Viking Records
Encyclopedia
Viking Records was an independent and prominent record label that featured many New Zealand and Polynesian recording artists.
with its New Zealand head office in Wellington
and a branch in Sydney
. The label recorded an extensive range of Pacific
music from New Zealand, Fiji
, Tahiti
, Tonga
and Samoa
. This record label was the largest supplier of Pacific Island and Maori music in New Zealand. Other labels to come close in output were Salem Records and Hibiscus Records
.
It's headquarters was based in Wellington New Zealand and owned by Ron Dalton, Murdoch Riley. A third partner Jim Staples operated the Sydney Australia branch.
. At that time Viking's extensive catalogue was largely made up of recordings Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and New Zealand but they were looking to make a big move into the pop music genre as well.
In 1965 and 1966, Viking Records released the winning albums for the Golden Disc Awards, the forerunner of the prestigious New Zealand Music Awards
, nicknamed the Tui Awards. The 1965 award was won by Ray Columbus & the Invaders
for the song Till we kissed. Maria Dallas
won in 1965 for the song Tumbling down.
Viking records also had the distinction of releasing a record by The Mauriora Maori Entertainers which happened to be the very first Maori record released in Stereo.
and Bill Wolfgramm
, Pepe and the Rarotongans and Tahitian-based Eddie Lund
who was a pianist from Oregon. Other famous artists were Peter Posa
, Maria Dallas
, The Beau-Marks and Dianah Lee.
Some of its records were also issued in Australia.
Reviews
Background
In the 1960s, the company was the largest locally owned record label in the South PacificPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
with its New Zealand head office in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
and a branch in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. The label recorded an extensive range of Pacific
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
music from New Zealand, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. This record label was the largest supplier of Pacific Island and Maori music in New Zealand. Other labels to come close in output were Salem Records and Hibiscus Records
Hibiscus Records
Hibiscus Records is a division of Kiwi Pacific Records International Limited and has many Polynesia and Maori titles on CD, specialised in mainly authentic Polynesian Music / Polynesian Folk music. There were many authentic Maori and Pacific Island recordings released via Kiwi Pacific Records...
.
It's headquarters was based in Wellington New Zealand and owned by Ron Dalton, Murdoch Riley. A third partner Jim Staples operated the Sydney Australia branch.
History
In 1962 in an effort to branch out, Ron Dalton and Murdoch Riley were in New York conferring with Walter Hofer to distribute American Independent records in Australia and New Zealand. Dalton was intending to go to Chicago to confer with Leonard ChessLeonard Chess
Leonard Chess was a record company executive and the founder of Chess Records. He was influential in the development of electric blues.- Early life :...
. At that time Viking's extensive catalogue was largely made up of recordings Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and New Zealand but they were looking to make a big move into the pop music genre as well.
In 1965 and 1966, Viking Records released the winning albums for the Golden Disc Awards, the forerunner of the prestigious New Zealand Music Awards
New Zealand Music Awards
The New Zealand Music Awards show, is a major annual New Zealand music event where musical acts and singers are awarded each year. It has occurred every year since 1965 to outstanding New Zealand musicians and groups....
, nicknamed the Tui Awards. The 1965 award was won by Ray Columbus & the Invaders
Ray Columbus & the Invaders
Ray Columbus & the Invaders were a rock group from New Zealand active from 1964 to 1966.The group was influenced by the early 1960s work of Cliff Richard and The Beatles. They scored a #1 hit in Australia and New Zealand with "She's a Mod" in 1964, a cover version of a song by The Senators. They...
for the song Till we kissed. Maria Dallas
Maria Dallas
Maria Dallas was discovered at a talent contest in small town Morrinsville, New Zealand. Her first single "Tumblin' Down", written by Jay Epae, released in 1966 and made it to #11 in the charts...
won in 1965 for the song Tumbling down.
Viking records also had the distinction of releasing a record by The Mauriora Maori Entertainers which happened to be the very first Maori record released in Stereo.
Recording artists
Among its most famous were Tongan steel guitarists Bill SevesiBill Sevesi
Bill Sevesi QSM is a musician and master of the steel guitar who helped popularise Hawaiian style music in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands....
and Bill Wolfgramm
Bill Wolfgramm
Bill Wolfgramm is a musician specialising in lap steel guitar and popular Hawaiian music. He was born in the island kingdom of Tonga and is also of German descent...
, Pepe and the Rarotongans and Tahitian-based Eddie Lund
Eddie Lund
Eddie Lund was a pianist and bandleader.He grew up in Vancouver, Washington, USA, and later moved to Oregon where he worked as a pianist. He later moved to Tahiti in either 1936 or 1938 where he stayed permanently and published and released many records...
who was a pianist from Oregon. Other famous artists were Peter Posa
Peter Posa
Peter Posa is a New Zealand guitarist, and is most famous for his instrumental "The White Rabbit" which made it to the top of the New Zealand and Australian charts in 1964.-External links:**...
, Maria Dallas
Maria Dallas
Maria Dallas was discovered at a talent contest in small town Morrinsville, New Zealand. Her first single "Tumblin' Down", written by Jay Epae, released in 1966 and made it to #11 in the charts...
, The Beau-Marks and Dianah Lee.
Some of its records were also issued in Australia.
Selected LP releases
- Noel McKay - In Person - Viking VP 48
- Dinah LeeDinah LeeDinah Lee is the stage name of New Zealand-born singer, Diane Marie Jacobs , who performed 1960s pop and then adult contemporary music. Her debut single from early 1964, "Don't You Know Yockomo?", achieved No. 1 chart success in New Zealand and, across the Tasman Sea, in Brisbane and Melbourne...
- Introducing Dinah Lee - Viking VP 140 (1964)
Fiji
- Meet Me in Fiji - Authentic Fijian music recorded at the Fiji Mocambo Hotel - Viking VP 165
Maori
- Ratana Senior Concert Party - Ratana Presents - Viking VP 256
Reviews
Samoa
- Samoa: Illustrated booklet and recordings (2 LP) - Viking VSP 19/20
- The Samoan Surfriders with Bill Sevesi & his islanders - Aloha Samoa - Viking VP 54
- The Samoan Surfriders - My Samoan Maiden - Viking VE 164