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Major Minor Records

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Major Minor Records
FoundedAugust 1966 (1966-08)
FounderPhil Solomon
DefunctMarch 15, 1971 (1971-03-15)
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s)Selecta
GenreVarious
Country of originUK
LocationLondon, England[1]

Major Minor Records was a British record label started by Phil Solomon in 1966.[2][3] In the early summer of 1966, he had courted a number of British independent labels for a label tentatively named Caroline, after the pirate radio station he owned, which was named Radio Caroline.[4] It adopted the Major Minor name within two months.[5] During the fall, it secured a distribution deal with Decca Records' Selecta division, as well as a pressing deal with CBS, and issued its first single, a recording from Ireland's O'Brien Brothers.[6]

In August 1967, the Wilson government outlawed pirate radio and, although Radio Caroline continued, it began to heavily promote records from the Major Minor label, which had benefitted from the playing of its records on the station, causing him to intensify its operations in the months before the prime minister's outlawing of pirate radio.[7] Caroline's DJs were unhappy with the type of music they were being forced to play and it is doubtful that much of the revenue from the record label actually went back into the radio station. In March 1968, the two Caroline ships were silenced when they were seized by creditors.[8]

In April 1967, Major Minor scored the UK rights to recordings issued by Roulette Records in the US;[9] although products were intended to be issued on that label, they instead appeared on Major Minor with a Roulette credit until September 1968. In the interim between that time, it achieved a #1 hit with Tommy James and the Shondells' single "Mony Mony". Also in 1968, it picked up the rights to a label named JAD, which, as with Roulette, had its releases issued on Major Minor with a credit to the licensor. The French Barclay label also licensed material from its Riviera subsidiary to Major Minor, with a contract signed in the same month that it signed one with Roulette.[10]

Major Minor's big chart moment came in 1969, when the label picked up a 'dropped' record and took it to Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart. The track, "Je t'aime... moi non plus" by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, was originally released on Fontana. Despite being performed in French, the song's obvious sexual tone resulted in a wide-scale ban from mainstream radio stations, and Fontana deleted the single during its chart ascent, allegedly because the wife of Fontana's boss was appalled at her husband's company releasing such a song. Major Minor acquired the licensing rights, and got its best selling single on the back of the controversy. Charles Aznavour is another French artist who worked with Major Minor (a single, "To My Daughter" / "Yesterday When I Was Young",[11] and an LP, Aznavour Sings Aznavour).[2]

Soul and jazz musicians on the label included Johnny Nash, Dizzy Gillespie, Sam and Dave, the Isley Brothers, Kim Weston and Cissy Houston.[2] Rock artists included July and Them (who were managed by Solomon).[12][13] There was also an obscure pre-10cc single featuring Eric Stewart credited to the New Wave Band ("Cecilia" / "Free, Free, Free").[14] Rory Gallagher's band Taste also released a single on the label ("Blister on the Moon" / "Born on the Wrong Side of Time").[15]

A young Peter Sarstedt cut his first single, "My Monkey is a Junkie", for the label, under the name Peter Lincoln. The other big success was Northern Ireland's David McWilliams with "Days of Pearly Spencer", leased from EMI. Other tunes that Caroline had to play included "Sentimental Songs" by Freddie "Parrotface" Davies. The label also scored hits with pianist Neville Dickie, balladeers Karen Young and Malcolm Roberts, and bubblegum band Crazy Elephant.[16]

In 1970, rumours sparked about plans by Decca or EMI to purchase the Major Minor label, but both Solomon and a company spokesman denied them.[17][18] In September 1970, however, EMI acquired the rights to the Major Minor catalogue and licensing contracts.[19] On 8 February 1971, a series of creditors, including Decca, Radio Luxembourg and the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society proposed that Major Minor's assets be liquidated.[20] The company ceased operations on 15 March 1971.[21]

In July 2010, EMI announced that the label would be resurrected to release an "expanded 20th anniversary" release of Morrissey's Bona Drag.[22]

Subsidiaries

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One subsidiary of the label was the Toast Record label. This short-lived label which released soul records was established in early 1968.[23][24] In December, 1969 the address for the label was 58/59 Gt. Marlborough Street, London W. 1. with Vicky Wickham listed as the contact.[1]

Artists to have their recordings released on the label included Steve & Stevie of the group Tin Tin,[25] Doris Troy with "I'll Do Anything",[26] and Joe E. Young & The Toniks with "Good Day Sunshine".[27]

Joy Marshall who had a Top 40 hit in 1966 in the UK with "The More I See You",[28] recorded the single, "And I'll Find You" bw "I'm So Glad You're Back: which was released on Toast TT 512.[29] Marshall, who was married to Peter King accidentally overdosed on sleeping tablets and alcohol in December 1968.[30][31] Peter Jones, possibly unaware of Marshall's death in 1968, reviewed the Toast single in the 4 January, 1969 issue of Record Mirror. It got a four-star rating. He enjoyed listening to it and said it was a very good performance as expected, but the song might not be quite direct enough to click.[32][33]

The group 67 Park Lane along with The Coins were acts that Vicki Wickham produced.[34] 67 Park Lane recorded the single, " I'm So Happy Just to Be with You" bw "I Got Love". It was reviewed by Peter Jones in the 22 March, 1969 issue of Record Mirror. Jones said the song worked well enough, but it didn't have many direct chances.[35] They were at booked to appear at the Golden Star Club on Westbourne Road on 27 September 1969[36] and at the Pheasantry in Chelsea on 1st June 1970.[37] 67 Park Lane was allegedly the group that had the last release on the label.[38]

According to Philip Palmer in the "From The Music Capitals of the World" section in the 29 March 1969 issue of Billboard, Major Minor were dropping the Toast label. The sole producer for the label, Vicki Wickham was also leaving the company and would produce on an independent basis.[39]

The company made unsuccessful plans to launch labels catering to country music[40][41] and progressive rock.[42] In July 1970, it announced the launch, in August, of a label in the latter genre that was to feature recordings from the Irish label Dolphin;[43] the label was unable to follow through on this announcement.

