Tony Calder
Encyclopedia
Tony Calder is an English
rock and roll
record manager, impresario
, talent-spotter, Promoter
and Public Relations
agent. He was Andrew Loog Oldham's
business partner from 1962 to December 1969.
During a career spanning over 50 years he was instrumental in promoting a number of successful singles in the UK singles chart
, including the Rolling Stones "Little Red Rooster
" and "Paint It, Black"
, the Small Faces "Itchycoo Park
", Amen Corner
's "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice
", Eddy Grant
’s "I Don't Wanna Dance"
and Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
single "Swing the Mood
".
under the direction of Edward Lewis
. By day he worked in the sales and marketing department, and by night he worked as a DJ under the wing of Jimmy Savile
, which gave him a significant insight in to the music industry and led him to meeting Brian Epstein
, The Beatles
, Andrew Loog Oldham
and Seymour Stein
(who introduced Calder to his all time record hero George Goldner
).
In 1962 Calder was hired by Brian Epstein
to promote The Beatles
single Love Me Do
, which he did successfully by sending free copies to the top fifty Mecca Ballrooms and also the opposition Top Rank ballrooms, in order to persuade the local independent record shops to order the record. The following year pop impresario Andrew Oldham
and Calder merged their clientele to set up the UK’s first independent PR-pop company, ‘IMAGE.’, and handled the day to day management of the Rolling Stones; and later the promotion of the Beach Boys
via their publishing contract.
In early 1965, Calder did his first and last record production, taking over from Oldham
producing Marianne Faithfull
, producing her biggest hits "Come and Stay With Me", which reached Number 4 in the UK singles chart and "This Little Bird", which reached Number 6 in 1965. In 1965 Calder and Oldham formed Immediate Records
, the first major independent label in the UK, eventually responsible for acts like the The Small Faces
, Fleetwood Mac
, Rod Stewart
, The McCoys
, Chris Farlowe
, Amen Corner
, P.P. Arnold and the The Nice
. He also worked with Vashti Bunyan
for the label, although it wasn't until the 2000s that she became a cult hero. At the end of 1969 Calder left Immediate Records.
with his booking agent business partner David Apps, but quickly relinquished the contract to Dick Leahy, head of Bell Records
.
In 1975, Calder was appointed CEO of NEMS Records, where he signed Black Sabbath
, Pluto
and Marianne Faithfull
. However he left this position soon after, and spent the following year setting old friend and fashion designer Ossie Clark
back in business; licensing his designs and his name to forge a revival of Clark's image. In 1978 he turned his attention to managing Eddy Grant
, whose international record career took off, and he subsequently helped with the formation and development of Grant's Ice Record label.
's success continued into the 1980s, with his biggest selling Number 1 in the UK and 14 million units sold worldwide of I Don't Wanna Dance
, followed by Electric Avenue
which reached number 2 in the UK and the US in 1983.
Calder then formed the Big Wave Group in 1988, in partnership with Bill Kimber, and had worldwide success with Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
, who had 3 consecutive number 1 singles in the UK and throughout Europe and the Number 1 single in the USA with Swing the Mood
by Jive Bunny.
During the 1990s Calder co-wrote a biography of ABBA
with Andrew Loog Oldham.
In December 2007 Calder was re-hired by Eddy Grant as business manager after Calder negotiated on a new production deal for Grant's Ice label with Mercury Records
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
record manager, impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
, talent-spotter, Promoter
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
and Public Relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
agent. He was Andrew Loog Oldham's
Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham is an English producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of The Rolling Stones from 1963, and was noted for his flamboyant style.-Biography:...
business partner from 1962 to December 1969.
During a career spanning over 50 years he was instrumental in promoting a number of successful singles in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, including the Rolling Stones "Little Red Rooster
Little Red Rooster
"Little Red Rooster" is a song that is a classic of the blues. Howlin' Wolf recorded "The Red Rooster" in 1961, a song credited to blues arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon, although earlier songs have been cited as inspiration...
" and "Paint It, Black"
Paint It, Black
"Paint It, Black" is a song released by The Rolling Stones on 13 May 1966 as the first single from their fourth album Aftermath. It was originally titled "Paint It Black" without a comma. Keith Richards has stated that the comma was added by the record label, Decca.The song was written by Mick...
, the Small Faces "Itchycoo Park
Itchycoo Park
"Itchycoo Park" is a psychedelic pop song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, first recorded by their group, the Small Faces. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart, 1967.-Song profile:...
