Variety (May 1931)

M a Sic VARIETY to [Tlic American Society 'ff lU sljovtly ^tiutat all; ItB ^ publishei' ^m^imbers; ^^lid started oh i iampage^^^^^^^^^^ giag cut-JnB thi Iwo w fh^ bah io cancel, all c\it-(h cbh.-; ■ Htkcx-r ■ ' : ■"■/■•■;-,v-w. ■ To diHCover: which; of Its pHbllMh- ers'cUtUn ibdnd leaaiers liv -wJnol*- ■"^le 'iotsV shiorMj?/ beto^^^ April ■ 20, Ufthen :he;ba:n went into: effect,,the: Society ■. may. de'tennine to, examine (I'a the publishers bobl<s, Thls it is; peinUlteaVto Us co■^>^'tl- ■'tutlon.' r ■ ■ ■■':■'.' ■■''■::.■'■■ Tlils coiiailion lii Iho inauKlrJ' im,-. Vaer ■ivlUch'the PublishW^^ IQ cut-iu bariiV lenders^ojv a Ayholosalc : Bcnlc j^liortly: before lliey k,ne\y the , bajv would ho ertcclive, was : called; to tlip attention of the Society b>; . <he " fiip'i'y printed in Variety- last weeUi A. few indiV id iial .piihlishors. ■ olso piibtied" tlio ■ Society i^nd; i-e- '; (iliested tliat .son)clhi.ni; he doh^ in the iiiatier. ' • . .The. i>acl<;ty will have no way of ■ icpi'-iiiR-; the" ,publisli<>i-s ■ tci : rai\<'eV llio/inilrih cpnti-f^cts made duiin's t))Ose l>yo weeks; Ail It'W'^ f,sk the ■piihllshers to cfiiioel • them ■ ©f their 0\vn volition- 'it- t'le pub- lishers' vefusPi :lhe' Koch-iy ■Svill hive to let .the, matter drop .or seelt sonic.. •-new riVrthod. of liav ink,: contracts killed, ;''It is ,r.^pOi;ted tliat if .some the, publisliors, refuse ,t() :caiicol ; tilt cpntrS -iW iVt the,vc<iue.?t Of tiie. . So<-i?ty;- tiio; iS3ocicty :^mAy - fry to: Blia:me Iheni i(jlo, it. 'tt niny do that, by ,thrcalenlne. to rc\eal ipMblicly '■ Tihirh of tlVe publishers tiVnt on the •; itliqlesalc c,u t,-In . iampage prlpi; to : ,ihp, rfspliMlpn taUiiiy: efCect, ~, ' ,. - r<)iil,'.s- roj'.,which -tlie Socioiy' in- tends ask ing the puhlfsliers to ,can-. coi the: ■cut-iiii rdiifrrictsi. whcre- : evelv entered . Into,,arc' thosb^ w ire slill ^n manuscript' jor'in :avul ■ wliivih- will not be publl^lied Imthcai^ ately. 0 AVMlh , tl'ibso aheady is.sucd Or ishorily; to .be \yorkc,aV on, tlie; , iSuciety will iiike no actiph.;" :, - VAUPE 6»(LY:|6R BAND A. 'F. of 'M.. not 'Perniittino^H :/ The Music. COrp'.' of America Is reiioi-te'd in a jam with the -A. ■P'- '*^ M. over' Blgnlhg Don, Azpiazu^s ,Ha- yiina ■ Orehe'titra,; beyond tlme-Umit ih: th,e V. S/,- The band was , per- mitted to-, enter the country ..UTi-: der;a,; speciai permit to • pla.y >: 10 weeks bC yaludevllle pnly:,, At tho end of the 10 weeks,: they wei'6 t° return to Ifavaria'.' ■ ,' ■ ■ <!:. 'M. C; A. plnced; the prcliestra to iilay fov theni upon the completlbri of their,:preseht vaude dates,: A; F, M. heard ■ of it and .threatened to bar : all tliclr : members fronV the Mi, G., A, A ccprdinle''to reports; ef forts arc bcinK made> to, adj\ist mat ters,wiih theuiiipn.: : ., ,: :^ ,:• NBC, also w-^iiited >o ,bopk, Azpia- zu oh Jthef ail- ■ from, accounts' hiit cancelled , those pians wheh, in forined tiio band could only- ;p!ay ,va:ude,V iile. witii- liotels, ca'fesj; :niglit cliibs and radio liut. , , AprilV Best Seller* , AGcbr,di,ng to "Variety's" (sur- vey, 'tlie followih'c songs were,, tlie six .best sellers Ih she.et musip,;for the month of April, ,Three are tied for No. ;<l. l. VWlieii Tour Hair -Has :turned to Silver" (Joe Morris). 