References

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  1. ^ a b Record World, December 6, 1969 - SECTION II Page 53 Independent Record Producers, England (Continued from page 52), Toast Records
  2. ^ a b c "Major Minor Records". Irishrock.org. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  3. ^ "Major Minor Records UK". 45-sleeves.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  4. ^ "FROM THE MUSIC CAPITALS OF THE WORLD" (PDF). Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio, United States: Billboard Publications, Inc. 2 July 1966. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  5. ^ Wedge, Don (13 August 1966). "Radio Caroline Hopes to Dodge U.K. Ban With U.S. Disk Support" (PDF). Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio, United States: Billboard Publications, Inc. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  6. ^ "FROM THE MUSIC CAPITALS OF THE WORLD" (PDF). Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio, United States: Billboard Publications, Inc. 3 December 1966. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  7. ^ Andrews, Graeme (18 March 1967). "Nasatir Plans Wrap-Up Talks On MGM Operation in U.K." (PDF). Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio, United States: Billboard Publications, Inc. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  8. ^ Mike von Joel; Stuart Henry (1984). Pirate Radio: Then and Now. Poole, Dorset: Blandford Press. ISBN 0-7137-1497-2.
  9. ^ "Roulette Logo Bows in U.K." (PDF). Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio, United States: Billboard Publications, Inc. 6 May 1967. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  10. ^ "FROM THE MUSIC CAPITALS OF THE WORLD" (PDF). Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio, United States: Billboard Publications, Inc. 15 April 1967. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Major Minor Label Discography". 45cat.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  12. ^ "Phil Solomon Obituary". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  13. ^ "Major Minor Label Discography – UK". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  14. ^ "New Wave Band – Cecilia (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  15. ^ "Images for Taste, The* – Blister On The Moon". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  16. ^ "Major Minor – CDs and Vinyl at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  17. ^ Record Retailer, 2 August 1970
  18. ^ Record Retailer, 29 August 1970
  19. ^ Record Retailer, 12 September 1970
  20. ^ "Major Minor Creditors Ask Co. to Liquidate" (PDF). Billboard. New York City, New York, United States: Billboard Publications, Inc. 20 February 1971. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  21. ^ Record Retailer, 27 March 1971
  22. ^ "Bona Drag: 20th Anniversary vinyl and CD editions release information". True To You. 2010-07-12. Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  23. ^ Seventies Sevens - MAJOR MINOR
  24. ^ Billboard, March 29, 1969 - Page 60 From The Music Capitals of the World, LONDON - PHIL.LIP PALMER
  25. ^ Jazz Rock Soul - Artists and Albums of the '70s and '80s., Tin Tin, Background
  26. ^ Melody Maker, September 21, 1968 - Page 29 BLIND DATE where the stars single out the new singles, BOB 'THE BEAR' HITE of CANNED HEAT, DORIS TROY: " I'll Do Anything" (Toast).
  27. ^ Record Mirror, No. 413 February 8th, 1969 - Page 8 new singles reviewed by Peter Jones, JOE E. YOUNG AND THE TONIKS:
  28. ^ Official Charts - THE MORE I SEE YOU by JOY MARSHALL
  29. ^ Record Mirror, No. 408 Week ending January 4th, 1969 - JARSHALL: And I'll Find You; I'm So Glad You're Back (Toast TT 512)
  30. ^ Jet, Dec. 19, 1968 - Page 60 Alcohol, Pills Kill American Singer In London
  31. ^ Jazz Wax, May 04, 2021 - The Sad Story of Joy Marshall
  32. ^ Record Mirror, No. 408 Week ending January 4th, 1969 - JARSHALL: And I'll Find You; I'm So Glad You're Back (Toast TT 512)
  33. ^ Jet, Dec. 19, 1968 - Page 60 Alcohol, Pills Kill American Singer In London
  34. ^ Billboard, March 29, 1969 - Page 60 From The Music Capitals of the World, LONDON - PHIL.LIP PALMER
  35. ^ Record Mirror, No. 419 March 22nd, 1969 - Page 8 new singles reviewed by Peter Jones 67 PARK LANE: I'm So Happy To Be With You; I Got Love (Toast TT 516).
  36. ^ Melody Maker, September 27, 1969 - Page 28 THE GOLDEN STAR CLUB
  37. ^ Melody Maker, May 30, 1970 - Page 28 PHEASANTRY, Monday. June 1st 67 PARK LANE
  38. ^ RadioNold channel, Mar 14, 2016 - 67 Park Lane - I'm So Happy Just To Be With You - 1969
  39. ^ Billboard, March 29, 1969 - Page 60 From The Music Capitals of the World, LONDON - PHIL.LIP PALMER
  40. ^ Record Retailer, 28 February 1970
  41. ^ Record Retailer, 28 March 1970
  42. ^ Record Retailer, 14 March 1970
  43. ^ Record Retailer, 11 July 1970
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