Britpop bands 'too lazy for US career'

UK record industry bosses today held crisis talks with their American counterparts to try to revive Britpop in the US.

The media moguls took part in a two-hour brainstorming session, examining ideas to promote home-grown bands and performers ahead of the establishment of a planned British music “embassy” in New York.

The downturn in sales of British artists – dubbed “Britflop” – became most obvious in April when the US Billboard Top 100 singles chart contained no UK act for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Bill Diggins, who has managed Bjork and TLC, said the problem was many British bands were too lazy to make it in the US.

“When U2 and The Police first came to America, they toured for eight or nine months in a station wagon, playing at every dive in the country,” he told the meeting at the Virgin Megastore in New York’s Times Square.

“I can’t imagine many British groups these days being prepared to do that. They need to push their work ethic up a notch or two. It’s a very competitive market here and everybody’s playing to win.”

He said British groups also often get arrogant after having only a handful of hits in the UK.

“In Britain, when a band has one or two chart successes, the record company start sending round smart cars to pick them up. In the US, you have to become a serious success over a long period before the labels start throwing money at you.”

Paul Birch, managing director of Revolver Records, said British bands faced extra difficulties playing in America because of tight visa restrictions, but Diggins insisted that US performers face the same difficulties when entering the UK.

A recent report commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport revealed that the British market share in the US has plummeted from a record 32% in 1986 to 0.2%.

The study recommended setting up a British music office in New York that could provide record companies and managers with information, office facilities and industry contacts.

Diggins backed the plan, explaining that many British managers have no idea how to market their band in America.

“It’s a completely different set-up over here and not enough Brits understand the different challenges it presents.”

The lack of British success in America today is a far cry from 1964 when The Beatles invaded America and took the top five places in the US chart.

Stereophonics, Britain’s biggest-selling rock act last year, sold just 57,000 copies of their Just Enough Education to Perform in the US.

Many shoppers in the Virgin megastore said they had little hope of a Britpop revival.

John Kaufman, who was buying the new Will Smith album as a birthday present for his nephew, said: “Are the English still making records? I thought they gave up after The Beatles.”