ICD 08120 Houston, Dire Straits L0906 tiD MDti39 ONO-1 W-13 04L £ hit 5- million plateau tf A D n ldti in May certifications 01 £0 J1N33?J9 AINOW See page 6 ggadW 994Z094099010 906 1I014-£4*****44,44,*4******* Paid ads between tracks on debut Sputnik album See page 62 Debt shock syndrome zaps new bands See page 71 VOLUME 98 NO. 24 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT June 14, 1986/$3.50 (U.S.) Porn Charges Leveled '86 Introduction In Japan Cited At CES At Punkers' LP Poster Sony Goes Public With DAT System against Jello Biafra, the Dead Ken - mains uncertain. flow of releases. Hardware makers BY CHRIS MORRIS nedys' vocalist and owner of Alter- BY JIM McCULLAUGH JVC Co. of America, which had and potential software suppliers LOS ANGELES The lead singer of native Tentacles Records, which CHICAGO Sony Corp. publicly said it would publicly demonstrate and retailers at the show agreed the San Francisco -based punk band marketed the disputed 1985 LP, demonstrated home and automotive its DAT hardware using prerecord- there are a number of crucial educa- the Dead Kennedys is among five " Frankenchrist." Biafra said the digital audiotape (DAT) recorder/ ed digital audiocassette material tional, marketing, and merchandis- individuals, including record label poster is no longer enclosed in player models at the Summer Con- prepared by GRP Records, did not ing issues to be ironed out during and distribution personnel, facing copies of "Frankenchrist," having sumer Electronics Show here last the balance of this year. criminal charges stemming from been withdrawn six weeks ago fol- week (1 -4). Previous CES showings Two representatives from the the inclusion of an allegedly porno- lowing a search of the Alternative of DAT product by Japanese firms The video scene prerecorded side of the business in graphic poster in the group's most Tentacles office by police armed had been privately conducted. attendance here-Russ Bach, se- recent album. with a warrant. It appears only in Sony says it plans to introduce at CES, see page 3 nior WEA executive, and Mitch Per - The case is believed to be the first the first 30,000 LPs manufactured. DAT units in Japan this fall, and in liss, a senior executive at Southern such prosecution since last year's "The poster was withdrawn, not the U.S. by 1987. do so. Instead, demos were given California's Music Plus Video controversial accord between the as an admission of guilt, but as a The electronics giant also made a only by invitation. According to a chain- voiced skepticism about the Recording Industry Assn. of Ameri- precautionary courtesy to protect call for the formation of a soft- source close to the situation, JVC's format. ca (RIAA) and the Parents Music our distributors and stores," he ware /hardware DAT Group to ad- Japanese parent decided just before According to Bach, the astonish- Resource Center (PMRC) concern- said. vance the cause of new cassette CES that the firm's public DAT ing growth of the compact disk may ing the advisory labeling of record- Also named in the case are Mi- technology. launch would occur at this fall's make DAT a moot point, although ed material. chael Bonnano, former label gener- Despite Sony's public stance - Tokyo Audio Fair. he indicates a willingness to "listen Charges were filed here June 3 al manager; Debra Ruth Schwartz, and private showings of DAT proto- Vital to a successful DAT launch (Continued on page 84) general manager of Mordam Rec- types by Denon and other firms- is the position of prerecorded soft- (Continued on page 85) the immediate future of DAT re- ware manufacturers regarding a Fan Fair Ticket ADVERTISEMENTS Prism: 100% Sales Reach BAMBA'ATAA'S THEME' Returns For B í W T. E N All -Time High Select Accounts BY ANDREW ROBLIN BY TONY SEIDEMAN NASHVILLE Registration for the CHICAGO Video software manu- 15th annual Fan Fair, which opens facturer Prism Entertainment Monday (9) at Nashville's Tennes- Corp. is testing 1007, returns for see State Fairgrounds, is setting mass merchandisers. records for the event. The experimental program, an- Some 21,500 country fans -about nounced at the 1986 Summer Con- 2,500 more than last year -have sumer Electronics Show here, is de- spent $60 each on tickets for the signed to lure new accounts into the five -day event. Because of heavy prerecorded video business. (For a advance sales, registration was complete roundup of video develop- closed before the start of Fan Fair. ments at CES, see page 3.) Only once before-at the height of Chains will be eligible for 1007, the "Urban Cowboy" fad in 1981 - returns if they have never dealt in did advance ticket sales