, cash box, news Pyramid Label Formed: Soul Train Label Now To Roulette Restructured Involve Other Producers NEW YORK — The formation of Pyramid Chris Vassal I i will work with him in sales by Ian Dove Records, a new label to be distributed by and promotion. Roulette Records in the United States, Jane McAuliff, who has worked with time within one week throughout ten will accompany a restructuring of Bill Graham and Jon Podell, will be NEW YORK — Soul Train Records, the months of the year. Roulette Records in its entirety The Ganim's personal assistant RCA distributed label headed by Don Cornelius, who previously went on the plan is aimed, according to Pyramid's Said Morris Levy, Roulette Records’ Cornelius and his partner Dick Griffey, road as host for a stage version of the new president, Dennis Ganim, to "take president, "Roulette's longevity and suc- has a game plan to release during 1976 show, has cut down on this side of his ac- both labels into the mainstream of con- 12 to 15 albums, built around a cess will be increased even more by the some tivities "Again because it was time con- temporary music.” talent Dennis Ganim is bringing to the roster of six artists. However, Cornelius suming," he said. Pyramid Records plans to release 15 has found that his other — company." commitments Partner Griffey is still involved with albums and 20 singles in its first year, notably the production of the "Soul Pyramid's initial release will be a single concert promotion, however the last emphasizing progressive rock, r&b and Train" television program — will cut by Pat Lundy, due next week, with continued on pg. 35 top 40 appeal down on his personal involvement with albums by Pat Lundy, Phil Medley and The new staff is brought in by Ganim to the label that he and Griffey formed last the MVB Orchestra scheduled for the work on both the Pyramid and Roulette year Chain Sales first week in March Plans for Roulette in- labels. Buddy Scott, whose experience Said Cornelius: “I will not be involved clude reactivating the Birdland series in the music industry includes manage- Continue Strong as much as I thought I would be when we with newly recorded jazz, concentrating ment and production, has been involved originally started the label. I physically on the Echoes of An Era series from NEW YORK — Strong sales gains made with Pyramid since its inception and will produced the label's first album and Roulette's catalog, and developing the by the country's chain stores in Decem- continue to play a formative role with re- challenging as it was, it was far too time into company's artist roster, which includes " ber have continued January, accord- gard to marketing, creative services and consuming — but enjoyable Ecstasy, Passion and Pain, Poison and ing to the the latest sales figures re- artist development Soul Train's new scheme is to involve jazz vocalist Betty Carter leased by the chains themselves. Gains Ira Leslie, formerly of Polydor, MGM outside producers with Cornelius nam- of 15 percent over last year's January and Malverne Distributors, will be na- Pyramid's offices will at 17 West be ing Norman Harris, who has been as- sales were about average. tional sales and promotion manager 60th St.. York. N Y. 10023 New sociated with Gamble and Huff, and Sears, Roebuck & Co., the nation's Frank Wilson, a Motown Records name, largest merchandiser, reported sales of as the first two. Upcoming product will $955.5 million in the four weeks through be from the Soul Train Gang, the Jan 24. a gain of 13 percent over the Whispers and Mickey Carroll, a country- comparable 1975 period JC Penney re- pop singer and composer, plus others. ported an increase of 17 4 percent, to Cornelius stated: "It has become un- $476 million, in the four weeks to Jan wise to flood the market with product 24, and 52 week sales of $7 58 billion, an and we don't feel that we can support increase of 9 4 percent over last year and handle any more than we have at Kresge. operator of K-Mart and Kresge present We have the capacity to handle stores, posted a sales gain of 25.5 per- an established artist should one become cent to $404 95 million in the four weeks available but we are not depending on to Jan. 21 For their 52 week period. that.” Kresge reported sales of $6.78 billion, a Cornelius' personal involvement with gain of 22.6 percent over 1975 And Soul Train Records, he feels, is that he Montgomery Ward reported sales of can "stay in touch with programmers like $218 6 million, a 12 7 percent increase, most promotion people do and I am do- forthe four week period ending Jan. 24 ing." Overall, according to a survey by Cornelius' involvement with the "Soul Chain Store Age. a composite group of Train” television show presents no 35 chains showed a gain of 1 5 5 percent problems according to the executive over December of a year ago, and 8 8 "One doesn't hinder the other We've percent higheroverall for 1975. managed to divide our time as we pro- Stores in operation for the reporting jected we could before we went into it. It retailers were' Sears (850). J C Penney seems to be working,” he said (2050). Kresge (1441). and Montgomery "Soul Train” is taped four episodes at a Ward (994). Leslie, Ganim, Levy Analysis Of Major Labels’ 74 Sales „ The tabulation below sets forth certain financial information related to the recording Rolling Stone Wyman — companies included in the survey: Recording Rank by Gross rev. (000 s) rev. as recording Waiting Out The Contract Company revenues Recordlngs(A) Total % ot total CBS Inc. 1 $420,400 $1,751,341 24.0 NEW YORK — All the Rolling Stones think it was shown on one of the Don were in Manhattan last week, tidying up Kirshner television shows, but I'm not Warner 2 291,653 720,076 40.5 last minute details of their new album going to tour or anything like that," he Communications and checking out the cover photograph said. Inc. Busiest Stone however was bass player Wyman's songwriting career for the American 3 143,916 986,040 14.6 Bill Wyman — he was attending to last Rolling Stones has been somewhat limit- Broadcasting minute details on his own solo album, ed, a song, "In Another Land" on the Companies, Inc. "Stone Alone," mainly consisting of “Satanic Majesies" album and a couple 95.8 original Wyman material of others that have appeared Capitol Industries- 4 135,768 141,663 It is not that Bill Wyman has EMI, Inc. suddenly I didn't think I was writing songs for the blossomed as a songwriter but more dis- Rolling Stones," he admitted "I wasn't MCA Inc. 5 126,687 641,874 19.7 satisfaction with the original writer deal recording myself then and I just didn't 6 101,968 2,202,161 4.6 he signed when the Rolling Stones were feel like peddling songs around. Transamerica managed by Allen Klein Corporation years I some ago "I made the album because feel I He said: “I wasn't very happy with the have many, many ideas apart from the (United Artists I Corporation) contract was under. I couldn't see any Rolling Stones. I’d like to get into pro- future for myself in that area It was just duction and my own album allows me to Twentieth Century- 7 16,092 281,915 5.7 that I wanted to own my own copyrights, do that. I use it as a vehicle for my own Fox Film I etc , and just saw no sense in writing at songs, just as the Rolling Stones are a Corporation that time, apart from personal pleasure." vehicle basically for songs that Mick and Disney 8 15,233 429,889 3.5 Wyman "waited until the contract blew Keith write." Walt Productions over" and has now formed Promobill Wyman considers the new album far Music. superior to his first "Monkey Grip" main- Columbia Pictures not not 256,629 Wyman will actively promote his solo ly due to the fact that he received vocal Industries, Inc. ranked avail- album — the second he has made — but coaching in the studio from Ruth and able will not perform or tour as a solo artist "I Bonnie Pointer of the Pointer Sisters and RCA Corporation not not 4,626,900 — just don't think I'm an up front performer Van Morrison. ranked avail- physically I might make a film which is Against his own choice, Wyman con- Source: able continued on pg 40 Price, Waterhouse & Co. what I did for the first album I made I February 14, 1976 9.