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SOME IMPORTANT INDIE RECORD COMPANIES—A HISTORY (Note: This section was compiled by Students in MUSB 2309- The Record Industry)
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, 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 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 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 Sandpipers Supertramp Billy 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 Ike and Tina Turner Rick Wakeman Mother, Jugs & Speed (Sound Track) Joe Cocker Free Kris Kirstofferson .38 Special Amy Grant Carpenters Waylon Jennings Chuck Mangione Squeeze Iggy Pop Cat Stevens 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 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.
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 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 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 5th 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
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 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.
Atlantic Records
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 Top albums include:
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.
Mahalia Jackson a native of power house of Apollo Records. As a child she was unable to attend school but Ms. 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 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 Academy and "Silent Night" became one of the best selling singles in the history of Ms. Jackson died in 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 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.
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 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 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
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.
* 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
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
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
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 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
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 ( 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 Power, and HTRK. Some of the past artists that Fire Records has had are Blue Aeroplanes, Urge Overkill, The Perfect Disaster, Pulp, Jazz Butcher, The Very Things, The War Against Sleep, and Built to Spill. Many of the recordings have been moderately popular in the area. Being an indie label, of course, does not get major attention but they have been largely successful in that area of expertise.
Geffen sold the label to MCA Music Entertainment in 1990 which earned him $1 billion in stock and cash. In 1995 he stepped down from his position as head of the label and went started a company called DreamWorks SKG with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katenberg. He deals with television, film, books and music. In 1998 the Geffen Records Imperial Island Jubilee Records: Jubilee Records was a record label specializing in rhythm and blues along with novelty records. It was founded in Jubilee was the first to reach the white market with a black vocal group with The
The Four Tunes switched to Jubilee in 1953. A subsidiary label, Josie Records was formed in 1954 which issued uptempo material. Hits on Josie include "Speedoo" by The Cadillacs and "Do You Wanna Dance" by Bobby Freeman. On the novelty side, successful artists include blooper compiler Kermit Schaefer and comedian Rusty Warren. Jubilee/Josie also had a custom label, Gross Records, whose only artist was Doug Clark and the Hot Nuts. Jubilee Records Artists included: *Jim Backus (Cave Man) *The Five Sharps ( Stormy Weather) *Della Reese *Mary Wells (My Guy) Josie Redording Artists include: *The Cadillacs (Speedoo") *Bobby Freeman ("Do You Wanna Dance") *The Meters - progenitors of "funk" *The Royaltones *J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers ("Last Kiss") Jubilee/Josie folded in 1970 and the catalog was taken over by Roulette Records. King-Federal - The King Label was founded in 1943 by Sydney Nathan in
