Colgems Records

Colgems Records was an American record label that operated from 1966 until 1971. It was created as a joint venture between Screen Gems, the television production and publishing division associated with Columbia Pictures, and RCA Victor. The label was established in connection with the development of The Monkees, a television group whose recordings were closely tied to Screen Gems’ entertainment properties. RCA Victor manufactured and distributed Colgems releases in the United States, while recordings issued domestically under the Colgems name generally appeared outside the United States on RCA Victor. The label replaced Colpix Records, an earlier Screen Gems-associated imprint. Colpix was dissolved as Colgems was organized, and most of its catalog subsequently went out of print. Two future Monkees members had earlier connections with Colpix: Davy Jones had been recruited to Screen Gems by Ward Sylvester, while Michael Nesmith had recorded for Colpix under the name Michael Blessing. The Colpix catalog was later sold to Roulette Records, separating that earlier body of recordings from Colgems’ principal operating history. Colgems’ central commercial asset was The Monkees. The label issued the group’s major albums, including The Monkees, More of the Monkees, Headquarters, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., and The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees. It also released singles and later Monkees-related material. Beyond the group, the roster included performers such as Sally Field, Jewel Akens, Sajid Khan, Paula Wayne, Hoyt Axton, Alex Keenan, Rich Little, the Lewis & Clarke Expedition, and several short-lived or specialty acts. The label therefore combined pop recordings, comedy, television-linked talent, and soundtrack exploitation rather than functioning solely as a conventional artist-centered label. Another important part of Colgems’ business was the release of soundtrack albums connected with Screen Gems and Columbia Pictures productions. Its soundtrack catalog included titles associated with Oliver!, In Cold Blood, Head, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Casino Royale, The Professionals, Lawrence of Arabia, The Happening, Interlude, and Getting Straight, among others. This gave Colgems access to film and television properties controlled or distributed through its corporate partners. Colgems declined after The Monkees’ commercial momentum weakened. The final Monkees album, Changes, featured only Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz and was both critically and commercially unsuccessful. The label’s last release, Barrel Full of Monkees, appeared in January 1971 and performed poorly, reaching number 207 on the Billboard album chart. Colgems then closed, with its artists and master recordings moved into Bell Records, a Columbia Pictures-owned label. Bell was later dismantled as Columbia Pictures reorganized its recorded-music operations around Arista Records. In subsequent decades, ownership and control of the former Colgems assets became divided. Sony Music Entertainment controls the general Colgems assets associated with the Columbia Pictures music businesses, while The Monkees’ recordings and related entertainment rights are controlled by Warner Music Group’s Rhino Records. Colgems therefore survives primarily as a historical imprint and catalog identity rather than as an active label.

Colgems Records emerged in 1966 from the partnership between Screen Gems and RCA Victor. Screen Gems was the television division and entertainment arm associated with Columbia Pictures, while RCA Victor contributed record manufacturing and distribution capabilities. The label’s creation was closely connected to The Monkees, a television project developed through Screen Gems that became a major pop-culture and recording success. Colgems provided a dedicated imprint for recordings by the group and for other artists connected with the Screen Gems and Columbia Pictures businesses. The new label replaced Colpix Records, an earlier Screen Gems-associated imprint. Colpix was dissolved when Colgems was formed, and nearly all of the older label’s titles became unavailable. The transition was notable because Davy Jones and Michael Nesmith, both later members of The Monkees, had prior links to Colpix. Jones had been recruited to Screen Gems by Ward Sylvester, and Nesmith had recorded as Michael Blessing. The Colpix catalog was eventually sold to Roulette Records, leaving Colgems to develop a separate identity around contemporary pop, soundtrack, and television-related material. The Monkees became Colgems’ defining act. The label released the group’s principal albums during its peak period, including The Monkees, More of the Monkees, Headquarters, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., and The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees. These records reflected the changing balance between material supplied by professional songwriters and the members’ increasing involvement in arranging, writing, and recording. Colgems also issued later Monkees material as the group’s popularity declined. The label’s dependence on one dominant act made its fortunes closely tied to the group’s television exposure, record sales, and changing public profile. Colgems’ wider roster included Sally Field, Jewel Akens, Sajid Khan, Paula Wayne, P.K. Limited, the Hung Jury, Fountain of Youth, the Lewis & Clarke Expedition, Hoyt Axton, Alex Keenan, and comedian Rich Little. The label’s releases were not confined to conventional pop albums. It also issued comedy recordings and soundtrack albums derived from Screen Gems and Columbia Pictures properties. Its soundtrack output included recordings associated with Oliver!, In Cold Blood, Head, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Casino Royale, Hammerhead, The Professionals, The Night of the Generals, Murderers’ Row, Lawrence of Arabia, The Southern Star, The Happening, Interlude, and Getting Straight. Outside the United States, Colgems productions were generally distributed under the RCA Victor name. The label entered decline as The Monkees’ commercial position weakened. Changes, the group’s final Colgems-era studio album, involved only Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz and failed to match the critical or commercial performance of earlier releases. In January 1971 Colgems issued Barrel Full of Monkees, a release centered on its flagship act. It sold poorly and reached number 207 on the Billboard album chart. Colgems subsequently closed, and its recording masters and artists were folded into Bell Records, which was wholly owned by Columbia Pictures. Bell was later discontinued as Columbia Pictures reorganized its recorded-music activities around Arista Records under Clive Davis. In 1979 Columbia Pictures sold Arista, including the former Colgems assets, to Ariola Records, whose parent company was BMG. BMG later merged with RCA Records in 1985. Ownership of the former catalog subsequently became divided. Sony Music Entertainment controls the general Colgems assets associated with the Columbia Pictures music businesses, following Sony’s 1989 acquisition of Columbia Pictures. The Monkees’ recordings and related rights are controlled separately by Warner Music Group’s Rhino Records, which had licensed and reissued the original Colgems albums and acquired the broader Monkees audio and entertainment package in 1994. A related imprint, SGC Records, stood for Screen Gems-Columbia. It used a distribution arrangement through Atlantic Records that was comparable to Screen Gems’ relationship with RCA, and it issued albums by the group Nazz. SGC was related institutionally to the Screen Gems music operation but was distinct from the Colgems label. Today Colgems is a defunct historical label whose importance rests chiefly on The Monkees catalog and its role in linking television production, film soundtracks, and recorded music.

