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Beserkley Records

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until about 1977 (and during part of 1976, Playboy itself was distributed by CBS Records, and Beserkley was included in that arrangement, taking it from a small independently distributed label to briefly being a part of the huge CBS distribution system), then by Janus/GRT until 1979 and subsequently
424:), Kihn regularly made the American album charts and received steady airplay on FM radio. By the end of 1980, Kihn was the only artist on the Beserkley roster, and in 1981 he had his first top 40 hit with "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)". Kihn's early 1980s albums 340:
Kaufman and Richman had previously worked together on the Modern Lovers' sessions for A&M in 1972. In 1976, Kaufman licensed those recordings, together with the ones the band had made around the same time with producer
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stalled at No. 121 on the charts. Beserkley founder Kaufman then essentially dissolved the label and allowed Kihn to sign with major label EMI, where Kaufman would continue to act as Kihn's producer.
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in 1970. After experiencing frustration at what he saw as A&M's incompetence in handling the band, and winning some compensation for the unauthorized use of Earth Quake's music in the movie
417:, and I approve of the concept ... I find most of the remakes amusing and one or two amazing. But inevitably, the music is ragged ... and I miss the pure dumb inspiration of the originals." 470:, produced by Kaufman and released only in the UK and Germany. Kaufman operated the Son of Beserkley label for a time in the 1990s; his current label is called Fun Fun Fun Recordings. 355:. Though neither Richman nor the Modern Lovers made the American charts, they were quite successful in the UK, with the singles "Roadrunner (Once)" and "Egyptian Reggae" making the 420:
Beserkley's major breakthrough came with Greg Kihn, who sang backup on Earth Quake and Richman records before forming his own band. Beginning with his third album (1978's
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In 1978, the label commissioned a multi-artist project of 14 musicians from their roster, including Earth Quake and the Rubinoos. They were recorded playing
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The label's demise was relatively swift. After several years of success, Kihn's 1984 single "Reunited" flopped (peaking at No. 102) and the parent album
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Initially none of the Beserkley singles were especially successful, but in 1975 some were assembled, together with newly recorded tracks, into the album
755: 288: 287:, he set up Beserkley Records, in 1973. Kaufman produced virtually all of Beserkley's output throughout its existence, often in association with 790: 765: 780: 770: 298:
For the first two years of its existence, Beserkley only put out singles. The first release (in late 1973) was Earth Quake's version of
785: 760: 370:" in 1977. As well, Earth Quake made the lower rungs of the American LP charts with their second of four albums for Beserkley (1976's 735: 637: 100: 72: 79: 330: 53: 562: 775: 621: 119: 86: 684: 576: 57: 68: 608: 367: 261:. From 1980 to its dissolution in 1984, Beserkley was a one-artist label, the artist being Greg Kihn. 351: 17: 713: 218: 325:. Richman's recordings were his first as a solo performer (after the disbanding of the original 283: 46: 93: 666: 603: 538: 463: 455: 277:. Kaufman was a law graduate who became co-manager of Earth Quake, and helped them sign with 346: 270: 222: 161: 8: 676: 613: 740: 641: 701: 484: 479: 274: 234: 680: 617: 572: 492: 459: 326: 303: 258: 246: 662: 505: 408: 356: 334: 318: 242: 437: 413: 383: 378: 730: 497: 467: 278: 749: 451: 313:. As well as tracks by Earth Quake, this included tracks by power-pop group 299: 230: 186: 510: 363: 314: 292: 250: 466:. The label name was briefly reactivated in 1988 for a lone new album by 394: 515: 568: 526: 436:(1983) all reached the top 40 on the LP charts, and his 1983 single " 342: 322: 254: 238: 226: 190: 35: 362:
