Riva Records
Encyclopedia
Riva Records was a record label
founded the UK
in 1975 by Billy Gaff, manager of Rod Stewart
.
Rod Stewart signed to the label in the UK, but stayed with Warner Bros. Records
in the US. Another well known artist on the label was John Cougar Mellencamp, distributed by PolyGram
in the US
, and WEA
in most other countries. After Stewart and Mellencamp left the label, it stopped operating.
Rod Stewart
left in 1982 (last issue "How Long"), whereas Mellencamp stayed a little later. A variety of acts then had singles released on Riva in the UK (see below); the last known UK release was RIVA 51 (Glory with Hearts Will Sing/As It Is) in 1987. Other acts to have releases on RIVA included
(No PS) indicates that the record was issued without a Picture Sleeve
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1975 by Billy Gaff, manager of Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
.
Rod Stewart signed to the label in the UK, but stayed with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in the US. Another well known artist on the label was John Cougar Mellencamp, distributed by PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
in most other countries. After Stewart and Mellencamp left the label, it stopped operating.
Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
left in 1982 (last issue "How Long"), whereas Mellencamp stayed a little later. A variety of acts then had singles released on Riva in the UK (see below); the last known UK release was RIVA 51 (Glory with Hearts Will Sing/As It Is) in 1987. Other acts to have releases on RIVA included
- Lewis Sisters / Lewis
- Blinding Tears
- Phil ThornalleyPhil ThornalleyPhil Thornalley is a songwriter-producer who has worked in the music industry since 1978. He is perhaps best known for co-writing the song "Torn" which Natalie Imbruglia later covered to great success for her 1997 debut album, Left of the Middle...
- Carmine AppiceCarmine AppiceCarmine Appice is an American rock drummer of Italian background and is the older brother of drummer Vinny Appice by 12 years. He received a classical music training and was influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa early on...
- The Lookalikes, with Sean O'Connor
Discography
| Riva No | Date | Artist | Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1975 Nov (No PS) | Rod Stewart | This Old Heart of Mine / All In The Name Of Rock 'n' Roll |
| 2 | 1976 April (No PS) | The Atlantic Crossing Drum & Fife + | Skye Boat Song / Skye Boat Song (instr.) |
| 3 | 1976 May (No PS) | Rod Stewart | Tonight's the Night Tonight's The Night -Films:* Tonight's the Night , a 1934 British film starring Leslie Fuller* An alternative title for the 1954 film Happy Ever After-Musicals:*To-Night's the Night... / The Ball Trap |
| 4 | 1976 Aug (No PS) | Rod Stewart | The Killing of Georgie Parts 1 & 2 / Fool For You |
| 5 | ? (No PS) | Frankie Laine / Lou Reizner Lou Reizner Lou Reizner was a record producer, A&R executive and head of Mercury Records European operations. As a producer, he is perhaps best known for Rod Stewart's first two solo albums, for the orchestral version of The Who's rock opera Tommy, and Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth... & Will Malone Will Malone Will Malone is a British music producer, who has worked with artists including Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Todd Rundgren, The Verve, Massive Attack and Italian rocker Gianna Nannini. In 1976, Malone & Lou Reizner covered a Beatles song, "You Never Give Me Your Money", for the evanescent musical... |
Maxwell's Silver Hammer Maxwell's Silver Hammer "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is a song by The Beatles, on their album, Abbey Road, sung by Paul McCartney. It was written by McCartney, though credited to Lennon–McCartney.-Background:... / You Never Give Me Your Money |
| 6 | 1976 Dec (No PS) | Rod Stewart | Get Back / Trade Winds |
| 7 | 1977 Apr (No PS) | Rod Stewart | The First Cut is the Deepest The First Cut Is the Deepest "The First Cut Is the Deepest" is a 1967 song written by Cat Stevens, originally released by P. P. Arnold in the spring of 1967. Stevens' own version of the song is technically a cover, and originally appeared on his album New Masters in December 1967.... / I Don't Want To Talk About It I Don't Want to Talk About It "I Don't Want to Talk About It" is the name of a song written by Danny Whitten. Whitten's band, Crazy Horse released it as a track on their 1971 eponymous album.... |
