Adam VIII Limited was a record label founded by music publisher Morris Levy, and named after his son Adam. It operated in the late 1960s through the early 1980s.[1]
Adam VIII specialised in mail order issues and reissues of popular music, including works originally appearing on Roulette Records, also owned by Morris Levy.[2] By 1976, they had sold up to a million units of disco hits and rock hits featuring Chubby Checker.[3] They also marketed and sold albums recorded by Billie Holiday.[4]
Lawsuit edit
In 1975 they released Roots, a version of John Lennon's album Rock 'n' Roll.[5] Lennon originally undertook the project as a way to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit, over his song "Come Together", which had borrowed noticeably from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" (published by Levy).[6] As part of the settlement, Lennon agreed to record three songs that were owned by Levy's publishing house, Big Seven Music.[7] A planned deal to market the album through Adam VIII turned sour, and Levy released an album pressed from the rough-mix tape Lennon had given him, weeks before the album was finished, then sued Lennon, Capitol Records (Lennon's American label), and EMI for breach of contract for $7 million dollars.[8] Levy claimed that Lennon had agreed to allow the album to be released on Levy's mail-order label, as further settlement to the "You Can't Catch Me" lawsuit.[7] The latter three countersued and won, receiving $144,700 for lost royalties and damaged reputation over the album, and an injunction was ordered for Levy to suspend the sales of the album.[6] Levy later opined that "I lost because the judge fell in love with John Lennon, and Yoko knitted all day long, as a pregnant lady in the first row of the court".[6] After Adam VIII suspended sales of the album, naturally, the copies that had already been purchased became a collectors item.[6][7][9] According to court documents, exactly 1,270 copies of Roots were sold.[7]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Honig, Alexis (August 19, 1981). "At Your Service". Star Style. The Kansas City Star. p. 1B.
- ^ Dougherty, Philip H. (June 15, 1973). "Advertising: Dyed Blond and a Bear Freshening Brewer's Image". The New York Times. p. 48.
- ^ Morse, Steve (December 25, 1976). "What About Records Sold On TV?". The Boston Globe. p. 17.
- ^ Wilson, John S. (June 13, 1973). "Records: A Set of Billie Holiday's Hits". The New York Times. p. 56.
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (February 21, 1975). "Bette Goes Whole Hog With Clams Revue". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 35.
- ^ a b c d Pullen, Michael A. (February 5, 1989). "Yesterday and Today". The Monitor. p. 4C.
- ^ a b c d Neely, Tim (September 25, 2009). "Authentic Lennon 'Roots' Album Holds Value". Goldmine. Vol. 35, no. 20. p. 10. ProQuest 274986155. (subscription required)
- ^ Gleason, Ralph J. (March 30, 1975). "Sue Me, Sue Blues". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 16.
- ^ Harrington, Richard (October 24, 1986). "Records: Live Springsteen Set Already A Hit". The Shreveport Journal. The Washington Post. p. D11.