UPERCHARTS! See Billboard's Traffic Center Inside BB049GREENLYMONT 00 MONTY GREENLY MARG I NEWSPAPER 374J ELM LONG BEACH CA 93807 A Billboard Publication The Radio Programming, Music /Record International Newsweekly Two Sections, Section One August 9, 1980 $3.00 (U.S.) Costs Peril Canadian & Rising Single Prices U.K. Charts Hurt U.S. Jukeboxes By ALAN PENCHANSKY This story prepared by Adam White in New York and David Farrell in Toronto. CHICAGO -Recent WEA and Capitol sin- NEW YORK -The cost of producing re- AFTRA Strike Leads gles price increases are hitting U.S. jukebox liable record charts has become prohibitive in operators during a period of rapidly mounting two key world markets. cost pressures, causing deepening concern In Canada, the local disk industry associ- To Label Fee Buildup about the overall health of the jukebox indus- ation has discontinued its weekly top 50 sin- By IS HOROWITZ try. gles and album charts due to "increased pro- NEW YORK -Record companies are fast The $1.69 list singles pricing comes at the duction costs" and to the cancellation of a accumulating a retroactive obligation to sing- same time that operators are bracing for an an- television music program which contributed ers performing on disk. as aborted talks with ticipated sizable increase in the copyright li- towards those costs. the American Federation of Television & Ra- cense fee, a combination of factors that some In Britain, the local disk industry association Laser Record: AMA's new "True Colours" LP dio Artists on home video prevent implemen- feel will lead to an acceleration of the ongoing has put its chart contract out for bids, hoping by New Zealand band Split Enz features a la- tation of recording terms already agreed upon. shrinking in the number of U.S. jukeboxes. to reduce costs. ser-etched graphic design in the grooves, that The most recent phonograph industry con- Along with rising business costs, operators Both organizations bankroll their national when struck by proper lighting, reflects tract with AFTRA expired last March 31 and today are faced with a decline in the number (Continued on page 71) colors. See story on page 4. (Continued on page 71) (Continued on page 39) Anti -Counterfeit Device On New Chrysalis LPs -Tapes By JIM McCULLAUGH LOS ANGELES- Chrysalis Rec- ords is adopting an anti- counterfeit- Home Video Makers ing system for all new LPs and cas- settes effective with August releases. Urge Nominal Royalties The system involves something in the By IRV LICHTMAN LP jacket or cassette package itself. NEW YORK -Publishers have The label is believed to be the first been warned they could negotiate to implement a system of this type the home video market "out of exist- for current product and not just a ence" if their royalty demands in the few selected titles. It will not apply, industry's emerging state exceed the at least initially, to catalog product. ability of producers /or manu- The anti -counterfeiting system and facturers to pay. will be used for the label's product in the U.S. and such other markets as The warnings, sounded here Canada, the U.K., Germany, France Wednesday (30) at a video seminar hosted by the Music Publishers Fo- Guess who's back? .. Yes sir the BANDIT with a soundtrack from and Holland. Other markets are ex- THE KINGS have arrived from Canada with one of the hottest AOR debut the rum, focused on various conse- new Universal picture SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT II. The album features pected to be added. albums of the summer. THE KINGS ARE HERE (6E -274) was produced quences that could impede the pene- JERRY REED, DON WILLIAMS, MEL TILLIS and BRENDA LEE. It also in- Understandably, label president by Bob Ezrin and features the new single, "Switch into Glide" (E-47006). tration of music -oriented home cludes TANYA TUCKER's new single "PECOS PROMENADE," ROY ROGERS Sal Licata won't reveal too many de- THE KINGS ARE HERE, and they're here to stay. ... on Elektra Records video: AND THE SONS OF PIONEERS' new single "RIDE CONCRETE COWBOY, tails about the method or about the and Tapes. (Advertisement) RIDE" and the bandit himself BURT REYNOLDS singing "LET'S DO firm that developed it. Wary of making deals in un- SOMETHING CHEAP AND SUPERFICIAL." On MCA. MCA -6101. (Continued on page 71) (Continued on page 48) (Advertisement) BENNY N OODMAN M N Follow the arrow at sO gour local RCA O office for details on the special Bluebird promotion this month. www.americanradiohistory.com MY H O M E Occasionally an act will come along that's an original ... so distinctive, innovative and stylistically fresh that it naturally stands out from all the rest. Truly a rare find. That act is ALABAMA. With striking songwriting talents, rich flowing harmonies, and a potpourri of