Mike Rivers, air-personality with CKLW, chatted with Diana Ross of Motown Records last August during a three-week presentation of the Hot 100 station spotlighting records by hometown Detroit artists–namely Motown record artists.
Special jingles by the Johnny Mann Singers introduced each Motown record, and the station gave away copies of Motown albums featuring 16 Motown hits. END
The CKLW BIG 30 Survey Guide (pictured) is from the week of August 29, 1967
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; September 30, 1967)
The Beatles‘ on VeeJay Records in 1964. (Click on image for larger view)
NEW YORK — Vee Jay Records filed a motion in New York’s Supreme Court against both Capitol Records and Swan Records here Friday seeking an injunction restraining the companies from manufacturing, distributing, advertising or otherwise disposing of recordings by the Beatles.
The motion was brought before Judge Mullen in Supreme Court, who reserved decision on the case.
The case is but one of many suits and counter-suits being bandied about the courts over the sensational young singing groupfrom Liverpool.END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; January 25, 1964)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
Beatles Heat Flare In Court
CHICAGO — The Beatles, the nation’s hottest recording property today, are becoming the object of the nation’s hottest lawsuits, at least as far as the recording industry is concerned.
The rock-and-rolling English group has a series of singles and LP’s out on three labels–Capitol, Vee Jay and Swan. Each of the offering is bounding up the national charts like Topsy.
And each is becoming involved in a series of suits and counter-suits between the various companies involved.
The Beatles‘ “She Loves You” on Swan Records in 1964.
Most confused are the nation’s dealers and one-stops, many of whom have received telegrams from one or more of the parties, noting that appropriate legal action will be taken if they persisted in selling the others’ products.
The matter is far from settled, but as of Billboard press time, Capitol was granted an injunction in Cook County Circuit Court restraining Vee Jay from manufacturing, distributing, advertising or otherwise disposing of the Beatles’ recordings.
The Capitol injunction is good for thirty days and Vee Jay is slated to file an answer next Wednesday.
Vee Jay, meanwhile, has filed a suit seeking a similar injunction against Capitol and Swan, with a hearing slated for New York’s Supreme Court before Judge Saul Streit, last Friday.
Under the Capitol injunction, “Vee Jay, it’s agents, attorneys and servants” are prevented from selling or advertising Beatles’ products.
Presumably, and according to Vee Jay sources, the injunction does not apply against dealers, one-stops, rack jobbers and even distributors who might already have the records in stock.
According to Jay Lasker, Vee Jay executive vice-president, “we shipped an awful lot of records, more than Capitol.”
Capitol attorney, Sidney Zatz, however, has indicated that “steps could be taken” against dealers who persisted in selling the Vee Jay product, though he did not specify what this would entail.
The product causing all the fuss is:
Capitol, “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” a single, is at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week, and “Meet The Beatles,” an L.P.
Vee Jay, “Please Please Me,” a single, and two LP’s, “Introducing The Beatles,” already distributed, and “The Beatles and Frank Ifield,” were not yet shipped but ready to go.
Swan, “She Loves You,” a single, is breaking into Billboard’s Hot 100 in position 69.
Neither Vee Jay nor Capitol is seeking damages as of this date, though a Capitol spokesman did not rule out the possibility of this taking place at a later date.
In its motion for injunction, Capitol claimed exclusive U.S. distribution rights to all recording by the Beatles. The label accused Vee Jay of manufacturing and selling albums introducing the Beatles in violation of Capitol’s exclusive right.
Capitol contended in its suit that Vee Jay’s rights were canceled last August.
The suit notes that initially Vee Jay was licensed by Trans Global, a New York firm licensed to distribute EMI products. EMI has the original Beatles’ contract.
Capitol claims that Trans Global canceled its contract with Vee Jay August 8 because of non-payment of royalties. Trans Global allegedly relinquished its rights to EMI with the latter than returning them over to Capitol.
Vee Jay, meanwhile, contends that it has a five-year contract with the Beatles and that it is definitely not in default for failure to pay royalties.
Capitol’s suit notes that the label has spent $50,000 in extensive nationwide promotions of the Beatles recordings. END
___
(Information and new source: Billboard; January 25, 1964)
DETROIT — WXYZ will follow the Supremes to Detroit’s Roostertail nightclub Monday evening (January 17) for their performance. Lee Alan and Danny Taylor will broadcast remote from the club’s lobby at their regularly scheduled time – 7:15-10 p.m. and 10 p.m.-1 a.m. respectively.
Marc Avery, Steve Lundy, Dave Prince and Pat Murphy will be on hand at a WXYZ table with microphones to interview the Supremes themselves and thereafter speak with members of the crowd live concluding the Supremes Roostertail performance. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; January 22, 1966)
DETROIT — WJBK, 50,000-watt outlet here, has lauched a soft-rock format, giving the market four Hot 100 stations. Program Director John M. Grubbssaid the format is more “amended,” than changed. The new programming operation is being changed slowly, but should be complete by May 9.
Dick Boyer has been added to the air-personality roster to handle all-night chores. Jerry Blocker, a negro, formerly of WCAR will handle the 7-midnight slot, accenting light commercial jazz.
WJBK Radio 15 Program Director John M. Grubbs.
WJBK has tried a Hot 100 format before, but in August 1964, switched back to good music. The station is now injecting current Hot 100 Chart singles of non raucous nature. “What we’re looking for is the uptempo, but not specific, teen tunes,” Grubbs said.
