RCA Execs Confirm that Arista, the label of Clive Davis Is Closed Down

[milven]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/10/jive-arista-split-l.jpg
CEO Peter Edge and COO Tom Corson explain why it was time to “retire those brands” and how the artists reacted.

Amid some big changes in the music industry, new RCA Records CEO Peter Edge and longtime colleague Tom Corson, who was promoted to president and COO in August, have officially shuttered historic labels Arista and Jive. J Records, launched by Clive Davis in 2000 as an “instant major,” will also see its artists bequeathed to RCA.

Corson said, “The path we’ve taken is to refresh RCA, so we're going to retire those brands. There may be a reason down the line to bring them back, but it's a clean slate here."

Jive Records, run by Barry Weiss for nearly 20 years, was home to multi-platinum pop stars Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Arista was founded in 1974 also by Davis, who signed Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Barry Manilow to the label. In recent years, it saw releases by Usher and Pink. All artists will now fall under the RCA Records banner.

In the digital age, one might think these closures mean there is little value, awareness or loyalty to a label by name, but the execs insist it's quite the oppposite. “The concept is that there is value in branding RCA and not having it confused or diluted by other labels,” says Corson. “The artists have all been supportive. We didn’t make this move without consulting our artists, and we haven’t had any push-back. Frankly, they’re the brand. We’re defined by our artists.”

The move follows a round of layoffs in which dozens of staffers were let go, including longtime executives Richard Palmese [[J's evp of promotion, who had been Davis' righthand man for three decades), Tom Carraba and Peter Thea [[both Jive evps) and roster cuts made [[American Idol season 9 winner Lee DeWyze was a casualty), all in an effort to significantly downsize the label. “We’ve learned to work with less and hopefully accomplish the same or more,” Corson adds. “But by definition, the business has shrunk – the staffing has shrunk, our rosters are smaller. But we’re still profitable.”

Under the Sony Music umbrella, now headed by Doug Morris, RCA was founded in 1929 and is the second-oldest label in the U.S. [[behind fellow Sony property Columbia). Together, the labels have boosted their parent company's market share to comfortably place it in the No. 2 spot, behind Universal Music, Morris' former employer and Weiss' current home, where he is Chairman & CEO of Island Def Jam and Universal Motown Republic Group.

Says RCA's Edge of his label's place in the greater Sony picture: “Doug is intent on making A&R the focus of RCA and the new focus of Sony Music. The big initiative here is to spend more money on artist development, making more records and making better records and less on all of the other stuff. I happen to agree with him.”

[jobeterob]

Wow. Didn't expect that.

[tom_moulton]

Bell Records was a great label in the 60's and had a number of successful acts over the years. Fifth Dimension, Boxtops and Barry Manilow to name a few. When Clive took over Bell he then changed the name to Arista.

[milven]

Wasn't Bell part of CBS back then and Clive combined a few other labels to form Arista. With so much consolidation, Arista is back at CBS [[now Sony). We are not too far away from there being one giant record company and one giant retailer [[I-Tunes)

[soulster]

Wasn't Bell part of CBS back then and Clive combined a few other labels to form Arista. With so much consolidation, Arista is back at CBS [[now Sony). We are not too far away from there being one giant record company and one giant retailer [[I-Tunes)

No. Bell was never part of CBS. Clive was fired from CBS and did not take any of those labels to form Arista. Basically, Bell was transformed into Arista.

Bell had labels Amy and Mala, and includes artists like Box Tops, Lee Dorsey, James & Bobby Purify, Merilee Rush & The Turnabouts, The Partridge Family, Barry Manilow, The Fifth Dimension, and others.

[mark speck]

I think the confusion about Bell stems from the fact that Columbia Pictures bought the label in the late '60s. Of course, CBS stands for Columbia Broadcasting System, but the two Columbias are not related.

Best,

Mark

[mark speck]

It just dawned on me that Columbia Pictures is now owned by Sony as well, so the Bell archives have made it back to their original owner, in a roundabout way.

Best,

Mark

[soulster]

It just dawned on me that Columbia Pictures is now owned by Sony as well, so the Bell archives have made it back to their original owner, in a roundabout way.

