SOME IMPORTANT INDIE RECORD COMPANIES—A HISTORY (Note: This section was compiled by Students in MUSB 2309- The Record Industry)

Word Version

A&M - A&M records was founded by Herb Albert and Jerry Moss the label’s name is taken from the first initial of the last names, Albert and Moss. The year was 1962 and the place was Los Angles, California. Starting with only a couple of hundred dollars, Albert and Moss built one of the industry’s most successful independent labels in recording history. In 1989, A&M Records was sold to PolyGram Records for half-a billion dollars: not a bad return on a two hundred dollar investment. In 1998, PolyGram Records merge with the music giant Universal Music Group, Albert and Moss retained their publishing company Alamo/Irving Music.

A&M first real success was with a tune that Herb had attained from a bandleader friend called “Twinkle Star.” Taking a break from recording, Albert and Moss went to Tijuana, Mexico to see a bullfight. It was at the bullfight that Herb heard a mariachi band playing and got an idea to put a second trumpet slightly out of time on “Twinkle Star.” The effect was startling and they were quick to get the song out of the studio. Moss decided to rename the song “The Lonely Bull” and they had their first chart topper.

The genre that A&M carried at the time was what they called “Middle of The Road Music” it was more attractive to an older audience and was not keeping up with rock scene at the time. Even though they had five albums in the top twenty and had sold 13 million copies Moss saw the potential of signing new artist outside their genre. Moss went to England and signed (Producer/Manager) Denny Cordell’s cliental in which included such great artists as Joe Cocker, and the Move.

A&M bankrolled Joe Cocker’s first American Tour and persuaded Cocker to record a live album, which sold over a million copies. With the bandwagon rolling, A&M was anxious to keep it rolling by signing rock, county, singer/songwriter and rhythm and blues acts. They even went on sign the comedy duo Cheech and Chong.

Among some of the recording artist that A&M signed are:

Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass

Sandpipers Supertramp Billy Preston Oingo Boingo

Jimmie Rodgers Gary Wright Tubes Y&T

Burt Bacharach Rita Coolidge Head East Human League

Liza Minnelli Joan Baez Captain and Tennille Simple Minds

Flying Burrito Brothers Peter Frampton Styx UB40

Ike and Tina Turner Rick Wakeman Mother, Jugs & Speed (Sound Track)

Joe Cocker Nazareth Budgie Janet Jackson

Free Kris Kirstofferson .38 Special Amy Grant

Carpenters Ozark Mountain Daredevils Billy Crystal

Waylon Jennings Chuck Mangione Squeeze Iggy Pop

Cat Stevens Quincy Jones Police Barry White

Humble Pie Pablo Cruise Bryam Adams Soul Asylum

As one can see the list is very impressive, it is obvious that A&M was ran by musical minds and talented personnel; and artist care was job number one. Michael Goldberg from Rolling Stone Magazine Called A&M, “a company that became known as one of the classiest in the business where music really did come first. It was a company known for its commitment to its artist.”

By 1999, the Seagram Company fired the entire staff of A&M and drove the company into the ground. Albert and Moss sued Universal Music Group in 2000 claiming that Seagram had violated a contractual agreement that allowed A&M to retain their corporate culture. The suit was settling later.

There are only twenty-three artist with the now Interscope-Geffen-A&M label; a far cry from the repertoire of yester-year. In 2007, UMG bought Octone Records from Sony BMG and now is A&M/Octone. This new label is too headed by A&M records with James Diener and the executive team from Octone running it.

ABC-Paramount - ABC-Paramount started with money behind them, they were the first major label to form after the start of rock and roll. Samuel Clark was the president and the national sales manager was Larry Newton. ABC Paramount was formed in 1955, in New York, as a subsidiary of American Broadcast Company and Paramount Pictures. The output of the label primarily based on pop, jazz, and rhythm and blues.

Most of their catalog came from buying up smaller and independent labels. Sometimes they would License out artist from other labels. They had several subsidiary labels that they had form for different types of genre. For instance, Impulse was their jazz label, Bluesway was their rhythm and blues label, and Probe was their psychedelic rock label.