The DeLuxe Record Company was formed in 1944 by David and Jules Braun in The Federal subsidiary was formed in late 1950, at first for West Coast black artists, operating until the early 60's. Artists included: Billy Ward and the Dominoes, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, James Brown and His Famous Flames, Johnny Otis and Ralph Bass. The two main sources of King Records' success were R&B and C&W, but Nathan also had extensive releases of jazz, gospel and popular music. Nathan was willing to record anything that he felt had a chance of commercial success, even international material. The King, Federal, and DeLuxe roster of talent was extensive, certainly as strong as any of the major record labels. In the R&B instrumental field King Records had Tiny Bradshaw, Lucky Millinder, Todd Rhodes, Bill Doggett, Big Jay McNeely, Sonny Thompson and Earl Bostic. Their vocal R&B lineup included Roy Brown, Ivory Joe Hunter, James Brown, Little Willie John, Wynonie Harris, Bullmoose Jackson, Little Willie Littlefield, Eddie Vinson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Little Esther (Phillips), Annie Laurie, and Lula Reed. In the C&W field King Records had Moon Mullican, Cowboy Copas, Grandpa Jones, the Delmore Brothers, Hawkshaw Hawkins, T. Texas Tyler, Ferlin Husky, Webb Pierce, Reno & Smiley, the Stanley Brothers, Wayne Raney, Hank Penny, Jimmie Osborne, and Clyde Moody. The groups on King Records included the Platters, Chanters, Checkers, Royals (Midnighters), Billy Ward and the Dominoes, Ink Spots, Five Keys, Swallows, Five Royales and Otis Williams and the Charms. The gospel/sacred roster included Spirit of Memphis Quartet, Wings Over Jordan Choir, Swan's Silvertone Singers, the Four Internes, and Brown's Ferry Four. Jazz on King Records included Lorez Although King Records had limited success in the rock and roll field, they did have some good artists, such as Mac Curtis, Hayden Thompson, Charlie Feathers, Bonnie Lou, and Boyd Bennett and the Rockets. Starting in 1954, Nathan recorded a series of songs aimed at the commercial market, using the group Otis Williams and the Charms on his DeLuxe label. Oddly enough, in 1956, Nathan finally cracked the rock and roll market with an instrumental by Bill Doggett called "Honky Tonk". Meanwhile, Nathan was still looking around to pick up other labels. Glory Records of Miami Florida was purchased by King in August 1953; the label recorded mostly country sacred music. In terms of the chart success of King's albums, James Brown WAS the label. By the late 1960s, Brown seemed to be putting out an album a month, often live performances, and almost all of them making the album charts. By the mid 1960s, the massive success of James Brown and Syd Nathan's business savvy had built King Records into the sixth largest record company in the King Records was sold in October, 1968, to Starday Records. The Starday-King catalog was almost immediately sold to Lin Broadcasting in Gusto halted the reissue series' started by TRP, and started their own reissue series, dumping the yellow redesigned labels TRP had installed and returning to the blue King labels of the 1960s. Gusto reissued much of the King catalog by the mid 1980s.
Modern Records- This label started in Modern Motown Philles Records w a record label formed in 1961 by Phil Spector and Lest Sill the lab. its name comes from a hybrid of their first names. In 1962, Spector purchased Sill's stock to become sole owner, at a mere 21
Singles discography Philles 100 1/6/62 #20 There's No Other Like My Baby Phil Spector and Leroy Bates The Crystals 2:31 Philles 101 /62 Here I Stand Tony Mottola Joel Scott Philles 102 5/26/62 #13 Uptown Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann The Crystals 2:19 Philles 103/62 Malaguena Ernesto Lecuona Ali Hassan Philles 104 /62 Lt. Colonel Bogey's Parade Lester Sill Steve Douglas and His Merry Men Philles 105 withdrawn He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss) Gerry Goffin and Carole King The Crystals 2:32 Philles 106 11/3/62 #1 He's A Rebel Gene Pitney The Crystals 2:25 Philles 107 1/12/63 #8 Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Ray Gilbert and Allie Wrubel Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans 2:49 Philles 1082/16/63 # 43 Puddin' N' Tain Gary Pipkin, Alonzo Willis, Brice Coefield The Alley Cats 2:48 Philles 1092/16/63 #11 He's Sure The Boy I Love Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil The Crystals 2:44 Philles 110 3/30/63 #38 Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts Ellie Greenwich, Tony Powers, Phil Spector Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans 2:48 Philles 111 5/11/63 #39 (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry Greenwich, Powers, Spector Darlene Love 2:48 Philles 1126/8/63 #3 Da Doo Ron Ron Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector The Crystals 2:17 Philles 113 7/13/63 #63 Not Too Young To Get Married Greenwich, Barry, Spector Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans 2:27 Philles 1149/7/63 #26 Wait Til My Bobby Gets Home Greenwich, Barry, Spector Darlene Love 2:23 Philles 115 9/14/63 #36 Then He Kissed Me Greenwich, Barry, Spector The Crystals 2:37 Philles 116 10/12/63 #2 Be My Baby Greenwich, Barry, Spector The Ronettes 2:40 Philles 117 11/23/63 #53 A Fine Fine Boy Greenwich, Barry, Spector Darlene Love 2:46 Philles 1182/1/64 #24 Baby, I Love You Greenwich, Barry, Spector The Ronettes 2:50 Philles 119 11/63 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Greenwich, Barry, Spector