mutations studio to record 14:59, an 29 BEAT BOX album that finds the group ROOTS "Adrenaline" moving in anew direction. Atlantic Records' 31 JAZZ National College ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO Coming Promotions Director Gary 30 NEW WORLD Gorman says that 14:59 LINTON KWESI JOHNSON Independant... finds Sugar Ray further 19 COMMERCIAL ALTERNATIVE distancing itself from the EVERLAST "What It's Like" metal roots it displayed on I SUGAR RAY 1 college radio for all your support on jude and baxter I, MUST Hen THE ESSENTIAL RELEASES OF THE WEEK HELLACOPTERS DEVIL IN A VOLUME ALL-STAR SATISFACT Supershitty To Tht Max WOODPILE Self-Connected/Twice-Elected The Third Meeting At (Man's Ruin) DEVIL IN A WOODPILE (Slabco) The Third Counter (K) Though known largely for (Bloodshot) Are the warped beats and The third full-length effort from sugary pop acts like The Cardigans It would be presumptuous to sounds on the sophomore record Olympia, Washington, quartet or Komeda, Sweden has also proclaim Chicago's Devil In A by Volume All-Star meant for Satisfact is, unfortunately, the produced an inordinately large Woodpile as pioneers of the next hypnotizing or dancing? Hard to band's last. Since its 1996 debut, number of fierce rock 'n' roll skiffle revival, but the foursome's say. The Seattle duo's beats are lazy the band (whose members also bands (e.g. the Nomads, Union rustic mixture of country-blues and hazy, but somehow head- moonlighted in Mocket, Lync and Carbide Productions, Entombed) and jazz played on harmonica, knoddin' and toe-tappin' as welL If Love As Laughter) harnessed the that kick more ass than a trailer washboard, jug, guitar and upright there is any partying going on new wave and post-punk of the '80s park full of white trash. As the when Volume All-Star is oozing bass taps into the sounds of early and fused it with the intensity of misbegotten punk rock sons of the America with the same kind of from your speakers, it's going to be '90s indic rock, providing an MC5, the Stooges and early Alice reverence and attention to detail one of the mellowest bashes you'll intelligent audio bridge between Cooper, the Hellacopters are a that the Squirrel Nut Zippers ever see. Steven (no last name past and present underground fiery testament to the mighty given) keeps the lo-fi beats — a display when echoing Fats Waller- sounds. With The Third Meeting At power of the electric guitar. Nicke styled hot music. This album is sort of slacker hip-hop groove that The Third Counter, Satisfact manages and Dregan Hellacopter joust back gets in your head but never in your mostly comprised of cover tunes by to go out like alion. While earlier and forth with gnarled flurries of names like Big Bill Broonzy, Ray face — steadily loping along. An releases boasted a synthesizer- notes and screaming wah-wah Charles and Hudson Whittaker, array of scratches, samples and influenced sound, this final effort freakouts before uniting to form keyboard flux twist their way but the cast of musicians (all in tears through your speakers with a fat cathartic hooks. Propelled by their 30s) offer their own slices of around the beat, the keys darker and more dangerous punk the hyper-speed battery of "Salty Dog Rag"-styled cuts, such as quivering somewhere between edge. The opening cuts "I'm In A drummer Robban Hellacopter, the the jittery "Can't Wait" and the Spiritualized head tripping and Bad Way" and "30/33" burn with band runs through 13 songs at full- slinky "Whistle Gait," an blissful Stereolab bleeping. an energy that recalls the works of throttle, pausing only to grind its Steven's mistress in this moody instrumental featuring loose, alternative godfathers such as Joy way through an appropriately slow melodic interplay between guitarist mischief (and fellow Slabco label Division, Gang Of Four and even ode to LSD called 'Tab." Originally Paul K and harmonica player Rick owner) is the fetching vocalist Lady Fugazi. The latter half of the released in 1996 on the tiny White `Cookin" Sherry. The album is a Mallard, whose pretty, droning album, however, takes on a more Jazz label, Supershitty To The Max's varied mix of songs that maintain a melodies sound more cool than textural rock sound, highlighted reputation has spread the lunatic consistent feel throughout, while detached. Though it's never really by moaning, wandering synth ravings of garage rock connoisseurs embracing different moods, tempos clear what the Lady's lyrics are melodies and layers of abstract and turned into a deafening roar and arrangements that leave a after, they always have an guitar feedback floating in the that's now crashing on U.S. shores. lasting impression long after the appealing pop poetry about them, background. The Satisfact trilogy Man's Ruin should get amedal for whiskey runs dry. — Glen Sansone even when "Compound Elements" was short and sweet, but as far as making this available domestically. goofs around by rhyming "chess swan songs go, The Third Meeting...is — Tad Hendrickson For Fans Of: Blue Rags, Satan And Adam, games with chubby checkers" with as bittersweet as they come. Doo Rag "hit rewind on Desmond Dekker." — M. Tye C077U'r For Fans Of: Monster Magnet, Nashville Recommended Tracks: "Stranger Here," — Steve Ciabattoni Pussy. New Bomb Turks' At Rope's End 'Boogie Woogie Dance," "Keep On For Fans Of: Mocket, Joy Division. Fugazi Recommended Tracks: "(Gotta Get Some Drinkin'," "Barbecue" For Fans Of: Solex, Luscious Jackson, Air Recommended Tracks: "I'm In ABad Way," Action) Now!," "Tab," "flow Could ICare" Contact: Nan Warshaw Recommended Tracks: "Compound Ele- "Vortex," "Upon Arrival" Contact: Jamie Wolf Phone: 773.248.8709 ments," "Richlens Kickin' Chicken," "Faren- Contact: Melissa Burnell Phone: 415.865.2790 Email: [email protected] heit 206," "What Are Fairgrounds For?" Phone: 360.786.1594 Email: [email protected] Fax: 773.248.8702 Contact: Dan Mackta (Autotonic) Email: promogkpunk.com Fax: 415.865.2794 Release Date: November 3; at radio now Phone: 901.276.2225 Fax: 360.786.5024 Release Date: November 6; at radio now Marketing Data: Performing at Chicago's Email: [email protected] Release Date: January 26 Marketing Data: Anew EP will be released rlideout club every Tuesday night Fax: 901.276.6554 Add Date: Janury 26 in March on Man's Ruin Release Date: December 8; at radio now DECEMBER 30, 1998 I CMJ 3 CMJNew Music Report TOPSTORIeS Edited by Wendy Mitchell BMG Starts Reissue And Compilation Label Afghan Whigs Postpone BMG Special Products has formed Buddha Records, anew retail label that will Several Tour Dates mine BMG's back catalog for reissues and compilations.