In 1959, the acquiring started with the buy out of Auditions, Command Performances, Grand Award, and Waldrof Music Hall. In 1966, Dunhill label was bought and the Duke/Peacocks labels came in1973. ABC-Paramount also distributed for smaller labels at a national scale. For example, they distributed for: Anchor, Blue Thumb, Chancellor, Colonial, Deb, Fargo, Hunt, Royal, Shelter, Sire, Tangerine, Topsy, and Wren.

Don Costa (A&R) of ABC-Paramount signed Paul Anka 1957. Anka became ABC-Paramount teen staple for many years. Anka wrote many songs that for other artist to perform even “My Way” for Frank Sinatra, “She’s A Lady” for Tom Jones, and the theme song for the “Tonight Show” for Johnny Carson.

When ABC-Paramount could not mustard-up real rock-n-roll they went to smaller independent producers and would buy record releases, songs and artists. Some of the fallout from these deals gained ABC-Paramount artists like: Lloyd Price, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, and Fats Domino.

In1966, the name Paramount was dropped and the name became just ABC .

ABC signed Poco in 1975, and had a great deal of success with them. They went on to released three more albums, but none did as well as the first one did on the label.

By the early seventies, ABC manage to sign Steely Dan; Steely Dan was a hit with songs like “Do it Again” and “ Reeling in the Years” off their debut album Can’t buy a Thrill. The third album hit gold for ABC as well, with the smash hit “Rikki, Don’t lose that Number,”

B.B. King did not fair as well, at least not at first. B.B. King signed on with ABC in 1961, but it was not until he recorded a live album, B.B. King Live at the Regal, that got him notoriety. When guitar legends, from such monster bands like the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton started praising King on his guitar playing style is when charts got hopping. B.B. King had one more chart topper for ABC with “ The Thrill is Gone”, coming to light in 1970.

Closer to the end of ABC Records Label life, top management made a fatal mistake and discard all the multi-track recordings and just kept the masters. Only Ray Charles sessions survived this misfortune, upon signing with ABC-Paramount Charles arranged in his contract that all his recordings would stay with him.

In 1979, the end came for ABC Records. MCA bought ABC and ABC stop making records at all. The successful albums were released on MCA.

ABC-Paramount and ABC Records did leave us a broad and rich musical history.

Some of the greats from this label are:

Roy Smeck Fabian Barbara Mandrell

Quincy Jones Genesis John Conlee

Paul Anka Jerry Goldsmith Sting

Lloyd Price Kinky Friedman Grass Roots

Ray Charles George Clinton Mamas and Papas

Fats Domino Bobby Vinton Steppenwolf

B.B. King B.J. Thomas Frankie Laine

Count Basie Four Tops Poco Three-Dog Night Judy Garland Louis Armstrong 5^th Dimension Joey Bishop Crosby and Nash James Gang Jimmy Buffet

John Lee Hooker Joe Walsh Doc Severinsen

Martin Mull Jim Croce Blood Sweat and Tears Steely Dan Roy Clark

Rufus Freddy Fender Frankie Avalon Oak Ridge Boys

Ace Records

Ace Records was founded in 1955 by Johnny Vincent, born John Vincent Imbragulio; he was an American record producer for Specialty Records. Founded in Jackson Mississippi, Vincent started out recording local blues musicians. Then he picked up rhythm and blues as well as rock n roll. Ace enjoyed several

national hits in the late 1950s, such as Huey "Piano" Smith's "Rockin' Pneumonia & Boogie W oogie Flu," a series of Jimmy Clanton hits, and Frankie Ford's "Sea Cruise," but by 1962, Ace's fortunes were on the decline. After trying to get better distribution by signing a five year distribution deal with V ee Jay Records in Chicago. Ace was to be maintained as a separate label and Vincent was also to produce for Vee-Jay. Within months of the signing of the deal, Vee Jay was inundated by their own problems, and buckled in 1965. Ace became a small

regional label with the release of a few more records, but soon Johnny Vincent gave up the record business soon after in support of other interests. The label later resurrected in 1971 to produce some new music and reissue the treasures from the label's vault. In 1997, Vincent sold the label to Music Collection International, a British label, and producer Bob Fisher began mining the catalog for CD release on his Wests ide label. It is safe to say that every Ace track of significance has been reissued and is currently available on Westside.

