Artists & Music Labels' Woes Leave Acts, Managers Scrambling For New Deals BY J.R. REYNOLDS which terminates its relationship with yet to be drawn up, but both parties demise of Morgan Creek (Billboard, Warner Bros. March 31, continue to have agreed to sign a deal," says Bob Jan. 22) led to the group's own collapse. LOS ANGELES -The termination of face an uncertain future (Billboard, Merlis, senior VP/director of media re- "It was a frustrating situation for al- Warner Bros. Records' joint venture Feb. 19), although Mark Pucci, VP of lations for Warner Bros. Other Paisley most a year, because even though the with Paisley Park Records, the closing publicity and artist relations, says Ca- Park artists will be reviewed on a case - label wasn't putting out the band's al- of Chameleon Records, and Morgan pricorn will establish itself with an- by -case basis, he says. bum, they weren't releasing them from Creek's restructuring have left artist other label "by the time our deal with Collins is in the studio finishing her their contract." managers scrambling to find new Warner ends." album, for release later this year. Asher says it ultimately was the homes for their clients. Vocalist Tyler Collins, who was re- "I already had a close relationship COLLINS WILLIAMS frustration over its legal woes that led In some cases, the artists have cording her first album for Paisley with Benny Medina [senior VP of to the dissolution of Mary's Danish and signed on with other record companies. Park Records after leaving RCA, has A &R /GM, black music division] at January 1993, but has been without a its members' split from Asher. In others, legal hassles with their la- signed to Warner Bros. The Warner/ Warner, who helped make my deal manager since June. Had Warner Since the breakup, guitarist/song- bels have led groups to disband. Paisley Park venture was disbanded happen over at Paisley in the first Bros. not picked up the artist, the clo- writer David King and drummer Artists signed to Capricorn Records, earlier this year (Billboard, Feb. 12). place," Collins says. sure of Paisley Park could have de- James Bradley Jr. have teamed with In Collins' case, "The papers have Collins signed with Paisley Park in railed her career. ex -Red Hot Chili Peppers guitar tech- "It's been a smooth transition for nician Robbie Allen to form Rob Rule. me, and I'm nearly finished recording The band's Mercury debut is scheduled PUBLICITY my new album," she says. "In fact, I've for a May 17 release. In addition, NICK CAVE STILL ON THE OUTSIDE been working closely with [the Warner former Danish members Gretchen PRINTS (Goutiotu.ed front page 18) Bros. A &R department] since I first Seager, Louis Gutierrez, and Chris utaaoraone on *saw cas scow set and uncomfortable and frustrated approached properly and produced signed with Paisley." Wagner have joined drummer Dave BLACK & WHITE 8 x 10's and bitter, and so on. That's when I properly, it could've been a very aggres- Others haven't been as lucky. Peter Hart to form Battery Acid, signed to 500 - $70.00 1000 - $95.00 want to let the pus out of the wounds." sive record," he says. "What we were Asher, manager for the now -defunct Geffen Records. COLOR Keyed by songs like "Loverman" looking to make was a very violent, raw recording act Mary's Danish, says con- Other acts have been caught in the 1000 - $396.00 and the abrasive "Jangling Jack," "Let acoustic record, using acoustic instru- tractual problems that preceded the (Continued on page 24) AbOve Prices Include Typesetting 1 Freight Love In" restores the aggression of ments, but simply banging the hell out Send $x10 Photo Chect or M.O. early Bad Seeds albums like 1985's of them. What we ended up with was a "The Firstborn Is Dead." Cave gives somewhat weak rock'n'roll record. b 8/W Posters Full Color much of the credit for the sound to pro- "I have to lay a certain amount of Composites - Cards - Other Sizes ducer Tony Cohen, whose long rela- blame on [producer] David Briggs for AMUSEMENT BUSINESS® Send For Catalog & Samples tionship with the singer stretches back that, but it was our fault too, in that we to Cave's days fronting the seminal, let it get out of our hands." TOP 10 CONCERT PICTURES harrowing postpunk band the Birthday Cave's other projects -such as his BOXSCORE GROSSES 1867 E Florida, Dept. B8 MO 65803 Party. work with director Wim