EMI Factory Closes Pressing Problem for NZ Music

Rip It Up, Issue 121, 1 August 1987, Page 10

EMI Factory Closes Pressing Problem for NZ Music

New Zealand’s only record pressing plant, EMI in Lower Hutt, is to close at the end of . ’. o' L September — a move that has major implications, particularly for this country’s independent record labels.

The decision, which EMI attribute to the rise in CD and cassette sales, means that all vinyl records sold here will have to be imported. Several of the major labels, whose parent companies have pressing plants overseas, already import many or all of their albums. But for the indies, who will have to send their tapes overseas to be pressed, the closure means greatly increased costs in administration and freight, which could result in higher record prices

and fewer local acts being released. “I think it’s wrong in a country the size of New Zealand that we can’t sustain some type of pressing plant,” says Tim Murdoch, head of WEA and president of the Recording Industry Association. "If the pressings are going to be sourced out of Australia, you’re at the whim of the Australian companies, and obviously there will be less records released, as New Zealand companies will have to be more selective than they were in the past.”

With several companies already importing their general release records, prices shouldn’t immediately be affected, but the inconvenience of ordering stock from Australia will be tested during the peak selling months leading to Christmas. “The acid test will be to see how long things are held up by Customs for clearance,” says Brian Pitts of Virgin Records.

The plant closure is a nuisance, says Jim Moss of Jayrem: “It's going to make it very difficult for our sort of business, which tends to be in smaller runs. We're going to have to take more risks. How many do you get pressed? What if something takes off, how long are you out of stock? We’ll just have to adapt, I guess.” Distribution through the major companies is one way for the inde-

pendent labels to keep in operation, says Tim Murdoch. “We’re looking after Warrior and Maui Records and they won’t notice any difference. They’ll still bring their tapes to us and we’ll make the records, just the same.”

“What worries me,” says Jim Moss, “is all these little labels — the Skank Records, Meltdown, Rational, the list goes on —- what are they going to do? They're a valuable part of the industry. If Skank Records want to do their own thing, how are they going to do it? I don't think they should be told, ‘Oh you've got to go along to Jim Moss, and let him organise it for you,’ and I’m the big brother who distributes the records. It would worry me if those small labels all ended up being cassette labels, because a lot of people like records. “It’s as though the whole thing has been brought upon us, and internationally the decision’s been made, and for lovers of black plastic, tough is the message. It’s almost impossible to sell records to some retail chains now — all they’re interested in is compact discs and cassettes.” With capital tied up in CDs, stores are stocking less vinyl records.

But vinyl isn’t dead — there will always be acts that sell better on vinyl than other forms, just as some acts

(reggae, for example) sell mostly on cassette. Also, although the deathknell for the 7” single has been sounded for some time, that is the most convenient medium for radio to use. “Are radio going to accept cartridges — what’s going to happen?” says Moss. “If radio are going to support New Zealand music, and the vinyl manufacturing is being taken away from us, we're going to have to get together and work out some alternative for getting music on radio.”

While the increase in CD and cassette sales is one reason for the decline in vinyl production here, some companies have been importing all their records recently. Tim Murdoch: “There are two sides to the coin. CBS and Polygram, two of the biggest companies, took their pressings away from EMI because they could get them cheaper in Australia. That’s probably accelerated this situation. I can understand CBS because they own their own factory in Australia, whereas Polygram don’t have a factory there, so they are now in a reliant situation.

“I was always very conscious of that —that we didn't have a factory to call on in Australia, and that EMI had looked after us for a number of years, so we should support them. I think that had the New Zealand industry been a little more long-sighted and

supportive, ‘support your local sheriff,’ this wouldn't have come about. But then you’ll get the argument that the service from EMI was second-rate, and at times I'd have to agree with them.” One music company source said it could sometimes be quicker to order pressings from Australia than locally. Is there any chance that another pressing plant will be started? Modern pressing equipment would be available from American companies that have closed — because of the decline in vinyl production. Brian Pitts: “The fall in the manufacturing figures for LPs is so dramatic there’s no reason to suppose that the same rate of fall isn’t going to continue.” Tim Murdoch thinks it’s unlikely that a co-operative pressing plant will happen—the Rl ANZ’s constitution prevents it from setting one up — but Jim Moss says, “There are already some noises being made. I’ve had a couple of calls from people who are reasonably financial who are interested in putting a group together.

“We’re just going to have to adapt. If it looks as if there isn’t going to be a New Zealand plant, if the efforts of the people looking at buying a plant don’t come off, I’ll just have to visit Australia and get organised.”

Chris Bourke