musical influences, ALABAMA has created its own unforgettable impressions: MY HOME'S IN ALABAMA, TENNESSEE RIVER, I WANNA COME OVER, WHY LADY WHY, the hit singles in their debut album on RCA Records. ALABAMA - -- artists who have etched their one -of -a -kind signature on a Musical Masterpiece . non RECORDS www.americanradiohistory.com General News 3 New Film Soundtrack LPs Paced By MCA By JOHN SIPPEL LOS ANGELES -More sound- tract covering film music which ex- dent of film production, with Bob semiannual gatherings of such in- the score. Parsons could not be ob- track albums reinforced by inte- pired Thursday (31). Siner, MCA Records president. dustry decision makers to hear and tained. grated exhibitor /record industry The weekend kickoff introductory a Ten films slated for release before view group of forthcoming Uni- Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake support can be anticipated from fete for the music of "Xanadu," versal movies which April 1981 will have strong music have spawned & Palmer, will see a final cut in Oc- MCA's new feature film music de- staged several months ago orientation that should produce al- for more soundtracks. tober from which he will develop the partment. than 100 representatives of key in- score by December. The picture re- bum fare for MCA Records and as- Cahill wears a myriad of hats. And a cursory canvass of other lo- dustry accounts flown in for three leases in February 1981. Cahill sorted labels. predicts Brendan Ca- He's a booker, engaging composers, cal film companies indicates they days at Universal Studios here was a hopes to have a single six weeks be- hill, head of MCA corporate's fea- orchestrators and performers to are eyeballing the promotional joint venture of the film and record fore the film's bow and the album ture film music department. work on a track. He also engages stu- union of theatre owners and record divisions. two weeks after. Both will release dio time. on retailers, rackjobbers and one-stops. Cahill. an 11-year veteran on the It was such a success in igniting in- MCA Records. Prime soundtrack sources were hard creative side for music publishers, terest in the film prior to its national Originally. Martin Poll. producer Blueprinted at about the same to reach last week, as they conferred joined MCA in November 1979. His release that Cahill envisions other of "Night Hawk." the Sylvester Stal- time is the Johnny Pate underscore with officials of the AFM and Local job objective links the office of such promotions behind singular lone starrer about international ter- for Roberta Rack's self-composed 47 here over demands for a new con- Thom Mount, executive vice presi- movies, but more often annual or rorists. wanted Alan Parsons to do (Continued on page 39) AM Spacing, Billboard Is Stereo Mode Music Voice FCC Topics Of LA. 200th By JEAN CALLAHAN LOS ANGELES -Los Angeles has WASHINGTON -As many as Mayor Tom Bradley selected 300 new stations could be added to Billboard as the official music in- the AM dial by a switch to nine kHz dustry publication to herald the channel spacing, according to the city's Bicentennial celebration, tied - Federal Communications Commis- in with the city's third annual Los sion. Angeles Street Scene Festival, Oct. Issuing a further notice of inquiry 1l, 12. in this matter Thursday (31), the Billboard will publish a special FCC is asking industry groups, edition chronicling Los Angeles' broadcasters and the public to com- contributions to the world of music ment on how the 12 new channels and entertainment. Special editions editor Earl Paige heads the editorial that would be created by a switch to Billboard photo by Melody McGuire team working on the issue which will nine kHz spacing should be used. PROMO RIDE -New Epic act Spurzz and producer Buzz Cason, second from the right, are checked by CBS Nashville be published Oct. 6 and dated Oct. The Commission also expressed vice president -general manager Rick Blackburn prior to galloping down Music Row to herald a new single, "Cowboy interest in a general power max- Stomp." 11. imum of one kilowatt for the new The special will be sold during the stations and corresponding inter- Street Scene Festival for which Steve Gold and Jerry Goldstein of the Far ference protection to insure a service L.A. Studios Hurt By AFM Film -TV Strike area of about a 20 mile radius. Out Group of companies have been In January at an international ra- By PAUL GREIN named entertainment committee co- dio conference held in Buenos Aires, LOS ANGELES -Local record- of its work, last week laid off its en- which are signatories to local unions chairmen. It will also be included in the FCC recommended that Region ing and film studios were hard hit tire I I-member film scoring divi- such as Group IV.