The Billboard 1924-01-05: Vol 36 Iss 1 (1924-01-05)

14 The Billboard JANUARY 5, 1924 INDEPENDENT MUSIC MEN T0 ORGANIZE Would End Discrimination by Vaude. Circuits, Jobbers and Mechanicals New York, Dec. 31.—Believing that they are being discriminated against by vaudeville circuits, sheet-music Jobbers and mechanical companies, a number of the smaller music publishers have formed the nucleus of an organization to be called the American Association of Independent Publishers, for the purpose of protection, they say, from their larger competitors and all other sources impeding their progress, A conference was held by the publisbers in the offices of Abner Greenberg, attorney, of the Loew State Theater Building, where plans were formulated for the organization. Another conference js scheduled for early next month when a number of out-oftown music men, especially from the Middle West, will arrive in the city. The new association is expected to be a smaller edition of the Musie Publishers’ Protective Association of which virtually every big publisher of popular music is a member. Foremost among the things discussed by the publishers was the so-called blacklist against some of them alleged to exist on the larger vaudeville circuits, Their songs, they said, were not being used by big-time acts because of an understanding between the Vaudeville Managers’ Protective Association and the big publishers who had a reciprocal sgreement. Only a big independent headliner could afford to ignore this alleged agreement and even then they usually thought about it twice before putting in a number not wanted by the V, M. Pr. A. As to their relations with mechanical companies, the music men say it is the same old story of ‘‘Go out and create a demand for the song.”” A big house, they complain, merely releases gq number with no special assurance in most cases that it will be plugged, yet the phonograph record companies put it out just the same. On the other hand the smaller concerns spend money and concentrate on a song fur months, yet the recording managers do not give them a thought, excepting when a song proves a terrific hit and they must release it. With the aid of the radio many of the little music men have created a good demand for their wares and actually have put over several big hits, they claim, yet it is hard to get the big record companies to listen to reason, With the leading jobbers and chain-store organizations considerable trouble is also experienced, say the publishers, who find it an endurance contest to secure a listing of their songs. ‘The few big publishers have everything sewed up,’’ is the reason advanced by the music men who wish to band themselves together and fight the opposition, who, they Say, have a powerful weapon in the Music Publisher's Protective Association which is alleged to be for the big moguls mostly. Hoping to enlist as much as possible the aid that broadcasting will give their catalog, the newly formed organization is arranging a tieup with the National Association of Broadcasters, end also wishes to go on record as being opposed to the license fee demanded from radio stations by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. A little publisher, if he has the song, can become overnight as powerful and big as any of them, is the attitude of the members of the American Association of Independent Publishers, who believe their catalogs and writers are as full of potential hits as any other catalog or writing staff. SPECHT BROADCASTING THRU WJZ New York, Dec, 28.—Paul Specht, orchestra leader, whose band is playing at the Alamac Hotel, will not only try out songs by unknown writers every Thursday night, but will also broadcast such compositions exclusively thru S:ation WJZ. This action comes as a result of the station not being licensed by the Amer ican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, which controls the performing rights of most of the standard as well as popular songs of the day According to Specht he js not permitted to jazz the classics or even play inglish numbers over the radio, and be has no than to play music not ip the catalog of the seciety, Inasmuch as Paul Specht is a Keith vaudeville headliner, director of four Columbia Record orchestras and manager of several other combinations in this country and England, new songwriters have a great opportunity to be *“discovered”’, In connection tuer recourse with his try-out plan, Specht is co-operating with the Music Industries Chamcampaign against ber of Commerce in its the song sharks, AMERICAN ARTISTE SCORES HIT IN PARIS | j Francis Renault, female impersonator, now appearing in Paris, will return to this side January 18. He has been booked by Eddie Darling to appear at the Palace. Renault is here shown in an antique Japanese costume which he will wear upon his appearance here. —Wide World. Edward B. Marks Tells What’s Wrong With The Music Business—‘‘A Musical Retrospect” By EDWARD B. MARKS HILE it is always more desirable to look into the future rather than to dwell on the past, still in the case of music it may be wise to show up the errors of the trade made in the past year and prevent their recurrence in the new year to come if possible. Looking each other squarely in the eye, with what sincerity of purpose can most of the Clan Musical be charged? Can the average popular publisher, for instance, meet his competitor on common ground, slap him on the shoulder and “Brother, I've played fair with you this season. I haven't knocked your publications. I haven't overbid you in a foolish deal With an ‘advance-hound’! I haven't published a filtt y song my mother or sister listen to! I haven't approached your employees with luring offers! I haven't catered to ‘money-hounds’ or ‘booze-hounds’ instead of offerings songs on their merits! I haven’t made a darne of myself by say, ‘blues’ or a couldn't encouraging some n form of graft on the publishers! I haven’t given away uselessly quantities of more and more expensive free music! In short, I've played the game clean and in accordance with the ethics of good business.”