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Ferguson created the studio part of the CD Presents umbrella in 1981. A number of West Coast punk and hardcore bands would record at the studio throughout the 1980s. In 1984, CD Presents released [[The Offs]] acclaimed ''First Record'' album -- an album for which Ferguson commissioned painter [[Jean Michel Basquiat]] to design the now-legendary cover.<ref name=Basquiat>[http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=145709&Itemid=721| Basquiat's Rediscovered Punk Art at Art Basel, Miami] ''[[NY Arts]]'', March-April, 2008. Retrieved on [[April 16]], [[2008]].</ref>In addition to punk bands, CD Presents embraced a broad range of musical artists throughout the 1980s and '90s: [[NOFX]] ''([[White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean]])'', electronic music pioneers, [[Moev]], and Gospel artists affiliated with Emmit Powell, legendary broadcaster and founder of the Gospel Elites. Even songwriters/artists known for having a more standard rock sound gained indispensable early experience at the San Francisco studio; [[R.E.M. (band)|R.E.M.]] and [[Chris Isaak]], recorded their first demos there.
Ferguson created the studio part of the CD Presents umbrella in 1981. A number of West Coast punk and hardcore bands would record at the studio throughout the 1980s. In 1984, CD Presents released [[The Offs]] acclaimed ''First Record'' album -- an album for which Ferguson commissioned painter [[Jean Michel Basquiat]] to design the now-legendary cover.<ref name=Basquiat>[http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=145709&Itemid=721| Basquiat's Rediscovered Punk Art at Art Basel, Miami] ''[[NY Arts]]'', March-April, 2008. Retrieved on [[April 16]], [[2008]].</ref>In addition to punk bands, CD Presents embraced a broad range of musical artists throughout the 1980s and '90s: [[NOFX]] ''([[White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean]])'', electronic music pioneers, [[Moev]], and Gospel artists affiliated with Emmit Powell, legendary broadcaster and founder of the Gospel Elites. Even songwriters/artists known for having a more standard rock sound gained indispensable early experience at the San Francisco studio; [[R.E.M. (band)|R.E.M.]] and [[Chris Isaak]], recorded their first demos there.


In the 1980s, CD Presents released three volumes of singles recorded by groups on the label's roster. These compilation albums, known as ''Rat Music for Rat People'', would have a significant influence on a number of punk and post-punk musicians.<ref>Savage, Jon. [http://lostnirvana.info/stat/The_Lost_Interview_With_Kurt_Cobain.html Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview] 1993 ''Guitar World'' interview, published posthumously, October 1996.</ref>The CD Presents label signed and promoted [[Billy Bragg]]'s first two records, ''[[Life's a Riot with Spy Vs Spy]]'' and ''[[Brewing Up with Billy Bragg]]''. In 1983, the label released a compilation of The Avengers' material popularly known as ''The Pink Album''.<ref>[http://www.mp3.com/artist/the-avengers/summary Avengers Summary.] mp3.com</ref>
In the 1980s, CD Presents released three volumes of singles recorded by groups on the label's roster. These compilation albums, known as ''Rat Music for Rat People'', would have a significant influence on a number of punk and post-punk musicians.<ref>Savage, Jon. [http://lostnirvana.info/stat/The_Lost_Interview_With_Kurt_Cobain.html Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview] 1993 ''Guitar World'' interview, published posthumously, October 1996.</ref>The CD Presents label signed and promoted [[Billy Bragg]]'s first two records, ''[[Life's a Riot with Spy Vs Spy]]'' and ''[[Brewing Up with Billy Bragg]]''. In 1983, the label released a compilation of The Avengers' material popularly known as ''The Pink Album''.<ref>[http://www.mp3.com/artist/the-avengers/summary Avengers Summary.] mp3.com</ref>As a whole, the ''Rat Music'' compilations would help steer a generation of disaffected American youth toward various alternative music scenes. One such young musician was [[Kurt Cobain]]:
“In 1984 a friend of mine named Buzz Osborne ([[Melvins]]’ singer/guitarist) gave me a couple of compilation tapes (Rat Music for Rat People Vol. I & II) with Black Flag and Flipper, everything, all the most popular punk rock bands, and I was completely blown away," remembered Cobain, in a 1993 interview published posthumously. "I’d finally found my calling. That very same day, I cut my hair short. I would lip sync to those tapes—I played them every day—and it was the greatest thing.”<ref>Savage, Jon. [http://lostnirvana.info/stat/The_Lost_Interview_With_Kurt_Cobain.html Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview] 1993 Guitar World interview, published posthumously, October 1996.</ref>


In the late 1980s, Ferguson turned his focus more to distribution. The distribution division of CD Presents, Buried Treasure Inc., eventually distributed the catalogs for nearly 100 independent record labels, creating a record distribution system that operated independent from that of major record labels.
In the late 1980s, Ferguson turned his focus more to distribution. The distribution division of CD Presents, Buried Treasure Inc., eventually distributed the catalogs for nearly 100 independent record labels, creating a record distribution system that operated independent from that of major record labels.