Darlene Love 2:45 Philles 119x 2/8/64 #92 Little Boy Greenwich, Barry, Spector The Crystals 2:59 Philles 1205/16/64 #39 The Best Part of Breakin' Up Vini Poncia, Pete Andreoli, Phil Spector The Ronettes 3:02 Philles 121 8/1/64 #34 Do I Love You? Poncia, Andreoli, Spector The Ronettes 2:50 Philles 1228/1/64 #98 All Grown Up Greenwich, Barry, Spector The Crystals 2:49 Philles 123/64 Stumble And Fall Poncia, Andreoli, Spector Darlene Love 2:22 Philles 123 12/5/64 #23 Walking in the Rain Weil, Mann, Spector The Ronettes 3:16 Philles 1242/6/65 #1 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' Weil, Mann, Spector The Righteous Brothers 3:46 Philles 125 12/64 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Greenwich, Barry, Spector Darlene Love 2:45 Philles 1263/6/65 #52 Born to Be Together Weil, Mann, Spector The Ronettes 2:57 Philles 1275/15/65 #9 Just Once in My Life Goffin, King, Spector The Righteous Brothers 3:56 Philles 128 6/12/65 #75 Is This What I Get for Loving You? Goffin, King, Spector The Ronettes 3:21 Philles 129 8/28/65 #4 Unchained Melody Hy Zaret and Alex North The Righteous Brothers 3:37 Philles 130 1/8/66 #5 Ebb Tide Carl Sigman and Robert Maxwell The Righteous Brothers 2:48 Philles 131 6/18/66 #88 River Deep - Mountain High Greenwich, Barry, Spector Ike and Tina Turner 3:40 Philles 132/66 White Cliffs of Dover Walter Kent and Nat Burton The Righteous Brothers 2:20 Philles 133/66 I Can Hear Music Greenwich, Barry, Spector The Ronettes 3:00 Philles 134/66 A Man Is A Man Is A Man Antell Ike and Tina Turner 2:49 Philles 135 /67 I'll Never Need More Than This Greenwich, Barry, Spector Ike and Tina Turner 3:27 Philles 136/67 A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knockin' Everyday) Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland Ike and Tina Turner 2:57 Prestige (jazz) Prestige Records was a record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock ( October 2, 1928-Januarv 14, 2006). The label's name was initially New Jazz, but changing to Prestige Records the next year. The label's catalog contains a significant number of jazz classics, including renowned works by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk and many other giants of the idiom. Weinstock was known for encouraging the performances to be unrehearsed for a more authentic, exciting sound. To this effect, Prestige Records, unlike Blue Note Records, would not pay musicians for rehearsals. Another Weinstock practice, of rewinding the tapes after "bad" takes, has resulted in very few alternate takes from the classic Prestige years surfacing. For most of the 1950s and 1960s, the recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder was responsible for recording the company's releases and Ira Gitler occasionally fulfilled the role of producer in the early 1950s. Around 1958, Prestige began to diversify, reviving the New Jazz name. The company was purchased in 1971 by Fantasy Records, and original releases on the label have formed a significant proportion of their Oriqinal Jazz Classics line. Trademarks Prestige albums often had five tracks (three on side A, two on side B) and were almost always under forty minutes. They tended to consist mostly of Great American Sonqbook standards and very little original material (because there wouldn't have been any time to rehearse or arrange new tunes - and also, because Prestige did its own publishing, so performers wouldn't keep the rights to material performed on Prestige LPs). They often contained a ten-to-fifteen minute basic blues on the second side (e.g., Saxophone Colossus; Kennv Burrell & John Coltrane). Less often this long blues appeared on the first side (e.g., Oliver Nelson's Screamin' the Blues, a rare Prestige album consisting mostly of original recordings by emerging musicians, and introduced the Swingsville and Moodsville lines, though these were relatively shortlived, many albums being re-released later in the 1960s on Prestige itself. Bluesville Records was also a subsidiary label of Prestige. Sometimes an equally long version of a standard was used instead (e.g., Coltrane's Lush Life). On an early Modern Jazz Quartet 10"album, the same song ("Two Bass Hit"), originally intended as a drum feature, was performed four times in a row, each time centred on a different instrument. The result was given a new title: "La Ronde Suite". Weinstock admitted that strategies such as these were means of filling
Rap-A-Lot Reprise - Reprise Records is one of the many American record labels, and is owned by Warner Music Group. Reprise was created by Frank Sinatra in 1960, some say he formed this label to allow more artistic freedom for his own recordings. Little did he know, it would grow to become home to many huge musicians today. After Sinatra left Capitol Records, he formed his label after unsuccessfully trying to purchase Verve Records label. The first album Sinatra released on the label was Ring-A-Ding-Ding. Several fellow musicians followed Sinatra to Reprise. Reprise was sold to Warner Bros. Records in early 1963. After the label was bought, many of the early artists