15 Greatest Hits On Ace Records

Just a Dream - Jimmy Clanton
Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford
Let the Good Times Roll - Scotty Mckay
Gee Baby - Joe & Ann
Don't You Just Know It - Huey "Piano" Smith
High Blood Pressure - Huey "Piano" Smith & the clowns
New Orleans - Big Boy Myles
Those Lonely, Lonely Nights - Earl King
We Like Birdland - Bobby Marchan
Happy Sax - Red Tyler
Teenage Rock
I'll Keep on Trying - Eddie Bo
I Wanna Go Home - Charles Brown, Amos Milburn
Such a Mess - Lloyd Price
Little Chickee Wah Wah - Huey "Piano" Smith

Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records was founded in was formed in 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson in New York City. ATCO and Cotillion were subsidiary labels and Clarion was a budget label. Atlantic recorded and comedy. Ertegun was born in 1923 in Turkey. He later came to the rhythm and blues, jazz, blues, country and western, rock and roll, gospel, United States at the age of eleven, after his father became the Turkish Ambassador to the United States. He had an aspiration to make records. Herb Abramson was a jazz and blues record collector. During World War II he promoted jazz concerts, and some were in association with the Ertegun brothers. Herb Abramson was President and Ahmet Ertegun would be Vice President of the new company.

They gained a reputation for being honest and that reputation as much as anything was the foundation for the success of the company. Many performers signed long term contracts in the belief that they were going to be treated fairly, as well as get their royalties. The recordings made by Atlantic in its early days were extremely successful. To this day there is a continued success, and they continue to obtain top talent in the industry. Going strong for sixty years; it doesn't seem as though they will lose any momentum soon. Ertegun left a very stable foundation for his label to grow upon.

Top albums include:

Cracked Rear View - Hootie & the Blowfish (Atlantic)
No Jacket Required - Phil Collins (Atlantic)
Pieces of You - Jewel (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Yourself or Someone Like You - matchbox twenty (Atlantic)
Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin I - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)\ v
Core - Stone Temple Pilots (Atlantic)
Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Atlantic)
Records - Foreigner (Atlantic) Douhle Vision -

Aladdin - Aladdin records was formed in 1945 in Los Angeles, California by two brothers named Eddie and Leo Mesner. They owned a record store called Philharmonic Music Shop; the record label was first named Philo, a short version of the record store. It was later changed Aladdin records. The label had success right away with their first release called "Fly Home", an instrumental featuring a saxophonists Illinois Jacquet. With in the years they hits like "Drifting Blues" from Johnny Moore and Three Blazers, "Be-Baba Leba" by Helen Homes, "Come back baby", by Wynonie Harris, "Short haired woman" by Lightin Hopkins and "Telephone Blues' by Floyd Dixon. In the beginning of the early fifties, Aladdin records began to fall off losing like Charles Brown and The Five Keys. But in 1957, the label was joined and hit song "Little Bitty Pretty One" topped #2 RIB and #6 in pop until 1958. By 1958, Aladdin records began winding down again, nobody was making hits. Many of their artists began leaving and in 1962, Aladdin records was sold to Lew Chudd's Imperial records; now today's time, EMI owns the catalog.

