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A&M RECORDS EUROPE

HISTORY

1965
A&M recordings had foreign license representation by Decca in Scandanavia, Holland, Germany and Belgium; Pye in the United Kingdom; Pathe Marconi in France, and Compagnia Generale del Disco (CGD) in Italy.

One of the early successful singles was Lucille Starr's "The French Song" which sold 150,000 copies in Holland.

1966
Fonier in Belgium released a promotional record by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass to support their tour.

Hispavox used A&M's own label on recordings in Spain.

1967
Pathe Marconi released a promotional album pressed on yellow vinyl that featured the Tijuana Brass, Baja Marimba Band, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Claudine Longet and the Sandpipers. The company also released extended play recordings by the Baja Marimba Band and Claudine Longet.

1968
In February, A&M renewed its distribution agreement with Hispavox in Spain.

A&M Records' first staff presence in Europe came soon after the establishment of A&M Records, Ltd. in London. Larry Yaskiel was named the European director and began work on September 1 in London. Yaskiel and eight staff coordinated record promotions with Pye Records (England), Deutsche Grammophon (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg), CGD (Italy), and Hispavox (Spain). The staff would also assign new songwriters to Almo Music, Irving Music or Rondor Music and provide media promotions and coordinate personal appearances by artists.

1970
As of September 1, European director Larry Yaskiel and eight staff for A&M Europe were based in A&M's London office. Yaskiel also had responsibility for assigning publishing to Almo, Irving or Rondor Music. The staff coordinated with its distributors, Deutsch Grammophon (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg), Compagnia Generale del Disco (CGD) (Italy), and Hispavox (Spain).

1970
On October 1, Dishi Records began distributing A&M in Italy. The first albums under the deal were by Quincy Jones, Carpenters, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Humble Pie and Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Karrussell was the distributor in Sweden.

1972
A&M named its European coordinator, Michel De May who was based in France and whose work emphasized A&M in the French market.

The licensees for tapes and discs were:
        Iron Curtain countries--Ariola
        France--RCA Italiana plus some tapes from Precision Tapes
        Germany--Ariola (duplication)
        Great Britain-- Precision Tapes (duplication and marketing)
        Holland--Ariola (imports tapes from Precision Tapes)
        Italy--Ricordi (manufacturing)
        Scandanavia--tapes imported from Precision Tapes in Britain
        Spain--Hispavox (manufacturing)

1974
In June, Polydor replaced Symphoa as A&M's distributor in Ireland.

Inelco was the distributor in Belgium.

1975
In Spain, Ariola-Eurodisc S.A. began distribution of A&M.

1976
Marcus Bicknell was named European managing direcctor to oversee all European operations.

1977
A formal A&M Records Europe office was established in 1977 in Paris, France. The Paris office was the European headquarters office as well as the French promotion office. In late April, A&M announced that CBS International would be its distributor throughout continental Europe. The A&M Records Europe office was to increase and supplement the distribution arrangement. Bill Stern was appointed European marketing research and public relations consultant. He told Billboard, "The degree in which A&M is known in Europe is by the promotion of its product....It's a matter of a known label establishing itself as a more international one."

1978
A&M created promotion offices in Hiversum, Holland and Frankfurt, Germany. Both offices were located within the CBS offices.

1982
A&M Records Europe's headquarters and plus the new Rondor Music France moved to 95 Boulevard Murat, Paris.

1985
Effective April 1 A&M licensing for continental Europe moved from CBS to Polydor International as Polydor outbid CBS.

SOURCES:
  1. A&M to Blanket Europe. Billboard. December 18, 1965.
  2. A&M Keys European Attack to Three Goals. Billboard. August 23, 1969.
  3. Bicknell Names European Mgr., A&M Records. Billboard. December 25, 1976.
  4. Stern Moves to Bolster A&M European Marketing. Ed Harrison. Billboard, May 7, 1977.
  5. New Headquarters for A&M Europe. Billboard. June 26, 1982.

A&M RECORDS EUROPE STAFF

Thank you to all of the very talented members of the A&M Records Europe family.

If your name does not appear in the list below, please send an e-mail and let us include you in the credits. Photos for the A&M Family Photo Album are always welcome! When you write, please include the years you worked at A&M and your job title or the name of the department where you worked. This information is also used to validate your registration for our Employee Discussion areas--a forum available exclusively for A&M artists and staff.

SOURCES:
1. A&M Records' 10th and 15th anniversary books
2. Billboard magazine articles
3. A&M Records and Rondor Music International employees