Other 1970s Beserkley acts had less commercial success, although
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for each of the recordings, which were released as the LP
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Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies
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Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies
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label. During the 1970s, the label released albums by
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made the US charts, hitting No. 45 with a cover of "
257:. Several other artists appeared on singles, or on 60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 609:The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music 377:Beserkley's records were initially distributed by 747: 329:) and included the first released version of " 598: 596: 594: 592: 590: 588: 602: 585: 411:said, "I assume the title is a takeoff on 393:, both well-known and obscure, and traded 273:, along with members of the Bay Area band 661: 638:"The Beserkley Story - Blogcritics Music" 120:Learn how and when to remove this message 560: 556: 554: 450:The Beserkley catalogue was licensed to 756:Companies based in Berkeley, California 14: 748: 551: 791:1984 disestablishments in California 766:Record labels disestablished in 1984 561:Hoffmann, Frank (12 November 2004). 58:adding citations to reliable sources 29: 781:Music of the San Francisco Bay Area 24: 771:American independent record labels 25: 802: 786:1973 establishments in California 761:Record labels established in 1973 724: 655: 640:. Blogcritics.org. Archived from 34: 741:Beserkley Records - Discography 45:needs additional citations for 630: 564:Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound 13: 1: 731:Beserkley Records Discography 544: 311:Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1 374:, which peaked at No. 151). 7: 532: 10: 807: 264: 473: 269:The label was founded by 204: 196: 182: 167: 157: 142: 137: 776:Indie rock record labels 667:"Consumer Guide '70s: S" 219:independent record label 368:I Think We're Alone Now 337:backed by Earth Quake. 291:, less frequently with 454:in 1986, and later to 539:List of record labels 464:BMG Rights Management 456:Castle Communications 27:American record label 677:Ticknor & Fields 271:Matthew King Kaufman 223:Berkeley, California 208:Berkeley, California 162:Matthew King Kaufman 54:improve this article 736:The Beserkley Story 614:Guinness Publishing 69:"Beserkley Records" 612:(First ed.). 480:The Greg Kihn Band 259:compilation albums 663:Christgau, Robert 616:. pp. 32/3. 493:The Modern Lovers 460:Sanctuary Records 352:The Modern Lovers 304:Friday On My Mind 247:The Modern Lovers 215:Beserkley Records 212: 211: 197:Country of origin 138:Beserkley Records 130: 129: 122: 104: 16:(Redirected from 798: 718: 717: 711: 707: 705: 697: 695: 693: 659: 653: 652: 650: 649: 634: 628: 627: 600: 583: 582: 558: 506:Jonathan Richman 409:Robert Christgau 357:UK Singles Chart 335:Jonathan Richman 319:Jonathan Richman 243:Jonathan Richman 217:was an American 178: 176: 153: 151: 135: 134: 125: 118: 114: 111: 105: 103: 62: 38: 30: 21: 806: 805: 801: 800: 799: 797: 796: 795: 746: 745: 727: 722: 721: 709: 708: 699: 698: 691: 689: 687: 660: 656: 647: 645: 636: 635: 631: 624: 601: 586: 579: 571:. p. 203. 