MUSIC PROGRAMMING
by Michael B. Klein
Last week, I had a rather unusual
experience I would like to relate to
you. Ordinarily, I wouldn't have
given it a second thought, nor
would I be concerned, but since it
has to do with both my (regular)
business and your full -time busi-
ness, I feel that it's quite important .
I would like to preface my
comments with some information
that will make them credible . I have
always been involved with the
record / music business, mostly as a
reviewer, but tor many years, my
"full-time" experience has been in
advertising , as a writer and a
writer-broadcast producer. And , I
have worked for the two largest
advertising agencies in the world .
Okay, enough said .
During the week , the phone rang,
and on the other end was a major
independent record company, one
of the largest, and in my opinion -
as far as product goes - one of the
best . I was called because of my
advertising experience; they needed
a copywriter . After a brief conversa -
tion with the ad manager, and after
seeing some of their previous work,
I had to draw the conclusion that
these people had no idea what
advertising is about, neither how to
use it, nor what it can do . The
record company was at least 10
years behind the times . And from
what I have seen , their case is by no
means unique .
For such a large industry, with
millions of dollars at stake on
unknown artsits, their advertising
and marketing is, to say the least,
primitive. There are so many great
artists and records out there that
never make it because of that fact.
And your sales - as well as the
artists' - suffer because of it.
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Of course. I realize we are dealing
with somethin~ different from soap
cars or fashion items .
But for
success, the same marketing and
advertsing philosophy which is used
for any of the above mentioned
products can apply . The record
companies seem to put all of their
money into established artists,
whose records are going to sell
regardless of advertising : Neil Dia -
mond, John Denver, Elton John,
etc . etc . Bear in mind , the advertis-
ing I'm talking about here is
consumer advertising , not trade
advertising.
People will buy products they
have never heard of . . . with the
right advertising . Look at all the new
detergents, toothpastes , mouth-
washes and other items that are
" new" every year . They don 't cost
any more than a single record .. .
and they sell. People are curious . . .
and they buy. The same applies to
the music industry. And it applies to
the singles I'll review . Now! Get
with it , all you record company
executives . Th is is not 1957; join us
in the year 1977.
I Just Want to Be Your Every-
thing - Andy Gibb/ RSO RS 872 .
Andy Gibb is one of the very
talented Gibb brothers (Barry is the
other) who make up the Bee Gees.
And th is single has that very popular
sound . If my guess is right, this
could well be a hit . It has that
modern , now, hip sound about it,
wh ich has made the Bee Gees such
a tremendous group, popular with
all music lovers ... both black and
wh ite . As a matter of fact, I heard
th is record, shortly after I received
it, on the television program, Soul
Train. There isn't too much to say
about this single except that it has
hit written all over it, and if your
customers have played the Bee
Gees, they will play this one too . A
definite YES.
Big White House in Indiana - Larry
Grace / Warner Bros. WBS 8327
In the past I have reviewed Larry' s
records with only favorable things to
say. And this single is no exception.
But here we have a perfect example
of where advertising could make a
star. To my knowledge , Larry
Groce' s records have not been
played on the radio , at least not in
the Los Angeles area . This disc has
a very modern country sound and
could be put in just about any
jukebox . It is a crossover record,
with a medium tempo and fine
vocals . Watch the charts for this
one . If it makes it, I would place iJ:~
your country locations to start.
Rain All Over You - Max D . Barnes/
Polydor PO 14386
If you didn't read the label on this
single, you would swear you were
listening to Waylon Jennings . I'm
not certain what impact this type of
sound has on the listener - whether
it w ill sell more Waylon Jennings
records, or whether it will make Max
Barnes a star too . Nevertheless this
is a good record.
Max has fine styling, a hip
country sound and superb produc-
tion on this one . But again , I
wouldn 't put this one in your
jukeboxes unless it makes it on the
charts .
I would say that any one of these
records could be a hit, given the
proper exposure and advertising .
Even the Andy Gibb record , which
sounds like the Bee Gees, has to be
brought to the attention of the
record buyer and jukebox customer.
For as a rule, most people won 't
know that Andy Gibb is a Bee Gee.
Advertising is a powerful force ,
and it can make you , as well as the
record companies . .. more money.
As a cliche that is used extensively
in advertsing says, " Be Wise,
Advertise!"