Pye Records

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pye Records was a British record label. Its best known artists were Petula Clark, who began recording for the label in 1957, and The Kinks, who signed with Pye in 1964. Both left the label in 1971.

1 History
2 Revival under Sanctuary Records
3 Notable artists on Pye Records
- 3.1 2006
4 See also

[edit] History

The Pye Company originally sold televisions and radios. It entered the record business when it bought Nixa Records in 1953. In 1955, Pye acquired Polygon Records, a label that had been established by Petula Clark's father to control distribution of her recordings, and merged it with Nixa Records to form Pye Nixa Records. In 1959, the name was changed to Pye Records and ATV acquired 50% of the label. ATV bought the other half of the business in 1966. Two subsidiaries were created during the sixties: Pye Golden Guinea Records and Piccadilly Records. In 1970 it launched a less mainstream label for folk, jazz, blues and progressive acts, Dawn Records, the most successful Dawn act being Mungo Jerry.

When the rights to the name Pye expired in 1980, the label changed its name to PRT Records. Its back catalogue was later acquired by Castle Communications.

In 1958 Pye International Records was started. The company distributed many American labels, including Chess Records, A&M Records, Kama Sutra Records, Buddah Records, and King Records in the UK.

The company entered the budget-priced record market in the 1960s, with 'Marble Arch' re-issuing older Pye material.

[edit] Revival under Sanctuary Records

In July 2006, it was announced that Scottish alternative rock group Idlewild would sign to Pye Records, which was being reactivated by the music group Sanctuary for bands that were seen to be more indie and alternative, than the 'heritage acts' that were signed to their main label.