Sensormatic To Meet Biz Demands For Source-Tags

Sensormatic Electronics, a leading manufacturer of electronic anti-theft technology for the music business, says it will be able to meet the demand for tags so the industry can implement source-tagging by next March. Speaking Friday during the NARM Fall Conference 1999 at the Coronado Island Marriott in San Diego, Sensormatic executive Dan Cunneen told retailers that it is investing in new equipment to increase tag capacity based on record companies' manufacturing projections.

Earlier during the conference, NARM told its members that lack of tags is delaying the source-tagging process but that the situation should be rectified by January. Cunneen says projections are based on fractional tagging--one out of three--of audio CDs and 100% tagging of DVD Video (which has a high theft rate) and the new DVD Audio product coming this fall.

WEA and Sony are the only companies to announce that they are source-tagging CDs. The other three majors have held back because of concerns about manufacturing processes and possible lawsuits by competing tag manufacturers, which derailed source-tagging three years ago.

--Don Jeffrey, San Diego


BPI, Indie Label Group AIM Reach Agreement In U.K.

U.K. labels' body the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) says it has reached an agreement with breakaway body the Assn. of Independent Music (AIM) under which "the BPI will continue to represent the interests of the entire industry, while AIM represents those issues of particular interest to its independent members."

According to the BPI, the agreement--under which the BPI would provide undisclosed financial subsidies to the new body--is conditional upon a change in the makeup of the BPI's ruling council that would ensure an equal number of representatives for both major and independent labels. The arrangement, according to a BPI statement issued Friday, "is designed to reflect the changes to the structure of the record industry since the BPI was founded in 1973."

The body's membership will have the chance to vote on the measure at its annual general meeting Wednesday.

A BPI spokesman says there will have to be a new council if the measure is voted through, although he expects that "most of the people who would stand are existing members." He was unable to comment on what criteria would be used to "determine allegiance in the case of labels part-owned or funded by majors."

--Mark Solomons, London


M.S. Distributing Loses More Labels

Additional labels have parted ways with M.S. Distributing, including Cleveland International Records, Jerden Records, and Pachyderm Records, the label home of blues-rock band Indigenous, one of the top-selling acts this year for M.S.

Hanover Park, Ill.-based M.S., which was purchased by Movietown.com in July, has experienced a wave of label defections since the distributor's top executives were escorted from the company's offices on Aug. 31 (Bulletin, Sept. 2).

Departing labels report that they have not been paid by the distributor and have been told by executives of Puzzlesoft, the recently formed firm that incorporates the assets of M.S., that they will be paid after the company secures new financing, which could take four to six weeks. Several labels have been barred from retrieving their product from the M.S. warehouse.

A statement from Puzzlesoft president/CEO Colin Nix says in part, "The company has retained a financial advisor who will be reviewing the situation at M.S. with us, and we feel very optimistic about the pending outcome."

--Chris Morris, L.A.


Sony To Get Stake In Sweden's Diesel

Sony Music Europe is expected to announce tomorrow that London-based SINE (Sony Independent Network Europe) and Sony Music Sweden have agreed to buy a 39% stake in Diesel Music. The Stockholm-based independent's label and publishing roster includes Eagle-Eye Cherry, Titiyo, Lisa Nilsson, Mauro Scocco, and the Esbjorn Svensson Trio. The 10% share held by BMG Sweden is being bought back by label owners Scocco, Torbjorn Steen, and Johan Ekelund; they will own 61% of Diesel under the new deal. The price and the ownership share between Sony and SINE are unclear at deadline. Diesel's A&R autonomy will be retained, while Sony will handle sales and distribution.

Representatives of Sony Music Europe had no comment.

--Kai R. Lofthus, Stockholm


Artist Developments

MTV's latest Campus Invasion Tour will feature headlining act Garbage and opening act Lit. The six-week tour of U.S. colleges kicks off Oct. 20 at the University of Denver.

--Carla Hay, N.Y.


