MUSIC AWARDS ONLY A PRELUDE : 45 TOP ARTISTS JOIN FOR ONE SINGLE

The big music industry story Monday night was not the 12th annual American Music Awards show at the Shrine Auditorium. That affair was actually just a prelude to a much more significant event across town at a recording studio on the A&M; Records lot in Hollywood.

About 45 artists participated in the recording of a song, “We Are the World,” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. The royalties from this single will benefit USA for Africa, a foundation set up to aid the millions starving in Africa. Harry Belafonte, Lionel Richie and Ken Kragen, who manages Richie and Kenny Rogers, are the principal organizers.

Many of the artists involved in the awards show, which ended about 8 p.m., went to the recording studio to participate in this historic gathering of American pop music talent. Winners and presenters interviewed by the media backstage talked nearly as much about this event as they did about the awards.

The singers on “We Are the World,”produced by Quincy Jones, include Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Hall and Oates, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Kenny Rogers and Billy Joel. This was the first time that so many top singers had gathered to make a record. Even the star-studded British single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” released last month, didn’t feature as many high-powered artists.

“We Are the World” is expected to be released in early March. There will also be an album, probably a two-record set, apparently featuring previously unreleased material by various artists. Further details, such as which label is releasing the records, will be announced at a press conference this morning.

Backstage at the Shrine, Quincy Jones, understandably nervous about the session, said, “It could be a nightmare. I have enough trouble getting one artist in the studio, let alone 45.”

His big problem was deciding who would sing the solos and who would be in the chorus. “With all those egos in one room, that may be a problem,” he joked. “I may have all sorts of contracts out on me after this is over.”

According to reports from those in the studio, everything went smoothly. The music tracks had already been completed by studio musicians. Only the vocals were left. The session lasted from 10 p.m. until about 7 a.m. About a dozen soloists sang various lines of this medium-tempo, anthem-like sing-along tune that features a catchy chorus. Michael Jackson, Willie Nelson, Springsteen and Richie were among the soloists.

According to one observer, most of the artists at the session seemed to be particularly thrilled at working with Ray Charles and Dylan. Among the numerous interesting scenes: Dylan practicing his parts while Stevie Wonder accompanied him on piano.

When the session ended shortly after sunrise, most of the artists had gone. Many left not long after singing their parts. Among the early-morning stragglers were Dylan, Springsteen, Richie, Wonder and Diana Ross.

Prince, who went to the awards show, was expected at the session to sing one of the solo parts, but he never showed up. (One of his protegees, Sheila E., who also attended the show, was at the session). According to reports, Prince went to a West Hollywood disco after the awards show. (See accompanying story on Page 1.) His well-known feud with Michael Jackson may have been a factor in his decision not to participate. Prince was scheduled to sing his lines standing next to Jackson in the circle of soloists.

The big joke at the awards show was the awards themselves. Most people there, both artists and media, obviously regarded them as insignificant. The awards are merely an excuse for the TV show. Some interviewers tried to bait artists into knocking the awards but the artists were too cagey to fall into such a trap.

The awards may be unimportant but the show has become, to the industry, as important as the Grammys, primarily because of its high ratings. One music publicist, requesting anonymity for obvious reasons, observed: “I think this show is more important than the Grammys; the exposure is better; any exposure is good exposure, even on a show like this.”

Backstage, most of the artists answered the flood of banal questions with appropriately superficial answers. Cyndi Lauper’s replies were the most fun. With her two-toned hair and Betty-Boop voice, she comes across as quite a character.

Someone asked her if she’s concerned about what people think of her. She replied: “I’m the way I am and I don’t worry much about what people think.” Answering the strange question, “What are you?” she said, somewhat indignantly: “I’m a person, a human, your basic female-type human. What else could I be?”

Lauper said she’ll be “going underground” after finishing a single that will be released this summer. “I think we all need a break from me,” she said, laughing.

Few big stars attended the big backstage party after the show, probably because most were on their way to the Hollywood recording session. But Hall and Oates and Al Jarreau, who went to the session, also went to the party.

At the massive party at the Biltmore Hotel after the annual Grammy show, everyone is buzzing about who won or didn’t win. I talked to many people during and after the awards show Monday night and, not surprisingly, the topic of winners and losers of American Music Awards never came up.