DECEMBER 12, 1964 SEVENTIETH YEAR 50 CENTS Billboard The International Music-Record Newsweek ly RadioTV Programming Phono -Tap Merchandising Coln Machine Operating RCA Victor to Keep R&B Within Its Pop Operation By MIKE GROSS record concepts and there's no area with independent produc- need to categorize or separate ers and /or master purchases. NEW YORK -RCA Victor's any pop efforts. Decca, for example, has mapped pitch into the rhythm and blues This position is running out a campaign to assert itself THE DRIFTERS: Johnny Terry, Gene Pearson, Johnny Moore and Thomas. field will continue through its against the tide of recent moves more strongly in the r &h mar- Charles regular pop operation. Accord- made by several record compa- ket and has already latched on This great Atlantic group has an unending list of topselling singles and albums, ing to Victor's a&r executives, nies to get into the r &b groove to a number of indie producers including their current smash, "Saturday Night at the Movies." Some past hits the so- called r &b- oriented disks via subsidiary labels, or by mak- and is auditioning all comers are "Under the Boardwalk," "Up on the Roof," On Broadway," "Save the Last belong to the over -all pop ing a separate drive into that (Continued on page 10) Dance for Mt' and "There Goes My Baby." (Advertisement) Columbia Gets Decca Swings Into High Gear Dot Tightens Rights to Do With Wide Range of Projects Distrib Setup HOLLYWOOD - Dot Rec- NEW YORK - Decca Rec- Shel Talmy, and to further latest hits by the Hondells, ords has consolidated its North 'Luv' Caster ords is moving out on all fronts. strengthen its grip on the "Buddy Seat," as well as co- Carolina distribution by replac- It's a wide -ranged frontal at- "Coast Sound," it brought 25- writer of several songs in the ing its Charlotte outlet with a NEW YORK -Columbia Rec- tack that's geared to all phases year -old Gary Usher into its a &r " Surfin' Safari" and "Shut local rep and shipping merchan- ords is continuing its drive into of the show business spectrum production stable last week. Down" albums, and he is co- dise from its company -owned the non -musical Broadway field and even includes the teen beat Big Score for Decca producer and writer of the cur- Nashville branch. with the wrap -up of the origi- fads emanating from such diver- The acquisition of Usher is a rent Capitol LP, "The Beatle Eliminated is Herb Wiseman's nal cast album rights to "Luv." sified areas as the West Coast big score for for Decca. In his Story." Usher also was instru- Mangold Distributors, which The hit comedy by Murray and England. comparatively short life in the mental in developing the "Hot handled Dot since 1949. Named Schisgal, stars Eli Wallich, To cash in on the rash of record -music business, Usher has Rod" fad, having co- produced Charlotte representative is Anne Jackson and Alan Arkin. Redcoat records that have been amassed an impressive list of and arranged the Hondells' Charles Hartely, former branch It was directed by Mike Nichols. scoring on this side of the At- credits. He was co- writer on click, "Little Honda." manager for King Records' "Luv," marks Columbia's first lantic, Decca has latched on to such hits by the Beach Boys as He's joining a Decca Coast Charlotte operation. He was (Continued on page 10) a young English disk producer "409" and "In My Room"; the (Continued on pace 10) (Continued on page 36) Redcoats Wane in U.S. Cause Sippel to Head Mercury PR CHICAGO - John Sippel, 1958 he had been their pack- veteran record company execu- age goods sales manager. B. O. Drain; Promoters Whine tive and trade journalist, has re- Sippel's career has been a signed his post as director of blending of editorial and adver- marketing for Monument Rec- tising assignments LOS ANGELES - Concert to suffer an unexpected loss. two young girls had withdrawn with Bill- promoters are taking a second The same group grossed $10,- their savings from a bank and ords to become director of pub- board and executive stints with look at the British rock 'n' roll 000 in Minneapolis but local flown to England to visit the licity for the Mercury Records record companies. invaders as financial reports in- promoter Ray Colihan lost $4,- Beatles. Cleveland's M a y o r Corporation. The appointment is After his graduation from dicate that the romance be- 000 on the date. He paid the Ralph Locher decreed that r &r effective Jan. 1 Marquette University, he joined tween the long- haired lads and Britishers $25,000 for two contributed the nothing to city, Sippel will be in charge of all the Milwaukee their adolescent admirers may dates, one in Des Moines. it's casting the Rolling Stones show staff of the As- be cooling -at least at the box also reported Colihan lost a in a bad light. Pazdur has the publicity for Mercury and its sociated Press and later joined office. larger sum promoting a concert Dave Clark five booked Dec. subsidiary labels -Phillips, Blue Billboard's Chicago office. Ironically, America's Top 40 with the Rolling Stones earlier. 