| 8 | 1977 | Faces | Memphis (4 track) / stay with me +3 |
| 9 | 1977 Jun | Rod Stewart | Sailing / Stone Cold Sober |
| 10 | 1978 Jan (No PS) | Rod Stewart | Hot Legs / I Was Only Joking |
| 11 | 1977 Oct (No PS) | Rod Stewart | You're In My Heart / You Really Got A Nerve |
| 12 | 1977 (No PS) | Window | Bandit / ROSE AND THORN |
| 13 | ? | ? | ? |
| 14 | 1978 Feb | Johnny Cougar | I Need A Lover / Born Reckless |
| 15 | 1978 May | Rod Stewart | Ole Ola (Mulhera Brasileira) |
| 16 | 1978 May | Johnny Cougar | Factory / Alley Of The Angels |
| 17 | 1978 Nov (No PS) | Rod Stewart | Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? / Dirty Weekend |
| 18 | 1979 Jan (No PS) | Rod Stewart | Ain't Love A Bitch / Scared and Scarred |
| 19 | 1979 April (No PS) | Rod Stewart | Blondes (Have More Fun) / The Best Days Of My Life |
| 20 | 1979 June | John Cougar | Miami / Do You Think That's Fair |
| 21 | 1979 Sep | John Cougar | Taxi Dancer / Small Paradise |
| 22 | 1980 | The Lookalikes | Can I Take You Home Tonight / Radio / Don`T Cry For Me |
| 23 | 1980 May | Rod Stewart | If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right) / Last Summer |
| 24 | 1980 (Ireland Only?) | The Lookalikes | CALL ME IF YOU REALLY WANT ME / JUST WHAT YOU GOT |
| 25 | 1980 | Johnny Cougar | This Time / Don't Misunderstand Me |
| 26 | 1980 Oct (No PS???) | Rod Stewart | Passion / Better Off Dead |
| 27 | 1981 | The Lookalikes | Baby Don`T Leave / Why Didn`T I Think Of That |
| 28 | 1980 Dec | Rod Stewart | My Girl / Dance With Me |
| 29 | 1981 March | Rod Stewart | Oh God I Wish I Was Home Tonight / Somebody Special |
| 30 | 1981 Feb | John Cougar | Hot Night In A Cold Town / Tonight |
| 31 | 1981 May | John Cougar | Ain’t Even Done With The Night / To M.G. Wherever She May Be |
| 32 | 1981 | Carmine Appice And The Rockers | Be My Baby / Leave It Up To You |
| 33 | 1981 Oct | Rod Stewart | Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me) / Sonny |
| 34 | 1981 Dec. | Rod Stewart | Young Turks / Tora Tora Tora (Out With The Boys) |
| 35 | 1982 Feb | Rod Stewart | How Long / Jealous |
| 36 | 1982 May | John Cougar | Hurts So Good / Close Enough |
| 37 | 1982 Oct | John Cougar | Jack And Diane / Danger List |
| 38 | 1983 Jan | John Cougar | Hand To Hold On To / Hurts So Good (picture Disc available) |
| 39 | ? | ? | ? |
| 40 | ? | ? | ? |
| 41 | 1983 | Phil Thornalley | So This Is Love / Last Too Long |
| 42 | ? | ? | ? |
| 43 | 1983 | MANTEAU | PROMISE / LOVE LET DOWN |
| 44 | 1986 | Lewis | Can’t Wait Another Minute / ? |
| 45 | 1986 | Lewis Sisters | If The Love Fits / Can’t Wait Another Minute |
| 46 | 1986 | Lewis | Man in the moon / Sure Don't Come Easy - extended versions |
| 47 | 1986 | Lewis Sisters | Melting Point / Devil Made Me Do It |
| 48 | 1987 | Lewis Sisters | So Good, So Right / Dangerous |
| 49 | 1987 | Blinding Tears [Cawley And Storie] | Heaven Only Knows / Call Of The Wild |
| 50 | ? | ? | ? |
| 51 | 1987 | Glory | Hearts Will Sing / As It Is |
(No PS) indicates that the record was issued without a Picture Sleeve
| Riva No | Date | Artist | Album Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1976 Jun 18 | Rod Stewart | A Night On The Town |
| 2 | 1976 | Various Artists | All This And World War II |
| 3 | 1977 | Faces | The Best Of The Faces |
| 4 | 1977 | Rod Stewart | Atlantic Crossing (Re-issue) |
| 5 | 1977 Oct 28 | Rod Stewart | Foot Loose & Fancy Free |
| 6 | 1978 Mar | Johnny Cougar | A Biography |
| 7 | ? | ? | ? |
| 8 | 1978 Nov 17 | Rod Stewart | Blondes Have More Fun |
| 9 | 1979 July | John Cougar | John Cougar |
| 10 | 1981 July | John Cougar | Nothin' Matters And What If It Did |
| 11 | 1980 Nov 21 | Rod Stewart | Foolish Behaviour |
| 12 | ? | ? | ? |
| 13 | ? | ? | ? |
| 14 | 1981 Nov 9 | Rod Stewart | Tonight I'M Yours |
| 15 | ? | ? | ? |
| 16 | 1982 June | John Cougar | American Fool |
| 17 | 1982 Nov 6 | Rod Stewart | Absolutely Live |
| 18 | 1983 | John Cougar | Uh-Huh |
| 19 | ? | ? | ? |
| 20 | 1986 | Blinding Tears [Mark Cawley And Carl Storie] | Blinding Tears |