Oeecneg tfhe digital madli tap
The Daily Tar HeelWednesday, February 10, 19885
Due to opposition from the recording industry, U.S. consumers won't be hearing it any time soon
Qy WILLIAM TAGGART
Staff Writer
, It is better than the cassette deck
and as good as the compact disc
player, and several major electronics
companies have them ready in Japan
to bring to the United States.
. . But consumers won't see the newest
in audio technology the digital
audio tape (DAT) for several more
months because of complications
with Congress and the recording
industry.
"There is definitely a sensitivity
about the whole situation, said
David Kawakami, manager of cor
porate communications at Sony,
based in Park Ridge, N.J.
. There is friction between the
United States and Japan about the
irade deficit, but the conflict is
'.between industries, not nations,
! Kawakami said.
; Because DAT is digital and not
analog like traditional audio
cassettes, music can be copied repeat
edly without affecting the quality of
the sound, he said.
The recording industry is worried
that copyright laws will be violated
when consumers, Using DAT, will be
able to copy music at a professional
quality, he added.
The record companies have lob
bied extensively in Washington,
creating a situation in which Congress
and the companies are pitted against
DAT manufacturers, Kawakami
said. CBS Records suggested putting
a "spoiler chip in the system to alter
the quality of music re-recorded on
a digital audio tape. Congress has
supported similar suggestions, he
said. .
A spoiler chip is not necessary
because the DAT machine contains
a built-in feature that changes the
quality of music recorded off a
compact disc, he said. The recording
industry obviously does not think this
measure is enough, he said.
"Sony is opposed to any sort of
legislation or technology in the form
of spoiler chips that would prevent
consumers from making tapes for
their own purposes," Kawakami said.
Verlc Rader, marketing services
director of Marantz Corporation in
Chatsworth, Calif., said, "The situa
tion is pure politics."
Marantz announced its plan last
June to start marketing DAT
machines in the United States in the
fall of 1987, Rader said. The company
was unable to carry through with its
plan because of the situation with
Congress and the record companies.
Although the Japanese officially
deny it, there appears to be an
embargo on the part of the Japanese
Ministry of International Trade on
sending DAT to the United States,
Rader said. There is no technological
reason for DAT to be unavailable
here, he said.
Record companies are scared of
losing money as a result of increased
home taping, he said. But studies have
shown that consumers who re-tape
music at home purchase more pro
fessionally recorded music than other
consumers, so this fear is irrational,
Rader said.
Casio plans to begin test marketing
DAT machines in May, said Steve
Nosek, marketing service director for
Casio in Fairfield, N.J. Despite the
current stance of Congress and the
recording industry, Casio does not
expect many problems, he said.
"Once the units hit, the record
companies will jump on the band
wagon," Nosek said.
Nosek also expects CBS Records,
one of the most vocal opponents of
DATs, to back down because of
Sony's recent acquisition of the
record company. "They won't fight
their own corporation," he said.
Many people industry-wide think
Sony bought CBS to bring DAT into
the United States, but Kawakami
disagreed. The acquisition has the
potential for a lot of cooperation
between manufacturing and record
ing, but Sony will not wave a magic
wand and bring DAT into this
country, he said.
"CBS is a separate company with
management intact," Kawakami said.
CBS Records could not be reached
for comment.
Electronics stores in the area had
mixed expectations for DAT coming
to the United States.
Rick Fessoms, manager of Sound
haus Stereo in Durham, said he
expects to see manufacturers bringing
DAT machines into the country by
June. There will be a market for it,
but not until the price goes down,
he said. The average price is between
$1,800 and $2,500, Fessoms said.
Richard Chichester, assistant man
ager of Electronics Unlimited in
Durham, did not know when the
store would first sell, the DAT. He
said even if other stores carried the
machines, Electronics Unlimited
would not offer the DAT right away.
There will not be a big market for
a number of years because of the high
cost of the system, he said. Chichester
said the average price of a DAT is
$l,600-$2,500.
Kawakami said Sony's DAT
machine costs around $1,600 in
Japan, depending on the strength of
the dollar. The price in the United
States could be as low as $1,500 and
up to $2,000.
The retail price of the Casio DAT
machine, a portable model, will be
$1,199, said Nosek.
Cat's Cradle hosts benefit concert for five local bands
By DAVID HESTER
IStefVWkr
; Area music lovers will get a chance
to sample from a rich smorgasbord
;of original music tonight when five
;local bands stage a conceit at Cat's
Cradle.
; The concert will feature Angels of
;Epistomology, Slush Puppies, Egg,
the Black Girls and Wwax and
proceeds from the show will go
toward financing the boxed set of
singles the five groups have recently
Jordan
released. The boxed set of 45s is called
Evil I Do Not To Nod I Live, and
music from this set will be featured
tonight.
