Boston Gets Platinum Copyright Renewal Date A&M ‘Nadia’s Theme’ Makes NEW YORK — "Boston,” the first album by Looms As Crucial Issue the group of the same name, has been cer- by Rebecca Moore tified platinum by the RIAA. The album, on WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Copyright Of- Impact At Franklin Music Epic Records, attained the million unit sales fice is seeking comments on a proposed by Ken Terry manager, declared, “it was at least 80 or 90 plateau in eleven weeks. date current copyright holders may first (units) over anything else we sold lastweek. give notice of their intentions to renew or ATLANTA, GA. — “Only once in a blue It’s a monster down here.” terminate contracts with publishers. Com- moon does an album come along that you Special Sale ments are due by December 15. can really blow out like this,” remarked Lee FRONT COVER I All three managers agreed that a con- The new copyright law gives an extra 19 Durham, manager of Franklin Music’s tributing factor to the current sales spurt on years to copyrights in their second 28-year Perimeter Mall store, in a recent phone “Nadia’s Theme” a special sale term. When a copyright has expired, the interview. was 10-day which began on Nov. 17. As of that date, owner has five years to give a two-year He wasn’t talking about the new album by Franklin Music lowered its selling price on notice of his or her intention to reclaim ex- Stevie Wonder. Nor was he referring to the $5.98 list LP from $3.99 to $2.79/$3.79 ploitation rights, but the new law also says Elton John’s “Blue Moves” or to Led Zeppe- tape. However, as Rubin pointed out, his an owner cannot file notice before Jan. 1, lin's current soundtrack. The album store had been moving 90-100 units of the 1978. Durham was discussing is one that has out- album per week even at $3.99. And Durham Crucial Date sold all of those top-charted items in noted that “we had sold out of it numerous For some copyright owners, or their Franklin Music’s three Atlanta stores: the times (before the latest sale), but now it's heirs, the earliest date they can file their two A&M version of “Nadia’s Theme” with the doing even better.” year notice is crucial. Copyright, renewed hit single on it of the same name. Durham explained how the decision had each ye# by Congress since 1962, has In the Perimeter Mall store, Durham es- been made to lower his store’s price on the already used up many of the extra 19 years timated 250 copies of “Nadia’s Theme” A&M version of “Nadia’s Theme.” “We had Norman Connors can claim a breadth and of life. have been sold in the past week. This is i — that and the Arista (solo version by Barry depth of experience that few other artists If owners can file notice before 1978 considerably more units than any other DeVorzon) at $3.99 on the same rack just to thereby reclaim the copyright before has for can boast of. Beginning a career as a drum- and album sold except Boston’s debut see which would move better. And it 1 they extra milk things like that,” mer involved in mainstream and avant- 980 — may have an year to LP “and said Durham. showed up that the A&M one was stronger, garde jazz, Connors has crossed over to their work before copyright time is up. Vaughan Jones, record manager at the so we went in heavy on it.” the R&B and pop markets as musical direc- At this point, no one is sure if a notice chain’s Lenox Square location, stated that Durham cited in-store play as one of the tor of his own recorded works. His latest filed with the Copyright Office this Decem- her store moved 600 copies of “Nadia’s major factors in the album’s current Buddah Records album, "You Are My ber will mean that an owner can renew or Theme” last week; in comparison, she said, success at the Perimeter Mall location. terminate his or her contracts in usually sell Starship,” nears its eighth month on the December “we about 400 copies of our #1 “Besides the single, the rest of the songs on Cash Box top albums chart, peak- of 1978, the earliest date after the two year album” within the same time period. At j 100 pop the album are pretty good, too. And it just ing within the top 40. The single “You Are waiting period. The Copyright Office is pro- Franklin Music’s Cumberland Mall store, moves out real well. I put it on last week My Starship” reached the number one viding notice forms and is accepting such 150 copies of the A&M album were sold in a when we had good adult traffic in the store. position on the Cash Box top 100 R&B notices. But it is not