Wenders, Springflel0. Gross Attendance (41 7) 8649433 or 869-3456 "I if `Henry's Dream' had been whose film "Faraway, So Close" uses think ARTIST(S) Venue Date(s) Ticket Price(s) Capacity Promoter the singer's "Cassiel's Song" as its closing theme -have introduced him to GARTH BROOKS Charles M. March 2 -5 5846,079 47,396 Varnell Enterprises ALISON KRAUSS & UNION Murphy Athletic $18.50 four audiences outside the alternative rock STATION Center sellouts sphere. Elektra's Kahn feels that, de- Middle of rougher Tennessee State spite some the album's University edges, there are potential inroads to be Murfreesboro, made at album alternative radio. Tenn. "Even though some of the record may not be for [that audience], he can ROOSTEWART Palace of Feb. 23 $785355 20,358 Cellar Door Auburn Hills $50/ $35 sellout Belkin Prods. appeal to people who will listen to Auburn Hills, Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits," he Mich. says, 'We'll service those stations in a Factory way to convey that, perhaps with a CD ROD STEWART Spectrum March? $538260 17,954 Electric Philadelphia $28.50 sellout Concerts suites sampler." Furnished corporate Cave, who mock -grimaces when dis- of a hotel. cussing the idea of maturity's onset, 1318 ANNUAL tOBMARtiT Arena, Long Feb. 19 -20 $401,361 20,000 Moss Jacobs for half the cost DAY: Beach $25/ $23/ $18 two Presents points out that, in his mind, the Bad WAILING SOULS & sellouts Stays of 30 days or longer. Convention Seeds have never been consigned to BUJU BANTON, BERES Entertainment any of rock's factions. HAMMOND, SHAGGY Center MIGHTY DIAMONDS. Long Beach, "I hope we've made diverse enough BARRINGTON LEVY & Calif. records that we can do whatever we'd OTHERS Corporate Apartments like and, whether it's fully accepted or not, it won't come as too much of a sur- GEORGE STRAIT Dean E. Smith March 4 $296.205 14,449 Varnell Enterprises CLAY WALKER Center $20.50 sellout SAN FERNANDO VALLEY LOS ANGELES (800) 942 -2787 OR (213) 878 -2100 / prise," says Cave. "If we made an University of National reservations (800) 888 -0808 acoustic or an instrumental record, I North Carolina, think it wouldn't be less unusual than Chapel Hill, Hill, N.C. Nirvana doing the same. There's a Chapel theme that runs through them all, es- ROOSTEWART UTC Arena Feb. 26 $291,620 9,346 C&C Entertainment pecially lyrically, where I'm often University of 335/ $25 11,211 banging away on the same nail, but mu- Tennessee- sically, been cabaret and blues and Chattanooga it's Chattanooga, gospel and hard rock." Tenn. The Atrium Kahn notes that the initial impact of AT "Let Love In" will be heightened by its ROD STEWART Stabler Arena, March 6 $271,395 6,023 Electric Factory simultaneous worldwide release -a Lehigh $45 sellout Concerts first for Cave. "In the past, imports University West 52nd Street Bethlehem, Pa. (355 West 52nd Street) have filtered in and minimized [his] out -of- the -box potential," he says. WYNONNA/ Fox Theatre March 4-5 $238,790 8,740 Pro Tours is pleased to announce that "When you lose that hardcore audi- AARON NEVILLE Atlanta $35/ $25 two ence, it hurts the rhythm of a record, sellouts and you have to rebuild." Varnell Enter - As for Lollapalooza's utility as a GEORGE STRAIT Patriot Center March 6 $217,125 9,650 Chesky Records CLAY WALKER George Mason $22.50 sellout prises building block, Cave seems to regard University has leased an entire floor the summer caravan with a mixture of Fairfax, Va. excitement and trepidation. "I'm not certain that playing at 3 in the after- ALAN JACKSON Arena, March 5 5196,599 10,012 Varnell Enter- EXCLUSIVE A -, For information on remaining retail i noon to thousands of Beastie Boys fans PAM TILLIS Mississippi $19.50 sellout prises and office space, please contact: Coast Coliseum The Argo Corporation is my ideal," he notes. "But I feel in Biloxi, Miss. Jeffrey Levy -I= ELF TATE /s 212- 757 -5830 some ways, I've been spinning my Copyrighted and compiled by Amusement Business, a publication of BPI Communications, wheels in America, while moving ahead Boxscores should be submitted to: Marie Ratliff, Nashville. Phone: (615)- 321 -4295, Fax: (615)- in other parts of the world. And this 327 -1575. For research information and pricing, call Marie Ratliff, (615)- 321 -4295. will be a change, certainly." BILLBOARD MARCH 19, 1994 22 www.americanradiohistory.com.