Remembering A&M Records...

[Dan C]

Sorry if this has come up before.
Here's a site I stumbled by recently dedicated to the memory of A&M Records.
www.amcorner.com

The stories behind the great indie label and it's artists.
A&M has a special place in my heart. My aunt listened to the Carpenters and by junior high I was the world's biggest Police fan. I eventually became a rabid Squeeze fan (still am to this day). Del Amitri, Suzanne Vega, Split Enz, Joe Jackson, John Hiatt...the list of great artists goes on and on:)
The LP label page is fun.

There's also a link to an IRS Records appreciation page as well, the little label that gave us Concrete Blond, The Alarm and, of course, REM among many others.

Dan C

[Grant]

...not to mention a lot of great one-hit-wonders like:
Dynomite-Tony Camillo's Bazuka
Guantanamara-The Sandpipers
Do You Know What I Mean-Lee Michaels
Livin' It Up (Friday Night)

Also, they gave us great music by:
Quincy Jones
The Brothers Johnson
The Tubes
Peter Frampton
Captain & Tennille
Janet Jackson
Styx
Nazereth
Chuck Mangione

[Dan C]

Originally posted by Grant
...not to mention a lot of great one-hit-wonders like:
Dynomite-Tony Camillo's Bazuka
Guantanamara-The Sandpipers
Do You Know What I Mean-Lee Michaels
Livin' It Up (Friday Night)

Also, they gave us great music by:
Quincy Jones
The Brothers Johnson
The Tubes
Peter Frampton
Captain & Tennille
Janet Jackson
Styx
Nazereth
Chuck Mangione

Ok ok ok. No record label is without sin.
Columbia gave us Blond on Blond and Kind of Blue, but they also churned out coutless LPs by Ray Conniff, Andy Williams, and Jim 'Gomer Pyle' Nabors.:rolleyes:
Dan C

[Michael]

Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66...Cat Stevens...A great Label.

[Mike V]

A&M in the UK had signed the Sex Pistols for a VERY brief period, but I don't believe they ever released anything. I saw an A&M single on eBay go for a mint once (God Save The Queen, maybe), apparently never commercially released on A&M. I think the final bid was $3000!

[Dave]

Bryan Adams as well....and Supertramp.

[Steve Hoffman]

The Merry Go Round

("Live", "She's A Very Lovely Woman")

Wasn't "Live" covered by The Bangles or something?

[Grant]

Originally posted by Dan C


Ok ok ok. No record label is without sin.
Columbia gave us Blond on Blond and Kind of Blue, but they also churned out coutless LPs by Ray Conniff, Andy Williams, and Jim 'Gomer Pyle' Nabors.:rolleyes:
Dan C

It's a matter of opinion.:rolleyes: I happen to like and have fond memories of my listed songs and artists. It's not garbage to me, nor a lot of other people.

I might think your choices are garbage.:rolleyes:

[mikenyc]

Don't forget it's being the outlet for alot of early British groups in the mid to late sixties....Captain Beefheart...some of his first promo only releases, Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, Free, Procol Harum, Joan Armatrading, Joe Jackson, Squeeze, Police...along with Dillard & Clarke, Melvin Van Peebles.

[Andrew]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
The Merry Go Round

("Live", "She's A Very Lovely Woman")

YEAH BABY! :D

[realjem1]

Did someone say Herb Albert owns his own masters? Interesting:)

[HeavyDistortion]

Don't forget some great UK groups on A&M:

Humble Pie
Free
Spooky Tooth
The Move
Procol Harum




HeavyDistortion

[Dan C]

Originally posted by Grant


It's a matter of opinion.:rolleyes: I happen to like and have fond memories of my listed songs and artists. It's not garbage to me, nor a lot of other people.

I might think your choices are garbage.:rolleyes:

I'm very sorry.

My mistake, I misjudged the intent of your post. And I do like much of the music you mentioned, including Styx and Qunicy Jones. When you said 'one hit wonders', I assumed you were sort of being snide. Again, many many apologies:(
I really need to stop posting when it's too late or too early. The brain becomes unreliable;)
Dan C

[Grant]

Originally posted by Dan C


I'm very sorry.