As I previously mentioned, Sinatra created Reprise on the sole principal that the artist will have creative freedom, and complete ownership of their work. This principal is an explanation to why you can find several early Reprise artists releasing albums under different labels. In 2001, Reprise was involved in a huge music business controversy. The label refused to release the Wilco album "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", they felt that the band was not listening to what the label wanted. Reprise made a huge mistake and allowed the band to take the rights to the music, where they later signed with Nonesuch Records (also owned by Warner Bros.) and the album became a commercial success. Reprise Records is now home to The Smashing Pumpkins, Avenged Sevenfold, The Used, Mastodon, Eric Clapton, Green Day, and My Chemical Romance. It was also home to the Barenaked Ladies' and Jimi Hendrix catalogs in the Roulette
In 1990, Specialty Records was sold to Fantasy Records. Fantasy Records, which is now a part of the Concord Music Group who now hold the recordings of Specialty Records. Stax - Stax Records had its start first known as Satellite Records in 1957 by Jim Stewart. The following year, his sister Estelle Axton became financially invested and when they found that there was already a label named Satellite Records changed their name to Stax Records.
In 1967 In 1972 Stewart sold the label then to CBS under Clive Davis’s management, but he was then quickly fired and CBS did not distribute the label’s recordings properly, but refused to let them out of the contract. CBS left Stax alone and did not produce any new recordings and Stewart filed bankruptcy. Fantasy bought the recordings from after 1968, and began reissuing compilation albums in 1988. The Concord Music group bought the Fantasy label in 2004 and brought back to life Stax Records. Their first major artist as Stax Records was Booker T. Jones, later becoming Booker T. and the MG’s. Stax also released recordings of Otis Redding before his death. Isaac Hayes, Richard Pryor, and Shirley Brown were among the artists that brought great success to the label in its hey-day. The Concord Music Group has released more compilation albums with the cooperation of CBS records to include music from the entire catalog. Now, with their resurface, they are recording new artists and releasing new music under the Stax label.
Sugar Hill Records was the name of a rap music record label that was founded in 1974 by husband and wife Joe and Sylvia Robinson with financial funding of Morris Levy, the owner of Roulette Records. In In the early 1980s, the Robinsons bought Levy out. However, problems started soon afterwards. Artists began to leave the label, a distribution deal with MCA Records fell through, and finally the label closed down in 1986 due to financial troubles. In 1995, Rhino Records purchased all the released and unreleased masters owned by the Sugar Hill label. In 2002, the legendary Sugar Hill Studios in Englewood, New Jersey was destroyed by a fire. "Rapper's Delight", "The Message", and many other Sugar Hill hits were recorded there.
Then in 1954 Sam found Elvis Presley, an artist who could perform with the excitement, unpredictability and energy of a blues artist but could reach across regional, musical and racial barriers. Dubbed a Country charts on a national basis. He helped form the beginnings of the Sun Sound by infusing Country music with R&B. Elvis's bright star attracted even more ground-breaking talent to the Sun galaxy. Listed among his contemporaries and label mates were Johnny Cash, the inimitable Jerry Lee Lewis, and the "Rockin' Guitar Man", Carl Perkins. These four soon became known as the Million Dollar Quartet. Right behind them came Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Bill Justis, Harold Jenkins (a.k.a. Conway Twitty) and other equally memorable musical talents. All eventually sold on Pop, R&B and Country charts and grew to international fame. Rockabilly became the major evolution in the Sun Sound. Lyrically it was bold. Musically it was sparse. But it moved. In the 1950's Country music rarely used drums that were so vital to jazz, blues, and jump bands. In fact, drums were prohibited on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. However, Rockabilly drums played an essential role in driving teens across the nation to become enamored with the Rockabilly movement and the revolutionary Sun Sound. Once again, Sun was able to break new ground recording music of unparalleled diversity in an incubator of creativity.
