DEDICATED TO THE NEEDS IC/RECORD INDUSTRY JULY 12, 1975 $1.50 SINGLES SLEEPERS ALBUMS ZZ TOP, "TUSH" (prod. by Bill Ham) (Hamstein, BEVERLY BREMERS, "WHAT I DID FOR LOVE" JEFFERSON STARSHIP, "RED OCTOPUS." BMI). That little of band from (prod. by Charlie Calello/Mickey Balin's back and all involved are at JEFFERSON Texas had a considerable top 40 Eichner( (Wren, BMI/American Com- their best; this album is remarkable, 40-1/10 STARSHIP showdown with "La Grange" from pass, ASCAP). First female treat- and will inevitably find itself in a their "Tres Hombres" album. The ment of the super ballad from the charttopping slot. Prepare to be en- long-awaited follow-up from the score of the most heralded musical veloped in the love theme: the Bolin - mammoth "Fandango" set comes in of the season, "A Chorus Line." authored "Miracles" is wrapped in a tight little hard rock package, lust Lady who scored with "Don't Say lyrical and melodic grace; "Play on waiting to be let loose to boogie, You Don't Remember" doin' every- Love" and "Tumblin" hit hard on all boogie, boogie! London 5N 220. thing right! Columbia 3 10180. levels. Grunt BFL1 0999 (RCA) (6.98). RED OCTOPUS TAVARES, "IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE" (prod. CARL ORFF/INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE, ERIC BURDON BAND, "STOP." That by Dennis Lambert & Brian Potter/ "STREET SONG" (prod. by Harmonia Burdon-branded electrified energy satu- OHaven Prod.) (ABC Dunhill/One of a Mundi) (no pub. info). Few classical rates the grooves with the intense Kind, BMI). Most consistent r&b hit - singles are released and fewer still headiness that has become his trade- makers at the Tower advance their prove themselves. Here's a glorious mark. Though the motif may be well standing by further building their exception to that rule, a strangely worn, the name will bring sales for crossover case. Coming off "Remem- haunting theme already being com- dealers, who can use the swell packag- ber What I Told You To Forget" pared to "Tubular Bells." Loads of ing for optimal effect as well. Despite with one that recalls "Backstab - contemporary appeal from the 80 the title inference, it's green lights for bers." Capitol 4111. year old composer. BASF 15354. this one. Capitol SMAS-11426 (6.98). JOE WALSH, "TIME OUT" (prod. by Joe Walsh BOBBY VEE, "(I'M) LOVIN' YOU" (prod. by BILLY PRESTON, "IT'S MY PLEASURE." & John Stronach) (ABC Dunhill/ Bobby Vee/T. Gerow) (Salma, BMI). Rock & roll's perennial touring key- Barnstorm, BMI). With the perfect Robert Velline returns under his board guest is out with another set combination of his tasty, extended better known chart moniker with a sure to appeal to the 'keep on smiling' guitar licks and his vital vocal/lyric totally new sound and approach contingent that he has gathered over capabilities, new single from his to hitmaking. Song slightly remi- the years. Hari Georgeson (wonder So What" album is all the hit "be- niscent of Jackie Wilson's "Higher who that is?), Stevie Wonder and Sy- cause" you'd ever want. Walsh and Higher" could head lust that reeta Wright make brief appearances, makes like a referee for whom way. Vee, as always, for victory! with the oh -so -pop routed "That's Life" everything else stops. ABC 12115. Shadybrook 013 (Sutton -Miller). topping. A&M SP 4532 (6.98). PAPER LACE, "SO WHAT IF I AM" (prod. by MICHAEL KENNY, "MORNING" (prod. by Ed- "OUTLAWS." Let's hear it for good Mitch Murray & Peter Callander/ ward Germano) (Cataclysmic/Dan- of real rock 'n roll! Southern soul with Bus -Stop -Oaks Prod.) (Murray-Cal- TOM CAT troy/Kenny Tunes, BMI). Just a hint gently sophisticated overtones yields lander, ASCAP). It's been too long of a disco glow shines through Jim- an auspicious debut for the Outlaws, between angry young man songs, 0,411 my Wisner's lush charts for this with the prospect of supergroup status and the group that gave us the folk-rock dawning for the singer - looming in their future. Fine musician- multi -million selling "The Night songwriter. These early minutes of ship, harmonies, material and produc- Chicago Died" is here to fill that his career reveal a bright day on tion ensure that these boogie bandits time gap with a different piece of his hit horizon. A beautiful "Morn- will steal play, sales and hearts. Arista tough guy material. Mercury 73694. ing." Tom Cat YB 10327 (RCA). AL 4042 (6.98). www.americanradiohistory.comAmericanRadioHistory.Com -1 -3-- "-ender another 58 n,e ed N íge Yo«w a Inion selleY Falls" to follow 11 Next Teardrop BetOte The Both hits on this album. t,i e action... looklo at RyJ CB BB 0ntYY.. 34 42 28 OO + 400,0pOP ManeBeme°C - sales ExcWelve eaux ^ a.iric.`( the P M and Pi®dined bYHu 9Wfi9.1111)1.91 . 1.,,,,,,,c,,,,..