559: 552: 547: 535: 476: 401:. Reviewing in 379:Playboy Records 279:A&M Records 267: 174: 172: 149: 147: 133: 126: 115: 109: 106: 63: 61: 51: 39: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 804: 794: 793: 788: 783: 778: 773: 768: 763: 758: 744: 743: 738: 733: 726: 725:External links 723: 720: 719: 710:|website= 685: 654: 629: 622: 606:, ed. (1992). 584: 577: 549: 548: 546: 543: 542: 541: 534: 531: 530: 529: 524: 521: 518: 513: 508: 503: 500: 495: 490: 487: 482: 475: 472: 289:Glenn Kolotkin 266: 263: 210: 209: 206: 202: 201: 198: 194: 193: 184: 180: 179: 169: 165: 164: 159: 155: 154: 144: 140: 139: 131: 128: 127: 42: 40: 33: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 803: 792: 789: 787: 784: 782: 779: 777: 774: 772: 769: 767: 764: 762: 759: 757: 754: 753: 751: 742: 739: 737: 734: 732: 729: 728: 715: 703: 688: 682: 678: 674: 673: 668: 664: 658: 644:on 2007-03-13 643: 639: 633: 625: 623:0-85112-579-4 619: 615: 611: 610: 605: 599: 597: 595: 593: 591: 589: 580: 574: 570: 566: 565: 557: 555: 550: 540: 537: 536: 528: 527:The Tyla Gang 525: 522: 519: 517: 514: 512: 509: 507: 504: 501: 499: 496: 494: 491: 489:The Engineers 488: 486: 483: 481: 478: 477: 471: 469: 465: 461: 457: 453: 452:Rhino Records 448: 446: 441: 439: 435: 431: 427: 423: 418: 416: 415: 410: 406: 405: 400: 396: 392: 387: 385: 380: 375: 373: 369: 365: 360: 358: 354: 353: 348: 344: 338: 336: 332: 328: 327:Modern Lovers 324: 320: 316: 312: 307: 305: 301: 300:the Easybeats 296: 294: 290: 286: 285: 280: 276: 272: 262: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 240: 236: 232: 231:rock and roll 228: 224: 220: 216: 207: 203: 199: 195: 192: 188: 187:Rock and roll 185: 181: 170: 166: 163: 160: 156: 145: 141: 136: 124: 121: 113: 102: 99: 95: 92: 88: 85: 81: 78: 74: 71: –  70: 66: 65:Find sources: 59: 55: 49: 48: 43:This article 41: 37: 32: 31: 19: 690:. Retrieved 670: 657: 646:. Retrieved 642:the original 632: 607: 604:Colin Larkin 563: 511:The Rubinoos 502:Lover's Leap 449: 444: 442: 433: 429: 425: 422:Next of Kihn 421: 419: 412: 402: 398: 388: 376: 371: 364:the Rubinoos 361: 350: 347:Warner Bros. 339: 315:the Rubinoos 310: 308: 297: 293:Kenny Laguna 282: 268: 251:the Rubinoos 214: 213: 132:Record label 116: 107: 97: 90: 83: 76: 64: 52:Please help 47:verification 44: 520:Son of Pete 485:Earth Quake 445:Kihntagious 434:Kihnspiracy 432:(1982) and 426:Rockihnroll 395:lead vocals 284:The Getaway 275:Earth Quake 235:Earth Quake 110:August 2013 750:Categories 686:089919026X 648:2013-03-01 578:1135949506 545:References 516:The Smirks 498:Mrs. Green 468:Mrs. Green 430:Kihntinued 331:Roadrunner 253:, and the 80:newspapers 712:ignored ( 702:cite book 692:March 13, 569:Routledge 523:Spitballs 399:Spitballs 343:John Cale 323:Greg Kihn 255:Tyla Gang 239:Greg Kihn 227:power pop 221:based in 191:power pop 18:Beserkley 665:(1981). 533:See also 438:Jeopardy 428:(1981), 407:(1981), 205:Location 414:Nuggets 384:Elektra 265:History 173: ( 168:Defunct 158:Founder 148: ( 143:Founded 94:scholar 683:  620:  575:  474:Roster 462:, and 391:oldies 333:", by 245:, and 96:  89:  82:  75:  67:  183:Genre 101:JSTOR 87:books 714:help 694:2019 681:ISBN 618:ISBN 573:ISBN 345:for 321:and 229:and 200:U.S. 175:1984 171:1984 150:1973 146:1973 73:news 382:by 372:8.5 306:". 302:' " 56:by 752:: 706:: 704:}} 700:{{ 679:. 675:. 669:. 587:^ 567:. 553:^ 458:, 386:. 359:. 317:, 295:. 249:, 241:, 237:, 189:, 716:) 696:. 651:. 626:. 581:. 177:) 152:) 123:) 117:( 112:) 108:( 98:· 91:· 84:· 77:· 50:. 20:)

Index

Beserkley

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"Beserkley Records"
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Matthew King Kaufman
Rock and roll
power pop
independent record label
Berkeley, California
power pop
rock and roll
Earth Quake
Greg Kihn
Jonathan Richman
The Modern Lovers
the Rubinoos
Tyla Gang
compilation albums
Matthew King Kaufman
Earth Quake
A&M Records
The Getaway

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