HI-NRG record labels

[Energyguy]

One thing i have always wondered about, is how many of the HI-NRG record labels (especially in the UK) managed to make a profit... Labels like Passion. Record Shack, Nightmare etc.. seemed to release large catalogues that, overall, must have cost quite a bit of dosh when you consider recording studio fees, pressing the vinyl, artwork for sleeves and paying the session singers etc... I know the HI-NRG market in the UK was limited and I suppose only a small quantity of releases were pressed up - i wonder if these labels made more income from overseas sales.... !??

[marmite7]

Neil - didn't Passion become Debut in the late 80's? Releasing such gems as:

Raww - Don't You Try It.


They've got to have performed quite well I imagine, otherwise the releases wouldn't have continued.

I only have two US Record Shack releases, the others all being UK. But with major hits from Break Machine, Evelyn Thomas & er, can't think of another, they musta raked in some dosh.

Ian was probably funding his label by selling off rare Northern Soul 45's!!! ;)


Whereas Kev Roberts' label "Electricity", soon folded due to all the royalities he'd have had to pay out. (Given that 99% of the releases were cover versions - not a clever career move really!)

[Eurodancemix]

Many of the labels initially started with only money in mind and could care less about the singers. One of the more lamentable stories here in the US involves the singer Lisa ("Jump Shout") and her record company Moby Dick. The only payment she ever received for her first album was $500. That's it. No royalties, no additional revenue from the singles. Nothing. Fortunately, she quickly shifted to Fantasia after it became evident that she'd get nothing even after the huge success of "Rocket To Your Heart".

I think the era of Hi-NRG ushered in a new era of profitability for small record labels compared to the disco years: the music was very cheap to produce (a couple of synths as opposed to a full orchestra), and you could always find inexpensive session singers who were talented and who were looking for work.

[straight acting]

Ian had sold his northern Collection way before Record shack. Record shack was funded by the guys who owned the store in Soho, they provided the initial 2 grand budget for "so many men", and planned an initial first pressing of ten thousand copys. It subsequently went platinum in more than 40 countries. The money from that helped fund the subsequent releases, record Shack was a VERY profitable lab

[phrankie]

The first release on Record Shack was a jazz funk track called "Ease Your Mind" by Touchdown, so it didn't begin as a Hi NRG label!

[gunbuck]

Many of the labels initially started with only money in mind and could care less about the singers. One of the more lamentable stories here in the US involves the singer Lisa ("Jump Shout") and her record company Moby Dick. The only payment she ever received for her first album was $500. That's it. No royalties, no additional revenue from the singles. Nothing. Fortunately, she quickly shifted to Fantasia after it became evident that she'd get nothing even after the huge success of "Rocket To Your Heart".

There's some really good info on the whole Moby Dick story in a book written about the San Francisco Hi-NRG scene by David Diebold (the same guy who released a number of Hi-NRG records on Megatone and Pink Glove) called "Tribal Rites." It sounded like things were pretty wild at Moby Dick, lots of corruption and money wasting that finally brought the label down.

[Energyguy]

The first release on Record Shack was a jazz funk track called "Ease Your Mind" by Touchdown, so it didn't begin as a Hi NRG label!

Yeah.. I read that on the back cover of one of those record Shack compilation albums - I believe the label name partly came from the famous group Shakatak......The recod Shack "shop" on Berwick street was the best place to go for all the latest dance records.