Tetragrammaton Records
Encyclopedia
Tetragrammaton Records was an American
record label
, founded by artist manager
Roy Silver, Bruce Post Campbell, Marvin Deane, and comedian
Bill Cosby
(who was managed by Silver) in the late 1960s. The name references a term for the un-nameable name of God
.
Tetragrammaton's biggest act was the first incarnation of the rock band
Deep Purple
. The label was also responsible for issuing John Lennon
and Yoko Ono
's Two Virgins
album
in the United States
(1968), after Capitol Records
(who distributed Lennon's records in the US
) refused to handle it, because of its nude cover photo of the pair. 8:15 12:15
, a double-album of Cosby's stand-up comedy
, was also issued by the label (1969), as were two albums by comedian Murray Roman
, titled You Can't Beat People Up & Have Them Say I Love You, and A Blind Man's Movie (which featured black-on-black artwork and text).
Despite having some popular artists, Tetragrammaton suffered bankruptcy
in 1971. In mid-1972 Warner Bros. Records
, who now had Deep Purple as an artist on their label, leased the masters for Deep Purple's first three Tetragrammaton albums and reissued them on the Warner Bros. label as the compilation album
Purple Passages
in November 1972.
In Canada, some of Tetragrammaton's releases were released by the Canadian division of Polydor Records
. Polydor of Canada also released a couple of unique Deep Purple compilations after Tetragrammaton's demise.
In the 1980s, a few reissues appeared of old Tetragrammaton albums (mostly of Deep Purple's first three albums), but these were of inferior, bootleg
-record quality, pressed and released by Creative Sounds, Ltd., based in Philadelphia, who had acquired the rights to the label's master recordings
.
The label's co-founder, Marvin Deane, died on August 16, 2010 in Los Angeles, from heart failure, at the age of 79.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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,...
, founded by artist manager
Business manager
In a general context, a business manager is a person who manages the work of others in order to run a business efficiently and make a large profit...
Roy Silver, Bruce Post Campbell, Marvin Deane, and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
(who was managed by Silver) in the late 1960s. The name references a term for the un-nameable name of God
Tetragrammaton
The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...
.
Tetragrammaton's biggest act was the first incarnation of the rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. The label was also responsible for issuing John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
's Two Virgins
Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins
Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins is an album released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1968. The result of an all-night session of musical experimentation in Lennon's home studio at Kenwood, John and Yoko's debut album is known not only for its avant garde content, but also for its cover...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1968), after Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
(who distributed Lennon's records in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) refused to handle it, because of its nude cover photo of the pair. 8:15 12:15
8:15 12:15
8:15 12:15 is the eleventh album by Bill Cosby. It was his first double-disc album. It was also his first record not produced strictly under the Warner Bros. Records label, but Tetragrammaton Records instead.-Background:This album was recorded live at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, Nevada...
, a double-album of Cosby's stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
, was also issued by the label (1969), as were two albums by comedian Murray Roman
Murray Roman
Murray Roman was an American stand-up comedian whose career was cut short by a car crash. Many consider his style, and material, to be similar to Lenny Bruce.-Biography:He was Keith Moon's favorite comedian...
, titled You Can't Beat People Up & Have Them Say I Love You, and A Blind Man's Movie (which featured black-on-black artwork and text).
Despite having some popular artists, Tetragrammaton suffered bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1971. In mid-1972 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...
, who now had Deep Purple as an artist on their label, leased the masters for Deep Purple's first three Tetragrammaton albums and reissued them on the Warner Bros. label as the compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Purple Passages
Purple Passages
Purple Passages is a 1972 US only compilation album by Deep Purple featuring material originally released in 1968 and 1969 on the Tetragrammaton label. It features classics such as "Hush" and "Kentucky Woman"...
in November 1972.
In Canada, some of Tetragrammaton's releases were released by the Canadian division of Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
. Polydor of Canada also released a couple of unique Deep Purple compilations after Tetragrammaton's demise.
In the 1980s, a few reissues appeared of old Tetragrammaton albums (mostly of Deep Purple's first three albums), but these were of inferior, bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
-record quality, pressed and released by Creative Sounds, Ltd., based in Philadelphia, who had acquired the rights to the label's master recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
.
The label's co-founder, Marvin Deane, died on August 16, 2010 in Los Angeles, from heart failure, at the age of 79.