Rocket Records
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| Rocket Records | |
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| Founded | 1972 |
| Genre | Rock, Pop |
| Country of origin | UK, US |
The Rocket Record Company was a record label founded by Elton John, with Bernie Taupin, Gus Dudgeon and Steve Brown among others, in 1972. The name is from the hit, "Rocket Man". The label was originally distributed in the UK by Island and in the US by MCA Records, both of which Elton John was also signed to.
The first artists signed to the label were Stackridge, who completed two albums for Rocket after moving from MCA. It also became the home of Cliff Richard, Neil Sedaka (whose three most successful U.S. mid-1970s albums were on Rocket), Colin Blunstone, The Foster Brothers, The Hudson Brothers, Blue, Kiki Dee, Judie Tzuke, The Lambrettas, Junior Campbell, Brian & Brenda Russell (who had an early, rare-to-find disco hit "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do"), and the Dutch band Solution. John offered Iggy Pop & The Stooges to sign to the label, but they declined. After John left his British label, DJM Records in 1976, his records were also released on Rocket on both sides of the Atlantic.
In the US and Canada, John's residency on his own label was short-lived. After only one album, Blue Moves, and a couple of singles (including the mega hits "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word"), he returned to MCA. This might have been due to MCA dropping Rocket, resulting in the label's move to RCA distribution. The label was discontinued in the US in the early 1980s, then relaunching in 1995 with John's Made in England album, distributed by Island Records. 1997's The Big Picture and "Candle in the Wind" were distributed in the US by stepsister A&M Records.
In the UK, John's records were continuously on Rocket from 1976 onwards. In 1978 the distribution moved to Phonogram Records, then to Mercury Records in 1995. By this time, John was the only artist on the label.
Worldwide distribution rights to Elton John's music was consolidated when MCA Records' then-parent Seagram acquired PolyGram, the owner of Island, Mercury, and A&M, in 1998. Universal Music Group, which oversaw Seagram's recording operations, now co-owns the Elton John catalogue with the singer himself, continuing to distribute it worldwide to this day.
In 1999, when The Rocket Record Company was being distributed by Universal Music's subsidiary Island Def Jam Records, the label was shut down. However, the logo still appeared on all new Elton John releases through 2004's Peachtree Road. The name was also resurrected in 2006 for the eponymous Platinum Weird album. It is also the name of John's management team, Rocket Music Entertainment Group.[1]
[edit] Notable artists
- Elton John
- Longdancer (Dave Stewart)
- Mike Silver
- Davey Johnstone / China
- Nigel Olsson
- Kiki Dee
- Cliff Richard
- Neil Sedaka
- Casablanca
- Stackridge
- Solution
- Junior Campbell
- Colin Blunstone
- Brian & Brenda Russell
- Blue
- The Foster Brothers
- The Hudson Brothers
- Alan Hull / Radiator
- Judie Tzuke
- Lulu
- The Lambrettas
- Jo Lemaire & Flouze
- Peter Straker
- Johnny Warman
- Dramatis
- Fred Wedlock
- Randy Edelman
- Ryan Downe
- Platinum Weird
- The Moirs