Revision as of 08:29, 14 November 2008

CD Presents
CD Presents

CD Presents is a San Francisco-based recording label that specialized in promoting, recording and distributing punk music and alternative music. The label was founded and managed by David Ferguson who established CD Presents as a concert promotion enterprise in 1979. Ferguson had earlier in the 1970s promoted shows for notable theatre performance and pre-punk acts such as The Cockettes, Iggy Pop, and the New York Dolls. As head of CD Presents, Ferguson produced concerts for some of the most influential artists of the punk rock era, including the The Avengers, X, and the the Germs. Most notably, Ferguson and CD Presents produced the Los Angeles and San Francisco legs of Public Image Ltd's first two American tours (1980 and 1982, respectively).[1][2]

In addition to PiL, Ferguson would work with several influential bands of the U.S. punk music movement. CD Presents arranged shows in L.A. and San Francisco for the The Weirdos, The Dils, The Avengers, The Go-Gos and D.O.A. Two bands especially critical to the development of West Coast punk, The Germs and X, gained prominence thanks to Penelope Spheeris's, The Decline of Western Civilization, a groundbreaking concert documentary filmed in part at CD Presents-sponsored shows in Los Angeles. Ferguson and CD Presents also promoted New Wave 1980, the first ever punk music concert which gathered together West Coast punk and alternative music acts from as far away as Vancouver.

Ferguson created the studio part of the CD Presents umbrella in 1981. A number of West Coast punk and hardcore bands would record at the studio throughout the 1980s. In 1984, CD Presents released The Offs acclaimed First Record album -- an album for which Ferguson commissioned painter Jean Michel Basquiat to design the now-legendary cover.[3]In addition to punk bands, CD Presents embraced a broad range of musical artists throughout the 1980s and '90s: NOFX (White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean), electronic music pioneers, Moev, and Gospel artists affiliated with Emmit Powell, legendary broadcaster and founder of the Gospel Elites. Even songwriters/artists known for having a more standard rock sound gained indispensable early experience at the San Francisco studio; R.E.M. and Chris Isaak, recorded their first demos there.

In the 1980s, CD Presents released three volumes of singles recorded by groups on the label's roster. These compilation albums, known as Rat Music for Rat People, would have a significant influence on a number of punk and post-punk musicians.[4]The CD Presents label signed and promoted Billy Bragg's first two records, Life's a Riot with Spy Vs Spy and Brewing Up with Billy Bragg. In 1983, the label released a compilation of The Avengers' material popularly known as The Pink Album.[5]As a whole, the Rat Music compilations would help steer a generation of disaffected American youth toward various alternative music scenes. One such young musician was Kurt Cobain: “In 1984 a friend of mine named Buzz Osborne (Melvins’ singer/guitarist) gave me a couple of compilation tapes (Rat Music for Rat People Vol. I & II) with Black Flag and Flipper, everything, all the most popular punk rock bands, and I was completely blown away," remembered Cobain, in a 1993 interview published posthumously. "I’d finally found my calling. That very same day, I cut my hair short. I would lip sync to those tapes—I played them every day—and it was the greatest thing.”[6]

In the late 1980s, Ferguson turned his focus more to distribution. The distribution division of CD Presents, Buried Treasure Inc., eventually distributed the catalogs for nearly 100 independent record labels, creating a record distribution system that operated independent from that of major record labels.

Either through the label or through its distribution system, CD presents recorded or distributed the music of nearly 3,300 artists, including The Avengers, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag w/Henry Rollins, Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, Flipper, D.O.A., Butthole Surfers, NOFX, T.S.O.L., Minutemen, and Mojo Nixon.[7]

Starting in 2004, Ferguson began restoring CD Presents' extensive recording archives at George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch with the help of Grammy Award-winning recording engineer Leslie Ann Jones and her assistant, Dann Thompson. The restoration was completed in early 2008.[7]

Discography

CD Presents Discography

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Martine, Lord. Ferguson finds unconventional fits him just right San Francisco Chronicle, March 29, 2002
  2. ^ Wechsler, Shoshana. "Emperor's New Clothes: Public Image in San Francisco." Damage, Vol. 1, No. 7. July 1980. pp. 8-10
  3. ^ Basquiat's Rediscovered Punk Art at Art Basel, Miami NY Arts, March-April, 2008. Retrieved on April 16, 2008.
  4. ^ Savage, Jon. Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview 1993 Guitar World interview, published posthumously, October 1996.
  5. ^ Avengers Summary. mp3.com
  6. ^ Savage, Jon. Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview 1993 Guitar World interview, published posthumously, October 1996.
  7. ^ a b David Ferguson Joins Subculture Books Bear Valley News, March 28, 2008. Retrieved on April 3, 2008.

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