Re: [ARSCLIST] Verve, but not Jazz

[kyle barnett <ksbarnett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Verve experimented with psych/pop/rock, but as a label they didn't 
seem to know what to do with a lot of it.  No better illustration of 
this was their shelving of _The Velvet Underground & Nico_ for a 
year, finally releasing it in 1967 (two singles from the album came 
out in 1966).  The album didn't make much of a ripple when released, 
due in part to poor promotion.  See Clinton Heylin's new collection 
of reviews from the era, _All Yesterday's Parties: The Velvet 
Underground in Print, 1966-1971_, for a bit more context.

Verve was smart enough to hold onto the rights of this now classic 
rock album.  But it still sticks out like a sore thumb in the Verve 
catalog:

http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist.aspx?ob=rnd&src=rslt&aid=6527

The Gordian Knot album came out in 1968 and I think saw CD release on 
some collectors label (memory fails).

But the case of Verve and their attempts to move beyond the 
tremendous strength of their jazz catalog, raises questions about the 
company's culture, its decision-making processes, etc.  I would have 
liked to sit in on a few of those meetings....

Kyle Barnett
Dept. of Radio-Television-Film
College of Communication
The University of Texas at Austin

> Johan Bos-Beijer wrote:
>
> >  Verve had a 'Folkways' series which included classical recordings 
> > from the Polygram/DG catalogue.  For example, tenor Fritz 
> > Wunderlich.  They had a number of non-jazz issues but the catalogue 
> > varied considerably but items often went out of print.
> >
> >  Johannes J. Bos-Beijer
> >  Director
> >  BBACE
>
> Verve had a Folkways series (later called Verve Forecast) but it was 
> pop and folk, not classical..that was issued on Heliodor.
>
> dl
>
> >    ----- Original Message -----
> >    From: Eric Goldberg<mailto:ericgoldie@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >    To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >    Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 5:21 PM
> >    Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Verve, but not Jazz
> >
> >    >Hi all,
> >    >
> >    >I have a question about Verve Records, but it's not about Jazz.  I
> >    >have a wonderful psych/pop album by "The Gordian Knot" which is from
> >    >the late 60s and is on Verve.  I'm wondering if anyone can tell me
> >    >if this was a real big departure for the label or if they regularly
> >    >had non-Jazz releases?  I know they are known for Jazz, but don't
> >    >know much else about the label.
> >    >
>  >   >Thanks for your time.