m'
By K. McElroy
Battalion Staff
Record enthusiasts are dis
cussing Steely Dan's latest
album "Gaucho" not only be
cause of its musical brilliance,
but because of its manufactur
er's suggested, albeit ungodly,
price of$9.98.
That's $10 for seven songs —
or (including sales tax) $1.50 per
song.
Even more bad news for con
sumers is that the figure isn't an
industry freak, but a soon-to-be
standard for single album, cas
sette and eight-track cartridge
prices.
However, local Dan fans ha
ven't had to pay that price. Most
major Bryan-College Station re
cord stores are selling "Gaucho"
and other new releases any
where from about $1 to $2 less
r-”
than suggested by the manufac
turer. A tew major supermarket
chains like Skaggs Alpha Beta
and Safeway are also selling
albums at that low price.
"That 9.98 is what the manu
facturer suggests, but we don't
charge it," says Bruce Burner,
manager of Music Express. He
says the record company — in
this case conglomerate MCA —
when choosing a suggested
price, picks one that will keep
the profit steady for itself, artist
and retailers in the face of infla
tion.
Hasting's Records and Books
also ignores the industry's sug
gested prices because they don't
depend solely on music for their
income. Cathy Pudlewski says
most of the store's profits come
from book sales, so they can
afford the price slash, as can su
permarkets which obviously
don't depend on record sales.
Karen Green of Musicland
says her store doesn't have as
large a discount as some others,
but customers are still buying
"Gaucho" and other high-
priced albums, keeping store
employees constantly filling the
racks. The store does closely
abide by the price she says the
manufacturer sets.
"We have to pay it or else,"
Green says.
Retailers, realizing that lower
prices do bring in more custom
ers, aren't the only ones trying
to lower prices. Rock musician
Tom Petty fought his parent
company MCA, which wanted
to suggest $9.98 for his "Hard
Promises," released about a
month ago. Petty even delayed
the release of the album until a
compromise price of $8.98 was
reached.
But since $8.98 is just a moral
and not economic victory, con
sumers are finding other ways
to beat album prices. Some are
buying used records or cutouts,
which are records — usually not
the top sellers — which have
been reduced to extremely low
prices because the manufacturer
wants to get rid of them.
Another extremely cheap
method is to tape albums from
the radio. But few Bryan-
College Station stations play
whole albums — let alone with
out commerical breaks, a neces
sary feature for taping from the
radio.
Burner said his store has
many midline albums—records
that don't have the current sug
gested or cutoff prices. For ex
ample, his store offers the first
five Steely Dan albums — which
aren't as popular as the latest —
for about $4 or $5.
"I guess the manufacturer is
trying to give the consumer a
break," he said.
Another way buyers are get
ting out of paying high prices is
to share the record cost. Two
persons split the cost of an
album and a blank cassette or
eight-track cartridge. All three
store workers say they've
noticed pairs of customers
who've come into their stores to
share costs.
"We get lots of people buying
blank tapes," Burner says.
"They say they're taping al
bums from friends." He doesn't
mind the system.
Continued on page 4
THIS WEEK
Movies
Check theatres for specific times
and prices. Movies subject to
change without notice. All list
ings are current through press
time.
Campus Theater
846-6512
3.O.B.: Blake Edwards, the
man who gave us the "Pink
Panther" movies and "10" is
back with another fad comedy
film. This time he's after The
Hollywood Director and his
California scene. The movie
stars Edwards' wife Julie
Andrews—topless. Needless to
say, she's no Mary Poppins
here. Rated R.
Caveman: Ex-talent Barbara
Bach and ex-Beatle Ringo Starr
(now married) in this neander
thal comedy which is as sense
less as its dialogue. This effort
has as much slapstick as an
Abbott and Costello feature and
about a third of the humor. It's
that unfunny. Friday and Satur
day at midnight. Rated PG.
The Grove
845-2916
Because of the July
Fourth holidays and fin
als, Aggie Cinema will
not present any films
until next Wednesday.