Asylum - It was founded in 1971 by David Geffen; he was previously worked as an agent at the William Morris Agency. In their early releases, Atlantic records distributed all of it. Their first artists were John David Souther, Jude Sill, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell and Glenn Frey who later formed the Eagles. Asylum at one point signed Bob Dylan for two albums until he left to Columbia records. In 1975, David Geffen resigned from his own record label due to a cancer scare. Before Davis Geffen resigned, in 1972 they merged with Elektra and stayed under its radar. In 1992 Asylum was reformatted into a country music label under Elektra records. They signed artists such as Kevin Sharp, Bryan White, Lila McCann, Emmylou Harris and Bob Woodruff. As the 1990's progressed, the record label Asylum went into hibernation due to poor management under the Warner Brothers

Communications banner. After being dormant for several years, Asylum records was

revived as an urban music record label in 2004, managed by Warner Music Group. Till

this day, Asylum records is still going, they recently signed their first rock band

"Sevendust" in 2006. Their music genre is now mostly hip hop though.

Apollo- Apollo Records was a sure powerhouse during its time. It was an independent record label started by Bess and Ike Berman in 1944 in New York City and lasted until the 1950s. This label is best known for its doo wop recordings. The Larks began in the late 1920s consisting of 6 members in New York later moving to Raleigh, North Carolina. In the 1950s, the 6 man group of many names literally, recorded 17 songs for four different labels in one day! There last stop being Apollo Records where they recorded four gospel tracks. Bess Berman noticed their talent and signed them to a contract which released their masters from the other labels. Not only that Bess wanted to promote them as a secular R&B group rather than a gospel group. This began their journey with Apollo Records and the adoption of the name The LARKS. Chart success did not come until later in 1951, when the blues "Eyesight To The Blind" made #5 on the R&B charts. This was followed by another R&B top ten hit "Little Side Car", a reworking of Smokey Hoggs's "Too Many Drivers". This period was the height of the Larks' popularity-they appeared on the Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey TV shows, toured with Percy Mayfield and recorded with Mahalia Jackson.

Mahalia Jackson a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. She was a major

power house of Apollo Records. As a child she was unable to attend school but Ms.

Jackson loved to sing and church is where she loved to sing the most. Her Aunt Bell told

her ''that one day she would sing in front of royalty". Ms. Jackson would one day see that

prediction come true. Ms. Jackson began her career at the Mount Moriah Baptist Church.

In 1937 she began her solo career and her career with Apollo Records. Her recording of

"God's Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares", was of moderate success, she became

a popular concert draw. Her recording hiatus lasted until 1946 and in 1948 recorded

"Move on Up a Little Higher", a recording that was so popular that stores could not meet

the demand. The success rocketed Ms. Jackson to fame in the u.s. and soon after in

Europe. Her recording of "I Can Put My Trust in Jesus" won a prize from the French

Academy and "Silent Night" became one of the best selling singles in the history of

Norway. In 1954 MS. Jackson left Apollo Records and signed with Columbia Records.

Ms. Jackson died in Chicago on January 27, 1972 at the age of 60 due to diabetes and

heart failure complications. Martin Luther King Jr. couldn't have said it better" a voice

like hers comes along once in a millennium".

Her accomplishments include the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,

inducted into the Gospel Music Associations Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1978. She

mentored the gifted Aretha Franklin, she discovered Della Reese, she was also influential

in the success of Sis. Albertina Walker the undisputed "Queen of Gospel Music" carrying

on the legacy of Ms. Jackson. In 1997, Ms. Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll

Hall of Fames. She was also the first gospel artist to be inducted onto the Hollywood

Walk of Fame. She is widely regarded as the greatest gospel singer in the history and one

of the voices of the 20th century. Although I am familiar with Mahalia Jackson's music

due to my grand mother who sang just like her I remember her from the movie Imitation

of Life. To watch her sing is moving.

Bluenote (jazz) - Blue Note Records is a jazz label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion, Francis Wolff and Max Margulis, a communist writer who funded the project. Its name is from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and blues. Lion was a German who first heard jazz as a young boy in Berlin. He moved to New York in 1937, and in 1939 recorded pianists Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis in a one day session in a rented studio. The labels first releases were traditional "hot" jazz and boogie woogie, and the labels first hit was "Summertime" by saxophonist Sidney Bechet. Musician were supplied with alcoholic refreshments, and recorded in the early hours of the morning after their evenings work in clubs and bars had finished. The label soon became known for treating musicians uncommonly well-setting up recording sessions at congenial times, and allowing them to be involved in all aspects of the record's production. Another importance difference between Blue Note and other independent labels was that musicians were paid for rehearsal time prior to recording sessions: this helped ensure a better end result on the record.

