IN THIS ISSUE # t% * ***-x*;: *3- DIGIT 908 006817973 4401 9013 MAR92QGZ PolyGram Has `Fine' MONJTY GREENLY APT A Future In U.S., Says 3740 ELM LONG BEACH CA 90807 Label's Global Chief PAGE 6 Simmons Links Rush Labels With Columbia PAGE 6 R THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT March 31, 1990/$4.50 (U.S.), $5.50 (CAN.), £3.50 (U.K.) Newest Sell -Thru Megahit Pubs, Writers On Lyric Sidelines A `Honey' In Sales, Rentals Trade Groups Won't Fight Labeling Bills vol- BY EARL PAIGE disers because it's a family movie. BY BILL HOLLAND feels the industry needs to take We also see it promising as a gift Tennessee Stickering Bill Appears untary self-regulation more serious- LOS ANGELES -The Buena Vista item." WASHINGTON, D.C. -The leading To Have Fizzled Out ... See Page 5 ly. Home Video release "Honey, I Video buyer Gail Reed at 54 -store associations of music publishers and "NMPA has no position on this as Shrunk The Kids," the last of three Spec's Music in Miami says, "Every songwriters have decided not to join ers and writers, have joined the re- yet," Murphy says. "While no one is for a moment there shouldn't closely watched early -1990 sell - piece rented." In terms of sales, the music industry fight against the cently formed Coalition Against Lyr- saying through blockbusters, jumped out though, she says the Disney comedy passage of state record-labeling bills ics Legislation. be First Amendment protection, free of the box with solid showings in is running "100 pieces" behind at this time. The National Music Publishers speech, there's also reality and a busi- both sales and rental. where "Last Crusade" was in its Executives at several large pub- Assn. is not currently opposing the ness point of view that has to be dealt Several retailers say the title is first week and "200 pieces" behind lishers, however, have expressed op- stickering bills because of what with." performing in a predictably robust "Lethal Weapon 2." position to those measures. And per- NMPA president Ed Murphy sees as He adds that up until now, the 1985 manner in the early going but stress A somewhat more somber assess - forming rights societies ASCAP and a growing, legitimate public concern voluntary agreement between the the picture is still sketchy, since the (Continued on page 89) BMI, which represent many publish- over explicit lyrics and because he Recording Industry Assn. of Ameri- title generally was not on shelves ca and the Parents' Music Resource until March 15. Center has been handled poorly by Most retailers queried by Bill- record labels. board place "Honey" somewhere 18- To Fia. Arrest Murphy says that state efforts to between Warner Home Video's "Le- Chain Goes -Buy After legislate record labeling "have to be thal Weapon 2" and Paramount BY BRUCE HARING sota, may lead to RICO charges Be." dealt with in an effective way, which Home Video's "Indiana Jones And against the 170 -store Record Bar The sale of the album occurred in is [the industry itself] moving to The Last Crusade." NEW YORK-The arrest of a teen- chain, 2 Live Crew label Skyywalker January. According to his lawyer, some sort of self-regulation," and Gary Ross, president of the 90- age record store clerk in Sarasota, Records, and its distributors. Reese was identified as the seller of that the growing tide of state bills is unit Suncoast Motion Picture Co., a Fla., for selling a 2 Live Crew album Reese was arrested at the store the tape because he is the store's only "the end result of unrestricted activi- subsidiary of the Musicland Group, to a minor has led the store's parent March 15 by Sarasota police, hand- black employee. The charge is a felo- ty" on the part of the labels. says "Honey" is as projected, "less company, The Record Bar, to adopt a cuffed, and charged with selling an ny under Florida law, carrying penal- "There is concern out there with than `Lethal Weapon 2' but equal to' chainwide 18- to-purchase policy. 