Each of the five bands will play
a short set of about five or six songs,
according to Cradle manager Frank
Heath. Heath said there was a great
sense of camaraderie among the
members of the different bands, and
he said the bands may share basic
equipment, such as drum sets.
from page 1
Heath said all the bands came
together during the finale of a multi
group show at the Cradle last fall,
and he said there may be another en
masse performance tonight. Last
fall's show also featured a short film
produced by one of the Angels of
Epistomology, and Heath said the
Angels "may have something up their
sleeves again tonight.''
Although the bands' play lists will
consist almost entirely of original
material, Egg member Jeb Bishop
said there may be a few cover tunes
played as well. Bishop said his band
may play a few Jimi Hendrix tunes,
for example, and he said the Slush
Puppies may play a Who song.
Bishop is also a member of the
Angels of Epistomology, and he is
one of three people who play in more
than one of the bands on tonight's
program. Mac McCaughen is in both
Wwax and Slush Puppies, and Jon
athan Newmann is in Egg and Slush
Puppies.
Bishop said this sharing of band
members indicates the closeness of
the bands, and he said many of the
musicians have known each other for
years. He added that some of the
members of different bands had also
played together in the rast. The bands
have been working together partic
ularly closely since the release of the
boxed set, and tonight's concert
follows a group concert last week at
the Brewery.
Evil I Do Not To Nod I Live was
released on the Palindrome Produc
tions label. This label was specifically
formed by the five bands in order to
produce their records, and tonight's
concert was planned in order to
promote sales of the boxed set and
make money to pay off Palindrome
Production's bills. Bishop said there
are no specific plans for Palindrome
to cut any other records but the
option to release other records will
remain open.
Tonight's concert presents a unique
opportunity for concert-goers to hear
different styles of rock 'n' roll
presented on the same stage on the
same night, in addition to providing
them with a chance to help support
the growth of the burgeoning local
music scene.
The Evil I Do Not To Nod I Live
show will be experienced tonight at
Cat's Cradle. Call 967-9053 for more
information.
; Grade School Construction Plan over
;the opposition of this governor, and
; we passed the North Carolina Teach
ing Fellows Program," Jordan said.
The N.C. Teaching Fellows Pro
gram is a $10 million program which
; provides four-year scholarships to
graduating high school seniors who
pledge to teach for four years in N.C.
schools. The program is in its second
year and applications have increased
by 50 percent over last year, he said.
In answering questions from the
audience, Jordan said he was reluc
tant to support a ban on smoking
. in state government offices because
tobacco is an important state
I industry.
I "My dad died of emphysema," he
! said. "I don't smoke . . . but you let
.' the people in the workplace make that
determination."
! Jordan said he also supports a
' balance between environmental and
industrial concerns.
"I'm doing everything I can to save
Champion Mill," he said, refering to
the paper mill in western North
Liaison
Carolina that has badly polluted a
nearby stream.
He said a "happy balance" between
concerns also applies to nuclear
power. Although he doesn't support
closing existing plants, "I don't think
well ever build another nuclear
power plant," he said.
Jordan also said he wasn't worried
about the Sunday Charlotte Observer
poll, which showed Martin with a 16
point lead. "Polls dont really mean
anything at this stage of the game.
Rufus (Edmisten) was 40 points
ahead of Jim Martin," he said,
referring to the Democratic candidate
Martin defeated in 1984.
"There were no surprises (in the
poll) ... we were told a long time
ago as long as Martin's under 60
percent, dont worry," Jordan said.
The good old days are yet to
come," he said. "The future is very
bright ... I'd trade places with any
of you."
The speech was co-sponsored by.
the UNC Young Democrats and
Students for Bob Jordan.
from page 1
position will be more useful if the
president does not serve as the liaison,
Bailey said.
"The president is already tied down
frith so many responsibilities," he
iaid. "It will be most effective to name
Someone who will be able to fully
ilevote himself or herself to this job."
J The council passed the resolution
ith little discussion. Council
members agreed that students needed
information about town government
and access to its processes.
"Students are looking for a formal
ized line of communication between
the town and University," Mayor
Jonathan Howes said.
Howes said the council would
reserve a place for the liaison in the
council meeting room. The liaison
would also be recognized and have,
the chance to speak at the meetings,
he said.
New Triangle Area
Innovation
Center BS
Under
Consideration
Entrepreneurs interested in
labofficeproduction space at
reasonable rates, in proximity to
other start-up businesses, with
shareddiscounted services
(administrative, clerical, accounting,
legal, etc.), please contact Trudy
Wagoner at the Durham Chamber
of Commerce (682-2133).
WERE FIGHTING FOR AfTOiCGn KCOrt
vourufe AssociottonXjf
mum C""3 E3
ft Din) TToififi)
(p
J XXJ
5 Lucky Students will win
iOiO00 each!
Come in and register everyday. No purchase
necessary. Must have student ID to win. More
details will be posted at the store.
Drawing will be
held Wednesday,
March 2 at 5 PM
306 W. Franklin St (SKI&PEIL IH1DELEL
caffs
9
1
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Returnable
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24-12 oz.
(plus $1.20
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$
12 pack
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returnable bottles
24-1 2 oz.
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l17eeEi!y SpedaQs prices good thru 21488
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