In 1947 pianist Thelonious Monk recorded several sessions for the label. Monk's

recording s for the label between 1947 and 1952 did not sell well but have since been

regarded as amongst the most important of bebop era. J.J. Johnson and trumpeter Miles

Davis both recorded several sessions for Blue Note between 1952 and 1954.

In 1951 the first vinyl 1 0" releases by Blue Note, and the label was soon recording new talent such as Horace Silver, who stayed with Blue Note for over a quarter of a century, the Jazz Messengers, Milt Jackson, Clifford Brown and Herbie Nichols. Rudy Van Gelder, engineer, recorded most of Blue Notes releases in 1953 until the late 1960s. Often praised for his engineering, in its own way, was as important as the music.

In the 1950s saw debut recordings of John Coltrane's "Blue Train" and Cannon ball

Adder ley's "Somethin' Else", featuring Miles Davis. Blue Note was now recording a

mixture of established acts and artists who in some cases had recorded before. In the

1960s introduced Dexter Gordon to the label. Gordon was a saxophonist from the bebop

era who had spent several years in prison and dealing with drug addiction, and he made

several albums over a five year period. One of the features of the label during this period

was a family of musicians( Hubbard, Hancock, Carter, Grant Green, Joe Henderson,

Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley and many others) who would record as

sidemen on each others albums without necessarily being apart of the leader's working

group.

Although many of the acts on Blue Note were recording commercial jazz for a wide

spread audience, the label also made some attempt to document the emerging avant-garde

and free jazz movement. Andrew Hill, a highly individual pianist made several albums

for the label. Eric Dolphy, saxophonist, "Out to Lunch" featuring a famous cover by Reid

Miles, is perhaps his most well known album.

Blue Note was own by Liberty Records in 1965 and Lion retired in 1967. United Artists purchased Liberty Records in 1969. When EMI purchased United Artists in 1979, it phases out the Blue Note label until 1985, when it relented as part of EMI Manhattan

Records, both for re-issues and new recordings. Some artists previously associated with

Blue Note have made new recordings, while younger musicians have established notable

reputations through their Blue Note albums. The label has also found great commercial

success with the vocalist Norah Jones, and has released new albums on the fringes of jazz

such as Van Morrison, Al Green, Anita Baker and Amos Lee "the male Norah Jones".

Jazz and Classical trumpeter, Wynton Marsalis is currently signed to the label.

In 2006, EMI expanded Blue Note to create the Blue Note Label Group by moving its

Narada group of labels to New York to join Blue Note, centralizing EMI's approach to

music for the adult market segment. As of June 2007, Bruce Lundvall, founder of

Manhattan Records, continues as president /CEO of Blue Note Label Group, reporting to

Eric Nicoli, the CEO of EMI Group.

Cameo-Parkway

Capricorn - Capricorn Records was founded in 1969 by Phil Walden and Frank Fenter in Macon, Georgia. The company’s prominent sound was “southern rock.” Still a little label, they signed then unknown artists such as the Allman Brothers.. They were a big part of the label in the beginning, even having their success and tribulations correlate with the success of the label as well. Through out its lifetime, the company had changed from ownership to ownership. The first was major record distributor Atlantic records’ sub-label, Atco. The label later went on to Warner Brothers Records in 1972, signing more artists such as Elvin Bishop, Wet Willie, and the Marshal Tucker Band. The label then moved once more to PolyGram in 1979. This move was done though during the Disco-era, not leaving much for the label to work with and ultimately eliminating them. In 1979 the company went out of business and stayed in this “funk” until 1991 when rejoining with Warner. In 1996 after moving the company to Atlanta, Walden sold half the of company’s interest to PolyGram/Mercury, owned by Universal records. Therefore, Universal then owned half of the master recordings of the label, prompting re-releases of the labels most popular bands; primarily, the Allman Brothers. During this time, Capricorn acquired new bands such as 311, Widespread Panic, and Cake which happened to be some of the break out bands in the era.

Chess-Checker-Argo - Chess-Checker-Argo was started by Leonard and Phillip Chess in association with Charles and Evelyn Aron of Aristocrat Records in 1947. The focus of the label was to records jazz, blues, and R&B. In 1949 however, the Chess brothers bought the Aristocrat label from the Arons and become the sole owners, changing the name to Chess Records the following year. One the major artists to come from the label before its name change was Muddy Waters. It was also because of Muddy Waters that Chuck Berry was introduced and later signed to the Chess Record label. That same year, the label signed on another pioneering artist who went by the name, Bo Diddly. Sometime after this was the creation on the Chess Records’ subsidiary label, Check Records, focusing on rhythm on blues. On the label, they were able to records Little Walter and the following year, Howlin’ Wolf.. In 1956, the Chess label established another subsidiary label called Argo, focusing on jazz. With the acquiring of these different labels and artists, their catalog grew and extended to other types of music, including gospel and religious music which would later open the door for Aretha Franklin to record.

Despite the tremendous success of the label, in the late 1960s, many of the key players left the label to pursue other interests. Chess Records was then sold to General Recorded Tape on 1969. After the death of Leonard Chess, the value of the label diminished. General Recorded Tape sold what was left of Chess Records and later acquired by MCA which now holds most of the master recordings which in turn were re-released by the company during the 90s and 80s.

Chrysalis - Chrysalis Records is an influential and important British record label. Created in 1969 by Chris Wright and Terry Ellis through a licensing deal with Island Records and originally distributed through Reprise Records, Chrysalis was at the forefront of the British New Romantic movement during the 1980’s, which has also been the label’s most successful time period through acts like Blondie, Billy Idol, and Pat Benatar. Currently the label is only used for the record releases of Robbie Williams, after it was sold to EMI in 1991, which is also where the rest of Chrysalis’ catalogue and artists were shifted to.

Artists on Chrysalis Records (in alphabetical order):

* Alice Cohen * Armored Saint * Bartosiewicz Edyta

* Belinda Carlisle * Billy Idol * Blondie

* Boo Hewerdine/The Bible * Carter USM * Chrissy Steele * Clouds * Enrique Bunbury * Rory Gallagher

* Gang Starr * Generation X * Gentle Giant

* Go West * Huey Lewis and the News * Ian Hunter

* Icehouse * Jethro Tull * Judie Tzuke

* June Tabor * Karlheinz Stockhausen * Kiss Like This

* Leo Kottke * Leo Sayer * Mary Travers * Mutha's Day Out * Nick Gilder * Pat Benatar

* Paul Carrack * Plain Sailing * The Proclaimers * Ramones * Robbie Williams * Robin Trower

* Sinéad O'Connor * Slaughter (band) * Split Enz * Spandau Ballet * Steeleye Span *Steve Hackett

* Stiff Little Fingers * Ten Years After * The Babys

* The Great Fiction * The Fabulous Thunderbirds

* The Michael Schenker Group * Trevor Rabin * UFO * Ultravox * The Venetians

* Vigil * Vinnie Vincent Invasion * Was (Not Was) * Waysted

Death Row - Death Row Records was founded by Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, The D.O.C. and John Payne in 1991 in Los Angeles, California. Two notable early releases on the label, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Tupac Shakur's Death Row debut album, All Eyez on Me, released in early 1996, topped the album charts and went diamond (10x platinum) becoming the label's biggest commercial success to date. In 1996 Death Row Records imploded almost instantly as a result of Dr. Dre's leaving the company, Tupac's death, and Suge Knight's incarceration. What saved Death Row was the fact that they maintain ownership of the original master recordings its former artists produced while they were under contract which continue to provide the label with the majority of its revenue.

