Vee Jay Records really started it's decline in 1964.
It had 2 big non-soul acts at the time -- The 4 Seasons & the Beatles.
Their 45's were selling really well but VJ couldn't keep up with demand as they didn't have the cash to fund all the records they needed to press up quickly to meet demand.
Vee-Jay had been in the big league as far as black music was concerned for many years but around 64 it decided to begin signing white acts, among them acts such as Hoyt Axton & the 2 listed above.
In 1963, British label EMI offered Vee-Jay a group that had been turned down by Capitol Records — The Beatles. Vee-Jay did not really want the Beatles, either. It wanted another EMI hit, "I Remember You" by Frank Ifield, which was a monster smash worldwide at the time. EMI told Vee-Jay it could have the hit but only if it also agreed to take the other group.
VeeJay sold loads of Beatles records but couldn't keep with the demand or pay the artist royalties. Then lawsuits came in from both the Four Seasons and Capitol Records, the latter regretting that it had passed up the Beatles.
Vee Jay reached settlements but was drained of cash. Vee-Jay eventually shut its doors in early 1966. For a label that had once been ahead of its time, it was over.
In the end, Vee-Jay's success was also its undoing, and it is easy to view the label as just a footnote in the career of the Beatles. But more important is the enormous influence of its catalog, particularly the blues of Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker. The sound of pop music would be very different if it were not for the likes of Vee-Jay Records. Their tracks really influenced the likes of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles & many other UK 60's R&B flavoured acts.
The 4 Seasons moved on from VJ in 64, the Beatles to Capitol in 64. Little Richard's last VJ 45 escaped in Aug 65, Billy Preston's last VJ 45 in June 65, John Lee Hooker's last came in Nov 65, the Dells in Dec 65, Jimmy Reed's also in Dec 65. VJ #715 from Jerry Butler came out in Jan 66, VJ #716 from Betty Everett in Jan 66 with VJ # 718 from Fred Hughes following in Feb 66.
That was just about the end for VJ.
But the label was resurrected in LA in the 70's.
VJ #1001 being by Don Thomas; his 45 featuring "Come On Train"
This was a case of a dying Vee Jay leasing an outside master. Vee Jay [[and Vee Jay International) under Betty Chiappetta in Los Angeles in the mid-70s didn't have new original material and so licensed in this record. The Don Thomas had originally escaped on the small new indie Cal State Record label.
A 45 featuring an original Vee Jay label exists of Don's cut, but I'm led to believe this has a dubious provenance.
Further copies of the single exist on the NuVJ label. This is definitely legit and copies of this were sent out to US radio stns [[in California & beyond) in 75. The NuVJ 45 was even play listed by some of those stns.
Anyone know the story behind the Don Thomas's 45 on the original VJ label ? Attachment 20689
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