making any promises. week. Steve Rubin, the outlet’s record Well, I sold five copies — it was just like singles chart. blinking my eyes.” Early in his career, Connors played Woolworth’s 3rd Quarter Income What kinds of customers are buying this drums with Leon Thomas, Billy Paul, Archie album? “Straight WASP’S,” Durham Schepp, Sun Ra, Jackie McLean, Sam Declines Slightly; Sales answered without hesitation. “Strictly your Rivers, Lou Donaldson, and Charles Up 12% adult ‘easy-listening’ (fan) and young teens. Earland. He joined Pharoah Sanders in NEW YORK — The F.W. Woolworth Com- were unusual and to “a write-down of cer- They’re all clean-cut all-Americans: girls 1971 touring the world as well as recording pany reported income for the third quarter tain foreign inventories where their dollar from 14 to 18 (years old), and above that, ended October 31 of $23.9 million. The equivalent cost exceeded market value, i five albums with him. Connors began suburban housewives and so on. Your figure represents a 4% decline from income because of a decline in related foreign : recording as a bandleader the following prime example is the people who listen to year, with two solo albums on the Buddah- of $24.9 million during the comparable currency exchange rates.” AM pop radio.” period last year. Third quarter sales rose Income for the nine month period ended ! distributed Cobblestone label, “Dance Of Magic” and “Dark Of Light.” The players on 12% to a record $1,257 billion, from sales of October 31 increased to $82.2 million, from $1,124 billion for the third quarter in 1975. these sessions number among some of the $51.7 million during the same period last Ampex Releases Lester A. best-known names in today’s jazz, in- Burcham, Woolworth chair- year. Consolidated sales for the nine month man, said the third quarter income decline period climbed 12% to $3,569 billion, from i' eluding Stanley Clarke, Dee Dee 2nd Qtr. Stats was due to markdown of summer merchan- sales of $3,183 billion for the comparable Bridgewater, Jean Carn, Herbie Hancock, REDWOOD CITY, CA. — Ampex Corpora- Ron Carter, Gary Bartz, Eddie Henderson, dise in countries where weather patterns period in 1975. tion reported net earnings of $2.8 million for Alphonse Mouzon, Airto and Hubert Laws. the second quarter ended October 30, a As part of an all-inclusive Norman Connors Phonodisc Reports Record Sales declinefrom last year’s second quarter ear- catalog program, Buddah has recently nings of $3.6 million. However, last year’s reissued both these albums. In October; Announces Expansion second quarter included a $2.4 million pre- As sales for the most recent album near NEW YORK — Phonodisc Inc. has reported The labels distributed by Phonodisc are tax gain from the sale of a facility. the figures required for gold certification, record sales for October, following repor- the Polydor Incorporated family labels Increase Connors continues to involve himself in ted record profits for September. Conse- (Polydor, Oyster, Spring, ECM, Polydor/- Ampex’s second quarter sales increased varied projects, including production of a quently, Phonodisc has announced an ex- Kolob, MGM, Verve and Deutsche Gram- from $66 million in 1975 to $74 million this new group on the Buddah label, Aquarian. pansion of physical space and national mophon) as well as RSO and the year, a 12% gain. For the six month period Two of the featured vocalists on his last two sales personnel. Phonogram labels (Mercury, Philips and ended October 30, Ampex reported earn- albums, Phyllis Hyman and Michael Hen- Archive). As a group, the Phonodisc- ings of $4.6 million, compared with $5.2 derson, have both signed solo contracts distributed labels ranked third in chart million for 1975, a figure inflated by the with Buddah. Norman Connors’ next London Changes positions of all label groups in the U.S. in facility sale. Ampex net sales for the six album, coming shortly, will be entitled the Cash Box label chart share survey for month period rose to $139.3 million, from “Romantic Journey.” Label Design October (CB, Nov. 6). $129.7 last year. NEW YORK — London Records has an- INDEX nounced a new, four-color “sunrise scene” Album Chart 1-200 53 label which will appear on the company’s 45 Album Reviews 25 records. The new label will be utilized on all Classical 26 London 45s pressed after January 1, 1977. Singles Hi, Country Top 100 Singles 32 from Threshold, Mach, Buk and other London distributed companies will Country Top 50 LPs 30 retain their own labels.