On April 3, 2006, it was reported that a court-appointed receiver is set to acquire Death Row assets to auction off. The next day, on April 4, 2006, Death Row Records filed for bankruptcy protection. listing debts of $137.4 million and $4.4 million in assets. With Chapter 11 bankruptcy Suge will not lose his company or any of his masters. Artists (current and former) on Death Row Records (in alphabetical order)

* 2Pac * Lisa "N.I.N.A." Lopes * Michel'le

* 6 Feet Deep * Above The Law * B.G.O.T.I. * Big C-Style * Crooked I * Dat Nigga Daz a.k.a. Daz *Dillinger * Danny Boy * DJ Quik as David Blake

* Doobie * Dr. Dre * Eastwood * Gangsta Girl * Gail Gotti * Gina Longo

* J. Valentine * J-Flexx * Jewell * K-9 * K-Solo * Kurupt a.k.a. Young *Gotti * The Lady of Rage * LBC Crew

* Bow Wow * Lil C-Style * Lord G * MacShawn * MC Hammer * Mark Morrison

* Nate Dogg * O.F.T.B. * P.B. * Petey Pablo * Prince Ital Joe * RBX

* Sam Sneed * SKG * Soopafly * Snoop Doggy Dogg * Swoop G * Tha Realest

* Tha Dogg Pound * The D.O.C. * The Outlawz * Top Dogg * Virginya Slim * Y.S.G.

* Young Soldierz, a.k.a. Tha Relativez

Def Jam - Def Jam was founded by Rick Rubin in his dorm room at New York University in 1984. Russel Simmons joined after being introduced to Rubin by actor and musician Vincent Gallo. Def Jam’s first recordings were "I need a beat" by LL Cool J and "Rock Hard" by the Beastie Boys. The singles sold very well and led to a distribution deal with Columbia Records. Def Jam’s first full length album was "Radio" by LL Cool J in 1985. In 1988 Def Jam signed Public Enemy. Lyor Cohen became president of Def Jam in 1988. Rick Rubin left to form American Recordings. In 1992 Def Jam faced huge financial trouble and was in danger of folding. In 1994 Def Jam was saved when Polygram purchased Sony's 50% stake in Def Jam. Def Jam released Warren G's album Regulate <) Funk Era which went triple platinum. In 1995 LL Cool J released his album Mr. Smith. Def Jam also signed Foxy Brown in 1995. Her debut album III Na Na went platinum in 1997. Def Jam struck a distribution deal with Damon Dash's label Roc-A-Fella records. They also signed Jay Z that year. In 1998 Def Jam was purchased by Seagrams and merged into its Universal Music Group. After Universal Music took over Polygram Def Jam was merged with Island Records. It formed the Island Def Jam Music Group. Def Jam and Island still operate as separate imprints under bigger umbrella. Ip 1999 Def Jam started a spin off label called Def Soul. They inherited some of Islands r and b acts such as Dru Hill, Sisqo, The Isley Brothers, and Kelly Price. Def Soul also released recordings by Musiq, Montell Jordan, Case, 112, Patti Labelle, and Christina Milan. Russel Simmons sold his stake in Def Jam in 1999 for $100 million. Russel Simmons started Phat Farm clothing line and the Hip Hop Summit Action Network. Jay Z was appointed president and CEO of Def Jam in 2004.

Del-Fi - Del-Fi was founded in 1955 in Los Angeles by Bob Keane. Del-Fi's first single was "Caravan" by Henry Rose in 1958. Del-Fi is best known for being the label that signed Ritchie Valens. Valens first single for the label was" Come On Lets Go". His next

recording for Del-Fi was the single "Donna" which featured "La Bamba" as the b side. Del-Fi closed down in 1967. In the 1990's Del-Fi resumed activity. It released many CDs of its original material and also signed some new artists. In 2003 Bob Keane sold the Del¬Fi catalog to the Warner Music group. Other well known artists on Del-Pi included Frank Zappa, The Surfaris, The Lively Ones, and The Centurions.

