Invictus Records was an American

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the pr ...

based in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

. It was created by former top

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

producers

Brian Holland Brian Holland (born February 15, 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound, and numerous h ...

Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He co-wrote and produced 14 US ''Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Doz ...

and

Edward Holland, Jr. Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", he ...

(known collectively as

Holland–Dozier–Holland Holland–Dozier–Holland was a songwriting and production team consisting of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. The trio wrote, arranged and produced many songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s. Du ...

). It was the sister label to the Buddah-distributed

Hot Wax Records Hot Wax Records was a Detroit, Michigan-based record label, created by producers/songwriters Holland–Dozier–Holland (Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland) in 1968 when they left Motown. History Until 1967, Holland, Dozier, and Holl ...

, which was also owned by Holland-Dozier-Holland.

History

For most of the 1960s until 1967, Holland-Dozier-Holland (H-D-H) were a leading

songwriting A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...

and production team, providing hits for The Supremes, The Four Tops and other Motown acts. However, they decided to quit the company, they had helped to establish and start their own label for better control and greater rewards. They eventually launched Invictus, along with

, in 1969. Their most successful acts on Invictus were

Freda Payne Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1942Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944.) is an American singer and actress. Payne is best ...

and Chairmen of the Board; they also released

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

's first album, ''

Osmium Osmium (from Greek grc, ὀσμή, osme, smell, label=none) is a chemical element with the symbol Os and atomic number 76. It is a hard, brittle, bluish-white transition metal in the platinum group that is found as a trace element in alloys, ...

''. The label was distributed by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...

from 1969 to 1972 and then by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

from 1973 onwards. In September 1970, the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

music magazine '' NME'' reported that Invictus had the UK's top two

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

. Freda Payne's " Band of Gold" was #1, while Chairmen of the Board's "

Give Me Just a Little More Time "Give Me Just a Little More Time" is the debut single by Chairmen of the Board, released in 1970 through Capitol Records on Holland–Dozier–Holland's Invictus Records label. "Give Me Just a Little More Time", backed with "Since the Days of ...

" was at #3 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

. Both of those records were million-sellers in the US, but neither topped the pop or R&B charts. Invictus had two other gold records: Freda Payne's "Bring The Boys Home" and 8th Day's " She's Not Just Another Woman", both in 1971. On leaving Motown, H-D-H were subject to legal action by

Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...

and, as a result, they were temporarily barred from issuing new compositions on their labels. Consequently, the names Holland-Dozier-Holland were not used until after 1970; releases were initially credited to

Ronald Dunbar Ronald Dunbar (April 15, 1939 – April 3, 2018) was an American songwriter, A&R director and record producer who worked closely with Holland–Dozier–Holland, and with George Clinton. His co-writing credits include the hit songs " Give Me J ...

(one of their producers) and "Edyth Wayne", which was a pseudonym. The Invictus label was light blue with black printing. A statue of a seated man (Auguste Rodin's "

The Thinker ''The Thinker'' (french: Le Penseur) is a bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin, usually placed on a stone pedestal. The work depicts a nude male figure of heroic size sitting on a rock. He is seen leaning over, his right elbow placed on his left t ...

") almost covers the entire label, with "INVICTUS" in dark blue at the top and to the left of the center hole. There are a group of black and white rays coming from the eye of the statue and extending downward to the right. The trio launched a third label, Music Merchant, through Buddah Records in 1972 and signings included

Michael Lovesmith Michael Lovesmith (born Michael Larry Smith, 1953) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and executive. He has sometimes been credited as Michael L. Smith. Life and career Born in St Louis, Missouri, he wrote songs for ...

and his brothers who recorded as The Smith Connection, former Motowner

Brenda Holloway Brenda Holloway (born June 26, 1946) is an American singer and songwriter, who was a recording artist for Motown Records during the 1960s. Her best-known recordings are the soul hits, "Every Little Bit Hurts", " When I'm Gone", and "You've Ma ...

