Carrere Records

Carrere Records
Founded	1962 (as Carrere Productions)
Founder	Claude Carrere
Status	Defunct
Distributor(s)	Various
Country of origin	France
Location	Paris

Carrere was a French record label which specialized in Euro disco and rock music. The record company was sold to Warner Music Group in the early 1990s.

History

Claude Carrere started working with Annie Chancel in 1962 and renamed her Sheila, who remained his sole artist for a while. He set up Carrere Productions and the records were distributed by Philips Records. In the late 1960s, he created Disques Carrere. In 1972, he produced and distributed his own releases. A lot of singers would be signed alongside Sheila, the most important ones being Ringo (Sheila's husband), Dalida and even Claude François. In 1977, Sheila and B. Devotion was created and Carrere started exporting his releases.

Claude Carrere decides to move into record market in the United Kingdom after having a number 2 record through EMI with " Black is Black" by La Belle Époque. He appoints Freddie Cannon Managing Director (at that time, was Commercial A&R Director at EMI Records UK ) to head up his Carrere UK label. Cannon opens the Carrere offices at Hansa Records UK in June 1978. Cannon sign's a South African group named Clout. Carrere' UK's first UK release "Substitute " by Clout goes to number 2 in Music Week in 1978. Freddie Cannon, the Managing Director, and Peter Hinton, A&R Manager, signed power pop band the Incredible Kidda Band and followed this in 1979 with the NWOBHM band Saxon. Cannon named the group "Saxon", since he could not work with their original name "Son of A Bitch." Saxon released their eponymous debut album the following year. In 1981, Cannon also signs Australian rock band, The Church. He goes on to sign another rock band from Australia called "Rose Tattoo" and "Don Dokken" from the US. Debbie Bonham was also signed and her critically acclaimed album " For You and the Moon " was released in 1984. In 1984, Peter Hinton departs the company. Cannon releases the only ballad from the label's Disco Queen Phyliss Nelson " Move Closer" this number 1song becomes Carrere's biggest selling single of all time in the UK. It is featured in over 300 compilations around the world. Cannon working with Carrere Italy' s Managing Director Luigi Arduino and Claude Carrere sign RAF the original version of " Self Control" to the label for the World. The group also sign's Eros Ramazotti and releases his hit single " Una Storia Importante".

Carrere UK went on to help develop album selling artists for the Carrere label worldwide with other groups like Demon, Rage, Eros Ramazotti and Jim Capaldi. Saxon, Rose Tattoo, The Church, DOKKEN and Debbie Bonham are still performing today.

The label also released the final album by The Buggles, 1981's Adventures in Modern Recording. It was distributed in the United States through Columbia Records. In 1985, Carrere released the four track EP Tomorrow Never Comes by NWOBHM group Scorched Earth, with lead singer Dave Cooper.

Other artists of note on the label were Princess Stéphanie of Monaco (Stephanie), Dollar, who enjoyed a number of hits with the label, Clout, who had a worldwide hit with their 1978 single "Substitute" and Dutch girl group Luv' that scored successful singles (including 1979's "Ooh, Yes I Do" in Europe). Boney M and Ottawan were also huge hits for the label. FR David also had a huge international hit with "Words".

In 1985, in coproduction with Didier and Frank Marouani, he released a single of Gloria Gaynor "My Love is Music" under Stars Only record label.

In June 1988, exactly 10 years after opening the label in the UK, Cannon departs and closes down Carrere UK. He joins Peter Waterman and David Howells at PWL Records as International Director. Claude Carrere loans his music company to Warner Music France.

In 1993, Carrere closed down, but the Carrere family still has the rights for its catalogs. Claude Carrere probably one of the greatest record men in the history of French music dies April 10, 2014. Carrere was the only French label to have multiple international successes worldwide, including a number 1 in the US with " Friends and Lovers" by Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson.

See also

• List of record labels