Matthew King Kaufman
Encyclopedia
Matthew "King" Kaufman was owner and chief producer at leading independent label Beserkley Records
in Berkeley, California
from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s, successfully producing records by Jonathan Richman
, Greg Kihn
and others.
. He helped the band get a two-record deal with A&M Records
in 1970, and picked up production tips from Lou Adler
and Glyn Johns
. Also while at A&M, Kaufman helped organize the series of demos recorded by The Modern Lovers
. These recordings were unreleased at the time, but would later form the basis of their acclaimed debut album.
reaching # 11 on the UK singles chart. The follow-up single Egyptian Reggae reached #5 in the UK singles chart in 1977. By 1975, the label had an artist roster consisting of Earth Quake, Jonathan Richman (with and without the Modern Lovers
), The Rubinoos
and Greg Kihn
. Kaufman co-produced album releases by all these artists, as well as acquiring the rights to the 1972 A&M Modern Lovers recordings, which were issued as an album in 1976. Beserkley also released singles and compilation tracks by a handful of other artists.
Buoyed by these successes, Kaufman opened a short-lived UK office of Beserkley, headquartered in Kingston-upon-Thames. They signed The Tyla Gang who released two albums in the US and the UK for the label, as well as The Smirks
, who released two singles on Beserkley in the UK.
In addition to his duties as label owner and producer, Kaufman occasionally co-wrote songs with various Beserkley acts under the pseudonym "Rose Bimler". Kaufman was also an occasional recording artist for Beserkley, releasing singles under the names "Son of Pete" and "Count Slowly and the Four Twenties".
By the end of 1980, the only artist on Beserkley was Greg Kihn, who between 1981 and 1983 released three US top 40 albums and two US top 40 singles: "The Break Up Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" (#15, 1981), and "Jeopardy
" (#2, 1983). All were co-produced by Kaufman.
However, after a long run of success, Kihn's 1984 album Kihntagious was a comparative flop, and Kaufman essentially shut down Beserkley. He blamed the label's demise on "corporate rock": "When marketing costs surpassed production budgets, it stopped being fun", he later said in an interview for a 2004 Beserkley label compilation.
, where he remained Kihn's co-producer for his two EMI albums. He licensed some of the Beserkley Records catalogue to Rhino Records in 1986. He also continued to act as an occasional talent scout/producer, discovering Ed Haynes and producing his 1989 debut Ed Haynes Sings Ed Haynes for Apache Records.
In 1991, Kaufman co-founded Eastern Light Productions, producing a series of award winning Russian historical documentaries in collaboration with the Soviet Filmmakers' Society, Kinocenter. In 1996, he launched the Son Of Beserkley label.
In 2008, Kaufman launched a new label, Fun Fun Fun Recordings. Their first release was a compilation called "MP3 Jackpot Winners" which features songs discovered via the MP3 Jackpot website. Other 2008 Fun Fun Fun releases include "Skankin' Foolz Unite!" by Berkeley ska band, the Uptones
, and "Repulsa" by metal goth act Repulsa. In 2009, Fun Fun Fun released CDs by Sex 4 Moderns, Hobo, and Stiff Richards, all produced by Kaufman.
In 2009, Kaufman commissioned the construction of a Ska Shrine devoted to skanking. Musashi "Moose" Lethridge and Eric Dinwiddie of the Uptones built the shrine which now resides virtually at the Ska4u website. The shrine will travel with The Uptones for four dates in June, 2010, for The Warped Tour and will be available to the public for dancing.
Beserkley Records
Beserkley Records was an independent record label based in Berkeley, California, from 1973 to 1984. Beserkely is usually regarded as a powerpop & rock and roll label; during the seventies, the band released albums by Earth Quake, Greg Kihn, Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, The Rubinoos, and...
in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s, successfully producing records by Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
, Greg Kihn
Greg Kihn
Greg Kihn is an American rock musician, radio personality and novelist.-Music:Kihn is the front man for The Greg Kihn Band, which released several singles and albums that made the charts in the early 1980s...
and others.
Biography
Raised in Baltimore, Kaufman graduated from law school but never took the bar. Instead, convinced they were to be the next Beatles, Kaufman went to California to co-manage the San Francisco rock band Earth QuakeEarth Quake (band)
Earth Quake was an American rock and power pop band, formed in the San Francisco area in 1966, who released several albums in the 1970s, mostly on Beserkley Records, a company which they were involved in setting up.-Band members:*John Doukas...
. He helped the band get a two-record deal with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
in 1970, and picked up production tips from Lou Adler
Lou Adler
Lou Adler is an American record producer, manager, and director.-Life and career:Adler was born in Chicago, Illinois in December 1933, and raised in East Los Angeles. In 1964, Adler founded and co-owned Dunhill Records. He was President of the label as well as the chief record producer from 1964...
and Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns is a musician, recording engineer and record producer.-Career:He has worked with such artists as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Easybeats, The Band, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Eric Clapton, The Clash, The Steve Miller Band, Small Faces, Spooky Tooth, The Ozark...