My mistake, I misjudged the intent of your post. And I do like much of the music you mentioned, including Styx and Qunicy Jones. When you said 'one hit wonders', I assumed you were sort of being snide. Again, many many apologies:(
I really need to stop posting when it's too late or too early. The brain becomes unreliable;)
Dan C

Yeah, I got very defensive! It's cool.

I guess you aren't too big on those artists who weren't able to build a catalog.

Make no mistake, most of the artists I listed have/have had substantial careers and many chart hits too! The reason an artist only had one or two hits could be a lot of things.

Maybe you're not really not much into top 40-type music.

Cheers, Dan

[Grant]

Originally posted by realjem1
Did someone say Herb Albert owns his own masters? Interesting:)

Yup. Herb Alpert, as you know, was part owner-founder of A&M Records with partner Jerry Moss, and were in charge up until the sold it to Polygram in the 80s.

[lennonfan]

wazza matta wit U people? NOBODY MENTIONED THE FLYING BURRITO BROS.!

[Dan C]

Originally posted by lennonfan
wazza matta wit U people? NOBODY MENTIONED THE FLYING BURRITO BROS.!

Yes indeed! Good catch, lennonfan!:D

Let me add David and David's only album, 'Boomtown'. Dark dark dark depressing music. Right up my alley!
Dan C

[Dan C]

Originally posted by Grant


Yeah, I got very defensive! It's cool.

I guess you aren't too big on those artists who weren't able to build a catalog.

Make no mistake, most of the artists I listed have/have had substantial careers and many chart hits too! The reason an artist only had one or two hits could be a lot of things.

Maybe you're not really not much into top 40-type music.

Cheers, Dan

Maybe the term 'one-hit-wonders' has taken on a negative tone. Or, maybe it's just me. You're right, just 'cause we don't here about an artist day after day for years doesn't mean that they aren't still out there making good music.
A lot of people would put Los Lobos into the 'one hitter' catagory because of La Bamba:eek: WONG! Their fans know better!

I don't recognize the one hitters you listed, but maybe I would if I heard the songs. One hitters I remember from top 40 include the likes of Taco and Madness. I happen to LOVE Madness:)
Take care,
Dan C

[Drew]

Dan C...

I thought David + David was a great album. Lots of great social commentary. Why is it that anything thats thought provoking is considered depressing.

Anyone catch David Crosby's comments about Britney Spears the other day?

"Shallow as a birdbath"

[Dan C]

Originally posted by Drew
Dan C...

I thought David + David was a great album. Lots of great social commentary. Why is it that anything thats thought provoking is considered depressing.



For me, it's depressing. But not in a, er, bad way.
'Swallowed By the Cracks', basically about screwing up one's life after so much hope and promise, is depressing. 'Ain't So Easy' is one of the most subtle and chilling songs about domestic abuse that I've ever heard. The great twist is that it's sung from a manipulative abuser's point of view. It's brilliant and sad because it's so true. It happens every day. That depresses me, it brings me down.
Perhaps that is what motivates us to be aware, to help or volunteer on programs that reach out to the abused, or help those who struggle through life.
That's the power of great music! Off the soapbox I go...;)
Dan C

[Grant]

Originally posted by Dan C



I don't recognize the one hitters you listed, but maybe I would if I heard the songs. One hitters I remember from top 40 include the likes of Taco and Madness. I happen to LOVE Madness:)
Take care,
Dan C
Ah, well, THAT'S it, then, you're an 80s child! Those songs I listed were all from the 60s and 70s. That could be why you didn't recognize them.

As a matter of fact, "one-hit-wonders" is a very positive, nostalgic term when talking about top 40. Yup, I guess it IS you!:D

Cheers!

[Pat]

In case anyone is searching for this song..."She's A Very Lovely Woman"...

It's: YOU'RE a very lovely woman-The Merry-Go-Round ;)

[Phantom409]

Andy Fairweather-Low's best three albums were on A&M: "La Booga Rooga", "Spider Jiving", and "Be Bop & Holla". Great, fun pop that I don't think ever made it to CD.

He was the lead singer for the Amen Corner, and has spent the last several years in Eric Clapton's band. Wish he would return to the studio and do his own stuff again.