17. Rock, Smash, Limelight, Cum- He worked in Billboard's Chi - radio stations are playing the The Rolling Stones cost Chi- Other reports have been berland, Fontana and Wing. and New York offices as a re- British groups with cago promoter Ed Pazdur along the same dominating $5; down beat Mercury Executive Vice -Pres- porter and advertising space force, indicating that what hap- 000 when they bombed in mood. A British rock show in salesman. His ident Irwin Steinberg said the Billboard tour of pens in the concert field has no Cleveland early in November. Ottawa, Ont., fell on its face duty was interrupted by a stint relation to what makes a sta- The group had been booked when the unit only drew 1,957 move is in line with Mercury's at Mercury. tion's playlist. into the 11,000 -seat Public Au- paid admissions in the 6,000 - policy of making the home of- Sippel left Billboard three In a recent Las Vegas gig, the ditorium with a $44,000 top seat YMCA Auditorium. This fice self -sustaining in executive years ago to head the marketing Dave Clark Five drew around gross potential. The final take group was headed by Billy J. personnel. Prior to the appoint- division of Monument Records. was 3,000 teens in the 8,000 seat a reported $5,000. Kramer and the Dakotas and ment. the label relied on out- In his new post. Sippel will included Convention Center for an $8,- The Rolling Stones show was Gerry and the Pace- side public relations. set up a publicity department 000 gross, causing the Thunder- in trouble when city fathers makers. This will be Sippel's second for both U. S. and overseas bird Hotel and Station KENO took exception to the news that (Continued on pace 36) tour of duty with Mercury. In .frosts. TAEWiT of lohn I: hcnncti TWO GREAT ALBUMS -4 - ON CH-619 CH-618 www.americanradiohistory.com THE BOSTON POPS JOHN GARY sings & ARTHUR FIEDLER play "SUNRISE SUNSET" "CHIM CHIM CHER -EE" From "Fiddler on the Roof" From "Mary Poppins "' clw "The Bell Rings" clw "Get Me to the -8479 Church on Time" =8473 TWO NEW HIT SINGLES ON RCA VICTOR The most trusted name in sound. www.americanradiohistory.com LEVY LOOKS TO NEW VISTAS CONVENTION SCHEDULE OF INDUSTRY IN 1965 Leeds Music Has Best Year Ever By PAUL ACKERMAN out professional copies and go NEW YORK enable industry members to better plan their -To through much of the traditional activities for 1965, Billboard has compiled this information about NEW YORK industry - Lou Levy, routine in order to keep copy- conventions and events: Leeds Music president, who last rights active." 14 -18 of March National Association Record Merchandisers week sold his firm to Music Levy noted that Fairmont Hotel, a publisher (NARM) -Annual Convention, Corporation of America for a was wise to tap all spectrums of San Francisco. figure in excess of $4,000,000 musical taste. "In Leeds we have March 21 -24 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) -An- (Billboard, Dec. 5), revealed domestic and foreign pop mate- nual Convention, Sheraton Park & Shoreham this week that the company in rial, band arrangement, classical Hotels, Washington. 1964 will have grossed over material, calypsos, country and June 27 -July 1 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) $2,000,000. This represents in- religious songs, blues, and vir- -Annual Convention, Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chi- come from the subsidiaries, in- tually everything else. cago. cluding Duchess, but does not "These areas all pay off," Sept. 11 -13 Music Operators of America (MOA)- Annual include income from overseas Levy said. "Some of the steadi- Convention, Pick Congress Hotel, Chicago. and Canada. est sellers in the catalog here Oct. 16 -19 National Automatic Merchandising Association the are religious songs like 'Ten- (NAMA) Convention, Convention Hall, This take is best year in -Annual Leeds Music history, Levy said, derly He Watches; 'May the Miami Beach. and he pointed that "the Good Lord Bless and Keep Nov. 4 -6 ou' Country Music Festival, Nashville. challenge in the You' and 'It Is No Secret What The annual convention dates for the American Record Mer- music publish- God Can Do.' As for blues, I chants and ing business is still there for LOU LEVY Distributors Association (ARMADA) will be announced young bright music men." can point out that in the last after the first of the year, according to Ed Jones, executive secretary.