Best,

Mark

Yes. Larry Uttal, owner of the Bell/Amy/Mala labels, sold Bell to Columbia Pictures in 1969. In 1974, Clive Davis was named the new head of Bell records and signed The Bay City Rollers, Barry Manilow, and Melissa Manchester, and changed the name to Arista. Larry Uttal left to form Private Stock Records soon after.

However, Sony has had a relationship with CBS Records for decades. Sony has also had a relationship with Columbia Pictures and Columbia Television. What I don't understand is that Columbia Pictures always owned the Colpix masters, and Sony owns them now because they came from CBS. CBS Inc. controlled CBS News and CBS Records, and, like I said, they own the Colpix masters. So, why did CBS not own Bell? Clive Davis was fired from CBS, so if...and Arista was an independent company until it was sold to Bertelsmann in the 80s. Agggghhh!

[tom_moulton]

I still can't figure out why Sony didn't keep the name CBS records. A west coast label uses the name now

[soulster]

I still can't figure out why Sony didn't keep the name CBS records. A west coast label uses the name now

CBS, Inc. head William Paley sold off the record division to Sony in 1990. Remember? Sony can't use CBS.

[jdwheat]

Amazing and confusing.

Just for kicks, I put together a list of my favorite early Arista singles [[late '70s/early '80s) not by Barry Manilow or Whitney Houston. See if you remember:

Midnight Blue - Melissa Manchester
Just Don't Pay - Debbie Taylor
I Don't Wanna Leave You - Debbie Taylor
Sneakin' Up Behind You - The Brecker Brothers
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again - Eric Carmen
There Goes Another Love Song - The Outlaws
The Right Time of the Night - Jennifer Warnes
I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You - The Alan Parsons Project
Theme From 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' - John Williams
The Greatest Love of All - George Benson
Jack and Jill - Raydio [[Ray Parker, Jr.)
You Can't Change That - Raydio
A Woman Needs Love - Raydio
Don't Walk Away - General Johnson
Love Don't Come No Stronger - Jeff Perry
Heartbreaker - Dionne Warwick
You Know How to Love Me - Phyllis Hyman
Come Dancing - The Kinks
Eye in the Sky - The Alan Parsons Project
Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
Jamie - Ray Parker Jr.
Do What You Do - Jermaine Jackson
Dynamite - Jermaine Jackson
Freeway of Love - Aretha Franklin
Coming Around Again - Carly Simon
That's What Friends Are For - Dionne Warwick & Friends

Arista didn't release much rock, but did put out some good LPs by Patti Smith, Lou Reed and the A's [[a Philadelphia new wave group).

The Bay City Rollers were OK, but I didn't care much for Air Supply.

[daddyacey]

CBS is/was a western world-wide brand name ,while SONY is damn near a planet-wide brand name. In a nutshell , "It was yours but now it's mine, so I will call it what I want." It falls into the concept described dynamically by one word. Empire.

[soulster]

OK, here are my favorite Arista singles:

Midnight Blue - Melissa Manchester
Just Too Many People - Melissa Manchester
It's a Miracle - Barry Manilow
Could It Be Magic - Barry Manilow
Wham Bang Shang-A-Lang - Silver
Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow
Mandy - Barry Manilow [[originally on Bell)
I Write The Songs - Barry Manilow
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
Money Honey - Bay City Rollers
You made me Believe In Magic - Bay City Rollers
Weekend In New England - Barry Manilow
Copacabana [[At The Copa) - Barry Manilow
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
Change Of Heart - Eric Carmen
She Did It - Eric Carmen
The Right Time of the Night - Jennifer Warnes
Disco Nights - GQ
Standing Ovation - GQ
Jack and Jill - Raydio
More Than One Way To Love A Woman - Raydio
Deja Vu - Dionne Warwick
You Know How to Love Me - Phyllis Hyman
A Woman Needs Love - Raydio featuring Ray Parker Jr.
The Other Woman - Ray Parker, Jr.
Something About You - Angela Bofil
I Think It's Love - Jermaine Jackson
Freeway of Love - Aretha Franklin
Another Night - Aretha Franklin
Who's Zoomin' Who? - Aretha Franklin
Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston
How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
So Emotional - Whitney Houston
I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston
Jimmy Lee - Aretha Franklin
Coming Around Again - Carly Simon
Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen
Make Me Lose Control - Eric Carmen