force an "BAMB<.ATAA'S THEME" (TB 879) by AFRIKA BAMBAATAA & QUEEN video software and they agree to early end to registration. FAMILY -the explosive new single from the long awaited solo is going to be amazing ears everywhere with place a minimum of 30 titles from Each year since 1984, Fan Fair LP "BEWARE (THE FUNK IS EVERYWHERE)" (TB 1008). The A KIND OF MAGIC Prism's Video Collection in 107, of has brought more than $5 million in Godfather of Hip Hop is back with a bang as he tests the Big Their next greatest hit. their outlets. The returns policy tourists' money into Tennessee's Barn Boom theory on the theme from "Assault On Precinct 13." APPEARING TODAY! will only apply to that 10V,, says 84) A musics) meltdown that's guaranteed radio active. On Capitol. (Continued on page On Tommy Boy. (Continued on page 84) u LIGHTNING STRIKES The rock from Loudness. \ latest high -voltage power Including the trcck 1 " LET IT GO. (PR 884) There's no shelter from 'phis storm! o Produced by Max Norman (For On Yer Bike Ltd.) Monagemert: Danny O'Donovan Enterprises, Los Angeles Look for LOUDNESS on tour this summer. e 1986 Atlantic Recording Corp .e A warner Cammu ,Ootions Co ADVERTISEMENT www.americanradiohistory.com I\\ II \\ 1. ' I \\ 11 \ \' 1. I\\ 11 \ \ 1. 'I \ \ 11 \ \ 1. I\\ II \\ 7.0% \\ I\ \ 1. I \II \ \ I I\ \ II \\ 1. 'I \\ II \\ V. I \II \\ WA VA 1. 'I \C II \' I\ \ II l"` WESTWOOD ONE RADIO NETWORKS PRESENT av i The Westwood One Radio Networks and Mutual Broadcasting System join with VH -1 in presenting a digital stereo simulcast of Farm Aid II -a July 4th concert extravaganza hosted by Willie Nelson and featuring superstars from the country, rock and pop music worlds, continuing the effort to raise funds for America's farmers. This 18 -hour event will originate from Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin beginning at 6 a.m. E.D.T. and will be broadcast by Westwood One and Mutual over both the Satcom 1R and Westar IV communications satel- lites on a non -exclusive basis to any radio stations in the country who wish to air it. John Cougar Mellencamp, Neil Young and Julio Iglesias join Willie Nelson as the stars of Farm Aid II. and among those set to perform are Waylon Jennings, The Beach Boys, Don Johnson, Elvis Costello, Foreigner, Kris Kristofferson, Mac Davis, Lone Justice, The Blasters, Joe Ely, Los Lobos, Brian Setzer, Luther Vandross, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Arlo Guthrie and many, many more. So set aside your July 4th holiday for some great music and a very worthy cause - Farm Aid II, a stereo simulcast presentation from VH -1, the Mutual Broadcasting System and the Westwood One Radio Networks. Mutual Station Relations personnel will be clearing this special broadcast for both Mutual and Westwood One affiliates. For more info, contact them in Arlington at (703) 685 -2050 or in Los Angeles at (213) 204 -5000. Donations can be made to Farm Aid II by calling 1- 800 -FARM -AID. VIDEO HITS ONE- I\ II \' I \ II \7,0I.\\ II \ I\ II I\ II C I, II I\ II C I\ II \' I\ II I. II 7.0% '0, \ I\ II \ I\ II \ www.americanradiohistory.com Video Slowdown Forecast At CES IN THIS ISSUE Concern Amid Signs Of Flux that although overall rental volume become the first firm to take an offi- BY TONY SEIDEMAN is up, his surveys show that on a cial position on the issue. Says Len VOLUME 99 NO. 24 JUNE 14, 1986 CHICAGO Video software and per -store basis, increased competi- White, president of CBS /Fox Vid- hardware manufacturers at the tion has driven rentals down 20 % to eo's consumer products division, 1 NEWS publicly demonstrates digital audiotape recorder/ Sony 1986 Summer Consumer Electronics 30%. "We have made a decision that we player models at CES. The lead singer of the Dead Kennedys is Show here appeared pessimistic In a development that haunted are not going to open up any new facing criminal charges stemming from the inclusion of an alleged- about the second half of 1986, fear- CES attendees, Connecticut -based distributor branches, period." ly pornographic poster in the group's most recent album. Video Fairfield Group In addition, White says, we software manufacturer Prism Entertainment Corp. is testing 100% ing a dip in profits and a slowdown research firm the "If a where a distribu- returns for mass merchandisers. Registration for this year's Fan in software growth. revised its sales projections for 1986 have location is working well, we Fair is outdistancing the numbers posted in previous years. 0-3/ Software manufacturers base downward. In January, the compa- tor's branch not Visitors to CES voice pessimism about the second half of the year.