As an example, the station was playing last week “Monday, Monday” by the Mamas and the Papas, also “Sloop John B.” by the Beach Boys, “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers, “Daydream” by the Lovin’ Spoonful, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by B. J. Thomas and the Triumphs, “Rainy Day Woman” by Bob Dylan, and “How Does That Grab You Darlin” by Nancy Sinatra. Album cuts with bright appeal are also being played.
“We’re going to create a hip sound for the 18 and-up age bracket,” Grubbs said, “and we’re getting a good reaction. Last July the station placed fourth in Billboard’s Radio Response Rating survey for influencing sales of albums in the market.”
There are presently three Hot 100 stations in the market besides WJBK–WKNR, CKLW, and WXYZ. WJBK just recently upped its daytime power to 50,000 watts from 10,000; the station hopes to, as it is being planned, to increase its nighttime power sometime in the near future. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; May 14, 1966)
HOLLYWOOD — The Beatles’ Capitol single, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” this week jumps aboard Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for the first time, landing at the No. 45 spot 10 days after the record hit the market, thus becoming the fastest-breaking disk in the labels history.
A BEATLES autographed ‘Meet The Beatles’ (back cover) on U. S. Capitol Records album, 1964(click on image for larger view).
According to Capitol, dealer orders passed the million mark at press time with the new York City market alone responsible for 294,000. Billboard learned that Capitol called for a Record Industry Association of America audit for sales.
The label hopes to get RIAA certification in time so that Capitol President Alan Livingston will be able to presentBritain’s Beatles with a gold record award when they arrive here February 7.
Capitol’s artist and repertoire Vice-President Voyle Gilmore told Billboard his company has shipped 640,000 copies during the first week of the disk’s release.
This surpasses the label’s all-time fast-breaking singles, Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons,” and the Kingston Trio’s “Tom Dooley.” To Keep pace with the demand, Capitol has had it’s plants in Scranton, Pa., and Los Angeles on 24-hour production schedules, and found it necessary to farm out 200,000 Beatle pressings to RCA Victor.
At week’s end, Capitol’s Livingston ordered the immediate release of its “Meet The Beatles” album, which had been scheduled for issue January 20. This stepped up pace, Livingston said, resulted from “pressure too great for us to hold back any longer.”
THE BEATLES hail from Liverpool, England
England’s hit act is scheduled for three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show immediately after the band’s arrival here, the first to be telecast February 9, the second on February 16, and the final one to be pre-taped in Miami for a March show. The group appeared on the Jack Parr show on a film clip several weeks ago. END
BILLBOARD LATE SINGLE SPOTLIGHTSMEETTHE BEATLES — Capitol T 2047 (M); ST 2047 (S) — The Beatles, Britain’s prize group with the Liverpool sound, have created a great stir here. Their initial single “I Want To Hold Your Hand” is already well up the charts and this album, rushed out to cash in on the publicity splurge, should move out rapidly. For full review and cover reproduction see next week’s Billboard. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; January 18, 1964)
Deon Jackson on Carla Records; Ann Arbor, MI. (Click on image for larger view)
NEW YORK — Deon Jackson’s recording of “Love Makes The World Go Round” on the Detroit-based Carla label has been picked up for national distribution for Atco Records. The disk, issued in Detroit just a week ago, sold over 10,000 copies in three days after it’s introduction on Robin Seymour’s CKLW-TV show.
The Carla label is owned by Ollie McLaughlin, manager of Barbara Lewis who records for Atlantic Records. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; January 22, 1966)
DETROIT — The departure of featured deejay Tom Clay from CKLW last week was as an “amiable termination” based on Clay’s decision to quit because he was not able to spin his own records, and was not based on any difference of programming, as reported elsewhere.
Clay felt he was not doing enough on his show when not allowed to play the records himself, but John Gordon, CKLW’s program director, told Billboard that present contracts with both the engineers and AFTRA prohibit this practice at the station.
Last week the Tom Clay show was replaced by the Terry Knight show, Monday through Friday, 7 to 11 p.m. and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Knight comes from WTRX, Flint, where he had a similar show and was formerly a deejay on WJBK. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; July 11, 1964)
DETROIT — WKNR has found a way to help take the severe bite out of Old Man Winter with it’s “Think Summer” campaign.
WKNR “Think Summer” 1965 promotion button
The station has distributed some 77,000 “Think Summer“ buttons in conjunction with extensive newspaper ads and billboard displays. On-the-air, WKNR is conducting a contest and awarding barbeque grills, badminton sets, and other summertime items. To keep things psychologically warm, weather forecasts include the more desirable temperatures of Hawaii, Florida, Southern California and other southern resort areas.
As a result of the promotion, Russ Yerge, Columbia Records promotion director for Detroit, suggested his record label cut a record on the theme. Clyde Otis obliged and the label has released a single by Susan Wayne entitled “Think Summer.” A Special tie-in promotion has been arranged by Columbia Records with 65 radio stations using the “Think Summer” theme by endorsing the Wayne single. END
ADDENDUM: for more on WKNR’s “Think Summer” radio contest and station promotions, see our previous “Think Summer” exhibit post (January 29, 2012) with mp3 audio, archivedhereon Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
(Information and news source: Billboard; February 20, 1965)
A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1967
Mike Rivers, air-personality with CKLW, chatted with Diana Ross of Motown Records last August during a three-week presentation of the Hot 100 station spotlighting records by hometown Detroit artists–namely Motown record artists.
A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1966