? Like fun he has! Again, I wonder how many of thowe ‘*hirde’’ in the publishing ‘cam (it jen’t a business yet) go home night« and infer the reet ful influence of such weet thoughts a« thi Having pledged myself in writing and under oath to the Put her Pr tive Avceorlation I have in mor hw 1, and 4 atter of nelf respect, kept ¢ ‘ nor will 1 4 ete one jota, no matter rreat the sacr ° or the temptation! I wil not face m fellow hI er wit faleeherd of nor will I wit on ame trade board with them with hypocriey in my heart, hiding behind the ailbis and «kirts of my employees, and making them in some cases utwiliing perties acd in other cases apt pupils of my own chicanery and deceit. I will not take an unfair advantage, nor consider myself immune because the executive of the association tries to rule rather by reason than by penalties, and by appealing to the Letter natures and manhood of the delinquents. He has as much chance to win by such weak methods as the police would have to stop a “crime wave” with puttyblowers, I wonder how many publishers say to their writers, “There is no necessity for you to steal the titles, themes, ideas or complete Tmeclodies of fellow author« and omposers, You should have brains enough to originate, You all belong to the same society that is now pay ing out not only fair dividends, but of dollars in thousands relief funds annually to unfortunate members. Why not leave to the few habitual pilfering and petty-larcens song imitators and doctors the doubtful gain of such transactions? They usually wind up in the courts, or without a dime A resly reputable her, manager « artist lol with disfa on the plagiarist and instead of encourand harboring him = droy him by the t route, as he only involves himself otherwise in difficulttes and handicaps hix own efforts and productions All this may sound like preaching, but ff It i t is a lost gospel It will have about as much effect on the rotters iS rain on an “ gator’s ick The f ‘“‘rewular and there are some regular fellow till—will agree that all the abowe | But what are going to de mit jt th a weak -kneed policy in the saddle, da giving more rope the offenders? Ihe will, of course, in due t * hang themeel or ty bmerged in their own muck; that one comforting thought and it worth walting for tnt do you think t ‘ thing ‘ will ever nduce them to t night and keep their word? Like fun they » Al ¢ may seem te you to come from a pessimistic senree, Quite to the contrary I r er more gootimiette if only becauae 1 lieve in the irvival of the ftteet There growing evidence of a renaissance in the tr e line on every hand It low coming, t jt will come Take the mechanical com panies, for inetance Fake demands, created tira employees by forcing vad songs, does not AMERICAN ARTISTS HONOR CISSIE LOFTUS Pack Miller Theater at $5.50 Top at First of Special Matinee Series New York, Dec, 20.—Cissie Loftus joined the ranks of those vaudeville artistes who have forsaken the two-a-day for the concert plat form on Friday afternoon of this week at the Ilenry Mil.er Theater. The affair was in the nature of a testimonial to the genius of Miss Iaftus by other members of the theatrical profession. The house was a sell-out at a 85.50 top, with the balconies scaled down from $3.30 to $1.10. Not only were all the seats taken, but every available parking space was sold out at $1 a squeeze. The English mimic was sup ported by ‘‘a *pecia honor by the Blanche Bates in welcoming a glowing tribute to the genius, touching upon her remarkable comeback, and explaining that after all Miss Loftus had suffered the strain of the twoa-day had too much for her gth sitating the switch to the platform. Miss Loftus’ re was essentially vaudeville, despite the surroundings. She offered much the program as when she appeared at the Palace several back. The ap pearance of Ethel in Sir James M. Barrie's ‘““Twelve-Pound Look” further to give. the affalr a atmosphere, The other “‘turns’’, essentially concert, with the the Jeanne Eagels bit from The first artist Bates was George program dramatic arranged io her profession.’ Miss Loftus paid English mimic’s lightly proved stren concert neceserte re satne weeks Barrymore served two-a-day however, were exception of **Rain"’. to be introduced by Miss Copeland, the concert pianist from Boston. Miss Loftus appeared next, doing her Crommit, Nora Bayes, Irene Franklin and other imitations. She received a warm welcome, not quite the ovation that greeted her comeback at the Palace, but then there was a $4.40 difference between this audience and the Palace welcoming delegation. Following came John McCormack, Ethel Barrymore in the Barrie skit. here it might and then And right serve as a fine example of the high regard in which Miss Loftus is held by the acting profession to call attention to the fact that Miss Barrymore ts vice-president of the Actors’ Equity Assoctation, while Henry Miller, who loaned the theater for the occasion and whose headed the reception committee, is president of the Fido organization. Miss Loftus next offered the ‘‘J’en al Marre” wife bit which featured her later appearances at the Palace, giving way to Jeanne Eagels in the much-discussed scene from ‘'Rain’’. Fol lowing, Miss Loftus performed the difficult feat of imitating Miss TEagels in the preceding scene, with a fidelity that made the audience forget its 85.50 Miss Loftus also gave a fine impersonation of the late Enrico Caruso, topping off with Mrs. Piske and Yvette Gilbert. The program was brought reappearance of restraint. remarkably to a close by a George Copeland, followed by Miss Loftus’ best bit of work, an impersonation of Mme. Sarah Bernhardt in “Izeyl", @ truly masterful pit of mimiery. This the was first of a series of epectal matinees by the English artist under the man agement of James B. Pond at the Wenry Miller Theater The other dates are Jannary 4, &, 11, 15 and 18, Interest them so much nowadar« They are clamoring for better mueie ace songs are all right In thelr way, bet not the malodorous ones, with an obscene thought in every line Most of the jatter sort, unfit for publication the authorities should get after They have been foisted on pl nograph companies by #0 called femal, race’ «singers who try to emulate the few real “raes ingers of talent and who aplit up the gravy with composers on numbers in manuseript that never see the Meht of publication The big revolution in mu nl publishing thought, however, is coming from the ‘‘writin’ fellare’’, as one author terms them They were formerly fooled by the BIG advances followed by LITTLIO statement« and LONG waits between elhecks Their eyes have opened to the faet that the «peeulative publisher Kkambles with their money and as a rule make« nothing for them or bis firm All he accom Piishes is to belittle, degrade and retard the future of thelr chosen profeeston As a result the publishers who try net to lowe sight of the foot that ine principles of good business and decent competition gain the confidence of the trade and win out Ip the end are besieged by o host of writers from other houses,