DiscReet Records, self-identified simply as DiscReet, was a
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 prod ...
founded by
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of A ...
and his then business partner/manager
Herb Cohen
Herbert Cohen (December 30, 1932 – March 16, 2010) was an American personal manager, record company executive, and music publisher, best known as the manager of Judy Henske, Linda Ronstadt, Frank Zappa, Tim Buckley, Odetta, Tom Waits, Geor ...
. The name of the label was a pun derived from
disc and the
Compatible Discrete 4 process of encoding
quadraphonic sound
Quadraphonic (or quadrophonic and sometimes quadrasonic) sound – equivalent to what is now called 4.0 surround sound – uses four audio channels in which speakers are positioned at the four corners of a listening space. The system allows for t ...
signals into
phonograph records
A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts near ...
.
The label was launched in January 1973 when DiscReet arranged a distribution contract with the
Warner Bros. Records group of labels.
The previous Zappa/Cohen labels,
Bizarre Records
Bizarre Records, self-identified simply as Bizarre, was a production company and record label formed for artists discovered by rock musician Frank Zappa and his business partner/manager Herb Cohen.
History
Bizarre was originally formed as a prod ...
and
Straight Records
Straight Records, self-identified simply as Straight, was a record label formed in 1969 to distribute productions and discoveries of Frank Zappa and his business partner/manager Herb Cohen. Straight was formed at the same time as a companion ...
, were discontinued at the same time that DiscReet was created.
DiscReet issued many albums by Frank Zappa and
the Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows.
Originally an R&B band ...
between 1973 and 1979. Another notable act on the label was
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock a ...
and
the Amboy Dukes
The Amboy Dukes were an American rock band formed in 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, and later based in Detroit, Michigan. They are best known for their only hit single, " Journey to the Center of the Mind". The band's name comes from the title of ...
, who recorded their final two albums for DiscReet. Following this Ted Nugent began his solo career. Cohen also brought to the label recordings by other artists such as
Tim Buckley
Timothy Charles Buckley III (February 14, 1947 – June 29, 1975) was an American musician. His music and style changed considerably through the years. Buckley began his career based in folk music, but his subsequent albums experimented with ja ...
.
Zappa's original intention was to release all albums on the label in conventional 2-channel
stereo
Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...
and 4-channel quadraphonic sound simultaneously. DiscReet issued two albums specially remixed for quadraphonic during 1973. These were ''
Over-Nite Sensation'' credited to Frank Zappa and the Mothers and ''
Apostrophe (')'' credited to Zappa alone. But the quadraphonic policy had to be dropped after just two releases. Also advertised were quadraphonic versions of two other Zappa titles. These were the double live album from 1974, ''
Roxy & Elsewhere'', and the 1975 (mostly) studio album ''
One Size Fits All''. The four-channel master tapes for these albums may still exist in the Zappa archives, but the quadraphonic versions have never been issued.
In May 1976 Zappa's relationship with Cohen ended and the partners filed lawsuits against each other. Among their arguments was the fact that Cohen had signed record deals with Kathy Dalton and Growl, two acts with which Zappa did not approve.
At the same time, Zappa also had disagreements with Warner Bros. Records;
the DiscReet label became inactive in 1979 following the decision by Warner Bros. to release three albums for which Zappa claimed Warner Bros. did not have proper authorization, ''
Studio Tan
''Studio Tan'' is the 24th album by American musician Frank Zappa, first released in September 1978 on his own DiscReet Records label. It reached #147 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart in the United States.
Recording sessions
The basic tr ...
'', ''
Sleep Dirt'', and ''
Orchestral Favorites''. The three disputed titles had no songwriting or production credits and used artwork by
Gary Panter, which was not approved by Zappa.
Warner Bros. reissued Zappa's DiscReet recordings on the
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels.
Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Enya, Michael ...
subsidiary in the late 1970s; they were deleted in 1982. Zappa created
Zappa Records Zappa Records is an American record label based in Los Angeles which was founded by Frank Zappa in 1977. It was mostly inactive during the 1980s and 1990s, but was revived in 2006 by the Zappa Family Trust.
History
In May 1976, Zappa ended his re ...
in 1979 and
Barking Pumpkin Records
Barking Pumpkin Records, is an American record label founded by Frank Zappa in 1981. Zappa named the label after his wife's smoker's cough when she tried to quit the habit. Barking Pumpkin was initially distributed by CBS Records.
History
Zappa ...
in 1981; these labels had no involvement with Cohen and were separate business entities from DiscReet.
In 1988 and 1989, DiscReet recordings by Tim Buckley and Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes were briefly re-issued on CD and cassette by the
Enigma Retro label. From the late 1980s until 2012, Zappa's DiscReet catalog had been available on CD from
Rykodisc
Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.
History
Claiming to be the first CD-only independent record la ...
. In 2012, the Zappa Family Trust regained the rights to Zappa's DiscReet catalog and signed a new distribution agreement with
Universal Music Enterprises
Universal Music Enterprises (UME, stylized as UMe) is the catalogue division of Universal Music Group. It includes Hip-O Records, Universal Chronicles, and UM3 or UMC (which is the international division of the company). Under various divisions, ...
to reissue the recordings on the Zappa Records label.
List of DiscReet Records artists
* Christopher Bond
*
Tim Buckley
Timothy Charles Buckley III (February 14, 1947 – June 29, 1975) was an American musician. His music and style changed considerably through the years. Buckley began his career based in folk music, but his subsequent albums experimented with ja ...
* Denis Bryant (aka Bryant Sterling)
* Kathy Dalton
* Growl
*
Keith
*
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock a ...
and
The Amboy Dukes
The Amboy Dukes were an American rock band formed in 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, and later based in Detroit, Michigan. They are best known for their only hit single, " Journey to the Center of the Mind". The band's name comes from the title of ...
* Brenda Patterson
* Whiz Kids
*
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of A ...
and
The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows.
Originally an R&B band ...
References
{{Authority control
Defunct record labels of the United States
Frank Zappa
Vanity record labels
Warner Records
Record labels based in California
Record labels established in 1973
Record labels disestablished in 1979