[marv2]

OK, here are my favorite Arista singles:

Midnight Blue - Melissa Manchester
Just Too Many People - Melissa Manchester
It's a Miracle - Barry Manilow
Could It Be Magic - Barry Manilow
Wham Bang Shang-A-Lang - Silver
Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow
Mandy - Barry Manilow [[originally on Bell)
I Write The Songs - Barry Manilow
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
Money Honey - Bay City Rollers
You made me Believe In Magic - Bay City Rollers
Weekend In New England - Barry Manilow
Copacabana [[At The Copa) - Barry Manilow
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
Change Of Heart - Eric Carmen
She Did It - Eric Carmen
The Right Time of the Night - Jennifer Warnes
Disco Nights - GQ
Standing Ovation - GQ
Jack and Jill - Raydio
More Than One Way To Love A Woman - Raydio
Deja Vu - Dionne Warwick
You Know How to Love Me - Phyllis Hyman
A Woman Needs Love - Raydio featuring Ray Parker Jr.
The Other Woman - Ray Parker, Jr.
Something About You - Angela Bofil
I Think It's Love - Jermaine Jackson
Freeway of Love - Aretha Franklin
Another Night - Aretha Franklin
Who's Zoomin' Who? - Aretha Franklin
Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston
How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
So Emotional - Whitney Houston
I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston
Jimmy Lee - Aretha Franklin
Coming Around Again - Carly Simon
Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen
Make Me Lose Control - Eric Carmen

Wow! Some VERY good ones here........

[mark speck]

I think you guys have covered my favorite Arista singles, but here are a couple I like that didn't seem to make it on either list...

"You Know I Love You"--Breakwater
"Funk 'n' Roll"--Quazar
"Every Woman In the World"--Air Supply
"Just As I Am"--Air Supply [[yes, they had a COUPLE of good songs...and "Just As I Am" has a Detroit connection...it was written by Dick Wagner from the Frost and later with Alice Cooper's band)
"On the Wrong Track"--Kevin Lamb
"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"--Jermaine Stewart
"All Around the World"--Lisa Stansfield
"This Is the Right Time"--Lisa Stansfield
"I'll Always Love You"--Taylor Dayne

I also like some of the country artists they signed over the years, like Tanya Tucker and Alan Jackson.

Best,

Mark

[soulster]

I think you guys have covered my favorite Arista singles, but here are a couple I like that didn't seem to make it on either list...

"All Around the World"--Lisa Stansfield

"I'll Always Love You"--Taylor Dayne



Best,

Mark

I forgot about those two! Excellent!

[milven]

I still can't figure out why Sony didn't keep the name CBS records. A west coast label uses the name now
CBS Inc wanted to retain the name for their own use. Sony was allowed to use the name for transition purposes ,but then anything owned by Sony that was named CBS had to be renamed. CBS Masterworks was changed to Sony Masterworks.

The west coast label that is using the CBS name is owned by CBS Corp,

[ms_m]

CBS is/was a western world-wide brand name ,while SONY is damn near a planet-wide brand name. In a nutshell , "It was yours but now it's mine, so I will call it what I want." It falls into the concept described dynamically by one word. Empire.

Great post Daddyacey and I think there is a heck of a lot of truth in it but when Napster hit the scene, all bets were off. If the majors had truly been innovative instead of trying to fight Napster, p2p and technology the industry may have turned out for the better in terms of quality of music. We'll never know but every time I see the Spotify symbol I laugh.......p2p has gone main stream and now the major labels are shuffling around like crazy to re define themselves and keep up.

[mark speck]

Just reading the previous posts again...Sony does NOT own the Colpix masters...those are owned by Rhino. Rhino acquired them as part of the ABZ Music buyout [[Morris Levy's holdings).

Best,

Mark

[timmyfunk]

Any Quazar single or the album, any Gil Scott-Heron single/album, any Bernie Worrell single or the album, which has become quite difficult to get now that it's been reissued.

[soulster]

Just reading the previous posts again...Sony does NOT own the Colpix masters...those are owned by Rhino. Rhino acquired them as part of the ABZ Music buyout [[Morris Levy's holdings).

Best,

Mark

Thanks! I see that Colpix was sold to Morris Levy [[Roulette).