Beach Boys Set Up Record Label; Wilson Seeks Distributors
Los Angeles — Brother Records have been formed by the Beach Boys while domestic and foreign distributions for the new label currently are being sought. The group itself will not cut for their own company which falls under the umbrella Beach Boys Enterprises. They remain tied to Capitol Records. Brian Wilson will be executive producer for the teen-oriented company.
Over at Capitol Records, the west-coast group has just earned gold disk records for their recent single release, “Good Vibrations,” and for their Capitol LP’s, “Little Deuce Coupe,” and “Shut Down, Vol. II.” END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; December 31, 1966).
BEACH BOYS SEVER TIES WITH CAPITOL; GROUP ON OWN RECORD LABEL
LOS ANGELES — The Beach Boys have filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Capitol Records for more than $2 million. Concurrent with the suit the Beach Boys have also severed their seven-year relationship with the recording giant and will record instead on their own record label, Brother Records.
The lawsuit arises from a 1967 audit of a Capitol Records book by the accounting firm of Prager and Fenton which revealed an alleged deficiency in royalty payment of at least $622, 618. 72, and demands payment of $1,418,827.92 in producers fees for Brian Wilson, a member of the Beach Boys group, who performed producer/production services at Capitol’s request.
The group has also initiated a conglomerate of business enterprises emanating from it’s Hollywood offices, including a recording company, a publishing firm, a travel agency, a business management company, a personal management company and a concert production firm. Direction of the various enterprises are divided by Nicholas Grillo and Dick Duryea, the latter acting as a production co-ordinator for the conglomerate.
Further, the new enterprise will take the Beach Boys beyond the confines of the recording business. Already operating under their Financial Concepts, Inc., is a Beach Boys-operated real estate syndicate and a cardiovascular clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, to be operated in conjunction with a group of prominent Florida physicians. But the primary concern of the new Beach Boys company will still be Brother Records, according to a spokesman for the group.
In addition to their new label, the Beach Boys own three music publishing companies as well as American Sound System, the company that leases their $250,000 sound system and American productions, which packages the Beach Boys and other artists’ concert tours.
Simultaneously they are in the process of building their own 16-track recording studio within their own office complex, which will form the basis for their new label, Brother Records.
All artists on Brother Records will participate in the company’s profits, predicated on a formula yet to be devised. Artist will be offered complete financial protection through Financial Concepts, Inc., a management company that will perform complete accounting services and offer financial and investment advise to any/all personnel connected with Brother Records.
Finally, the artists will have their personal appearances, fan clubs, and merchandising organized through American Productions, another Beach Boys subsidiary. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; April 12, 1969).
HOLLYWOOD — The Mamas and Papas will record again, this time for Warlock Records, owned by John Phillips, with financing and distribution by Dunhill Records.
The group was previously a quartet that included Cass Elliot, now a solo artist on Dunhill. Lou Adler will continue to produce all recordings by the trio. John Phillips, Denny Doherty and Michelle Phillips, will also sign and record new artists for their label.
First act the trio signed to the new label is Jamme, a quintet of U.S. and Canadian singers, presently in preparation of finishing their debut LP. Warlock also plans in building a recording studio in Hollywood. The last recording by the Mamas and the Papas were produced in Phillips’ own recording studio in his home in Bel-Air. The Mamas and Papas signed with Adler’s Dunhill Records in September 1965, where they began their successful string of Top 40 hits.
According to Dunhill vice-president Jay Lasker, a lawsuit filed by the company and a counter suit by the group has been settled out of court. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; April 12, 1969).