JUNE 23,1984 SINGLES CHART 9 ALBUM CHART 20 Virgin press for Oldfield tf: album GUTERSLOH: Virgin Records flew European journalists and radio personnel to the Sonopress pressing plant in West Germany last week for the launch of the new Mike Oldfield album. Discovery. The album, which is pressed via PICTURED A T the Sonopress plant, while the first run of Discovery (see story, Direct Metal Mastering, will be right) was being pressed are d to r): Jeremy Porter (persona! assistant to Mike released throughout Europe on June Old field). Dirk Hohmeyer (product manager. Virgin Germany), Oldfield, Sally 25, with the compact disc to follow ^EmiEEEa Cooper, Simon Phillips (drummer and co-producer of Discovery) and Miranda shortly afterwards. A single. To Brown (Internationalpromotions. Virgin UK). France, featuring Maggie Reilly is released in the UK this week. Oldfield, who has settled his Preliminary agreement reached in merger folks contractual differences with Virgin Records and chairman Richard Branson, is now undertaking a promotional tour of European cities. A 50-date concert tour will follow later in the year. RCA, Ariola to tie the knot? Oldfield has completed the music for the upcoming David Putnam likely make-up of a merged "major new signing . stake in the European market, where film. The Killing Fields, and the THE PROPOSED merger operation. Both companies stressed RCA European vice president its share is substantially below that soundtrack will be released through between RCA and Ariola was that the record businesses of each Jack Davies, who is acting as MD of of other multi-nationals. Virgin. As for the future, Oldfield made_qfficial ]ast week with a company will continue to exercise the UK record company, also In the UK, a joint said: "I'd like to try my hand at a joint announcement from the "creative control" over their declined to elaborate on the official RCA/Ariola/Arista company would musical — Discovery has been good RCA Corporation and German operations, while being supported announcement, but revealed that have had a 13.5 per cent singles practice for that." Bertelsmann company that they by joint services in the although several candidates for the market share in the first quarter of had reached a preliminary manufacturing, distribution and MD job had been seen, head- this year, second to CBS. In 1982, agreement to merge their administration areas. hunting was contining. with a total share of 12.7 per cent of But with a vacancy still existing The merger statement added that singles it would have been top worldwide record, music for a managing director of RCA's UK Arista Records, which is already company. Similarly, a joint company publishing and music video record company following the jointly owned by RCA and would have been second in albums businesses. departure of David Betteridge, there Bertelsmann, will become part of with 16.7 per cent in the first quarter RtMGt is inevitably speculation that if the the new joint venture and will of 1984. r'-SK The implications of a merger, merger goes through, a joint MD continue to operate under its which is subject to a number of may be appointed. existing arrangements. • See also American Commentary, ni conditions, including the Ariola/Arista managing director The structure of the merger deal is p2. 'K approval by the boards of both David Simone, who is believed to likely to vary from country to principal companies, were being have been head-hunted for the RCA country, according to market share • Rick Blaskey, director of hotly debated by RCA and job, declined to comment on the and local conditions. Ariola has international development for the Ariola/Arista staff in London merger statement, except to say wholly-owned subsidiaries in the Ariola International Group, has been last week. that his company would continue UK, France, Benelux, Spain, appointed vice president of "aggressively in the UK Austria, Switzerland and Mexico. international operations for Arista The four-paragraph press marketplace" and said he was A tie-in with Ariola would International in New York. He takes statement gave few clues as to the readying the announcement of a considerably strengthen RCA's up his new position on July 9. EMI HAS launched a major catalogue campaign under the Woyda seeks change Groves to Magnet banner Price Attack. The campaign ienson for covers a range of albums including RCA RECORDS marketing director Ian Groves is nine by Queen and eight by Paul networked on dealer freebies moving to Magnet Records as director of operations, McCartney and Wings. A CALL for chart rules to be revised to outlaw free gifts and his appointment is described by Magnet managing Merchandising includes point of sale with records to retailers was made by PRT managing director as "the beginning of our