Arrives at Virgin Radio
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DECEMBER 20, 1997 Music Volume 14, Issue 51 £3.95 DM11 FFR35 Backtothetop.Bryan US$7 Adams takes over the No.1 DFL11.50 spot on the European Radio Mediae Top 50 this week. Page 20. we tall "CAD! io M&M chart toppers this week `Spirit of independenceRe -Loading the rock machine arrives at Virgin Radio by Christian Lorenz by Mike McGeever Grace insists, however, that LONDON- After 16 years in the busi- itistoo early tospell out ness, Metallica have proved that the LONDON- "Spirit, passion detailedplansforVirgin's rock machine can still turn you on-and and independence" are the national AM service, and Lon- radio isn't scared of it anymore. buzzwords at national rock don FM licence. "Everything Since its November 17 release, the station Virgin Radio under has happened very quickly. band's 10th album Re -Load (Mercury) its new owners. Over the Christmas period we has been lodged in the upper regions of European Radio To On Monday, December 8, Chris Evans(left) andare going to take stock." Music & Media's European Top 100 BRYAN ADAMS the station's high -profile Richard Branson The programmer does say Albuins chart-this week it sits at num- Back To Y breakfastshowpresenter that the stations will "push the ber 4. With Re -Load's ongoing success, (A&M) Chris Evans and his Ginger Media edge" of new music. "We are going to Metallica have proved their ability to Group (GMG) acquired Virgin for a total look at that early in the new year. Proba- continue pushing the hard rock enve- of £85 million ($140.3 million). "When bly early evenings is the place to do that. lope whilst turning themselves into a Inside M&M this week you have an owner like Chris," says Vir- But how far and how much, nobody hot commercial commodity. And that's ginRadioprogrammedirectorIan would pretend to know. But there is the point: the band has become a suc- Grace, "with passion and spirit, the sta- scope for Virgin to push it along. If we cessful brand. POP, POLITICS AND AC RADIO tion can transcend all formats, corporate are not easily defined or pigeon -holed While other million sellers from the AstheGerman musicindustry structures and restraints. The listeners and become a hybrid [of different for - '80s heyday of heavy metal, such as digests the implications of the recent can feel it, which creates a buzz." continued on page 21 Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Queen- meeting between its sryche, scored their last Top 10 albums representatives and in Europe before' the turn of the '90s, the country's presi- Metallicakept pace with changing dent, M&M talks to tastes and overhauled the genre for the several of those who new decade. werethere.They One of the band's strengths is an include singer Nen a, continued on page 21 pictured signing the official visitors' book of the presi- dent's office. In addition, we look at VPRT declares the debate over Germany's prolifera- tion of AC stations. Pages 6-10 war on public EH -OH, LET'S GO The U.K.'s latest sales sensations have shot up that country's charts broadcasters with almost inhuman speed. That's by Ed Meza because they're not human at all... The trustees of The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund had 20 mil- Will Europe fall before the awesome lion reasons to be grateful this week, when PolyGram president and CEO BERLIN- The German Association of power of the Teletubbies? Page 11 Alain Levy and Elton John handed over a cheque for £20,000,000 to the Commercial Radio and Telecommunica- charity. The amount is the first payment from worldwide sales of John's tion (VPRT) is calling for the country's FRENCH MUSIC COMMISSION Rocket single Candle In The Wind '97/Something About The Way You Look public broadcasters to be restricted to France'sministerof culture has Tonight. The late Princess' sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale (on far left of cultural and educational programming announced the creation of a new picture)-a fund trustee-was presented with the cheque in London's At a November 26 conference in commission to review the problems Kensington Palace. Pictured with her (from left): Anthony Julius (trustee), Munich entitled Media Plan 2000 Plus, of the music community. Page 3 Gordon Brown (Chancellor of the Exchequer/chairman of the Diana, the VPRT proposed to its members an Princess of Wales Memorial Committee), Elton John and Main Levy. continued on page 21 the new single taken from the rnt, unplugged album AmericanRadioHistory.Com THE PREMIER INTERNATIONAL MUSIC MARIE iF'ESTIVALS- CANNES - FRANCE 18/22 JAN` 1998 T14, M4s ItAcod-ry High-energy integral music business Chart -busting international showcases Top-level professional conferences 4111=1110 M The music market, where professionals really do get down to business and sign deals 10AfLo fi imis: