Zoo Entertainment was an American record label formed in 1990 by Lou Maglia. Zoo released three platinum records by the group Tool, as well as gold records by Green Jellÿ and Matthew Sweet. During the record company's early years, music industry executive George Daly was the label's original Vice President of A&R.
| Zoo Entertainment | |
|---|---|
| Parent company | BMG (1991-1996) Volcano (1996-1997) Sony Music Entertainment (current) |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Lou Maglia |
| Status | Defunct since 1997 |
| Distributor(s) | Volcano |
| Genre | Alternative rock |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Los Angeles (1991-1996) New York City (1996-1997)[1] |
History
editThe label was formed in 1990 by Lou Maglia, former president of Island Records. As early as 1993, Zoo was having financial difficulties.[2] The record label also distributed Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records for a short time. Being its distributor, the late Phyllis Hyman enjoyed a #1 R&B hit with "Don't Wanna Change The World," a song that was taken to US radio by radio promoter Jesus Garber, then a VP at Zoo.
In 1995, BMG reduced the staff at Zoo, foreshadowing problems for the label.[3]
In August 1996, BMG sold Zoo to Kevin Czinger's newly formed Volcano Entertainment.[1] It began as a partnership between the two labels, but by the end of 1997 the Zoo name had been phased out. All of Zoo's artists were absorbed by the new Volcano imprint. Volcano went through changes and was eventually sold to the Zomba Label Group in the spring of 1998. When Zomba was purchased by BMG in 2002, any remaining Zoo artists were returned to the BMG fold. BMG's assets were sold in 2008 to Sony Corporation of America and the back catalog is now handled by Sony Music Group through Volcano.
Artists
edit- 20 Fingers
- 7 Year Bitch
- Ajax
- Akinyele
- Alcohol Funnycar
- Bad Boys Blue
- Big Star
- Bleu
- Blue Train
- Calamity Jane
- Cause & Effect
- Clarence Clemons
- Coming Of Age
- Course of Empire
- Cosmic Travelers
- Crowbar
- Disturbance
- Dogstar
- Drive
- Flowerhead
- Gary Hoey
- Gillette
- Great White
- Green Jellÿ
- Hoodoo Gurus
- Kemelions
- Killers
- Killing Joke
- Little Feat
- Last Gentlemen
- Lazet Michaels
- Lusk
- Love Jones
- Matthew Sweet
- Max-A-Million
- Miss Alans
- Morpheus
- Nature
- N.F.B.
- Odds
- Oliver Who?
- Overlords
- Philip Bailey
- Phyllis Hyman
- Pood, Bhud, 'N' Pflug
- The Pooh Sticks
- Procol Harum
- Steve Pryor Band
- Street Mentality
- Red Square Black
- Replicants
- Rhythm Tribe
- Rosco Martinez
- Self
- Shaver
- Spelvins
- Tool
- Tung Twista
- Varga
- Voices
- Webb Wilder
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Taylor, Tess (1996-11-01). "An Interview with Lou Maglia". National Association of Record Industry Professionals. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (1993-04-16). "Sedona files breach suit against BMG". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2008.
- ^ "BMG Entertainment Restructures Two Core Record Labels Paving The Road To Success". Business Wire. 1995-02-07. Retrieved December 14, 2008.