The label quickly became a major R&B label, with the first song recorded making it to the top ten on the national R&B charts. Vee-Jay Records filed for bankruptcy in August 1966. The assets were subsequently purchased by label executives Betty Chiapetta and Randy Wood. Major acts on the label in the 1950s included blues singers Jimmy Reed, Memphis Slim,and John Lee Hooker, and rhythm and blues vocal groups the Spaniels, Dells, and El Dorados. The 1960s saw the label became a major soul label with Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Dee Clark, and Betty Everett putting records on both the R&B and pop charts. Vee-Jay were also the first to record The Pips, who became Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1962, when they moved to Fury Records. Vee-Jay had significant success with rock and roll acts, notably The Four Seasons (their first non-black act) and The Beatles (Vee-Jay acquired the rights to some of the early Beatles recording at the suggestion of Frankie Valli of The Four Seasons). The company even ventured into folk music with Hoyt Axton and New Wine Singers. The label also picked up Little Richard (who re-recorded his Specialty Records hits); and, before he became successful, Billy Preston. Vee-Jay's jazz releases formed a small portion of the company's releases, but include releases by Wynton Kelly, Lee Morgan, Eddie Harris, and Wayne Shorter. The A&R for the jazz releases was Sid McCoy. The company also had a major gospel line, recording such acts as the Staple Singers, the Argo Singers, Swan Silvertones, and Maceo Woods. Vee-Jay's biggest successes occurred in 1962-1964, with the ascendancy of the Four Seasons and the distribution of early Beatles material ("Please Please Me" and "From Me to You" via Vee-Jay and "Love Me Do", "Twist and Shout", and "Do You Want to Know a Secret?" via its subsidiary Tollie Records), because EMI's autonomous United States company Capitol initially refused to release Beatles records. Vee-Jay's releases were at first unsuccessful, but quickly became huge hits once the British Invasion took off in early 1964, selling 2.6 million Beatles singles in a single month. Cash flow problems caused by the leasing of the British act's records are generally given as an explanation of the company's demise, with a royalty dispute with The Four Seasons (and their subsequent departure from Vee-Jay) often mentioned as a contributory cause. Three other Vee-Jay subsidiary labels included Interphon (which yielded the Top 5 hit "Have I The Right" by another British group, The Honeycombs), Champion (featuring Gloria Jones' original version of "Tainted Love", a smash hit for Soft Cell in 1981), and Oldies 45 for reissues. The post-bankruptcy Vee-Jay is not active in producing new recordings, but continues to license the back catalog. The current primary distributors are P-Vine/Blues Interactions in Japan, and Rhino Records in Verve (jazz) |
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Aladdin - Aladdin records was formed in 1945 in %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image016.jpg)
Asylum - It was founded in 1971 by David Geffen; he was previously worked as an agent at the %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image018.gif)
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 %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image020.jpg)
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Capricorn - Capricorn Records was founded in 1969 by Phil Walden and Frank %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image024.jpg)
Chess-Checker-Argo - Chess-Checker-Argo was started by Leonard and Phillip Chess in association with Charles and Evelyn %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image026.jpg)
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.%20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image028.jpg)
Death Row - Death Row Records was founded by %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image030.jpg)
Def Jam - Def Jam was founded by Rick Rubin in his dorm room at %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image032.jpg)
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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 %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image038.jpg)
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Orioles recording of "Crying in the Chapel" reaching the top twenty on the pop charts in 1953.%20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image042.jpg)
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Sun - The Sun Sound began when Sam Phillips launched his record company in February of 1952. He named it Sun Records as a sign of his perpetual optimism: a new day and a new beginning. Sam rented a small space at %20HISTORY%20'INDIE'%20RECORD%20INDUSTRY_files/image059.jpg)