icipants 3,885 companies 1,901 exhibiting companies 83 countries 172 bands & DJ's 1,039 artists ie/ I I. UABL AND OL FOR YOUR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ri further information on MIDEM,please fax thiscoupon to your local Reed Midem Organisation representative: Title Name Position Company Address Tel Fax .Mail ttp:I/www.midem.com - Fax. 1 (212) 689 4348 - MIDEM@AOLCOM - Tel: 33 (0)1 41 90 44 60 - Fax: 33 (0)1 41 90 44 50 Tel: 0171 528 0086 - Fax: 0171 895 0949 81 (3) 3542 31 - = 3542 3115 Germany/Austria/ Eastern Europe 17680 -Fax 49.0 76313- 0 u o Hong Kong 852) 2965 1618 / 2824 1069 - Fax852 2507 5186 AmericanRadioHistory.Com NEWS French govt. tackles `today's music'Opcn mils sion or live music." Trautmann said by Emmanuel Legrand However, he adds, it remains unclear Konrad von Lohneysen government policy concerning the"where the music industry fits into the RENNES - French minister of culture music industry "will be inspired by the picture of that new government." Jive Records Germany, Catherine Trautmann has announced Commission." She expects a report and That view is echoed by Herve Rony, launched in April, has the creation of a new commission to proposals during the first quarter ofgeneral manager of record companies just signed its first act, review the problems being faced by 1998, allowing her to draft policy forbody SNEP, who says that, since last pop vocalist Theresa the music community. the second half of the year. If neces- June's election victory, there has been Reeves. According to Trautmann, the cre- sary, Trautmann said,she wouldno "recognition of the industry by the Konrad von ation of the commission marks "recog- request funding for specific initiatives. minister of culture." Rony says SNEP Lohneysen is the compa- nition by the state of today's music." Alex Duthil, director of musician's is still waiting to meet Trautmann and ny's managing director. Topics covered by the 40 -member training school Studio des Varietes, has discuss industry priorities. "nationalcommissionontoday's been appointed to "make contacts in "We have the feeling that the com- Q:Who is Theresa Reeves, and musics" will range from retail pricing to order toset up the commission." mercial aspect of music is not a prior- what are your plans for her? the status of DJs and exposure for new Members will be chosen on the grounds ity for them," says Rony, who never- A: Theresa used to sing with The Four acts. Announcing it at the of professionalism and experience. theless credits Trautmann for having Reeves, a local pop/rock act which had Transmusicalesmusicfestivalin Seen by many as the socialist gov-set up this commission. "In principle, a considerable following in and around Rennes (December 3-7) Trautmann ernment's first recognition of theit is a good way of doing things," he Cologne. For Jive, she will record declared: "This commission will have music business, the commission hasadds, "but we've had three different German -language pop with former an important task." been greeted with a degree of scepti- ministers during the past five years, MagicAffairproducerBernhard She continued: "Pm expecting these cism within that industry. One recordand each one has begun a 'review of Waldstedt. We're planning to release qualified experts to come up with solu- company describes the launch of thethe situation.' The analysis of the sit- her debut single Lass Uns Freunde tions to some of the problems faced by commission as: "Not bad for a start,uation has been done countless times. Sein (Let's Be Friends) at the beginning the music community in fields asconsidering that they only startedThere is no need to do it again if it is of February. diverse as the record business, televi-thinking about it three weeks ago." not followed by real policy." Q:What have been this year's high- lights for Jive Records Germany? A: The Backstreet Boys second album, Backstreet's Back, has gone platinum in Winter of discontent for Energy stations? Germany with 500,000 units sold. Also, by Ed Meza stay on at Energy until the end of themannt basis-Energy's frequencies in we produced a R&B compilation called Black Pearls in association with MTV year as a "managing consultant." Rhineland-Palatinate were granted on BERLIN - Management changes and Sourcesatthestationhave a temporary basis until December and lifestyle magazine Max, which has a possible loss of FM frequenciesexpressed fears that the move is a sold some 40,000 units to date. Another 1997, although Energy has applied for artist who did well for us this year is mean precious little Christmas cheer first step towards major restructur- them on a permanent basis. for staff at NRJ's Energy stations in [U.S.-signed] R&B singer Joe-his ing, but Energy spokesperson Gunda On December 1, the LPR's assembly debut album, All That I Am, sold Berlin and Rhineland-Palatinate.