. Also while at A&M, Kaufman helped organize the series of demos recorded by The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970–74 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson and keyboardist Jerry Harrison...
. These recordings were unreleased at the time, but would later form the basis of their acclaimed debut album.
The Beserkley Years (1973-1984)
After becoming frustrated with A&M, Kaufman decided to set up his own label in 1973. Beserkley Records (headquartered at John Doukas' house at 1199 Spruce St. in Berkeley, California). The first releases from the label, ignored in the United States, were embraced in the U.K. with RoadrunnerRoadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)
"Roadrunner" is a song written by Jonathan Richman and recorded in various versions by Richman and his band, in most cases credited as The Modern Lovers.Critic Greil Marcus described it as "the most obvious song in the world, and the strangest"...
reaching # 11 on the UK singles chart. The follow-up single Egyptian Reggae reached #5 in the UK singles chart in 1977. By 1975, the label had an artist roster consisting of Earth Quake, Jonathan Richman (with and without the Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970–74 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson and keyboardist Jerry Harrison...
), The Rubinoos
The Rubinoos
The Rubinoos are an American power pop band that formed in 1970 in Berkeley, California. They are perhaps best known for their singles "I Think We're Alone Now" , "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" , and for the theme song to the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds...
and Greg Kihn
Greg Kihn
Greg Kihn is an American rock musician, radio personality and novelist.-Music:Kihn is the front man for The Greg Kihn Band, which released several singles and albums that made the charts in the early 1980s...
. Kaufman co-produced album releases by all these artists, as well as acquiring the rights to the 1972 A&M Modern Lovers recordings, which were issued as an album in 1976. Beserkley also released singles and compilation tracks by a handful of other artists.
Buoyed by these successes, Kaufman opened a short-lived UK office of Beserkley, headquartered in Kingston-upon-Thames. They signed The Tyla Gang who released two albums in the US and the UK for the label, as well as The Smirks
The Smirks
The Smirks were an English new wave band from Manchester who played from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Although they failed to meet with commercial success, they built a small but loyal base of fans....
, who released two singles on Beserkley in the UK.
In addition to his duties as label owner and producer, Kaufman occasionally co-wrote songs with various Beserkley acts under the pseudonym "Rose Bimler". Kaufman was also an occasional recording artist for Beserkley, releasing singles under the names "Son of Pete" and "Count Slowly and the Four Twenties".
By the end of 1980, the only artist on Beserkley was Greg Kihn, who between 1981 and 1983 released three US top 40 albums and two US top 40 singles: "The Break Up Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" (#15, 1981), and "Jeopardy
Jeopardy (song)
"Jeopardy" is a hit song released in 1983 by The Greg Kihn Band on their album Kihnspiracy. It is the band's first and only Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, reaching #2 in March 1983 and also hitting #1 on the dance charts the following month. Composition/Chord Structure:The song...
" (#2, 1983). All were co-produced by Kaufman.
However, after a long run of success, Kihn's 1984 album Kihntagious was a comparative flop, and Kaufman essentially shut down Beserkley. He blamed the label's demise on "corporate rock": "When marketing costs surpassed production budgets, it stopped being fun", he later said in an interview for a 2004 Beserkley label compilation.
Later career (1985-present)
Kaufman followed Kihn to EMIEMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, where he remained Kihn's co-producer for his two EMI albums. He licensed some of the Beserkley Records catalogue to Rhino Records in 1986. He also continued to act as an occasional talent scout/producer, discovering Ed Haynes and producing his 1989 debut Ed Haynes Sings Ed Haynes for Apache Records.
In 1991, Kaufman co-founded Eastern Light Productions, producing a series of award winning Russian historical documentaries in collaboration with the Soviet Filmmakers' Society, Kinocenter. In 1996, he launched the Son Of Beserkley label.
In 2008, Kaufman launched a new label, Fun Fun Fun Recordings. Their first release was a compilation called "MP3 Jackpot Winners" which features songs discovered via the MP3 Jackpot website. Other 2008 Fun Fun Fun releases include "Skankin' Foolz Unite!" by Berkeley ska band, the Uptones
The Uptones
The Uptones were one of the first bands devoted to playing ska on the West Coast of the United States.- History :The Uptones formed in Berkeley, California while band members Eric Dinwiddie , Paul Jackson, Ben Eastwood and Charles Stella were attending Berkeley High School and Cazadero Performing...
, and "Repulsa" by metal goth act Repulsa. In 2009, Fun Fun Fun released CDs by Sex 4 Moderns, Hobo, and Stiff Richards, all produced by Kaufman.
In 2009, Kaufman commissioned the construction of a Ska Shrine devoted to skanking. Musashi "Moose" Lethridge and Eric Dinwiddie of the Uptones built the shrine which now resides virtually at the Ska4u website. The shrine will travel with The Uptones for four dates in June, 2010, for The Warped Tour and will be available to the public for dancing.