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Swan Song Records

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Swan Song Records
Founded1974
FounderLed Zeppelin
Peter Grant
Distributor(s)Atlantic Records
GenreRock
Country of originUK

Swan Song Records was a record label launched by Led Zeppelin on May 10, 1974. It was managed by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant and was a vehicle for the band to promote its own products as well as sign artists who found it difficult to win contracts with other major labels. The decision to launch the label came after Led Zeppelin's five year contract with Atlantic Records expired at the end of 1973. Atlantic Records ultimately distributed the label's product.

The company logo was based on Evening, Fall of Day (1869) by painter William Rimmer, featuring a picture of the Greek mythology figure Apollo, although often it is misinterpreted as Icarus or Lucifer because of the wings which rarely appear in other Apollo depictions.

A lavish media party was held at Chislehurst Caves in Kent, England on October 31, 1974, to celebrate the label’s first UK release by the Pretty Things, Silk Torpedo(the first US release for Swan Song was the self-titled debut album from Bad Company in June of 1974). By March 1975, Swan Song had four albums (Bad Company, Silk Torpedo, Physical Graffiti, and Suicide Sal) in the Billboard Top 200 chart. The recording label also partly funded film projects such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail in 1975.

Artists who signed with the label but did not produce any releases included New York singer-songwriter Mirabai, Metropolis which featured members from the Pretty Things, The Message (which featured future Bon Jovi members Alec John Such and Richie Sambora), and Itchy Brother, which featured future members of The Kentucky Headhunters. Both Iron Maiden and The Q Tips featuring Paul Young were considered but not signed. Artists that Swan Song Records wanted to sign but bowed out to other labels were Roy Harper and blues guitarist Bobby Parker.

Swan Song ceased operations in October 1983 due to the break-up of Led Zeppelin and Peter Grant’s health problems. A rescue attempt to save the label by Atlantic Records executive Phil Carson proved fruitless. Robert Plant started his own label Es Paranza Records in the wake of Swan Song’s closing, while Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones returned to Atlantic Records. Today, the label is strictly used for reissues of all the albums that were released by the label when it was active.

  • UK Address: 484 Kings Road, London, SW10 UK
  • US Address: 444 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10022 U.S.A.

Personnel

Label discography

See also

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