Asylum Records S/D?

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Inspired by comments on the Joe Walsh thread and some recent Zevon listening this week, I figure what the hell...

Asylum was *the* premiere L.A. cocaine cowboy label of the 70s... The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, various Byrds, Tom Waits, etc. There's a full discography linked off of this page.

LOL Thomas (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 20 April 2006 18:27 (twenty years ago)

Kinda weird to see that the Judee Sill album was their very first release.

LOL Thomas (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 20 April 2006 18:28 (twenty years ago)

David Geffen started as an agent at the William Morris agency. Originally he had no interest in representing singers, he was trying to represent movie stars when someone told him that no movie star was ever going to trust a 24-year-old to represent them, and that he should try to represent rock singers who were more his age. After that, he started representing musicians; his first client was singer Laura Nyro. After meeting Nyro, he was so impressed that he gave up his job as an agent and started managing her. He also started managing Crosby, Stills and Nash, but after a year of this, he decided he didn't like being a manager, so he turned Nyro and Crosby, Stills and Nash over to Elliot Roberts, and Geffen went back to being an agent. Again he became unhappy with the job, so he went back to Elliot Roberts and talked him into going into partnership with him in a management business.

what a flake!

stockholm cindy: comedy vigilante (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 20 April 2006 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Also interesting - they released an Albert Brooks album. One of only two he recorded (so says Allmusic).

James, Thursday, 20 April 2006 18:41 (twenty years ago)

i know someone who has both of them!

stockholm cindy: comedy vigilante (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 20 April 2006 18:43 (twenty years ago)

S: Gene Clark - No Other

o. nate (onate), Thursday, 20 April 2006 18:57 (twenty years ago)

I was going to say Paul Siebel, but he was Elektra.

Definitely:

Gene Clark "No Other"
Judee Sill "s/t" and "Heartfood"
Warren Zevon "s/t"
Bob Dylan & The Band "Planet Waves"
Jackson Browne "Late For The Sky"
Essra Mohawk "s/t"
Joni Mitchell "Hissing of Summer Lawns" and "Hejira"

Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Thursday, 20 April 2006 19:18 (twenty years ago)

The Dictators were on Asylum for Manifest Destiny and Bloodbrothers after being canned by Epic for lowest selling debut album of all time (Go Girl Crazy). I remember catching a Bloodbrothers tour date with AC/DC at Schneck Tech in Pennsy and Dick Manitoba growling about being on Asylum, the singer/songwriter label, where they had no idea what to do with the Dics.

George 'the Animal' Steele, Thursday, 20 April 2006 19:27 (twenty years ago)

actually pretty freakin amazing label when you think down and sit about it...

Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 21 April 2006 04:24 (twenty years ago)

That self-titled Zevon record is, give or take Fleetwood Mac, *the* '70s California rock album.

Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 21 April 2006 04:33 (twenty years ago)

Any label that released No Other and Heart Food has to get some praise. But David Geffen is still an ass.

timmy tannin (pompous), Friday, 21 April 2006 05:05 (twenty years ago)

Which, of course, makes him unique in the music industry.

Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 21 April 2006 05:07 (twenty years ago)

There's nothing run-of-the-mill about DG's douchebaggery. Some people really excel at everything they do.

timmy tannin (pompous), Friday, 21 April 2006 05:13 (twenty years ago)

xpost

I think I'm gonna give it to Zevon, now that I've pulled the record out and been reminded of the line "And I'm all strung out on heroin on the outskirts of town."

Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 21 April 2006 05:52 (twenty years ago)

And the fact that Glenn Frey sings it with him.

Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 21 April 2006 05:54 (twenty years ago)

those JOJO GUNNE albums are fantastic, really rocking and not in a country way despite the slide guitar. suggestions of glam, even.

otherwise I can't believe how many Asylum albums were staples on my local FM station thru the 70s. payola, anyone?

for a good overview of Geffen's music career and the Asylum story read Fred Goodman's Mansion on the Hill.

IRL Harry Chapin was a real mensch but just seeing the titles of his records reminded me of everything bland abt the mid 70s s/s.

m coleman (lovebug starski), Friday, 21 April 2006 09:31 (twenty years ago)


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