Versailles Records is a United States record label specializing in rock tribute albums.
The label has been distributed nationally by Big Daddy Music Distribution/MVD since early 2001, has sold tens of thousands of albums, including the popular 'Millennium Tribute' series. Owned and operated by music biographer Jake Brown, who founded the label in 1999, Versailles Records primarily focuses in the genre of hard rock. Most of the label's production work is done in-house, with Versailles artist and music supervisor Richard Kendrick (lead guitarist for Straitjacket Smile, and Near Live Experience) playing a primary role in the production of the label's signature 'Millennium Tribute' series. Kendrick and Brown mix the majority of the label's releases with longtime collaborator engineer Joe Viers, owner of Sonic Lounge Studios in Columbus, OH.
While the company has also sought to feature a wide array of unsigned, up and coming artists on its tribute albums over the years, often paired with name players from the 80s and early 90s rock/meyal heyday. The label was also the first to offer fans' bonus samplers as a free 2nd CD featuring all original compositions by unsigned, up and coming Millennium rock and metal bands, often who were derivatively influenced by the band the Tribute is focused on (i.e. Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Stone Temple Pilots, etc).
Specific Releases:
In the past 10 years, the label has released tributes to the Cult, Van Halen, Joe Satriani & Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Sammy Hagar, Motley Crue, KISS, Tina Turner, Led Zeppelin, as well as Christian rockers Liberty N' Justice's star-studded (Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Sebastian Bach, etc) Greatest Hits LP, '4 All: The Best of LNJ, AC/DC, Buckcherry, and Stone Temple Pilots, among others.
Our releases have featured current/former members of platinum and Grammy winning acts including AC/DC, Aerosmith, Heart, Prince & the Revolution, Poison, Fuel, Racer’s X, Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Motley Crue, Guns N’ Roses, Ozzy Osbourne Band, Exodus, Dangerous Toys, Rockstar: Supernova, Saigon Kick, Hanoi Rocks, Europe, Cinderella, Whitesnake, Living Colour, The Scorpions, Ratt, Steelheart, Michael Shanker Group, Skid Row, Dio, Jetboy, TNT, Warrant, Enuff Znuff, Quiet Riot, Dokken, Brides of Destruction, Black Sabbath, Lynch Mob, Riot, Rough Cutt, Love/Hate, L.A. Guns, The Scream, Lillian Axe, P.M. Dawn, Union, Queensryche, Kansas, Badlands, W.A.S.P., White Lion, Anthrax, Zebra, Journey, Faster Pussycat, Night Ranger, Salty Dog, Smashing Pumpkins, Machinehead, Faith No More, Blue Murder, King Cobra, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Metal Church, Kix, as well as Alannah Myles, Jeff Healey, Tiffany, Jane Child, Darlene Love, Jasy Andrews, Deniece Williams, Michel'le, and Olympic Medal Winner and International Skating Star Nancy Kerrigan among many others. Our catalog additionally includes a Best-Of SINGLES record by legendary Goth Rock band Alien Sex Fiend, and the first solo album by late glam rock icon Marc Bolan, lead singer/guitarist of T. Rex. Other compilation releases have included 'American Hair Bands Vol. 1', a Nu-Metal Records comp, 'Race Track Rock Vol. 1/2/3,' 'Skater Rock Vol. 1/2/3', 'Strip Club Rock', 'Anthem Rock Vol. 1/2,' 'Surf Rock Vol. 1/2,' and 'Glory Rock Vol. 1/2'. Finally, we’ve released solo albums by some of the most critically acclaimed new talent to emerge from the hard rock genre- in Richard Kendrick, the RadioVipers, and One Bad Son- to pop with Jasy Andrews, and the long-anticipated forthcoming studio debut from 'Straitjacket Smile', due in early 2010!
The label's back-catalog went digital in the spring of 2009, and physically is still distributed in such popular retail locations as Best Buy, FYE, Virgin Megastore, and a wide array of one-stop indie record retail outlets. Many of the label's releases have also been licensed overseas in Europe and other terrorties.