Just finishing up Simon Spence's fascinating account of my favorite label back in my anglophile days, IMMEDIATE RECORDS. Entitled (what else?): Immediate: The Rise and Fall of the UK's First Independent Record Label: FUCK THEM ALL (Backstage Books). This is a recently updated version of Simon's previous coffee-table-size book about Immediate Records, first published in 2008. And it is perhaps the best book ever about that insane moment in the mid to late '60s when it looked like young, gifted, and hip revolutionaries were taking over EVERYTHING (but especially the Music Biz)—and none so young, hip, or revolutionary in outlook than Rolling Stones manager/producer Andrew Loog Oldham.
With his partner Tony Calder, Andrew re-drew the map of what an indie record label could look like and get away with—with glorious signings of the caliber of the Small Faces, The Nice, Humble Pie, Fleetwood Mac, Christa Päffgen aka Nico, John Mayall, Rod Stewart and other luminaries; plus house producers and songwriters including Jimmy Page and Mick Jagger.
Other artists associated with Immediate, such as Duncan Browne, Chris Farlowe, and P.P. Arnold, are not as well known—but they turned in quality music, especially Duncan Browne, whose debut album was a lush, sensitive Pre-Raphaelite delight.
And then there was their ground-breaking British Blues Archive series.
This really was a full-spectrum, full-service label—"Happy To Be A Part of the Industry of Human Happiness," as one of their full-page ads (and sampler albums) stated.
It's a wild tale and definitely an addendum to Andrew's three books of autobiography and musings: Stoned, 2 Stoned, and Stone Free, which are also highly recommended.
"Oldham, without doubt, was the most flash personality that British pop has ever had, the most anarchic and obsessive and imaginative hustler of all. He loathed slowness and drabness, age and caution and incompetence, mediocrity of all kinds, and he could not stand to work his way up steadily like anyone else. Instead, he barnstormed, he came on quite outrageous. I think his talent and impact have been very, very underestimated."—Nik Cohn, Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock
Below is one of Humble Pie's best tracks, featuring Peter Frampton on vocals—which never did see an official release in the US— one of the reasons the label eventually collapsed (basically, non-cooperation from my former employers at Black Rock).
I don't want to spoil the thrills and chills herein too much, so please check out IMMEDIATE immediately.