In 1979, the record industry rolls into its second straight year. Enormous studio bills drain label coffers and follow-ups to previous album blockbusters fall short of expectations and do little to reverse the financial slide. Floundering and out of step, large conglomerates fail to tap into a new consumer market pushing out the hippie macho posturing of arena rock in favor of punk music. Smaller boutique labels emerge to service this new college crowd tuned into eclectic proto-reggae punk acts like The Police. Disco has officially bottomed out. Black music departments are dismantled. The heady days of the Black music executive have reached their zenith. Firmly entrenched in the corporate machine and focused on making adult-oriented music, they miss out on a brand new funk just a stone’s throw (or an uptown cab ride) from the CBS Black Rock building. ...
