Isgro, Capitol in Settlement by FRED GOODMAN Imports As Well As Tower Records Spiraling Fees Competition Had Pro- Not Named in the Suit
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ICD 08120 ,r_0806 'O HOV39 ONO1 1.1-fl 04)L£ V IdV lllh?3O AINOW ZHS9t1W 61L8 t00) £1.6Lt^COO 806 1 I 0 I 0 -E * *>4 * * # i4 #*,;. > >< >ti VOLUME 99 NO. 20 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT May 16, 1987/$3.95 (U.S.), $5 (CAN.) Importers Search For Ways No Comment By Other Labels Sued To Handle Mechanicals wholesalers who handle specialty Isgro, Capitol In Settlement BY FRED GOODMAN imports as well as Tower Records spiraling fees competition had pro- not named in the suit. SAN FRANCISCO In the wake of attorney Michael Solomon. BY DAVE DiMARTINO duced. "Do I still believe it was a conspir- a successful suit that could end the Tower, which imports records for LOS ANGELES Independent rec- Among the labels named in the acy? Absolutely," says Isgro, add- legal flow of all imported record- its stores through its own import ord promoter Joe Isgro and Capitol suit with Capitol are MCA, RCA, ing that he and his lawyers are still ings, several U.S. record importers company, Trip, was a defendant in a Records have reached an out -of- Arista, Warner Bros., Atlantic, trying to determine how much the are seeking to find a system that parallel import suit brought by sev- court settlement in the much- publi- Elektra, Motown, PolyGram, A &M, entire episode has cost him. "It's in will allow them to continue doing eral major labels. Tower was able to cized suit Isgro launched against Chrysalis, and Geffen. Of all the the millions," he says. "The settle - business while appeasing domestic settle that case out of court, but Sol- most of the U.S. record industry one major labels, only CBS Records was (Continued on page 84) copyright holders. omon calls the recent successful year ago. A meeting held here April 30 at suit by music publisher T.B. Harms Spokesmen for both parties de- the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway against Jem Records (Billboard, clined to comment on the terms of during the National Assn. of Inde- April 11) a "very serious problem." the settlement, which was reached It's Not the Color Of Money pendent Record Distributors and "The Harms case has instigated here May 1. Manufacturers convention drew these informal meetings," says Sol- Isgro, who filed his $25 million Vids Lift Sales omon. "We're looking for a solution: antitrust lawsuit in U.S. District Colorized Don't some idea or plan that will allow the Court here April 30, 1986, claimed This story prepared by Chris Mor- sumer is concerned. import industry to exist." that most major record labels and ris and Earl Paige. A Billboard survey of retailers Defectors Irk The March 26 decision in the the Recording Industry Assn. of and distributors indicates that con- Harms case supports the publish- America had conspired to restrain LOS ANGELES The manufactur- sumers are largely indifferent to er's claim that importing recordings and monopolize the independent ers of colorized video classics are the controversial computer -tinted Supporters Of (Continued on page 84) promotion trade in order to halt the chasing rainbows as far as the con- versions of old movies. Colorization has become a cause ADVEansnæNTs célèbre in the Hollywood communi- Cassette Single ty, where directors like Frank Ca- pra and John Huston and actors like BY GEOFF MAYFIELD James Stewart have opposed the NEW YORK Advocates of the cas- process as a distortion of their origi- sette single reacted harshly to fel- nal black- and -white features. low Recording Industry Assn. of An ironic twist to the controversy America companies cutting back is seen by members of the video re- their support of the configuration's tailing community, who say that col - summer test run. orization, while not a market force "The change of events from some in and of itself, may have height- of the distributors was unbeliev- ened consumer awareness of classic able," says Don Ienner, senior vice black- and -white film on video. president of marketing and promo- Some retailers view Video Trea- tion for Arista. sures' announcement that it will CBS and Capitol /EMI, companies market Hal Roach Studios' color- originally seen as major players in ized classics at $9.95 (Billboard, May the cassette single's launch, are 9) as evidence that the tinted ver- now heading for the sidelines. Both sions aren't flying in the market- will release cassette versions of 7- place at higher sell -through prices inch singles on the market this sum- of $19.95-$29.95. mer, but those companies will not "I think that 99% of the renters help fund a customized store dis- IMMACULATE FOOLS are not what they claim to