Attack of the Killer Toma
toes: This movie is rotten to the
core (and non-regs, too). It prob
ably sounded peachy on paper
— a parody of all those horrid
sci-fi movies in which nature
goes hogwild. Unfortunately,
this extremely low-budget film
is worse than any its predeces
sors. If a sci-fi picture isn't scary,
it better be pretty-darn funny.
"Killer Tomatoes" lays an egg
on both counts. Rated PG.
Wednesday at 8:45 p.m.
Manor East
823-8300
Dragonslayer: The latest from
Walt Disney Studios, in con
junction with Paramount. Sup
posedly the beginning of a
whole batch of Dungeons and
Dragons movies, carrying on
the traditon started by "Excali-
bur." In this story of the hand
some knight saving the beauti
ful princess from the wicked
dragon, the special effects are
reportedly comparable to those
of 20,000 Leagues Under the
Sea. Rated R.
Cannonball Run: Burt
Reynolds, Dean Martin, Farrah
Fawcett-Majors, Roger Moore
(as himself), Dom DeLuise and a
lot of other people join in a
cross-country auto race. With no
rules. Find out whether the pro
ducers spent too much money
getting box office names and not
enough on talented writers to
develop a plot. Rated R. See re
view on page 4.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: A col
laboration of Steven "Jaws"
Spielberg and George "Star
Wars" Lucas. A high-energy,
30s drama featuring Doc Savage
and The Shadow type action.
Harrison Ford stars as a mercen
ary-adventurer-archaeologist in
competition with Nazis sear
ching for the lost tablets from
the ark of the covenent. Hitler,
one of the bad guy, is interested
in the occult, and Ford is the
good guy. Rated PG.
Plitt Cinema I&II
846-6714
Superman II: The long-
awaited sequel is in its second
record-breaking week. Christ
opher Reeve stars as the Man of
Steel, again. Worth the trip (for
the women) to see him in his
tights. This time, Superman
takes on three villains with su
per powers like his own. He
ends up in fist fights in the sky
and other amazing things you'd
expect in a Superman movie.
Plus, it has a plot. Rated PG.
Stripes: Bill Murray stars in
this summer's male version of
"Private Benjamin." Murray
forms his own army brigade,
teaching them everything he
knows. Obviously, that kind of
training could and almost does
cause World War III. Let's hope
we all die laughing. Rated R.
Music
Dackstage: No entertainment
this weekend because of Fourth
of July. Guests may eat dinner,
or simply enjoy happy hour
when draft beer is 35 cents, bar
drinks are 75 cents and all call
drinks are half price.
Grins: Thursday night, Grin's
presents Don Sanders, playing
guitar. Cover is $2. Grin's will be
closed Saturday. Happy hour is
4-7 p.m. weekdays.
Lakeview: Tradition continues
with Dennis Ivey and The Way-
men playing country hits until
midnight Thursday. Cover is $1
for women and $3 for men, with
Lone Star draught beer 5<t a cup.
Saturday night, it's the John
Conlee show. Advance tickets
are $9, $10 at the door.
Rebels: Music starts at 8 on Fri
day and 9 on Saturday. No cov
er. Happy hour features half-
price drinks and appetizers Fri
day and Saturday.
Rosewood Junction: Leroy
Parnell performs this weekend.
Cover is $1. Two-for-one happy
hour daily from 11 a.m. until 7
p.m.
Texas Hall of Fame: The De-
bonaires are back from vacation,
they will play Thursday night,
for $2 cover charge. Friday's
band is Sundance, and cover is
$2. Saturday night, the Matheny
Brothers, from San Antonio,
appear. Cover is $3. Texas Fever
play Tuesday night,for a $2 cov
er. Wednesday night it's Silver
Creek, and all Aggies get in free
with student I.D. and valid
identification.
Fourth of July: Saturday is the
Fourth of July. For a listing of
local events, see page 1 of this
issue. For events around the
state, see page 2. Remember,
fireworks are illegal in the city
limits of both Bryan and College
Station.
Peach Sale: The TAMU Horti
culture Club is selling tree ripe
Texas peaches today, July 2, at
the Plant Science Club loading
dock. The peaches will be first
come, first served.
Battalion Classifieds
Call 845-2611