Italian Piracy Raid Uncovers CD-Rs, Replication Gear

Italy's anti-music-piracy federation FPM is claiming a breakthrough in its fight against CD-R piracy after the seizure of replication equipment and other evidence during a raid on a farm last Sunday near Bari. Fiscal Police (Guardia di Finanza) seized 64 CD-burners; 4,900 duplicated CDs; 38,000 blank CD-Rs; and thousands of inlay cards. An unnamed 33-year-old, allegedly with a history of video and music piracy, has been referred to the local judicial authority, which is investigating whether to bring charges.

"This is the first raid where a big CD-R manufacturing chain has been discovered in Italy," FPM president Enzo Mazza tells Bulletin. Titles seized include Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication," Jarabe de Palo's "La Flaca," and Lou Bega's "A Little Bit Of Mambo," as well as Italian repertoire including titles by Jovanotti, Vasco Rossi, and the summer compilation album "Festivalbar 99."

According to a survey commissioned by FPM from Italian retailers' association Vendomusica, pirate CDs account for almost 55% of sales in Bari.

--Mark Dezzani, Sanremo, Italy


U.S. Armed-Forces Supplier To Buy Into Latin Distrib Co.

Eurpac, the Virginia Beach, Va.-based rackjobber that sells music to the Navy and Marines, has agreed to acquire a 25% interest in Southwest Entertainment Inc., the San Antonio-based Latin music rackjobber/distributor, according to Southwest executive VP Nelson Balido. He says Eurpac plans to acquire another 25% of Southwest within six months. Southwest, which will continue to operate under that name and its current management, declined to reveal details of the deal. Bulletin estimates that Southwest has annual sales of just under $10 million.

--Ed Christman, San Diego


Madonna, Ricky In Fashion

Madonna and Ricky Martin lead the music nominees for the VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards, with two mentions each. Madonna earned nods for most fashionable female artist and most stylish video for "Beautiful Stranger." Martin was nominated for most fashionable male artist and most stylish video for "Livin' La Vida Loca." The VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards will be telecast live Dec. 5 from the Armory in New York. It is the first year VH1 has partnered with the fashion magazine for the show.

--Carla Hay, N.Y.


U.S. Releases This Week

Tori Amos' "to venus and back" (Atlantic) was meant to be a set of B-sides and oddities but became one disc of 12 new tracks and one of live material. "I had originally thought we were tracking stuff for the B-sides album, and all of these songs kept coming," says the singer/songwriter. "The writing gods decided to stop by, and you try and be there when the muse decides she wants to hang out with you."

On his solo debut, "Euphoria Morning" (A&M), former Soundgarden front man Chris Cornell has channeled his typically dark-hued, visceral visions through a broad pop palette. "Being with the same people for a long time is great in a lot of ways, but you can forget what's possible," he says. "On my own, I wanted to try on new styles and push my voice."

Other key titles: Nine Inch Nails, "The Fragile" (nothing/Interscope); Amber's self-titled set (Tommy Boy); Gomez, "Liquid Skin" (Virgin); Stereolab, "Cobra And Phases Group Play Voltage In The Milky Night" (Elektra); Brian McKnight, "Back At One" (Motown).


Claddagh, Atlantic Link For North America

Claddagh Records, the 40-year-old, Dublin-based Irish music label, has signed an exclusive, long-term North American licensing deal with the Atlantic Group. Among the first releases under the deal are "The Chieftains Collection: The Very Best Of The Claddagh Years," due Oct. 5, and a four-CD boxed set, "From The Beginning O The Chieftains 1-4," due Oct. 19.

Claddagh is headed by CEO Dave Kavanagh, the longtime manager of Atlantic act Clannad and co-founder with U2 manager Paul McGuinness of the Celtic Heartbeat label.


Spain's Gallardo Inks Sony/ATV Publishing Deal

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has finalized a global deal with Spanish writer/artist/producer Miguel Gallardo to administer his past, present, and future songs. His credits include successes for Spanish acts Azucar Moreno, Ana Torroja, Ana Belen, and Angelu Muro.

--Irv Lichtman, N.Y.


What's On
Martina McBride plays Leno tonight.