2; "Wabash Moon" (Berlin). , 3, "Two Hearts in Waltz :Time" (Harms), ? , 4; "Please Don't Talk About :MeV (Reihick). ■ - ■ ?; '(Waikin* Mir Baby ' Back Home" (DeSylva). > : ■ 6." '"Dreaih a Little Dream of Me:" (Davis, C; & E.). ; "Walta You Saved lor Me" ^,(Feist),:. - '■:'„■■: ■■■V-'. ' ■■■'■ ■■■■'■'^"■• ., "WlilsHihg in the'^Dark" (Abe Olman). ',. ■' . : Cut to lOc CUTTING ROYALTIES Som* VolMntarily. ^Reduce :,','.'':'. ■-■':■■ "biiriumsBix/': t« Get OF MPPA . jllORE COAST SHUTDOWNS ,. . , 3 ,os. A,TiK:elcs, JiWy 5. (i'iiiy six .niii.'iio; ,Q(1loeg roniaining ■ rpcii "here iri I,:, A; .Sii6rhin,ii-GIay ' censed :May i. ,T.ub'hy ! Garoh' for . Kfid Star has a slixjjf in the b01 CP of ^ Xfar<iuis Kllis,: loeaV pub.; ' ,. , ',Remainder '?tiil iie.-idcuiarte'ring in ;Mli<;ir fiats.':': ■■ PUBS WANT INCREASE IN ROYAin REVENUE Although the trade as a whole has not reduced Its royalty for' Durium, some of the publishers have volun- tarily cut to ic. flat from the former Eliding scale. ,; ' With , the - recei^ve^s, ;. of!- Diirlu'in, Irving, Triist C6;i now piiyiiig royal-; iics' frpm-the s«lp! of tfie djacs.'jthe publishers: who ^liaVe made cuts;are,^ reporteia nioiking;jn6ro, money. Since Durium :caiin6t record '?bme of the' hit ipnes it (iesfres bceaviso ti'ie'pub- lishers of those/spnBsi'cf Use to cut; it has' turned: to:,.th6se. who'., have Voiuh.tarily: reduced Tpyalties: and are, rccoi'ding, their ^fiongs, eveii tho'iigh they are hot in the bi'e' time Revenue increase from public per-' fprmaince for profit, and J: from me- ciianiealsv ihUst be oVlaiiied If pub- liiihers^ ai'e- to^ eSist, aecpi-VVlhg^ .1 many of them. .. • y : , ,, ' , :, , f'ubli.siiers : are: disgriinUca ;,:6Yer ihe rcvehue they axe receiving uhder current licensing VcpntracU of the >t.P.r.A.; "and-, Americaij Spcie.ty^^ They . contend : the .present liico^ from: tiiese: contracts to be -far be? :low their, worth and- far: below,:that; which: ,they should viishlfuily re- celve.^;' ■' ■ ■ •: ■ ■..' V P " ill Ish dr s c xc'n se (he .1 i m i t a tip ns. of thie e'xistirig contracts with, me- cii.anlcaT!3 :on thevetbund, that: when they llrst entered into these- con- tracts. hi?(riy of which were for many 5'eilrs' ■duratlbh, they had no idea of their intrinsic TaUip: , : It is contended that with sheet music : and vphpnofrraph ; disc sales, wa y dowri, 11 is u po li: royal ties, that tlieir future' rests., : ' ■ ■ . . ' Way,.s,::a7id m«fans ,'of' ihereasihg revenue from. mccharilcals when-ithc -present " existing contracts- expire are now belhg' di.scussed,' • ' '^Vuya::ai.uV nieans'bC cviVtailing the pri'.scnt heavy output of sbhs.s \Vill be discussed by :thc piibiisliers at ihc:arinuai;,,mectine: of the M.P.P.A.. ■May.ioi. ■,■:: . : Jloot 'questipil of overproduction has' been a-subject for discussion, in the trade for some time._,Pub have iong