Mushroom Records (Canada)

For the Mushroom Records company from Australia, see Mushroom Records.

Mushroom Records was a Canadian independent record label founded in Vancouver with financial backing by brothers Wink and Dick Vogel in 1974.[1] Shelly Siegel was the label's Vice-president and creative director. Producer Mike Flicker also worked with the company.Ian Warner was Vice -President of International Affairs and Publishing. In 1976 Jay Gold was named General Manager Canada. In 1980,Gold then left Mushroom to cofound Flicker Records with Mike Flicker. Mushroom released approximately 15 LPs and 50 singles between 1974 and 1980.

History

The Mushroom label initially released recordings in Canada through distribution arrangements with five independent distributors,However in 1976,Gold negotiated a national distribution agreement with A&M Records Canada.The company was also incorporated in the United States and maintained a second office on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Mushroom was distributed in the U.S. through a network of independent distributors, which included Fourth Street East in Chatsworth, California. Some Mushroom recordings were released in Europe through [[Arista Records] ]and E.M.I and Festival Records.

During the 1970s, Mushroom released several successful albums from artists such as Doucette, Heart, and Chilliwack. Flicker left Mushroom during Heart's dispute with Siegal over Heart's second album, Siegel moved to the L.A. office, but suddely died due to an aneurysm on 17 January 1979. . In late 1980 Mushroom Records went out of business.

Heart's two Mushroom albums were purchased and re-issued by Capitol Records when the band moved to that label in 1985. In late 2013 Linus Entertainment of Burlington, Ontario released several Mushroom recordings on CD for the first time including albums by Chilliwack and Doucette.

Mushroom Studios

Main article: Mushroom Studios

In 1946, Aragon Recording Studios was opened in Vancouver. By 1954, Al Reusch had acquired sole ownership. Mushroom Studios was built by Aragon in 1966, and under a sponsorship deal, the new facility was initially named Can-Base Studios.

"Within five years", Reusch sold it to Jack Herschorn, who appointed Mike Flicker as Chief Engineer, Howard Leese as program manager and Charlie Richmond as Head Technical Advisor.

During the early 1970s when the Mushroom record label began, and also when Can-Base went bust, the studios and Mushroom Records came to an arrangement, and it was renamed Mushroom Studios. Many of Mushroom Records' albums were recorded there. In the mid 1970s the Mushroom Studios was in the control of producer Mike Flicker and musician Howard Leese, who also became known for their work with Heart. Mushroom Records went bust in 1980, but Mushroom Studios continued on.

In January 2006, the studios was purchased by Hipposonic Studios and renamed Hippowest Music Ltd. In 2011, the studio was moved 3,000 miles cross country, and relocated inside the Play-Dead Mansion on Queen Street West in Toronto, where it once again took its current name of Mushroom Studios.

Partial list of Artists recording with Mushroom Records (Canada) 1974-1980

See also

References

Citations
  1. ↑ The History of Metropolitan Vancouver 1974, Vancouverhistory.ca. Retrieved 2010-03-23.

External links