development for the material — browser cards, posters, ILR chart director Walter Woyda at the BPI AGM last week. Woyda next 10 years of Magnet". streamers, stickers, badges and a INDEPENDENT LOCAL Radio is to also suggested it should be wrong for the company's Groves, a 17-year veteran of the industry, spent 11 full colour mini catalogue in counter get its first nationally networked record to remain in the chart after the company had been years with EMI — four in Germany — three years with dispensers. There will also be chart programme, presented by fined for a breach of the code, and he called for further CBS and joined RCA in August 1982. He says he is "substantial" trade and consumer David Jensen who is leaving Radio explanation of the Gallup weighting system. looking forward to "putting into practise all that I have press advertising. Dealer price for all One to join London's Capital Radio, In reply, BPI deputy chairman AJ Morris argued that learned over the years" and building Magnet's position single albums in the campaign is also taking over Michael Aspel's tour jackets, sweat shirts, buttons and badges given to in the UK and international market place. £2.44. morning show. dealers can be a cheap form of advertising and can serve An ILR chart has been the subject to remind a dealer of a marketing campaign around a of much discussion among station record, but if they were being used to bribe a dealer then HM Records hits the metal market chiefs and the Association of that would be totally wrong. "If you cut off all promotion Independent Local Radio you're in a dead industry," said Morris. "The industry This week's issue of Music Week dealers for free distribution to Contractors for some time, and it should not be totally sterile, but neither should it go over carries a separate magazine customers. has been suggested that the chart the top." published by Heavy Metal Records HM managing director Paul Birch may have a commercial sponsor. BPI legal adviser Patrick Isherwood, who is preparing a Details of exactly how the chart study of the code of conduct and penalties for breaches and aimed at heavy metal music says they are printing 30,000 will be compiled are still being of the code, said he was looking at ways of making buyers. The magazine also goes copies and plan to publish it finalised, but it is likely to include penalties "hurt a little bit more". out to dealers via HM's distribution regularly. He is also negotiating to input from the individual station • Gallup is preparing an article on its chart compilation arrangement with EMI, and have If inserted in a consumer rock playlists, and it is planned to start in methods for publication in a future issue of Music Week. magazine. the autumn. • BPI A GM report — see p4. quantifies are made available to Q of & 4* & *3 ft & PS ! NCH SINGLE ounjrHearts (12)/40 \ Rr> 6073c FROM THE ALBUM &XDR CASSETTE 'SHADES OF LIBERTYtTORUNI ORDER NOW FROM EMI TELEPHONE SALES AwoAOI-SAl 4646 Sco«k«L htortbcm Er^Iond Nonh Wok^ Uo crfMonAiTOB:01-8489811 Wkfevvfeaedibo North Araa C: 01 -573 3891 Wr. Mdandv South WWes Anw 0:01 -561 2888 loodon. fail AnqLo. Kent Ar*a E; 01 -561 4422 South lordon. Southern ond Sou* W«1 Engkmd, Channel Uondt MUSIC WEEK JUNE 23, 1984 American Commentary III Video 'advisory' service All quiet on the RCA front The first video features clips from complaints from dealers was that A MUSIC video trailer service for distributors' trailers were too brief dealers has been launched by Trailer Modern Romance (Palace), Culture more questions than it answered. minted only Wall Epics, which already provides a Club (Virgin), Chris de Burgh and gave an innaccurate impression n similar service for feature films on (A&M), Neil Diamond (Vestron), U2 of films," says Trailer Epics' Reports of the o^f^he jlrJen^re; (Kace), David Bowie (Videoform), managing director Nick Wenham. Street sources on the possible rniphcatcons or j _ video. "Since dealers tended to rely heavily Music Epics will be issued every Shakin' Stevens (CBS/Fox), Motor- thosedetails inside that no RCA doubt and don't Bertelsmann yet exist. were mum on a unrleary For eight weeks and will be distributed head (Avatar), Elton John on trailers for ordering and subse- free to dealers via wholesaler (PolyGram), The Beatles quently as a guide for their Exactly what the arrangement covers is ' us Lightning Records. The service is (MGM/UA), Rod Stewart customers', selections, misleading example how will two companies, one with primarily US being sponsored by tape (Embassy) and others. trailers led to dissatisfaction all interests' the other with primarily European presence, gam manufacturer TDK. "One of the most frequent round." presumed cost efficiencies by consolidating manufacmrmg, distribution and administration on separate .