Asylum Records
| Asylum Records | |
|---|---|
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| Parent company | Warner Music Group |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | |
| Distributor(s) |
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| Genre | Various |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Official website | www |
Asylum Records is an American record label founded in 1971 by David Geffen and partner Elliot Roberts. It was taken over by Warner Communications (now the Warner Music Group) in 1972, and later merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/Asylum Records.
After various incarnations, today it is geared primarily towards hip-hop, along with rock and alternative metal. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and is currently distributed through Atlantic Records.
Asylum was founded in 1971 by David Geffen, and partner Elliot Roberts, who had previously worked as agents at the William Morris Agency, and operated a folk/rock label. They had previously founded their own management company. Geffen was unable to get a recording contract for their client Jackson Browne. While pitching Browne to Ahmet Ertegun, Geffen said, "You'll make a lot of money." Ertegun replied, "You know what, David, I have a lot of money. Why don't you start a record company and then you'll have a lot of money." They agreed immediately that Ertegun would put up the initial funds, Atlantic Records would distribute Asylum Records, and that they would split the profits 50/50.
Although they knew they would sign Browne, the first act that Geffen asked to join the label was his close friend Laura Nyro, whose career he was managing at the time. Nyro agreed, but without Geffen's knowledge she changed her mind and re-signed with Columbia Records. Geffen said it was the biggest betrayal of his life up to that point and that he "cried for days".
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Wikipedia