MAM Records

MAM Records was a British record label launched in 1970 by the management company Management Agency & Music Ltd. (MAM). It was founded by Gordon Mills and Tom Jones and distributed by Decca Records. The first single released on MAM was "I Hear You Knocking" by Dave Edmunds Rockpile in 1970. Later that year, Gilbert O'Sullivan started his run of hit singles on MAM with "Nothing Rhymed",[1][2] and he also provided MAM with its first hit album in 1971 with Himself.[3] Other hit albums such as Back to Front,[4] I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter,[5] and A Stranger In My Own Back Yard[6] followed.

Lynsey de Paul signed to the label in 1972 and her run of hit singles on MAM started with "Sugar Me".[7] She also released her debut album, Surprise (Lynsey de Paul album), on MAM in 1973,[8] and a best of compilation album, The World of Lynsey de Paul (also known as Lynsey Sings) in 1974.[9] Engelbert Humperdinck was also a major recording artist with MAM; Gordon Mills was Engelbert Humperdinck's manager. While not scoring any hits, the label also released singles by Frank Ifield[10] as well as Johnny Nash,[11] Leapy Lee[12] and Tina Charles.[13] Distribution of MAM records switched to EMI in the mid 1970s.[14]

The company was one of the most successful record companies in the United Kingdom throughout the early 1970s. It diversified into slot machines and airlines but, by the end of the 1970s, it was losing ground to American companies such as RCA Victor.

The company was sold in the 1980s to Chrysalis Records. Following the sale of Chrysalis to EMI in 1991, many recordings previously owned by MAM have most recently been reissued by EMI.

References

  1. "Gilbert O'Sullivan - Nothing Rhymed / Everybody Knows - MAM - UK - MAM 3". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  2. Every Chart Topper Tells a Story: The Seventies by Sharon Davis, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh. ISBN 978-1851588374
  3. "Gilbert O'Sullivan - Himself". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  4. "Gilbert O'Sullivan - Back To Front". Discogs.com. 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  5. "Gilbert O'Sullivan - I'm A Writer, Not A Fighter". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  6. "Gilbert O'Sullivan - A Stranger In My Own Back Yard". Discogs.com. 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  7. Dave Laing. "Lynsey de Paul obituary | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  8. "Lynsey De Paul - Surprise (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. 1973-03-10. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  9. "Lynsey De Paul - The World Of Lynsey De Paul (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  10. "Frank Ifield - Hurdy Gurdy / Lonesome Jubilee - MAM - UK - MAM R 69". 45cat.com. 1972-03-24. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  11. "Johnny Nash - Falling In And Out Of Love / People In Love - MAM - UK - MAM.R 9". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  12. "Leapy Lee Discography - UK". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  13. "Tina Charles - I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playin' / Joe - MAM - UK - MAM 142". 45cat.com. 1976-04-09. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  14. "MAM Label Discography - UK - Page 3". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.