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 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 with 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 Records.
MAM was sold in the 1980s to Chrysalis Records. Following the sale of Chrysalis to EMI Records in 1991, many recordings previously owned by MAM were reissued by EMI. After the breakup of EMI in 2013, Chrysalis was sold to BMG Rights Management. Now MAM's catalogue belongs to BMG, and is distributed by Warner Music's ADA.
Staff
editIn 1978, Tab Martin and Dominic De Sousa were working for the label. Martin joined up as head of A&R and creative services. De Sousa was responsible for UK artists liaison. Geoffrey Everitt was the MD for the company at the time.[15]
References
edit- ^ "Gilbert O'Sullivan - Nothing Rhymed / Everybody Knows - MAM - UK - MAM 3". 45cat.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ Every Chart Topper Tells a Story: The Seventies by Sharon Davis, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh. ISBN 978-1851588374
- ^ "Gilbert O'Sullivan - Himself". Discogs.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Gilbert O'Sullivan - Back To Front". Discogs.com. 25 February 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Gilbert O'Sullivan - I'm A Writer, Not A Fighter". Discogs.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Gilbert O'Sullivan - A Stranger In My Own Back Yard". Discogs.com. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ Dave Laing. "Lynsey de Paul obituary | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Lynsey De Paul - Surprise (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. 10 March 1973. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Lynsey De Paul - The World Of Lynsey De Paul (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Frank Ifield - Hurdy Gurdy / Lonesome Jubilee - MAM - UK - MAM R 69". 45cat.com. 24 March 1972. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Johnny Nash - Falling In And Out Of Love / People In Love - MAM - UK - MAM.R 9". 45cat.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Leapy Lee Discography - UK". 45cat.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Tina Charles - I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playin' / Joe - MAM - UK - MAM 142". 45cat.com. 9 April 1976. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "MAM Label Discography - UK - Page 3". 45cat.com. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ Record World, August 26, 1978 - Page 68 ENGLAND By PHILIP PALMER, CHART COMEBACK BID:
 | This article about a United Kingdom record label is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |