NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1941)

Record Details:

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Neville Miller, President C. E. Arney, Jr., Assistant to President Edward M. Kirby, Director of Public Relations ; Joseph L. Miller, Director of Labor Relations : Paul F. Peter, Director of Research ; Russell P. Place, Counsel; Lynne C. Smeby, Director of Engineering BMI Developments BMI BOARD MEETS The BMI Board will hold its regular monthly meeting next Tuesday, January 21, in New York City. Develop¬ ments in the music situation since the last meeting will be discussed. BMI FEATURE TUNES January 20-27 1. HIGH ON A WINDY HILL 2. YOU WALK BY 3. HERE’S MY HEART 4. BUGLE WOOGIE 5. IT ALL COMES BACK TO ME NOW 6. MAY I NEVER LOVE AGAIN 7. I CAN’T REMEMBER TO FORGET 8. WISE OLD OWL 9. ACCIDENT’LY ON PURPOSE 10. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR HEART 11. BECAUSE OF YOU 12. ALL I DESIRE 13. WALKIN’ BY THE RIVER 14. LET’S DREAM THIS ONE OUT 15. LITTLE SLEEPYHEAD 16. ANYWHERE 17. BREAKFAST FOR TWO 18. I LOOK AT YOU For the first time in its short and eventful life, BMI had the three top tunes of the ten best sellers on coin machines. They were identical with the three tops of the Lucky Strike Hit Parade — a number one, Frensi, number two. There I Go, and number three, / Give ITt/ My Word. In addition, I Hear .[ Rhapsody romped home as number eight and So You're The One is listed as number four on “Disks (laining Favor.” Frensi and There I Go in the order named also lead the list of the fifteen best sheet music sellers, while I Hear .1 Rhapsody, I Give You My Word and So You’re The One were among those present for the week ending January 14th. By the way, that week was a record breaker in BMI sheet music sales which ex¬ ceeded 12 7,000, more than double the total for the previous week. There I Go is leading and has rolled up about 130,000 to date. KASSEL RESENTS ASCAP TACTICS Art Kassel, well-known orchestra leader and composer has submitted his resignation to ASCAP (American So¬ ciety of Composers, Authors and Publishers) with a request for an unconditional release and ASCAP has refused. Gene Buck, president of ASCAP, in a reply dated Decem¬ ber 18, 1940, wrote, “In the twenty-six years of our his¬ tory, we have never accepted a resignation from any of our members, and if we complied with this request, we would be creating a precedent.” IMr. Kassel, who is the composer of “Doodle-Doo-Doo,” “Hell’s Bells,” and “Around The Corner,” and has been a member of ASCAP since 1925, declared; “I resent the fact that .450.4? is trying to spread the feeling that the band leaders are doing bad work. They ought not to try to tear down our business because they have made a wreck of their own. “The demands which ASCAP made on broadcasters were equiva¬ lent to a declaration of war. If they were going to do that sort of thing, they ought to have consulted the members and the rest of the music industry. I am in one of the lower classifications in ASCAP, but I wasn’t calling for larger payments from radio stations to the Society. Radio has been the great opportunity for dance bands. It has given them a chance to be heard all over the country. There is no doubt but what radio has made me. If it’s a question between ASC.4P and the radio, I will take radio for what it’s done for me. I hope that all the bands which are now at the top will think of the matter in this light and will be willing to see that the other fellow gets his chance too. “What I like about the situation is that we now all have the same chance. I used to get a song a week after it was recorded. The .4SCAP houses gave preference to a few bands.” .Asked whether he had aiiy difficulty in making up satis¬ factory programs without the use of ASCAP music, Mr. Kassel said: “None at all. I find that the music which is available outside of ASCAP is perfectly adequate, and I resent some of the publicity which has been issued by ASCAP on that matter. Mr, Buck has been quoted as saying that the chains may as well tell the boys to throw away their instruments. When he says that he is telling the public that we are not going to be any good. Well, we are not in a position to quit, and we don't need to anyway. Keep listening. That is my plea to the public — keep listening. “It seems to me that the great trouble with ASC.4P is that they have taken their slogan ‘Justice for Genius’ too literally. We may be dead before people know whether any particular writer is a genius. They’ve kidded themselves all the way through. Justice for work is something different, and that’s what we want. Most successful songwriters are good craftsmen. They write to suit situations. They can turn out good stuff on order. .4SCAP has some good music. I wish that all music was available, ASCAP as well as the rest, but .4SC.4P ought not to be in a position to dictate as they have in the past. They ought to get down to earth and represent the musical workmen, the little fellows as well as the man with the big name, and forget the genius stuff.” THEY LIKE OLD TUNES .Among the many comments reaching the BAH offices on the new music in the air, a surprising number e.xpress 46 — January 17, 1941