Universal/MCA in the news

[jimac51]

You know,the ongoing rumor factory about Universal almost needs a forum of its own. Current story has Edgar Bronfman Jr., the guy who responsible for sending Univeral rolling into hell to begin with,is looking at the Universal Media holdings,which include the music group. But the really BIG news,and this ain't a rumor,is the demise of the MCA name. It is expected that by the end of the year,the MCA music label will be folded into Geffen,itself part of the Interscope/Geffen/A&M triloka formed a couple of years ago,which,in effect ended A&M as a stand alone label. With the demise of the MCA label,there will be nothing on the planet called MCA or the Music Corporation of America. Though maybe not as historically important as RCA Victor or Columbia,this was the original Decca(US)label. Of further interest in the future role of Geffen-Geffen is supposed to become a stand alone unit again when it absorbs MCA. With Interscope currently holding the #1,2 and 3 spots on this weeks Billboard chart,only little A&M is left to twist in the wind,nearly forgotten in the bowels of the conglomerate called Universal. Mac

 

[Mr Bill]

This comes as no surprise to me with MCA President Jay Boberg resigning (or, as some sources say "being fired") mere weeks ago. Boberg, as one time President of I.R.S. is of special interest to me and my I.R.S. website...

--Mr Bill
www.irscorner.com

 

[W.B.]

Actually, MCA Records as a label got started in this country in late 1972, with the first artists on the label being brought in from UNI* Records (namely, Elton John, Olivia Newton-John - no relation - and the soon-to-depart-for-Columbia Neil Diamond) and the Kapp label (which by then was famous almost totally for Sonny & Cher). The completion of absorption of Decca artists (i.e. Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Rick Nelson, The Who) into the MCA fold was effected by early 1973 (the last-ever Decca single was "Drift Away" by Dobie Gray, #33057; the second MCA single -- after Mr. John's #1 hit "Crocodile Rock" -- was a Rick Nelson record). Coral (of Buddy Holly fame) had by then ceased to exist as a stand-alone label, but post-1973, budget offerings (formerly issued on Vocalion) were put out on something called "MCA Coral."

Up until its acquisition of PolyGram, Universal/MCA had wild ebbs and flows in terms of market share and profitability. For some years, it was said, the only reason MCA was doing well was almost solely because of Elton John (or to put it another way, Elton John was MCA Records); during one of its low periods (around the late '70's-early '80's), it was nicknamed the "Music Cemetery of America."

For what it's worth, I preferred the 1973-78 rainbow label design.

* I noticed that the logo of the famed salsa label Fania as in use from the early 1970's onwards seemed pretty derivative of the UNI logo as was in place from 1967-72 and again in its brief revival in the late '80's. Also, this is relevant as UNI had replaced A&M at the 8255 Sunset building after A&M relocated to the Chaplin lot.

 

[Rudy]

Another MCA success in the 70's was a soundtrack album. Anyone remember which one it was? IIRC, it was on the black rainbow label as well. MCA also absorbed ABC later on, which was notably home to Steely Dan. (I'm still looking for an original ABC pressing of Aja, by the way...it was pressed a zillion times.) This also brought a major jazz act to MCA as well: The Crusaders.

It almost seems a destructive pattern--MCA has been buying and absorbing labels since they first made their appearance in the early 70's.

And now AOL/Time/Warner wants to acquire BMG? What gives? AOL is losing millions of dollars per day, and yet they want to acquire yet another major record label group? Scary thought.

 

[W.B.]

Another MCA success in the 70's was a soundtrack album. Anyone remember which one it was? IIRC, it was on the black rainbow label as well.

I.I.N.M., they had quite a few. One was of The Sting which brought us Marvin Hamlisch's rendition of "The Entertainer" (not to be confused with the Billy Joel song of the same title from later that year). The other, a few years later, was of Car Wash, which yielded a few hits for Rose Royce, notably the title song and "I Wanna Get Next To You."

As for the former soundtrack LP . . . I have a "CRC" (Columbia Record Club) issue, with the label copy artwork done by Columbia's Pitman, N.J. plant. And under its original catalogue number (MCA-390), no less. I also have another "CRC" copy, with the renumbered MCA-2040, also with Pitman label copy artwork.

 

[W.B.]

MCA also absorbed ABC later on, which was notably home to Steely Dan. (I'm still looking for an original ABC pressing of Aja, by the way...it was pressed a zillion times.) This also brought a major jazz act to MCA as well: The Crusaders.

ABC (which started out as ABC-Paramount, also known in the early '70's as ABC/Dunhill and in the mid-'70's as ABC/Dot) was no slouch in the acquisitions department either. Consider: Westminster, Command/Grand Award, Duke/Peacock, SongBird, BackBeat, the Famous Music labels (Paramount, Dot, Sire et al.) . . .

But I may have seen one or two copies of Aja on ABC. Certifiably it had to be SD's biggest-selling album up to the point that ABC Records was acquired by MCA. Alas, ABC never had its own manufacturing base; by the time this LP came out, almost all its product was pressed by Columbia (which itself was owned then by CBS; talk about ironies). And the lacquers for their "Peg" single from that album were mastered at A&M(!) by Bernie Grundman.

Also, a little tidbit of trivia: One of the many publishing companies owned by ABC held the copyright to "For All We Know," one of the Carpenters' classics.

It almost seems a destructive pattern--MCA has been buying and absorbing labels since they first made their appearance in the early 70's.

The same could be said for PolyGram prior to its being acquired by Universal. MGM Records . . . Verve . . . Mercury . . . RSO . . . Casablanca . . . London Records (U.K. Decca) . . . Island . . . and of course A&M . . . just to name a few . . .

 

[jimac51]

Just a brief update,as of 7/2/03- Universal has five bidders that they are seriously considering to buy their entertainment assets:Liberty Media,NBC,(GE),MGM,Viacom and Edgar Bronfman Jr.'s investor group. The music division is currently off the table. They say its because they see a turn around in the near future,but the real reason is probably to see what results from the AOL and BMG ongoing talks about backroom consolidation(manufacturing,distribution,billing). Mac