The Jones Girls The Jones Girls were an American R&B vocal trio of sisters from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Consisting of Brenda, Shirley and Valorie Jones, the Jones Girls first signed and recorded for GM Records in 1970. The trio were best known for th ...

and Eloise Laws, but the only commercial success the label had was with The Smith Connection single "(I've Been a Winner, I've Been a Loser) I've Been in Love", which peaked at number 28 R&B in early 1973. Despite recording over a dozen releases, the label was closed the following year. In 1973, when Hot Wax folded due to

cash flow A cash flow is a real or virtual movement of money: *a cash flow in its narrow sense is a payment (in a currency), especially from one central bank account to another; the term 'cash flow' is mostly used to describe payments that are expected ...

problems from royalty payment issues, Dozier left to forge a solo career and the Holland brothers moved their remaining artists to Invictus. The label continued to operate on a reduced level until 1977, when it also folded and was eventually remodeled to HDH Records. Dozier and the Holland brothers still own the catalogue, which is managed by HDH Records.

Singles discography

All singles from 9071 to 9133 were distributed by Capitol Records *9071 - Crumbs Off the Table/ Bad Bill of Goods - Glass House (1969) *9072 - The Music Box/ A Gift Of Me - New Box (1969) *9073 - The Unhooked Generation/ The Easiest Way To Fall - Freda Payne (1969) *9074 - Give Me Just a Little More Time/ Since the Days Of Pigtails (and Fairytales) - Chairmen of the Board (1969) *9075 - Band Of Gold/ The Easiest Way To Fall - Freda Payne (1969) *9076 - I Can't Be You (You Can't Be Me)/ He's In My Life - Glass House (1970) *9077 - Little Old Country Boy/ I Call My Baby Pussycat - A Parliament Thang (1970) *9078 - (You've Got Me) Dangling On a String/ I'll Come Crawling - Chairmen of the Board (1970) *9079 - Everything's Tuesday/ Patches - Chairmen of the Board (1970) *9080 - Deeper and Deeper/ The Unhooked Generation - Freda Payne (1970) *9081 - Pay to the Piper/ Bless You - Chairmen of the Board (1970) *9082 - Stealing Moments From Another Woman's Life/ If It Ain't Love (It Don't Matter) - Glass House (1970) *9083 - Trapped In Love/ When Love Was a Child - Barrino Brothers (1971) *9084 - I Shall Not Be Moved/ When Love Was a Child - Barrino Brothers (1971) *9085 - The World Don't Owe You a Thing/ Cherish What Is Dear To You (While It Is Near To You) - Freda Payne (1971) *9086 - Chairman of the Board/ When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me - Chairman of the Board (1971) *9087 - She's Not Just Another Woman/ I Can't Fool Myself - The 8th Day (1971) *9088 - Hare Krishna/ No Commitment - Ruth Copeland (1971) *9089 - Hanging On (To a Memory)/ Tricked and Trapped - Chairmen of the Board (1971) *9090 - Touch Me Jesus/ If It Ain't Love (It Don't Matter) - Glass House (1971) *9091 - Red Hot Mama/ Little Ole Country Boy - Parliament (1971) *9092 - Bring the Boys Home/ I Shall Not Be Moved - Freda Payne (1971) *9093 - I'm In Love Darling/ Savannah Lady - General Johnson (1971) *9094 - Old Mother Nature/ What I Am - Lucifer (1971) *9095 - Breakdown/ Little Ole Country Boy - Parliament (1971) *9096 - Gimmie Shelter/ No Commitment - Ruth Copeland (1971) *9097 - Look What We've Done To Love/ Heaven Is There To Guide Us - Glass House (1971) *9098 - You've Got To Crawl (Before You Walk)/ It's Instrumental To Be Free - The 8th Day (1971) *9099 - Try On My Love For Size/ Working On a Building Of Love - Chairmen of the Board (1971) *9100 - You Brought the Joy/ Suddenly It's Yesterday - Freda Payne (1971) *9101 - Nothing But the Devil/ Yeah I'm the Devil - Johnn Billy West (1971) *9102 - Solo/ I Don't Want To Lose a Good Thing - Billie Sans (1971) *9103 - Men Are Getting Scarce/ Bravo Hooray - Chairmen of the Board (1971) *9104 - I Shall Not Be Moved/ I Had It All - Barrino Brothers (1971) *9105 - Bittersweet/ Elmo James - Chairmen of the Board (1971) *9106 - All We Need Is Understanding/ Savannah Lady - General Johnson (1971) *9107 - If I Could See the Light/ Instrumental - 8th Day (1971) *9108 - We Gotta Go/ Don't You (Think the Times a-Comin') - Lucifer (1971) *9109 - The Road We