Akarma Records: anybody heard of 'em?

I was sifting through the vinyl section at AKA and I saw a whole bunch of records
with an Akarma record label on their shrinks. says they're a prog/freakbeat/blues label
anybody know any of their artists or about the label?

 

They released the CD reissue of John Nitzinger's solo albums from the 70's in a nice box set called "John in the Box". I searched all over for it and found it at some obscure online store in New York. Not crazy about the sound, but it was nice to have this stuff on CD. Nitzinger wrote some of Bloodrock's best stuff.

 

caveat emptor, my friend!

 

any particular reason?

 

Their choices for reissues are fantastic. The sound quality leaves MUCH to be desired. I don't recommend them except used and you get to listen first.

Dale

 

The only one I recall buying on that label is Leigh Stephens' 'Red Weather.' I have the vinyl somewhere, but never did an A/B. Never played the record enough to remember what it should sound like.

 

I've got some things. I assumed they were a legit label.

Cressida - Asylum
Fuzzy Duck - Fuzzy Duck
Periferia Del Mondo - In Ogni Luongo, In Ogni Tempo

Some of this was hard to find otherwise. Was I misrepresented?

 

They do amazing packages, nice 180gm weight vinyl, choose mostly obscure titles, and cut from digital tapes, sometimes cutting direct from a CD.

They are the Scorpio of the psych/prog (expensive import) world. Very much like the Get Back label.

 

Akarma is one of the Comet Records labels that includes Universe(blues and jazz reissues) and Moving Image Entertainment(soundtrack reissues). They primarily release hard stock mini-LP packaged CDs(usually replaced by jewel boxes after the first pressing) and 180 gram vinyl. The quality of mastering varies wildly with all the Comet labels, in my experience. It's clear they are not above bootleg-style chicanery when it comes to source materials. But they've put out many a title that's unlikely to see any other re-release. I'll echo dgsinner's warning to proceed with caution.

 

Akarma has released some never-heard-of titles from well-known artists such as:

Jimi Hendrix & Little Richard - Friends from the Beginning
Isley Brothers & Jimi Hendrix - Testify
Noel Redding - The Experience Sessions
Santana - S.F. Mission District

Don't know if the live albums are bootlegs.

 

Akarma.....they've great as far as I'm concerned. Nice packaging on the ones I've picked up. They've released some pretty rare and obscure psych and freakbeat stuff. The Attack, 5 Day Week Straw People, Andromeda, the post Leigh Stephens Blue Cheer stuff, and so on.

They are also one of the few concerns that makes an effort to actually pay something decent back the artists. In an interview with guitarist John DuCann (Atomic Rooster, Hard Stuff, Andromeda, etc.) he mentioned he gets a little income from their sales, which is nice, seeing as how he saved a lot of tapes over the years that are finally seeing the light.

 

Akarma and Get Back/Earmark, three Italian re-issue labels. I wonder if there is some connection?

 

I've got some nice Arkama Cds. Including Blue Cheer, Climax Blues Band, Country Joe, John Hammond and Frost. Love them.

 

I decided to try one out a year or two back, Christian Lucifer, S/t. Very nice jacket, but the sound of the LP was much to be desired. And the $30 was a bit high, but it was a try at a company re-issuing some odd/old bands.
Warhorse, Moving Sidewalks, Blue Cheer are some that come to mind.
Tread with caution.

Brian

 

the way italian copyright law is structured, labels like akarma can strike deals with acts individually and reissue recordings from whichever source they have access to. another way is just to do it. ninety-nine percent of titles i've heard are sourced from original vinyl or digital tape/CD--akarma or the artists just don't have access to master tapes. the one exception that sounds excellent is Tripsichord Music Box, which is also a nice package including multiple bonus tracks. sure, the packaging can be nice, though almost always a mere facsimile of an original sleeve, but i personally don't get bowled over by the mere tactile senstation of 'thick american-style cardboard sleeves' or, likewise, by the '180g virgin vinyl'. bah, it's kid's stuff. the mastering and tape source is what counts and these guys lack in almost every respect. as for paying the bands (!), go ahead and track down the swiss freakbeat act The Sevens and ask them what they think of akarma's, er, 'accounting' practices. their memories are of fresh vintage, too, as this matter took place earlier this year. some of the worst akarma titles i have, and which i bought before i took an interest in the 'audiophile way', are:

fuzzy duck
spring
quartermass
damnation of adam blessing
toad
arzachel (sp.?)

all are trash, IMHO.

-eddie

 

Eddie,

But if Akarma is merely following the Italian copyright law, how could it not get in trouble exporting its products here in the U.S.? Maybe the volume is so small that nobody wants to enforce it.

 

I purchased a three-CD 60s garageband comp from them called STORM IN THE GARAGE. It had a bunch of trax which hadn't been comped as of yet(plus a goodly number which I already had) but the price was reasonable enough. Well.....everything was obviously taken from used vinyl sources...ok enough for really obscure 60s punker 45s which I need BUT a few were REALLY USED vinyl sources. And the third CD in the set was defective and only played a couple trax before going silent. Contacted Akarma and they sent me a third Cd with all playable trax after about a month and a half. So there ya go. As somebody else said...tread with caution.

 

i think it's because almost all the stuff they put out is out of print in the U.S. or it's in the public domain. that they sell relatively few units can't hurt.
i'm not totally against akarma--the Tripsichord Music Box LP is really nice--it's just that their prices aren't cheap and one can never know till playing the disk what kind of source they've used. i've pretty much written off akarma.

 

I have heard ten, maybe a dozen reissues that they did. While they seem to have great packaging, sound quality varies depending on individual titles, and the pressing themselves are often noisy. The surfaces look clean though - must be low quality vinyl.

 

Only thing I think I have from them is Climax Blues Band's "FM Live" in a mini LP style album. I think it is a needle drop from what I have read about it anyway. I believe quite a few of their CD releases are needle drop's aren't they ? Anyway, the CBB don't sound all that bad to me. I like the packaging though as it has the textured jacket and has a nice cloth like inner sleeve for each of the disks.
I have seen the Santana release mentioned previosuly in this thread and almost bought it but didn't. I may pick it up yet someday if I see it again. I will say that the artwork on their releases is done really well I think.

 

Akarma is awesome.

 

The Climax set I have does not include FM live. It consists of their first 5 albums and sounded fine to me, but it's been awhile since I put any of it on. The Vanguard releases are very good, but I only have the Country Joe, John Hammond and one Frost title. I can't comment on their vinyl or more obscure stull.

 

If you are thinking of purchasing their CDs, please proceed with caution. A number of their recordings are actually needle drops

 

The sound on the Damnation of Adam Blessing box set ain't that bad...I've heard much noisier needle drops. But yeah, they're mostly all needle drops, so adjust your ears accordingly. It's just nice to have this obscure stuff available.