11- year -old girl material harmful to ties of five years in jail and a $5,000 the consumers, a public interest, that or a little less than 'Last Crusade.' Additionally, the arrest of Chaun- minors, specifically a copy of 2 Live fine. has to be resolved," he adds. It will do better with mass merchan- cey Reese, a clerk at Tracks in Sara- Crew's "As Nasty As They Wanna a (Continued on page 89) Murphy explains that the record companies, not music publishers, have been the parties "with control" ADVERTISEMENTS to "make the choices as to what is put In Canada, Hunt (Continued on page 89) Is On For Rap, No. 1 IN BILLBOARD Dance Talent HOT 100 SINGLES * BLACK VELVET BY SEAN ROSS ALANNAH MYLES (ATLANTIC) TOP POP ALBUMS * FOREVER YOUR GIRL TORONTO- Buoyed by the success PAULA ABDUL (VIRGIN) of the country's first homegrown rap HOT BLACK SINGLES hit, "Let Your Backbone Slide," by * ALL AROUND THE WORLD Maestro Fresh -Wes, Canada is expe- LISA STANSFIELD (ARISTA) riencing a miniboom in dance and rap TOP BLACK ALBUMS * BACK ON THE BLOCK signings similar to the American rap QUINCY JONES (QWEST) rush of two years ago. Combined HOT COUNTRY SINGLES with Capitol's recent appointment of * HARD ROCK BOTTOM OF YOUR HEART Canada's first major -label black/ RANDY TRAVIS (WARNER BROS.) dance product manager in recent TOP COUNTRY ALBUMS memory, those A &R moves suggest * RVS III that the country's long- dormant RICKY VAN SHELTON (COLUMBIA) THAT PETROL EMOTION. A gutsy, aggressive take on life and ZIL -Tt e Brazilian supergroup with a unique combination of voices black music scene may finally be- TOP VIDEO SALES NAC * LETHAL WEAPON 2 (WARNER HOME VIDEO) love, CHEMICRAZY is a breakthrough album worthy of this wry, and instruments. One of the most added records on jazz and come a tangible force. raucous and critically -acclaimed band. Featuring the track radio. ZIL'S debut, featuring RICARDO SILVEIRA ... contemporary TOP VIDEO RENTALS on page 12) LETHAL WEAPON 2 (WARNER HOME VIDEO) "HEY VENUS." On VIRGIN. jazz of VERVE /FORECAST CDs and cassettes (841 -929-2/4). (Continued * ALAN it,ClcstllALAN IS THE REAL DEAL. CO j£I C IRS O n Here In The Real World, the debut album from Alan Jackson ó has taken the country by storm, selling over 175,000 copies in CO only a few short weeks. The title track is already Top 5 on its way N- o becoming the first #1 from this truly talented singer /songwriter. Ó We're Making Our Commitment Count. 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Elektra Entertainment www.americanradiohistory.com I IN 11 J 1---j JJ =1 D o Freeeo BFr"` IcTrTrk "" ERLIN ODE TO FREEDOM Beethoven Symphony No. 9 BEETHOVEN SYMPH. N_o Recorded live in East Germany Available p pact Disc and Cassette December 25, 1989 19960G/PolyGram Records To place an order call (800) 428-4434 www.americanradiohistory.com Tenn. Stickering Bill Stuck-For Now Dies In Subcommittee; Revival Unlikely BY EDWARD MORRIS artists Emmylou Harris, Ricky rately, it is conceivable that the Sen- Skaggs, and Vince Gill. Instead of ate subcommittee will be guided in its NASHVILLE -The bid by members voting on its bill (Senate Bill 2535), actions by the House response. of Tennessee's General Assembly to the subcommittee delayed its consid- Harris was on hand to oppose the enact a record -stickering law appears eration for a week to wait on an opin- House bill, but did not speak when to have failed for this session. While ion on the legality of the proposal the measure failed to get a second. NIENIS could re- c extraordinary maneuvering from the state's attorney general. In Missouri, Rep. Jean Dixon's bill, vive the effort before the mid -April Had a vote been taken, Anderson HB 1406, which was heard in the VOLUME 102 NO. 13 MARCH 31, 1990 end of the session, it seems unlikely said she counted only three pro-label- House Nov. 28, remained in commit- that this will happen. ing votes out of the subcommittee's tee as of press time. Action is not ex- COPYRIGHT REFORM IN CANADA On March 21, House Bill 2482 died 11 members.