Didn't Take/ I'm Not Getting Any Better - Freda Payne (1971) *9110 - Don't Leave Me/ Instrumental - Holland & Dozier (1972) *9111 - Playing Games/ Let It Flow - Glass House (1972) *9112 - Sunday Morning People/ Up The Organization (Instrumental) - Harrison Kennedy (1972) *9113 - Bloodshot Eyes/ Old Mother Nature - Lucifer (1972) *9114 - V.I.P./ It Ain't the World (It's the People In It) - Scherrie Payne (1972) *9115 - I'm Worried/ Just As Long - Melvin Davis (1972) *9116 - Let Me Ride/ It Didn't Take Long - Danny Woods (1972) *9117 - Eeny-Meeny-Miny-Mo/ Rocks In My Head - 8th Day (1972) *9118 - Giving Up the Ring/ Let It Flow - Glass House (1972) *9119 - Come Together/ Sunday Morning People - Harrison Kennedy (1972) *9120 - I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore/ Hey There Lonely Girl - Ty Hunter (1972) *9121 - Try It You'll Like It/ I Had It All - Barrino Brothers (1972) *9122 - Everybody's Got a Song To Sing/ Working On a Building Of Love - Chairmen of the Board (1972) *9123 - Come On In Out Of the Rain/ Little Ole Country Boy - Parliament (1972) *9124 - I Gotta Get Home (Can't Let My Baby Get Lone)/ Good Book - 8th Day (1972) *9125 - Why Can't We Be Lovers/ Don't Leave Me (Instrumental) - Holland & Dozier (1972) *9126 - Let Me Down Easy/ I Can't Find Myself - Chairmen of the Board (1972) *9127 - Unused *9128 - Through the Memory Of My Mind/ He's In My Life - Freda Payne (1972) *9129 - Thanks I Needed That/ I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore - Glass House (1972) *9130 - Livin' High Off the Goodness Of Your Love(Single, Instrumental) - Barrino Brothers *9131 - Unused *9132 - Everybody's Tippin'/ Roller Coaster - Danny Woods *9133 - Don't Leave Me Starving For Your Love (Part 1)/ (Part 2) - Holland & Dozier (1972) All singles from 1251 to 1283 were distributed by Columbia/CBS Records *1251 - Finders Keepers/ Instrumental - Chairmen of the Board (1973) *1252 - Only Time Will Tell/ Instrumental - General Johnson (1973) *1253 - Slipping Away/ Can't Get Enough (Instrumental) - Holland & Dozier (1973) *1254 - New Breed Kinda Woman/ If You Don't Want To Be In My Life - Holland & Dozier (1973) *1255 - Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right/ We've Gotta Find a Way Back To Love - Freda Payne (1973) *1256 - Born On the Wild/ Instrumental - Barrino Brothers (1973) *1257 - For No Reason/ Mother Misery's Favourite Child - Freda Payne (1973) *1258 - You Took Me From a World Outside/ I'm Gonna Hijack Ya, Kidnap Ya, Take What I Want - Holland & Dozier (1973) *1259 - You Made Me Over/ I'm Worried - Melvin Davis (1973) *1260 - Sittin' On a Time Bomb (Waiting For the Hurt To Come)/ Get Your House In Order (Instrumental) - Lee Charles (1974) *1261 - Unused *1262 - Unused *1263 - Life and Death/ Live With Me Love With Me - Chairmen of the Board (1974) *1264 - I Need It Just As Bad As You - If I'm Good Enough To Love (I'm Good Enough To Marry) - Laura Lee (1974) *1265 - I'm So Glad (Part 1)/ (Part 2) - Brian Holland (1974) *1266 - Unused *1267 - Bump Your Lady (Part 1)/ (Part 2) - Natural High (1974) *1268 - Everybody Party All Night/ Morning Glory (Instrumental) - Chairmen of the Board (1974) *1269 - Can't Get Enough Of You/ You Took Me from a World Outside - Tyrone Edwards *1270 - Unused *1271 - Let's Have Some Fun/ Love At First Sight - Chairmen of the Board (1974) *1272 - Let's Get Together/ Superwoman (You Ain't No Ordinary Woman) - Brian Holland (1974) *1273 - Don't Leave Me Starving For Your Love/ (If You Want To Try Love Again) Remember Me - Laura Lee (1974) *1274 - That's Love/ Instrumental - Hi-Lites (1974) *1275 - Wanting You/ Instrumental - Earl English (1974) *1276 - Skin I'm In/ Love At First Sight - Chairmen of the Board (1974) *1277 - Touch Me/ Stay With Me - Eloise Laws (1974) *1278 - You've Got Extra Added Power In Your Love/ Someone Just Like You - Chairmen of the Board (1976) *1279 - I Got It/ Part 2 - New York Port Authority (1976) *1280 - Love Goes Deeper Than That/ Put a Little Love Into It - Eloise Laws (1977) *1281 - I Use To Hate It (Till I Ate It)/ I Got It - New York Port Authority (1977) *1282 - Put a Little Love Into It/ Camouflage - Eloise Laws (1977) *1283 - I Don't Want To Work Today/ Guess I'm Gonna Cry - New York Port Authority (1977)

