Date:         Wed, 19 Oct 2005 18:53:36 -0400
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: Verve, but not Jazz
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I remember when I first got a copy of "VU&N" and noting it was on Verve. Ah,
the 60's. Strange times for all the record companies. I wonder if this album
is in the top-10 all-time individual sellers in Verve's catalog.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "kyle barnett" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Verve, but not Jazz


> Verve experimented with psych/pop/rock, but as a label they didn't
> seem to know what to do with a lot of it.  No better illustration of
> this was their shelving of _The Velvet Underground & Nico_ for a
> year, finally releasing it in 1967 (two singles from the album came
> out in 1966).  The album didn't make much of a ripple when released,
> due in part to poor promotion.  See Clinton Heylin's new collection
> of reviews from the era, _All Yesterday's Parties: The Velvet
> Underground in Print, 1966-1971_, for a bit more context.
>
> Verve was smart enough to hold onto the rights of this now classic
> rock album.  But it still sticks out like a sore thumb in the Verve
> catalog:
>
> http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist.aspx?ob=rnd&src=rslt&aid=6527
>
> The Gordian Knot album came out in 1968 and I think saw CD release on
> some collectors label (memory fails).
>
> But the case of Verve and their attempts to move beyond the
> tremendous strength of their jazz catalog, raises questions about the
> company's culture, its decision-making processes, etc.  I would have
> liked to sit in on a few of those meetings....
>
> Kyle Barnett
> Dept. of Radio-Television-Film
> College of Communication
> The University of Texas at Austin
>
> >Johan Bos-Beijer wrote:
> >
> >>  Verve had a 'Folkways' series which included classical recordings
> >>from the Polygram/DG catalogue.  For example, tenor Fritz
> >>Wunderlich.  They had a number of non-jazz issues but the catalogue
> >>varied considerably but items often went out of print.
> >>
> >>  Johannes J. Bos-Beijer
> >>  Director
> >>  BBACE
> >
> >Verve had a Folkways series (later called Verve Forecast) but it was
> >pop and folk, not classical..that was issued on Heliodor.
> >
> >dl
> >
> >>
> >>    ----- Original Message -----
> >>    From: Eric Goldberg<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> >>    To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> >>    Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 5:21 PM
> >>    Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Verve, but not Jazz
> >>
> >>    >Hi all,
> >>    >
> >>    >I have a question about Verve Records, but it's not about Jazz.  I
> >>    >have a wonderful psych/pop album by "The Gordian Knot" which is
from
> >>    >the late 60s and is on Verve.  I'm wondering if anyone can tell me
> >>    >if this was a real big departure for the label or if they regularly
> >>    >had non-Jazz releases?  I know they are known for Jazz, but don't
> >>    >know much else about the label.
> >>    >
> >  >   >Thanks for your time.