Axe Records
{{Short description|Canadian record label}}
{{use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox record label
| name = Axe Records
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| founded = 1972
| founder = Greg Hambleton
| defunct =
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| country = Canada
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Axe Records is a Canadian record label founded by Greg Hambleton in 1972. After a number of years of inactivity, the label was revived in 2013. It is particularly notable as the original recording label of the Canadian duo Gary and Dave.{{cite news |author=Dave Bidini |author-link=Dave Bidini |url=http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/11/09/greg-hambleton-helped-bring-canadian-music-industry-to-life-and-now-canadian-music-has-returned-the-favour/ |title=Greg Hambleton helped bring Canadian music industry to life, and now Canadian music has returned the favour |work=National Post |date=November 9, 2012 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130629230714/http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/11/09/greg-hambleton-helped-bring-canadian-music-industry-to-life-and-now-canadian-music-has-returned-the-favour/ |archivedate=June 29, 2013 |accessdate=June 27, 2013}}
History
Axe Records was founded by Hambleton in 1972. The label was initially distributed by London Records of Canada. The first artists signed to the label included theCanadian group Thundermug.{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uSgEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Axe+Records+Canada&pg=PA73 |title=Axe Records for London Distrib. |work=Billboard |date=March 11, 1972 |page=73 |accessdate=2013-05-24 |via=Google Books}} In 1974, Axe moved into offices in the Toronto Sound Studio building on Overlea Boulevard.{{cite magazine |author=Martin Melhuish |title=From the Music Capitals of the World | magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42|date=13 July 1974 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |pages=42– |issn=0006-2510 |via=Google Books}}
By 1975, the label was distributed by GRT Records in Canada.{{cite encyclopedia |author=Richard Green |url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/emc/grt-of-canada-ltd |title=GRT of Canada, Ltd. |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505181035/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/emc/grt-of-canada-ltd |archivedate=2013-05-05 }}{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UigEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Axe+Records%22+Billboard&pg=PA47 |title=Axe sharpens sights in 3-pronged goal |work=Billboard |date=June 14, 1975 |page=47 |accessdate=2013-05-26 |via=Google Books}} The company had no consistent international distribution. Its most successful artist duo, Gary and Dave, was distributed by London Records in the United States.{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FAkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Greg+Hambleton+Axe+Records&pg=RA1-PA37 |title=London signs Gary and Dave |work=Billboard |date=November 17, 1973 |page=37 |accessdate=2013-05-30 |via=Google Books}} Its principal rock band, Thundermug, was distributed by the Big Tree and the Epic labels and, from 1975, at the initiative of Hambleton, by Mercury Records. International licensing arrangements were signed with EMI Electrola, Basart and Decca UK.
The label's major recording success was with Gary and Dave. It also released records by Thundermug, Fergus, The Sattalites, Rain (with Charity Brown), Keith Hampshire, Major Hoople's Boarding House, Steel River, Tom Northcott and Walter Ostanek, among others.{{cite web |url=http://rateyourmusic.com/label/axe_records_f1/1 |title=List of Releases by Axe Records |website=Rate Your Music |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130630050923/http://rateyourmusic.com/label/axe_records_f1/1 |archivedate=June 30, 2013 |accessdate=June 27, 2023}}
In 2013, the label was revived by Hambleton, to re-issue and market the original recordings by its original artists, as well as to sign new artists.{{cite news |author=Adam Carter |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/classic-canadian-record-label-resurrected-in-hamilton-1.1387007 |title=Classic Canadian record label resurrected in Hamilton |website=CBC News |date=July 29, 2013 |accessdate=2013-09-15}}
References
External links
- {{Official website|https://axerecords.ca/}}
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