Autumn Records
Encyclopedia
Autumn Records was a 1960s San Francisco-based pop
record label
. Its most prominent contract was considered The Beau Brummels
, a band who released a pair of top 20 singles, "Laugh, Laugh
" and "Just a Little
".
Also on the Autumn Records roster was The Great Society, a short-lived Haight-Ashbury group that recorded the first version of "Somebody to Love
," which became a 1967 hit for Jefferson Airplane
.
The label dissolved before the dawn of the 1970s. Tom Donahue
, a San Francisco DJ, who worked for KSAN radio, owned the record label. Donahue invented the genre "underground radio."
was a producer for the label producing Bobby Freeman
's "C'Mon And Swim"/"Do The Swim," a hit on the national and regional charts in 1965. Freeman had had some hits on Jubilee
in 1958-60, and on King
in the early 1960s, but became the first artist on Autumn to have any big-selling hits. Sly Stone produced the Psyrcle's 45 on Lorna, which did not sell very well either regionally or nationally. The Psyrcle took a hiatus, rehearsed and regrouped before becoming the Rockets (later Crazy Horse
, Neil Young
's backing band), a band with 8 members.
Stone produced a 45 by The Great Society, then known as the Great! Society!! for the Autumn-Records subsidiary called North Beach. They cut an early version of "Somebody to Love," later a hit for the Jefferson Airplane. Members included Grace's then-husband Jerry and his brother Darby, author of "White Rabbit", but felt they had no talent because it took 45 takes for them to "get it right." Stone also produced a 45 for the band the Psyrcle (a.k.a. The Rockets, later known as Crazy Horse, Neil Young's backing band). At the time the Psyrcle had eight members in the group. There is a 45 by a group called The Tikis (later renamedHarpers Bizarre
) which cut a 45 entitled "Bye, Bye, Bye" on Autumn Records. This song was later featured on their 1969 W.B. album Harper's Bizarre #4. Warner Bros. Records
bought out Autumn Records' assets in 1966. Many of the groups became Warner-Reprise recording artists. These included such minor Autumn artists as The Mojo Men, and the Vejitables. Sly Stone cut one solo 45, before he became famous with the Family Stone, which had little chart impact. The Beau Brummels continued recording for Warner Bros., but were less commercially successful than they had been for Autumn.
The Grateful Dead
(then known as The Emergency Crew) were almost signed to Autumn in 1966, but the label was running out of money, so the Wrecking Crew's 45s were issued by Scorpio, a Fantasy records subsidiary.
The band was renamed The Warlocks. The Charlatans, another San Francisco area 60s era psychadelic group which had Dan Hicks as a member was also almost signed. The problem was that the label was headed toward bankruptcy and didn't have the necessary money on hand to sign either band.
The Beau Brummels later signed to Warner Brothers.
Autumn was probably one of the most successful independent record labels in the mid-1960s, but changes in the record-buying public's taste and major marketing by already-established bigger record labels (nearly every major record company signed a heavy psychadelic band in the late 1960s) led to the demise of Autumn Records.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. Its most prominent contract was considered The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels were an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino , Ron Elliott , Ron Meagher , Declan Mulligan , and John Petersen...
, a band who released a pair of top 20 singles, "Laugh, Laugh
Laugh, Laugh
"Laugh, Laugh" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. Released in December 1964 as the band's debut single, the song reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart the following February...
" and "Just a Little
Just a Little (The Beau Brummels song)
"Just a Little" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels. The song is included on the band's debut album, Introducing the Beau Brummels, and was released as its second single, following "Laugh, Laugh". "Just a Little" became the band's highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at number eight...
".
Also on the Autumn Records roster was The Great Society, a short-lived Haight-Ashbury group that recorded the first version of "Somebody to Love
Somebody to Love (Jefferson Airplane song)
"Somebody to Love" is a rock song that was written by Darby Slick and originally recorded by 1960s folk rock band The Great Society and later by the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane...
," which became a 1967 hit for Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
.
The label dissolved before the dawn of the 1970s. Tom Donahue
Tom Donahue
Tom "Big Daddy" Donahue , was a pioneering rock and roll radio disc jockey, record producer and concert promoter....
, a San Francisco DJ, who worked for KSAN radio, owned the record label. Donahue invented the genre "underground radio."
History
Autumn records actually had two subsidiary labels. The Great Society recorded for its North Beach label. An early version of "Somebody to love" appeared on this label. The band the Psyrcle (actually The Rockets, later known as Crazy Horse) recorded a song "Don't Leave Me" for its subsidiary label Lorna records. Rock producer/DJ Sly StoneSly Stone
Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of...
was a producer for the label producing Bobby Freeman
Bobby Freeman
Bobby Freeman is an African-American soul singer, songwriter, and record producer who recorded for the Autumn Records label in San Francisco, California. He is best known for his 1958 hit "Do You Want To Dance?" and his 1964 Top Ten hit "C'mon and Swim"...
's "C'Mon And Swim"/"Do The Swim," a hit on the national and regional charts in 1965. Freeman had had some hits on Jubilee
Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records was a record label specializing in rhythm and blues along with novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. Jerry Blaine became Abramson's partner. Blaine bought out Abramson's half of the company in 1947. The company name was Jay-Gee Recording...
in 1958-60, and on King
King Records (USA)
King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a...
in the early 1960s, but became the first artist on Autumn to have any big-selling hits. Sly Stone produced the Psyrcle's 45 on Lorna, which did not sell very well either regionally or nationally. The Psyrcle took a hiatus, rehearsed and regrouped before becoming the Rockets (later Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
's backing band), a band with 8 members.
Stone produced a 45 by The Great Society, then known as the Great! Society!! for the Autumn-Records subsidiary called North Beach. They cut an early version of "Somebody to Love," later a hit for the Jefferson Airplane. Members included Grace's then-husband Jerry and his brother Darby, author of "White Rabbit", but felt they had no talent because it took 45 takes for them to "get it right." Stone also produced a 45 for the band the Psyrcle (a.k.a. The Rockets, later known as Crazy Horse, Neil Young's backing band). At the time the Psyrcle had eight members in the group. There is a 45 by a group called The Tikis (later renamedHarpers Bizarre
Harpers Bizarre
Harpers Bizarre was an American pop-rock band of the 1960s, best known for their Broadway/Sunshine Pop sound and their remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "The 59th Street Bridge Song ."- Career :...
) which cut a 45 entitled "Bye, Bye, Bye" on Autumn Records. This song was later featured on their 1969 W.B. album Harper's Bizarre #4. Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
bought out Autumn Records' assets in 1966. Many of the groups became Warner-Reprise recording artists. These included such minor Autumn artists as The Mojo Men, and the Vejitables. Sly Stone cut one solo 45, before he became famous with the Family Stone, which had little chart impact. The Beau Brummels continued recording for Warner Bros., but were less commercially successful than they had been for Autumn.
The Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
(then known as The Emergency Crew) were almost signed to Autumn in 1966, but the label was running out of money, so the Wrecking Crew's 45s were issued by Scorpio, a Fantasy records subsidiary.
The band was renamed The Warlocks. The Charlatans, another San Francisco area 60s era psychadelic group which had Dan Hicks as a member was also almost signed. The problem was that the label was headed toward bankruptcy and didn't have the necessary money on hand to sign either band.
The Beau Brummels later signed to Warner Brothers.
Autumn was probably one of the most successful independent record labels in the mid-1960s, but changes in the record-buying public's taste and major marketing by already-established bigger record labels (nearly every major record company signed a heavy psychadelic band in the late 1960s) led to the demise of Autumn Records.