recognized that the abun- dance of: m.atei'^V : Is •, hurting; tlie market, but have taken no niea'rife t)f. liil-iiling :?lhe output,' They, de- clare that there is no defiiiite'mcahs: of curbing the piiblicatlbii of songs. John taihe, chalrinaii- p£ the jl.r. P.A> declares -that,, according 'lb, preieiit iigurbs, I,6b0. spiigs will be pubiislied by live piibllsher rn'ember.sr of the M.P.P.A. during, tlie curtent year. This is declared to be entirely too nruch material ;fpr tiie, present market'" to digest: hea.1 liiliy: and ; is claimed ,6n6 • Of the' 'main causes; keeping .sheet 'niosic at i^s: present low :i".'jles level, ' , : 'it is said ihdt'the mayiiel' now h.-ls 50 % more materJaP tha;h, it should have. . - ' -^'^ ',-.V: ■' ': ■ : ' At the meeting,' 'ace,6rding t,b re-^ ports, the publishers will be urged id volUnlarlly : limit tlie: outp.iit of MUSIC PUBS OFFICES IN CHICAGO COSTLY There must be a radical c\u in .the pi'Un^ of sheet mli.sic'.if .sales ai'o evi\r to: bp ,);evls-ed, Vlaiuv iy -few. mi inbcrs pt the IndustrS' who arc .now ,stai t-- Ing : propaganda for a i>rico war. These /pubiishcrs isri!' proposing: a 10c retail price for siveet nuisic; 7c wholpsale; -with' Wpplworih's bk di?;- tributor. ■:.:, ■■ ■;. .,■•'; '■ The' cut tojiSc, retali,' slate iho;y,e: advbd.Vting-the ,ri>:dicai ^ cut, is not : cnbiigh: to help. busines.o, ft is. claimed that tl-.e music w;ill ."-lill be Sold, for .300 by dealers' In smfxll ■ towns :\vho'do not' have syiuli'cato opposilion. Besides the.^e; 'music' ;nieh slate that S5c and '■3n(> f.s en- tirely too high a. price to a'.«k fpr Bheet music, especially In view of :iiinVeiit coiuUtipiis wilh" every other, conimudity. inaUinK a wUiolosale cut, .. and' sheet' inusic, cailed nioro of, a. luxury,; stilt w-lihoht7i' prlc,e;eiiange, at all, cxccivt upwardly^ : ', 'A few of the puhllshers wlio h;iv<;;; been -a pprpachcd 'rofiardl ing i Oc sh ce t ■ DUKE ELLINGTON '■n?l , His ,FarndU9 Orchestra . May 1, iviewman Theatre, ■'•■:,■:: ': Kansas City, Mo„ , Management of IRVIN<S MILLS MniK nnllillnic, 4<llh' R>. and nrflndwuy ; -: : New Tork. N. ,V. AL ERICKSON And His RKOLIANS ;. sow ■ M:AY,i.s<;» -;'': RKO Theatre, Los Angeles i PHIL FABELLO ■ and' Hit) : R-k-O Entertainers '■ Credlorj. «/ (Ae FabeUe PoJicy R-K-O COLISEUM, New York ' ,':':-.:'-' Indefinitely ■•. EVERETT HOAGLAND And His- Orchestra:; GEORGE OLSEN CLUB C U LVER. CI TV, CALI.F. .';: ,SlUhn'(:rnVi»nl'.: >,l,,- 1%: ;.-V:,. LYMAN and HIS ORCHESTRA M 1(4ica I .Entertainmcnt PJiu Second Year at tha ,: CARTHAY CIRCLE Lot AnocI<a , . ,Brunswick Reeorrfs - MARION McKAY and his ORCHESTRA Biltmore'^HioteV Dayton, Ohio, Until May 1st TED LEWIS .:: P»r»<>'nul R»prt»«nt«<l»e • . it. HAROT.D r.CMM , Broadway, New Tork' ' , EiclUBlVeVCoIomblii Jte'cordlnc Arll«l ; WM. MORRIS AGENCY GEORGE OLSEN :■■ AND HIS MUSIC NETHERLAND PLAZA CINCINNATI IJESSE STAFFORDI Radio Disc Cos. Purpose New Music Tax Plan ■ id.r;r',.A. w-as again for.cbd io.post- pbne Us plan to tax radio disc mak ers. to h-ive gone Into effect last week, whe.n the