Virgin Records has vowed to stick with Sam Phillips' intoxicating and emotive "Martinis and Bikinis" until its commercial acceptance catches up with its critical acclaim.
The T Bone Burnett-produced set has been selling at least 2,000 units a week since its release March 8. It is Phillips' first album to chart on The Billboard 200, but has yet to make a major impact on that chart; the album debuted at No. 182 on March 26, before falling off the chart the next week.
The 13-song collection also debuted on the Heatseekers chart March 26 at No. 9; it is No. 40 this week.
The first single, "I Need Love," has not charted on Modern Rock Tracks, but Virgin says it did not promote the title heavily to that format, concentrating instead on the college and album alternative formats.
According to SoundScan data, "Martinis and Bikinis," the singer/songwriter's third album, has sold more than 45,000 copies.
Phillips' 1991 release "Cruel Inventions" has sold 30,000 units, while 1988's "The Indescribable Wow" has sold 8,000 units since SoundScan's inception in 1991.
BUILDING A BASE
Virgin president Phil Quartararo says he's certain the label will break Phillips. "These kinds of artists break out of kids on the street, and not off radio," he says. "There traditionally isn't one big hit. It's usually the building of a fan base that ultimately makes it explode. I think we're doing that.
"This album is so beautiful and well received that we're getting close to blowing it out. We're just not there yet."
Quartararo says the strategy has been to build a fan base "one show at a time, one play at a time, and one fan at a time."
Quartararo likens Virgin's commitment to Phillips to the label's commitment to Cracker. "'Low' came out in August last year; it took that long for it to break." "Low" peaked in November at No. 3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The Cracker album "Kerosene Hat" entered Heatseekers at No. 8 in September and peaked at No. 59 on the Billboard 200 in March; the single peaked at No. 64 on the Hot 100 May 7.
"We've made a very big commitment to Sam in terms of time, energy, and money," says Quartararo. "Every once in a while you have the opportunity to throw away the rule book and go beyond traditional means to break an artist. Sam is this kind of artist for us. We will break Sam Phillips."
The label's plan is simple: Virgin will service the second single, "Baby I Can't Please You," to modern rock radio July 11. The video for the song, which is being shot Tuesday (5) under the direction of Carlos Grasso (Cracker), will be serviced to VH-1 and MTV in mid-July. Also, the label will service a Phillips track to top 40 for the first time Aug. 9.
After Phillips wraps up her first extensive tour with a full band in July - she's the opening act for Counting Crows - she'll embark on her own national tour in August.
Phillips' managers, Steve Jensen and Martin Kirkup of Direct Management, cite the artist's extensive tour schedule as a major factor in spreading the word on her album.
They point out that even with minimal airplay in San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Phillips played sold-out shows at small and medium-sized clubs in those markets in May and June.
"With all artists, everyone needs convincing," says Jensen. "We have a lot of friends at press and radio, but touring has been the most convincing aspect."
MAJOR RADIO PUSH
"We're going much more aggressively to commercial alternative radio with 'Baby I Can't Please You' than we did with 'I Need Love,'" says Virgin product manager Margi Cheske. "This is a top priority for us. We've already laid a good base for her, so her time is due."
Jensen says the label and manaagement have always felt that "Baby I Can't Please You" is the song to catch the attention of modern rock radio. "That's what we need to break this," he says. "Where there are commercial alternative stations on board, we're seeing SoundScan [numbers] move."
Adds Kirkup, "It doubled over the last week or so in D.C., because [modern rock] WHFS is all over ['I Need Love']."
Phillips also was featured on Global Satellite Network's syndicated "Modern Rock Live" show with Counting Crows June 21.
Rick Michaels, PD of modern rock WENZ (the End) Cleveland, says it's "quite possible that the next single will do it for her. There are so many PDs that don't give songs like these a chance. 'I Need Love' was a mediocre song for us at first, but we gave it time to build and it's still getting top phones. Many PDs give up after three weeks."
Bruce Ranes, who produces the syndicated "World Cafe" program based out of album alternative WXPN Philadelphia, agrees. "Sam has done great for us," he says. "There just aren't enough smart programmers who will take chances."
Phillips will be an important part of the playlist at the new FM 101.9 (call letters are pending FCC approval) in Los Angeles, which was set to debut July 1, says Dennis Constantine, an album alternative radio consultant who is working with the station.
"It's true that a lot of stations make decisions based on research," Constantine says. "We won't follow the traditional trappings of being over-researched. The station will benefit these kinds of artists in a major way."
Harry Levy of the Los Angeles-based independent promotion firm radioActive also is looking forward to FM 101.9's potential effect on Phillips and other album alternative artists.
"Sam's exposure and image has gone way up from the conglomerate of triple-A stations that have gotten behind her," notes Levy. "But having a big L.A. station will definitely have an impact on her and other artists."
Regardless of sales or chart positions, Phillips says she's very satisfied with her latest album and is having a blast on the road with a full band, which includes her husband, Burnett, on guitar.
"I don't worry about commercial success," says the singer. "I just want to sell enough to keep my head above water. My real goals are to just get better [artistically]."