be. They're TNT tells the rock 'n' roll truth with their superlative new album, couldn't care less," says Richard play that has been developed for the not immaculate, they're not fools, and they're certainly not "Tell No Tales." With the first track, "10,000 Lovers (In One)," Abt, president of Philadelphia - test (Billboard, May 9). DUMB POETs (SP6- 5151) -the title of their new album on A &M TNT is detonating at radio and positively exploding at retail! based franchiser West Coast Video. Proponents of the experiment, Records, Compact Discs and BASF Chrome Tape. So why all Keep your eye on TNT's "Tell No Tales." (830979 -1) It's "They don't care about old movies, conceived during meetings of the this deception? Produced by Ross Cullum, Immaculate Fools + dynamite! On Mercury Compact Discs, Cassettes and Records. whether they're colorized or uncol- Andy Ross. (Continued on page 84) (Continued on page 85) www.americanradiohistory.com "HEARTBREAK BEAT' is a smash -heir biggest single to late! "MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT" album sales are Top -20 nationally! AND NOW, THEIR MOST EXTENSIVE TOUR: SCE-Rnt, MEW YE RK, NY St1E-17-VVAPfiELC THEATRE SAVfRACISCO, Ci `I:L-FORM LOS ANGELES, CA 5/:: -OPEN AIR TN CATRE, SAA DIEGD, CA 5/é..-MfSA AtMPHIíHEATF E. PHOENIX, AZ 5J25-SPEt:IAL. EV EVTS CE 4TER, SATT LAKE CITY, UT 5J27-RED ROCKS A3MPHITHEATRE, DIEM ER, C) 5'23--FOX THEATRE ST. LO 25. MO 5 3-1 -PAVH.LIGN, CHICAGO IL 6 1-3IOOM CEN1ER, CL Eift LAO , OH 6,2-SOX THEATRE, FETROI', Ml 64-5-MAPLE LEAF àARDENS, T0R3*1T0, (N 616-'.IJIE :ENTER, )TTAWf.CN 61B-=0Rt/M, MON'RFAL. CO 61-1.RI. RELDHCUSE, TR(Y, YY 6/10-C1Vi:CENTER. PORTL4W. ME 6112- CEN'RUM, WO iCESTHL, MA 61:344-1? 4tI10 CITY MUSIC HALL, NEW k0 3K. 4 6/L6--SPEC-Ill M, PHILADELPHIA, PA 6117 -MERR1lVEATHE3 POST WASHIFICTON. CC P H _DE=L. 9 FC 40466 The PSYCHEDELiC FURS' Masterstroke "M1DMIGHT TO MIDNIGHT "! Featuring the nit single, "HEARTBREAK BEAT'"! 8.06320 On Co= trlbia Records, Cassettes and Cocci Discs Produca-1 by Ctr3' Karns./ ir r ik'mMaasob Manaes,n+c Assists s's. e-e YadanaricotC35<1m:. t 194743151ao. www.americanradiohistory.com - ____________ _________ _ __ _ _ _ NAIRD Confab Draws Record Crowd __ IMO_ __________INN --- - - --- - --- - --- - - --- Technology, Configurations In Spotlight - - _-- --- This story prepared by Linda Mo- filling prophecy. There is a problem jor chains, Tower Records and Rec- --- - -- leski and Fred Goodman. of space, though, with CDs coming ord Bar. The number of trade -show in. But I know from my own experi- booths reached 55-up 20% over VOLUME 99 NO. 20 MAY 16, 1987 SAN FRANCISCO "The indepen- ence that stores that are holding on last year's. dent record industry is alive and [to vinyl] are doing a lot more busi- Event organizers attribute the METAL MEANS PLATINUM IN APRIL CERTS well" was the message that rang ness." convention's growth to the current Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" has become the fastest-selling megahit out at the 15th annual National "CD sales will surpass vinyl sales climate for indie product, boosted in five Ig- by labels Alligator, High- since Prince's "Purple Rain," and its success has created a healthy cli- Assn. of Independent Distributors years easily," says Bruce such as & Manufacturers conference here lauer, head of Chicago-based Alliga- tone, Rounder, Tommy Boy, and mate for metal- oriented albums, with seven such titles earning platinum at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, tor Records. "But I think there will GNP Crescendo. this year. Paul Grein story. 4 tells the Page April 30-May 3. Proof of that was in continue to be a fairly large market This year's show saw more hit- this year's record attendance figure for intense music collectors. And oriented labels than in recent years, Piano Man To Tour Russia of 275-up 30% over 1986- accord- then there will be some records that but organizers say they were hurt Billy Joel will perform six concerts in the Soviet Union this summer, be- ing to organizers of the event. will never be on CD." by competition from the concurrent coming the first American popular music star to take a full -fledged rock A changing marketplace and This year's confab also saw a sig- Impact conference in Atlantic City, show to the U.S.S.R. Talent editor Steve Gett gives the details in his ex- strategies for improving the posi- nificant increase in media and retail N.J. Even with the so-called compe- tion of independent labels and dis- interest, with the show's trade floor tition, however, a special break -out citing new Billboard column On The Road, which provides lots of useful tributors were among this year's drawing more than 100 attendees session for 12-inch singles drew 40 information on touring acts.