radio eoiTlpanies rc ,belled at the,ain6unt '0f the tax.' ' : M.P;P.A.. dcslrea to tajc. the. iradio, disc:companies 50c per flout minutes played. It hotifled the disc com ■panics to this effect a fortnight ago and ' requested that their jipplica-, tions* for licenses be la not later than last .week.. Radio: disc, cpiii panics at a meeting proposed ,legally fighting the tax. Later they ap pointed a committee,' representing the Jud-son Radio: Bureau, National Radio Advertisers,', Sound Studios and Coliimiiia Phonograph Com pany, to determine with a' commit tee of publishers whether another tec couid: be-work out.' Publishers were represented by; Saul Eorilstolii, .Louis Btrnstcin, E.:J-VPitner, lioljby Crawford and AVa,ltcr :J)oiiiu'r;is. Both committees met Monday- 00 when it Was decided: that' the radio di.sc lirnis be" permitted to work out a contract of their own. This con tract fs to be presented'to the pub lishf!ra next Monday (11). ,' ' ■ Ne'w' ta'x th6 disc firnis, have in mind- Is a' sliding scale; it :is, re- ported. It>'iirbe 50c per i^iur niiii- iites: for a limited ' number of , sta tlph.s, 35c for a larger number of stations, and, 2')C: thereafter, : ,,- ': ,. ; Chica.cro, .May 5. ' ■ Ecohbiirty .siaslics in pra^ot'ically. all mu-sic publishlhg offices hero is on its way er^: summer depression sets in. ll.'irms and-Red Star are 'the first tw-o to, sta:rt w-iieiding the. axe. Jack Goodwin'has: been let out by tiie ,tbrmer.!jind l'lrll Miller !^ the latter. •/"■',''''' ■ -■:■■'-•:■-.■'■';'.','; Music situation locally is in a precarious: way;, wii h most' of the, oflicfts Overstaffed. AVith .coTidItioii^.i what they are. 'some . of : the: muSic boys arc t.lliting: of; doubling up on' space, and cutting down,.tho over- head,'■■'•."'■."'::: ";'■ :„v. /. "' ;■;::'.'.' :',•'' :Union ' sitiialipn ^ regardingar-' rangers and piano pliiyers- i.s .in- otlier. tiling :culling in on: th<i busi- ness, music men state.. Local milsi-': cia.h.s" union: has a 'set ml,himuiTi fbr piano players ^o: each bilicc running as: high JIB two and: three to some .blllces. ,; Union also'; re<|Uirc3 that oiriccs rtlliM-nalc .■'pi.-iiiisls once iii a, while to take c.ir'c of hiypO's. Apd unlike New York! OrV oilier cities niuslc,: iirnis, here must give four instead ■ of txvo : weeks:: notice to its piano staffs. ■[ ■ ■? •'■^■' '■ > Present per.-iohncl lineup iii :Chi- cago miislc'/ollipes: is topped by Feisf ■ with seven .employees. i)c .Sylva,.:I5rowh &• llendcrsuh is next with siJt; B,ei-l(n,: Rcmiok, Robbins and Wlmarfc are manned with five each;.: Santley Bros, and Red St.ar three, .."ind, IT.irms, Sherman ,Clay,~ DohahL^On; I'/rmoii.s:: and, ' Ager, Tellcn, JJdrn.stein with two cuch; Only: two' single staffed pfllccS', in I'recdTPpwerS and Abe'vUllman. • nd Hii drtCHESTRA : fitin: in Third T«iir »t PALACE HOTEL :i San Krancleco (BRU.NSWICK RECdnpS) inusic: h.T.vo stated : that, they .will , experiinent with the iOc .prioi- fu st. After that: tliey will ^ce wh.it re- mains to be' done. ■: . ; J \ The niuslo men. advlsinsr thC'-rad-. Icai change in price say it'^yill inean more'proiltVtoday t!lian:!')vlieri that price w'as the -st&ndard . yeai;s Ago. • In those days; publishers operated with an enormous ,overhead; from : piuggci-s and .piano:rooms: to gratis::, prchcstratipn distrlbutipn: Also they, had two or three meiV in nvipierous ', branch .olTlees. -Tpd.ay, the>^a(l(l. most ' of that has been cUmlnated.; I'ub- lishers have cut' to the bime In every .'wa-y :and: -are liow pper.