SPY Records
Encyclopedia
SPY Records was a New York
based independent music label created in 1977 by John Cale
and Jane Friedman
.
, and Cale's girlfriend at the time. It was housed in Cale's 250 West 57th Street office.
The concept of the label that all artists were to be produced by Cale. The label was distributed by I.R.S. Records
Its logo was designed by Michel Esteban
, using an image of Cale's eye from his Fear
album cover. Cale introduced Esteban to British-born entrepreneur Michael Zilkha, and in 1978 Esteban and Zilkha left SPY records to found their own label, ZE Records
.
SPY Records closed in 1980. John Cale then released three albums on ZE Records: Music For A New Society
(1982), Caribbean Sunset
(1983) and Comes Alive (1984).
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
based independent music label created in 1977 by John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
and Jane Friedman
Jane Friedman
Jane Friedman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Open Road Integrated Media. She was the President and Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, one of the world's leading English-language publishers, from 1997 to 2008....
.
History
The label was created in 1977 by John Cale and Jane Friedman, who was the manager of Patti SmithPatti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
, and Cale's girlfriend at the time. It was housed in Cale's 250 West 57th Street office.
The concept of the label that all artists were to be produced by Cale. The label was distributed by I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
Its logo was designed by Michel Esteban
Michel Esteban
Michel Antoine Gaston Esteban is a French record producer, record company executive, cultural center director and former magazine editor, who founded the influential Paris shop Harry Cover in 1973, was influential in the early development of punk rock, and, together with Michael Zilkha,...
, using an image of Cale's eye from his Fear
Fear (John Cale album)
Fear is a 1974 album by John Cale. It was the first of three albums for Island Records, all of which were released in a period of just over a year...
album cover. Cale introduced Esteban to British-born entrepreneur Michael Zilkha, and in 1978 Esteban and Zilkha left SPY records to found their own label, ZE Records
ZE Records
ZE Records was originally a New York-based record label, started in 1978 by Michael Zilkha and Michel Esteban. It has been re-established by Esteban since 2003.-History:Michael Zilkha ZE Records (always written with two capital letters) was originally a New York-based record label, started in...
.
SPY Records closed in 1980. John Cale then released three albums on ZE Records: Music For A New Society
Music For A New Society
Music for a New Society is an album by former Velvet Underground member John Cale. Released into an era dominated by bands like the Jam, ABC and Dexys Midnight Runners the album sank without trace...
(1982), Caribbean Sunset
Caribbean Sunset
Caribbean Sunset is the ninth studio album by John Cale, and was released in 1984. It features contributions from Brian Eno and an otherwise "young unknown" band. The album is notable for being the only album by John Cale to remain unreleased on compact disc or digital format...
(1983) and Comes Alive (1984).
Discography
- SPY 001 Harry Toledo & The Rockets - "Busted Chevrolet" EP (7", EP)
- SPY 002 The Necessaries - "You Can Borrow My Car" (7", Single)
- SPY 003 Lester BangsLester BangsLeslie Conway "Lester" Bangs was an American music journalist, author and musician. He wrote for Creem and Rolling Stone magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock 'n' roll criticism....
- "Let It Blurt / Live" (7", Single) - SPY 004 Model Citizens - "Untitled" (7", EP)
- SPY 005 Marie Et Les GarçonsMarie et les GarçonsMarie et les Garçons were a French new wave band formed in Lyon in 1976. After Marie Girard left, the remaining members continued as Garçons.-History:...
- "Rebop / Attitudes" (7", Single) - SP004 - John CaleJohn CaleJohn Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
- Sabotage/LiveSabotage/LiveSabotage/Live was recorded live at CBGB's, New York in June 1979. Reissued on CD by A&M Canada without bonus tracks and reissued again in the UK a decade later with the following bonus tracks:...
(LP)