Album discography

*7300 - ''Give Me Just a Little More Time'' - Chairmen of the Board

970 Year 970 ( CMLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 970th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' designations, the 970th year of the 1st millennium, the 70th year ...

(5-70, #133) *7301 - '' Band of Gold'' -

(8-70, #60) *7302 - ''

'' -

*7303 - ''

Self Portrait A self-portrait is a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist. Although self-portraits have been made since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid-15th century tha ...

'' -

Ruth Copeland Ruth Copeland (born ) is an English-born former singer, based in the United States since the 1960s and known for her collaborations with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. Biography Early life Copeland was born in Consett, County Durham ...

*7304 - ''In Session'' - Chairmen of the Board

(11-70, #117) *7305 - ''Inside the Glass House'' - The Glass House

971 Year 971 ( CMLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Dorostolon: A Byzantine expeditionary army (possibly 30–40,000 men ...

*7306 - ''The 8th Day'' - 8th Day

(8-71, #131) *7307 - ''

Contact Contact may refer to: Interaction Physical interaction * Contact (geology), a common geological feature * Contact lens or contact, a lens placed on the eye * Contact sport, a sport in which players make contact with other players or objects * C ...

'' - Freda Payne

(6-71, #76) *7309 - ''Lucifer'' - Lucifer

*7311 - ''Black Mass'' - Lucifer

972 Year 972 ( CMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – Emperor John I Tzimiskes divides the Bulgarian territories, recent ...

nissued*9801 - ''Bittersweet'' - Chairmen of the Board

(5-72, #178) *9802 - '' I Am What I Am'' - Ruth Copeland

*9803 - ''Generally Speaking'' - General Johnson

*9804 - ''Best of Freda Payne'' - Freda Payne

(4-72, #152) *9806 - ''Hypnotic Music'' - Harrison Kennedy

*9807 - ''Invictus' Greatest Hits'' - Various Artists

*9808 - ''Aries'' - Danny Wood

*9809 - ''I Gotta Get Home'' - 8th Day

*9810 - ''Thanks, I Needed That'' - Glass House

*9811 - ''Livin' High Off the Goodness of Your Love'' - Barrino Brothers

*KZ-32493 - ''Reaching Out'' - Freda Payne

973 Year 973 ( CMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – The Byzantine army, led by General Melias (Domestic of the S ...

*KZ-32526 - ''The Skin I'm In'' - Chairmen Of The Board

*KZ-33133 - ''I Can't Make It Alone'' - Laura Lee

*PZ-33134 - ''Love and Beauty'' - Lamont Dozier

975 Year 975 ( CMLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor John I raids Mesopotamia and invades Syria, using ...

*PZ-34379 - ''Ain't It Good Feeling Good'' -

Eloise Laws Eloise Laws (born November 6, 1943) is an American singer and a member of the prominent Laws family of musicians from Houston, Texas. Biography Lavern Eloise Laws was born in Houston, Texas, as the fourth of eight children of Miola Luverta Donah ...

977 Year 977 ( CMLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * May – Boris II, dethroned emperor (''tsar'') of Bulgaria, and his brother Roman m ...

*PZ-34380 - ''Three Thousand Miles From Home'' - New York Port Authority

References

External links

HDH Records official site
{{Authority control American record labels Record labels established in 1968 Record labels disestablished in 1973 Soul music record labels 1968 establishments in Michigan