Dolphin

Duke-Peacock Records

Duke-Peacock Records started off as separate recording companies that were later combined in August of 1952, shortly after the birth of Duke Records. Don D. Robey started Peacock records in 1949 after owning a record store in the years prior and finding his passion for music help push him forward towards the recording industry. He named his company after a night club he owned in Los

Angeles. The Bronze Peacock Dinner Club, which was highly known for featuring some of the top Jazz bands and orchestras during 1945. While managing Peacock records, Robey discovered 23 year old singer-guitarist Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. Robey recorded 6 songs by Brown making them the first 3 issues to ever be on Peacock Records. Robey had great talents lined up such as Memphis Slim, Floyd Dixon, and Willie May "Big Mama" Thornton who was known for recording the song "Hound Dog" which was later covered by Elvis Presley. Peacock Records was also known for having an amazing gospel music division which included The Dixie Hummingbirds and the Mighty Clouds of Joy. In August of 1952 Peacock Records joined with Duke Records shortly after forming in early 1952. Shortly after, Don Robey gained full control of both

companies and moved their headquarters to his old nightclub in Houston. After many producers under his belt included Johnny Otis, Bill Harvey and Joe Scott. After years of success III gospel and sony, Robey sold his company to ABC-Dunhlll on catalog material over the next 2 years until he passed away in 1975. May 23, 1973 stayed on as a consultant to ABC overseeing the release of new material.

Electra

Elektra Records

Elektra records was founded in 1950 by lac Holzman and Paul Rickholt who

invested $300 into the beginning of their record company. During the 50's and

60's, Elektra concentrated on folk music at first but later began to branch out into

the pop scene during the mid 60's and was known for being one of the first labels to sign acts from the new wave of American psychedelic rock. In 1970, Elektra

Records was acquired by the Kinney National Company along with the Nonesuch Records subsidiary. Elektra was held under the Warner Communications for a couple of years until it was merged with Asylum Records in 1972 with the owner of Asylum Records, David Geffen, now in charge. While technically still being under the ElektraJ Asylum Records name, Geffen decided to drop the Asylum name on the company to read just Elektra Records. After falling under a new president for one last time, Elektra merged with Atlantic Records in 2004 under Warner Music Groups plan to save money and has been that way ever since. It is not know whether Elektra is still around since every name and logo signed with them has Atlantic Records under them as well as their previous acts before them. Many of the famous acts under ElektraJ Atlantic are bands such as The Doors, The Cure, The Eagles, Metallica, and Pantera.

Fire (Europe)- Fire Records was started in 1986 by Clive Solomon. The record company is based out of London England. Solomon was an artist manager and a so-called club entrepreneur. He helped bring back the “New Psychedelic” comeback in londons club circuit in the 80’s. He met Alan McGee and began working with him as a publisher. The label was started to spark up the recording careers of his publishing protégés, The Farm, Blue Aeroplanes and Pulp. For almost a decade, the label was very popular and on the edge of famousness for the indie circuit. It became a label that was known as a great start for bands to begin their career and be able to move onto better things. They have released many influential artists in the UK and USA such as The Lemonheads, Urge Overkill, Pulp, Television Personalities and Teenage Fanclub.

The label just dropped out of the atmosphere and in the mid 90s it dropped off the radar as fast as it came. The reasoning for that was labeled as Clive Solomon was “just tired of losing money.” The label has started again, though, with the help with James Nicholls. They hope for the label is that the world is now ready this time to accept the strong indie influence that Fire Records is known for. They are an integral part of the indie music history. They have started again with a roster of artists including Puetro Muerto, The Wardrobe, Delicate Awol, and David Hurn.

Artists that the label, Fire Records, has now are Gerry Mitchell &Little Sparta, Bark Psychosis, Virgin Passages, Tells, Tenebrous, Great Depression, Dave Cloud & The Gospel of Pow