VIRGIN TO TAKE DC TALK MAINSTREAM (Continued/ row page 1.;1 Virgin situation is that they can be beyond what I could have done on my keting strategy." Quartararo explains of the difference potential Virgin acts simply in terms of that promotion and marketing arm own." Quartararo says the single will drive between the two agreements. The their musical style. "I really don't into the mainstream that we've never In addition to rereleasing "Jesus sales of the album at mainstream retail. Newsboys are not signed directly to believe that Christian music is a had," he says. "We've always wanted Freak" and do Talk's upcoming group "The single best thing we can do at Virgin, but Quartararo says the label genre," he says. "I don't believe it's like our art to be out there for the world to projects, the new deal calls for Virgin mainstream retail is have a hit record has "entered a long -term agreement rap or country or opera or classical. hear, and this is a dream come true for to release any solo projects by the indi- at mainstream radio, which we're on with the Newsboys. We are partners There is Christian music that is rock, us." vidual members. McKeehan says that our way to doing right now," he says. on the Newsboys [with Star Song]. We Christian music that is black, Christ- ForeFront Communications Group there are no immediate, concrete plans "What will happen next is you'll see the work the pop side of the campaign." ian music that is gospel, and Christian president Dan Brock is equally enthu- for such sets, but that there will prob- record will move in retail from the Quartararo says Virgin does not music that is classical. Those are siastic. "For do Talk, if there could be ably be solo outings in the future, even Christian racks to the pop racks." have immediate plans to add another genres. The musical genre is the vehi- a perfect sort of situation, this is it," he though the group will always be the pri- The new agreement with do Talk Christian act to its roster but adds he cle, but the fact that the song appeals to says. mary focus. marks Virgin's second involvement is open to all possibilities. a Christian consumer and can get Brock adds that the timing of the Virgin's game plan for the group with a Christian act. Earlier in the Still, he does not view the label's played on a Christian radio station deal is also good on a corporate level. began with release of the single "Just year, the label pacted to promote Star involvement with do Talk and the doesn't mean it is genre- specific. It Virgin parent EMI purchased Fore - Between You And Me." "This song was Song band the Newsboys' current Newsboys as a move by Virgin into merely means the lyric content or the Front earlier this year (Billboard, July identified early in the game as a very album, "Take Me To Your Leader," to "Christian music." EMI already has a message is skewing that way. 13). He adds, "The contract with do radio -friendly cut," Quartararo says. the mainstream market. Christian -music company -EMI "So I believe that dc Talk will have Talk with us was up, and it was very "We held it back and waited until "With the Newsboys, we didn't re- Christian Music Group in Nashville - huge potential in terms of alternative appropriate for the new one to be a everything was in place and then sign the band, we didn't redo the deal. he notes. music formats, rock music formats, pop very big, worldwide contract, which is released the record with full pop -mar- On do Talk, the deal was redone," His own approach, he says, is to view music formats, MTV, and VH1," he says. Quartararo adds that Virgin execu- DATE SET FOR AUSTRALIAN MOVE TO ELECTRONIC POINT -OF -SALE DATA FOR CHARTS tives would never encourage do Talk to its music, (Continued front paye 10) alter the lyrical content of any more than they would try to tell need to identify retail's ownership of have been extremely business- threat- information and supply completed sta- Slim Dusty outsells most popular acts the Rolling Stones or the Smashing the uncompiled data, and the control ening. Information is power today; it tistics to retailers free of charge and in this country. Pumpkins what kind of music to make. of the information outside its chart is everything. We needed to ascertain in advance. "The payback is vastly "We saw how SoundScan showed McKeehan agrees. "We write about use. that if the information was to be used greater than if the information had the true size of the country music life's experiences, but at the center of "For the first time ever," says for anything other than the charts, it been paid for," he says. scene in the U.S. and figure that our life is faith in God, and you'll always AMRA chairman Barry Bull, "we were would be with AMRA's approval." AMRA's Bull adds, "Unlike similar ARIAnet will give a far better sales hear that sprinkled throughout our being asked to supply information on To settle the issue, AMRA has bodies in the U.K. and Canada which representation of how country music music," he says. every single sale, not just selections of accepted a firm written assurance are funded by selling the data to sales have grown enormously [here] in "I don't foresee any changes. We can it. It was to be done electronically, and from ARIA that the data obtained record companies, AMRA is amply recent times. It will be of particular write songs about relationships, like the people who were asking us to pro- through ARIAnet will be for the com- funded by membership and associate benefit to second -tier acts like Brian `Just Between You And Me.' We can vide this extremely confidential and pilation of charts. A secondary use - membership of our industry partners." Letton and Craig Giles." write songs against racism, like 'Col- vital information were our suppliers to identify market trends, for example, (Australian record companies are asso- Chris Neck, a director of AMRA and ored People.' We can write songs about [the members of ARIA]. and to quantify sales of specific music ciate members of AMRA.) operator of indie store Murray Neck moral decay and social decadence, like "If [the data] was misused by a sup- genres-will not be advanced until a "So we elected not to charge them, MusicWorld in Alice Springs, says, What Have We Become.' We will touch plier or got into the hands of a rival code of ethics and practice is devised, especially as plans for ARIAnet were "It's important that an accurate chart on the issues we've touched on. Is retailer," continues Bull, "it would if possible by the first quarter of next already quite advanced by the time we is available. If not, we're kidding our- every song going to be preachy? No, year. were invited to become involved. selves about the authenticity of the but we're going to share things that ARIA's White says the association Rather, we opted for cooperation, data and which product is selling in matter to us through our music." says Virgin can- 1 -800 MUSIC NOW believes "the logical step would be to ensuring we have control over the which markets. It's important to the Though Quartararo would to hide fact (Contio ?led from page 5) set up a hard -hitting committee of security and use of the information, industry that there be electronic accu- not and not try the some AMRA board members, two or and we get some statistics back in mulation of data and that it's present- that do Talk and the Newsboys are "very pleased" with how 1 -800 MU- three wholesalers, and a representa- return that would be of benefit to use ed in a responsible manner." known primarily as Christian acts, he SIC NOW's business has progressed. tive of non -AMRA retail members and in the long run." To that end, ARIA has recruited admits that fact is not exactly being At that time, he acknowledged that thrash out a code of practice. At present, ARIA gathers sales data Professor Ronald Bulley, who heads trumpeted either. the company had switched from try- "People have to be aware that the manually from approximately 200 out- the economics department at the "You don't want to give pop radio ing to drive sales through print and data produced will not be available to lets to produce 27 state and national University of New South Wales, to any reasons or excuses why they don't radio advertising to promoting the those who do not own it, and that it will charts. When ARIAnet is fully opera- analyze ARIAnet data. According to want to play something," he says. operation on cable television, which he not be sold or provided to parties that tional, discount department stores Bull, this is imperative if retail is to "These guys have two or three slots a described as being more effective. can use the information against those such as Kmart and Target -which sell continue its role as the best barome- week to fit in new records. It's very In fact, industry sources suggest who provide it. The whole point is to large quantities of AC- oriented prod- ter of customer needs and as breaker competitive.