Major Minor Records
Encyclopedia
Major Minor Records was a record label
started by Phil Solomon in 1966
. It had a distribution deal with Decca Records
. Artists on the label included The Dubliners
and Johnny Nash
. Ultimately the label was bought by EMI
.
Phil Solomon also managed Radio Caroline
in the mid 1960s. In August 1967 the Wilson
government outlawed pirate radio and, although Radio Caroline continued, it started excessively promoting records from the Major Minor label. 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.
Major Minor's big chart moment came in 1969, when the label picked up a 'dropped' record and took it to nº 1 in the UK charts. 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 widescale 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 their best selling single on the back of the controversy.
Soul and jazz musicians on the label included The Isley Brothers
, Kim Weston
, The Jazz Hip Trio and Cissy Houston
. Rock artists included July
and there was an obscure pre-10cc single featuring Eric Stewart
credited to The New Wave Band ("Cecilia" b/w "Free, Free, Free"). Rory Gallagher's band Taste also released a single on the label ("Born on the Wrong Side of Time"/"Blister on the Moon").
Also a young Peter Sarstedt
cut his first single there under the name Peter Lincoln called "My monkey is a junkie" the other big success was Northern Ireland's David McWilliams and "Days of Pearly Spencer" this leased from EMI. Other tunes that Caroline had to play included "Sentimental songs" by Freddie "Parrotface" Davies
.
Their first big UK number one single came in 1968 and was "Mony Mony
" by Tommy James and the Shondells. It also scored hits with pianist Neville Dickie, balladeers Karen Young and Malcolm Roberts, and bubblegum band Crazy Elephant.
In July 2010, EMI announced that the label would be resurrected to release an 'expanded 20th anniversary' release of Morrissey
's Bona Drag
.
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,...
started by Phil Solomon in 1966
1966 in music
-Events:*January 3 – Hullabaloo shows promotional videos of The Beatles songs "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work it Out".*January 8 – Shindig! airs for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who...
. It had a distribution deal with Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
. Artists on the label included The Dubliners
The Dubliners
The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...
and Johnny Nash
Johnny Nash
John Lester "Johnny" Nash, Jr. is an American pop singer-songwriter, best known in the US for his 1972 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now". He was also the first non-Jamaican to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica.-Life and career:...
. Ultimately the label was bought by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
.
Phil Solomon also managed Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
in the mid 1960s. In August 1967 the Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
government outlawed pirate radio and, although Radio Caroline continued, it started excessively promoting records from the Major Minor label. 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.
Major Minor's big chart moment came in 1969, when the label picked up a 'dropped' record and took it to nº 1 in the UK charts. The track, "Je t'aime... moi non plus
Je t'aime... moi non plus
"Je t'aime… moi non plus" is a French duet written by Serge Gainsbourg. It was written for and sung with Brigitte Bardot in 1967, but that version was not released until 1986. In 1969, Gainsbourg recorded a version with his lover, Jane Birkin. It reached number one in the UK, but was banned in...
" by Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin
Jane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
and Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
, was originally released on Fontana. Despite being performed in French, the song's obvious sexual tone resulted in a widescale 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 their best selling single on the back of the controversy.
Soul and jazz musicians on the label included The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper...
, Kim Weston
Kim Weston
Kim Weston is an American soul singer, and Motown alumna. In the 1960s, Weston scored hits with the songs "Love Me All the Way" and "Take Me in Your Arms ".-Career:...
, The Jazz Hip Trio and Cissy Houston
Cissy Houston
Emily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
. Rock artists included July
July (band)
-External links:* [ July] at Allmusic* on Facebook...
and there was an obscure pre-10cc single featuring Eric Stewart
Eric Stewart
Eric Stewart is an English musician, songwriter and record producer most known for his tenure with The Mindbenders in the 1960s, and 10cc from 1972 to 1995....
credited to The New Wave Band ("Cecilia" b/w "Free, Free, Free"). Rory Gallagher's band Taste also released a single on the label ("Born on the Wrong Side of Time"/"Blister on the Moon").
Also a young Peter Sarstedt
Peter Sarstedt
Peter Eardley Sarstedt is an Anglo-Indian singer-songwriter.-Career:Sarstedt was born in India and attended Victoria Boys' School in Kurseong, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. His family relocated to England in 1954...
cut his first single there under the name Peter Lincoln called "My monkey is a junkie" the other big success was Northern Ireland's David McWilliams and "Days of Pearly Spencer" this leased from EMI. Other tunes that Caroline had to play included "Sentimental songs" by Freddie "Parrotface" Davies
Freddie Davies
Freddie Davies is a British comedian and actor. He is the grandson of Music Hall comedian Jack Herbert.Freddie Davies was born in Brixton, London. At the start of World War II Davies was evacuated in 1939 to Seend in Wiltshire and subsequently to Torquay in Devon and then to Salford, Manchester...
.
Their first big UK number one single came in 1968 and was "Mony Mony
Mony Mony
"Mony Mony" is a 1968 single by Tommy James & the Shondells, that reached #1 in the UK charts.-History:"Mony Mony" was credited to Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, and Bobby Bloom. The hook in the song is said to have been inspired by James' view of a MONY sign atop the Mutual of New York...
" by Tommy James and the Shondells. It also scored hits with pianist Neville Dickie, balladeers Karen Young and Malcolm Roberts, and bubblegum band Crazy Elephant.
In July 2010, EMI announced that the label would be resurrected to release an 'expanded 20th anniversary' release of Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
's Bona Drag
Bona Drag
- 2010 re-release :The 2010 re-release features the following additional tracks:* "Happy Lovers at Last United" * "Lifeguard on Duty"...
.