", Amen Corner
Amen Corner (band)
Amen Corner were a successful Welsh rock group, formed in late 1966 in Cardiff, Wales.-Career:The band was named after The Amen Corner, a weekly disc spin at the Victoria Ballroom in Cardiff, Wales, where every Sunday night Dr...
's "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice
(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice
" Half as Nice" is a popular single by Amen Corner.Originally written by the Italian singer-songwriter Lucio Battisti for La Ragazza 77, alias Ambra Borelli, in 1968 as "Il paradiso della vita" , and later in 1969 for Patty Pravo as "Il Paradiso" , it was translated into English by Jack Fishman...
", Eddy Grant
Eddy Grant
Edmond Montague "Eddy" Grant is a musician, born in Plaisance, Guyana.- Life and career :When he was still a young boy, his parents emigrated to London, UK, where he settled. He lived in Kentish Town and went to school at the Acland Burghley Secondary Modern at Tufnell Park...
’s "I Don't Wanna Dance"
I Don't Wanna Dance (Eddy Grant song)
"I Don't Wanna Dance" was a UK number one single for three weeks in November 1982 for Eddy Grant. It was also released in the US in the fall of 1983....
and Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were a 1980s and early 1990s novelty pop music act from Rotherham, Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in the videos, and also did promotional appearances for them...
single "Swing the Mood
Swing the Mood
"Swing the Mood" is a song by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers from their debut album The Album.Produced by the father and son DJ team of Andy and John Pickles, "Swing the Mood" was a cut and paste record which fused a number of early rock and roll records with liberal use of Glenn Miller's "In the...
".
1960s
Calder's grounding in the industry began in the early 1960s at Decca RecordsDecca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
under the direction of Edward Lewis
Edward Lewis (Decca)
Sir Edward Roberts Lewis was an English businessman, best known for leading the Decca recording and technology group for five decades from 1929. He built the company up from nothing to one of the major record labels of the world.A financier by profession, Lewis was professionally engaged by the...
. By day he worked in the sales and marketing department, and by night he worked as a DJ under the wing of Jimmy Savile
Jimmy Savile
Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile, OBE, KCSG was an English disc jockey, television presenter and media personality, best known for his BBC television show Jim'll Fix It, and for being the first and last presenter of the long-running BBC music chart show Top of the Pops...
, which gave him a significant insight in to the music industry and led him to meeting Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham is an English producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of The Rolling Stones from 1963, and was noted for his flamboyant style.-Biography:...
and Seymour Stein
Seymour Stein
Seymour Stein is an entrepreneur in the music industry who has been a part of the business since getting his first job as a clerk for Billboard magazine in 1958. Stein is a vice president of Warner Bros...
(who introduced Calder to his all time record hero George Goldner
George Goldner
George Goldner was an American record label owner and promoter. He worked, amongst others, with The Crows, The Flamingos, The Cleftones, The Shangri-Las, The Teenagers, The Chantels, Little Richard and Lou Christie. He had a son named Cary and a wife named Grace...
).
In 1962 Calder was hired by Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
to promote The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
single Love Me Do
Love Me Do
"Love Me Do" is The Beatles' first single, backed by "P.S. I Love You" and released on 5 October 1962. When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom, it peaked at number seventeen; in 1982 it was re-issued and reached number four...
, which he did successfully by sending free copies to the top fifty Mecca Ballrooms and also the opposition Top Rank ballrooms, in order to persuade the local independent record shops to order the record. The following year pop impresario Andrew Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham is an English producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of The Rolling Stones from 1963, and was noted for his flamboyant style.-Biography:...
and Calder merged their clientele to set up the UK’s first independent PR-pop company, ‘IMAGE.’, and handled the day to day management of the Rolling Stones; and later the promotion of the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
via their publishing contract.
In early 1965, Calder did his first and last record production, taking over from Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham is an English producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of The Rolling Stones from 1963, and was noted for his flamboyant style.-Biography:...
producing Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
, producing her biggest hits "Come and Stay With Me", which reached Number 4 in the UK singles chart and "This Little Bird", which reached Number 6 in 1965. In 1965 Calder and Oldham formed Immediate Records
Immediate Records
Immediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene.-History:...
, the first major independent label in the UK, eventually responsible for acts like the The Small Faces
The Small Faces
The Small Faces were an English rock and roll band from East London, heavily influenced by American rhythm and blues. The group was founded in 1965 by members Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, and Jimmy Winston, although by 1966 Winston was replaced by Ian McLagan as the band's...
, Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
, Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, The McCoys
The McCoys
The McCoys were a rock group that started in Union City, Indiana, in 1962.-Career:The original members, all from Union City, were guitarist Richard Zehringer , his brother Randy on drums, and bassist Dennis Kelly. This first line-up was known as The Rick Z Combo, and later known as Rick and the...
, Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie...
, Amen Corner
Amen Corner (band)
Amen Corner were a successful Welsh rock group, formed in late 1966 in Cardiff, Wales.-Career:The band was named after The Amen Corner, a weekly disc spin at the Victoria Ballroom in Cardiff, Wales, where every Sunday night Dr...
, P.P. Arnold and the The Nice
The Nice
The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
. He also worked with Vashti Bunyan
Vashti Bunyan
Vashti Bunyan is an English singer-songwriter. In 1970, Bunyan released her first album, Just Another Diamond Day. The album sold very few copies, and Bunyan, discouraged, abandoned her musical career...
for the label, although it wasn't until the 2000s that she became a cult hero. At the end of 1969 Calder left Immediate Records.
1970s
In 1971 Calder signed the new band Bay City RollersBay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
with his booking agent business partner David Apps, but quickly relinquished the contract to Dick Leahy, head of Bell Records
Bell Records
Bell Records was an American record label founded in 1952 by Arthur Shimkin in New York, the owner of children's record label Golden Records, and initially a unit of Pocket Books, after the rights to the name were acquired from Benny Bell who used the Bell name to issue risque novelty records. A...
.
In 1975, Calder was appointed CEO of NEMS Records, where he signed Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, Pluto
Pluto Shervington
Pluto Shervington, also known as Pluto , is a reggae musician, singer, engineer and producer.-Career:...
and Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
. However he left this position soon after, and spent the following year setting old friend and fashion designer Ossie Clark
Ossie Clark
Raymond "Ossie" Clark was an English fashion designer who was a major figure in the Swinging Sixties scene in London and the fashion industry in that era...
back in business; licensing his designs and his name to forge a revival of Clark's image. In 1978 he turned his attention to managing Eddy Grant
Eddy Grant
Edmond Montague "Eddy" Grant is a musician, born in Plaisance, Guyana.- Life and career :When he was still a young boy, his parents emigrated to London, UK, where he settled. He lived in Kentish Town and went to school at the Acland Burghley Secondary Modern at Tufnell Park...
, whose international record career took off, and he subsequently helped with the formation and development of Grant's Ice Record label.
1980s and after
Eddy GrantEddy Grant
Edmond Montague "Eddy" Grant is a musician, born in Plaisance, Guyana.- Life and career :When he was still a young boy, his parents emigrated to London, UK, where he settled. He lived in Kentish Town and went to school at the Acland Burghley Secondary Modern at Tufnell Park...
's success continued into the 1980s, with his biggest selling Number 1 in the UK and 14 million units sold worldwide of I Don't Wanna Dance
I Don't Wanna Dance (Eddy Grant song)
"I Don't Wanna Dance" was a UK number one single for three weeks in November 1982 for Eddy Grant. It was also released in the US in the fall of 1983....
, followed by Electric Avenue
Electric Avenue (song)
"Electric Avenue" is a song by Eddy Grant, from his 1982 album Killer on the Rampage. It was released as a single in 1982, and went on to be very popular, reaching #2 on both United States and United Kingdom singles charts...
which reached number 2 in the UK and the US in 1983.
Calder then formed the Big Wave Group in 1988, in partnership with Bill Kimber, and had worldwide success with Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were a 1980s and early 1990s novelty pop music act from Rotherham, Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in the videos, and also did promotional appearances for them...
, who had 3 consecutive number 1 singles in the UK and throughout Europe and the Number 1 single in the USA with Swing the Mood
Swing the Mood
"Swing the Mood" is a song by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers from their debut album The Album.Produced by the father and son DJ team of Andy and John Pickles, "Swing the Mood" was a cut and paste record which fused a number of early rock and roll records with liberal use of Glenn Miller's "In the...
by Jive Bunny.
During the 1990s Calder co-wrote a biography of ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
with Andrew Loog Oldham.
In December 2007 Calder was re-hired by Eddy Grant as business manager after Calder negotiated on a new production deal for Grant's Ice label with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
.