^ting under less oxpen.se than: evor. :, SbnfeKv'ritprs,~ it. is believed by the radlr^l,?, .will be' ,Avllllhg tb : accept.: ale royalty on .tlve basis of reaping . hibre.rbyiilvles on bulk scales: , ■ ': It is . a.lso strp.csod liuit .if: the jji-icc is cut to lOc countei'. snVvs.will: return; as will''the ,days of l.OOOjgOO': circulation.. Tliey-beUcycthalvii'tiiey give "Wool worth a bona flde. guar- antee tp Keep a .7c wlioU'sale price on. sheet m,iii^:ic r/polW<>r(li will re- turn sheet music to th' h- stores. MUSIC ARRANGERS IN CHI UNDER UNION HRE Chicago. May . ,: \Iu.:<?ic r.rraiigcrs doing work for local publishing hoiises or pub- lishcr.s' representatives, ,tnu.st be member.s. in good standing of the Chicago: :Musicians': Union. ;]Cdict Issued by Janvcs C. Petrillo; union's presideiit, takes effect ininicdiatcly. Heads of jiulilishcrs' blllccs -we.ri; told at meeting cailed, by -PetrlUo there wore: enough . capaibh! ;'yhion arrangers to . t.ike care of local needs! .ind there,:was. np -reason for any of the 'jjfihs: goirnf.. to non lU'-lrlbcrs.. l-'igurcd■ th/lt illjohl 150 niuficlans malic their livln;? .p'.v'clusiv'.-ly from arranging In Cliieagp and that ahpui 40 percent. Of this' 'humbcf"' is .not aflltated with the Federation. ' ,' Among those affected by order Is the A nrierlcan Arrangers , A.ssocia - tior. .(local) with 24 members both uhl(>n ind otlierivi.se'.' , pi'gariization a:dvised to go aH ,uhi<)n (/r- else. its union members rnust'break away.' ■; A CHOP HOUSE OF EXCEPTIONAL MERn 1864 WEST 48tH STREET [PAUL WHITEMAN . INDEFINITELY ; Granada Club, Chicago Ellington Wants $10,000 Fot Second A-A Picture - , , ,: ■ Hollywood, May 5. ■ ,IJ'ui;e'l':ilinKton'S ,band, Is^^ a'^'alri; with'Amo,s •h':-Andy :fo^ j'Bccond^'Radio pfrlure,,:b;it ilie. Col-,; |.r,red ■ jii!!z!sts ai-ft iisklntr :$11',000 u'- j'W'-r-k, -jO-'i^ ■•^Xp'Oiso!!.; ;-■ ■ ' v' , I i:adio .T.-.'. ires Ei;ii:i,"-ri of botler ' biiifhg: . arid ; promihf ■ 'than in "Cliftok and Double n-.f.' V:,' where !.l;e, b.:V.d was Only. inCld'.iiital; ' '; ,| ■ Kllinstoh received iS/OOO a wetV: ■ ;^nd ex|Arr'.-.« for ,ttie .fiiKt,,i:.i,'':-'ire:, „ ; Rolfe Barnstorming f'lilcago. May Z. .F'.r. the .first time since lie's bee.n (,.h- ihc air E. A.-R^lf^ will go-barn- s': o;:ining:for;Ni3C; : , ', , ■ .I-;icky -..Strike prch.eStJ.'.T." 'will .:tak': a tO'iir;thr(>ugh:the:ea.st and mld\ves: 'iVarting.'Ial'e, in-.tlvc: Swm.m'tr.:.:;..■' : Scores <;i'<"* ot i *L, l.oveil'„ tlif 1)9 THE HOltYWOOD COU^^^ Featuring Tlleir Original, ".RHYTHMIC ILLUMINATION" ; JlHiiuernirnl—MATT KKI.f.Y—AI- :(6hO,S!^MAN OmCE 4