• 1994

  Rhino acquires The Monkees package

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Rhino acquires The Monkees’ audio catalog, television series, film Head, and rights to the group’s name and logo.

• 1989

  Sony acquires Columbia Pictures

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Sony’s acquisition of Columbia Pictures eventually places the general former Colgems assets under Sony Music Entertainment control.

• 1979

  Arista and former Colgems assets are sold to Ariola

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Columbia Pictures sells Arista, including the former Colgems assets, to Ariola Records.

• 1971

  Colgems closes

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  After the weak performance of Barrel Full of Monkees, Colgems ends operations and its artists and masters move to Bell Records.

• 1970

  Changes marks the Monkees’ late Colgems period

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The Monkees release Changes, an album featuring only Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz that performs poorly compared with the group’s earlier work.

• 1966

  Colgems Records is formed

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Screen Gems and RCA Victor establish Colgems as a joint-venture label for The Monkees and other Screen Gems-associated artists.

• 1966

  Colpix Records is dissolved

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The earlier Screen Gems-associated imprint Colpix is dissolved as Colgems is introduced; much of the Colpix catalog subsequently goes out of print.

• 1966

  The Monkees becomes the label’s flagship act

  [1]Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Colgems begins issuing recordings by The Monkees, whose television exposure drives the label’s principal commercial success.

A film- and television-connected record label built around Screen Gems properties, with The Monkees as its flagship act and RCA Victor providing manufacturing and distribution.

• Artist catalog · 1966

  The Monkees recordings

  The Monkees were Colgems’ central recording property. The label issued the group’s principal albums, including The Monkees, More of the Monkees, Headquarters, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., and The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees. The catalog connected television promotion with pop-record sales and became the enduring source of Colgems’ historical significance.

• Soundtrack albums · 1966

  Film soundtracks

  Colgems issued soundtrack recordings tied to Screen Gems and Columbia Pictures productions. Its soundtrack list included Oliver!, In Cold Blood, Head, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Casino Royale, Lawrence of Arabia, The Happening, Interlude, and Getting Straight, among other films.

• Recorded music · 1966

  Non-Monkees artist releases

  The label released records by a varied group of artists and acts, including Sally Field, Jewel Akens, Sajid Khan, Paula Wayne, Hoyt Axton, Alex Keenan, Rich Little, the Lewis & Clarke Expedition, and several short-lived groups. These releases broadened Colgems beyond its flagship television act.

• 1971

  Phase out Colgems and transfer its catalogStrategy

  Background

  The label’s performance weakened after The Monkees’ commercial decline, culminating in the poor reception and sales of Changes and Barrel Full of Monkees.

  Action taken

  Colgems closed, and its artists and master recordings were moved into Bell Records.

  Aftermath

  Bell was later discontinued during Columbia Pictures’ reorganization of its music operations, while the former Colgems assets passed through later corporate ownership structures.

  Source

• 1966

  Replace Colpix with a new Screen Gems–RCA labelStrategy

  Background

  Screen Gems needed a label structure suited to The Monkees and other television- and film-related recordings, while RCA Victor supplied manufacturing and distribution capacity.

  Action taken

  The partners dissolved Colpix and launched Colgems Records as a joint venture.

  Aftermath

  Colgems became the principal Screen Gems-associated label and built its identity around The Monkees and soundtrack releases.

  Source

1. 1Colgems Recordsen.wikipedia.org