-,c,"- . TN www.americanradiohistory.comAmericanRadioHistory.Com Dedicated to the Needs Of the Music/Record Industry JULY 12, 1975 McCoy's 'Hustle': Lasker, Form Ariola America Records; 'Dance' Disc King Stark By ROBERT ADELS NEW YORK-"The Hustle," by Capitol Dist. Set; Label To Release GTO Product Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony (Avco), moves into the By ELIOT SEKULER largest media companies in the Foreign licensing of Ariola top spot on The Singles Chart, a LOS ANGELES-Jay Lasker and world. Negotiations for the new America product will be through becoming the biggest "dance" Howard Stark have formed Ariola company were completed by Ariola's companies in Germany, record of the seventies, and the America, Inc. and have set do- Lasker, president of the new ven- Holland, Spain and France. In all biggest disc of that genre in sonné mestic distribution through Capi- ture; executive vice president other markets, Ariola America nine years. tol Records. The deal was com- Stark and Monti Lueftner, presi- will be free to negotiate its own The only recent challenger to pleted on June 28 when Lasker dent of Ariola Record Companies affiliations. A Canadian licensee, this particular claim to fame and Stark sold shares of their Gmbh. according to Lasker, is expected would be last December's chart - Lasker-Stark, Inc. to Ariola Record Ariola America will also dis- to be announced sometime in topper "Kung Fu Fighting" by Companies Gmbh of Germany, a tribute GTO Records in the United July. Carl Douglas (20th Century). division of Bertelmann AG, de- States under the Ariola/GTO Lasker and Stark described (Continued on page 26) scribed as being among the three logo. The first product to be re- Ariola America and Capitol's in- leased under the terms of the volvement as being involved with new agreement will be the Ip the pressing and distribution FCC Opens Obscenity Mailbag "Fox," shipping July 17; the al- areas. Ariola America will be By MIKE SHAIN bum is already charted in Britain's solely responsible for all produc- top ten. tion, promotion and creation of For the last two months Record World has been looking into the displays, advertising and other question of how government regulation and the climate in Washington In a RW interview, Lasker and merchandising tools. "We made and elsewhere may effect the acceptability of music that is increasingly Stark stressed that the new firm (Continued on page 8) more free in its subject matter and frank in its presentation. Before the would be completely autonomous Freedom of Information Act was passed two years ago, letters of com- of both the European Ariola oper- ation and Capitol Records. "We plaint sent to the FCC were not available for public inspection. Our Hatcher's AOA Label request for information on the number and types of complaints dealing are 100 percent free to make the with music was the very first the FCC staff has had in this area. The staff deals that we want," said Lasker. Tied to Resort Mecca has been looking over its incoming mail since the middle of May and "Ariola's relationship with the PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLA.- our reporter has been interviewing people in and near the Commission new company is that of a stock- A new music venture, Artists of to gather the information for this report. The following is the first of a holder; we're independent much America Records, has been form- two part series. as if we had started a company ed here as part of a multi -million WASHINGTON-As far as can be found, the Federal Communica- by ourselves. We do expect to dollar entertainment complex tions Commission has no specific policy concerning obscenity on rec- have a warm relationship with planned for this resort area. ords-that is, risque lyrics or possibly objectionable song titles. There them, and we hope that there Florida developer Jimmy Hatcher, are some strong and definite rules applying the use of "indecent" would be product developed in founder of the parent firm Artists language and saying to what extent one can go in describing the sex the various Ariola companies- of America Entertainment Corpo- act on radio. These rules are under court challenge at the moment, especially in Germany and Hol- ration, has named former MGM though test cases designed to probe at how far the FCC can go in land-that we could market here censoring certain material. in the United States." Lasker Records exec Harley Hatcher president of the new record and But the main point here is that the staff of the FCC, headed by its emphasized that the new firm music publishing division, and chairman Richard Wiley, is actively pursuing legal definitions for would be under no obligation vet obscenity and indecency on radio (and TV for that matter) under strong to release any product supplied Capitol/Tower Records Gor- don Fraser as VP and general (Continued on page 19) by Ariola's European companies.