Custom Records
{{Infobox record label
| name = Custom Records
| image_name =
| image_size =
| caption =
| parent = Modern Records
| founded =
| founder =
| status = defunct
| distributor =
| genre = Various
| country = United States
| location = Los Angeles California
}}
Custom Records was a budget record label owned by the Bihari Brothers.
Background
The label was a subsidiary of Modern Records.Both Sides Now Publications [http://www.bsnpubs.com/modern/custom.html Custom Album Discography By David Edwards and Mike Callahan] It was formed some time prior to March 1965 and according to an article in Billboard, it was a new label that already had 31 LPs in its catalogue. The records were to sell at $1.98 as opposed to the other budget LPs that retailed at 98 cents and 99 cents.Billboard March 6, 1965 [https://books.google.com/books?id=EUUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Custom+Records%22Bihari&pg=PA30 Page 30 Bihari Sees Trend to Better $1.98 Budget] Saul Bihari recognized the value of the rack jobber for these types of records.Billboard March 6, 1965 [https://books.google.com/books?id=EUUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Custom+Records%22Bihari&pg=PA30 Page 38 Bihari Sees Trend to Better $1.98 Budget Continued from page 30]
Some of the records were re-releases of previous Crown releases and the covers often featured a female in some pose designed to attract attention.Music By The Pound [https://crownrecordsstory.wordpress.com/2015/11/30/custom-records/ Crown Records, Custom Records]
Trends
=Covering artists=
One artist that was covered by Custom was Hank Williams. The album Your Cheatin' Heart and other Hank Williams Favorites Custom CM 1023, CS 1023 featured a singer called Johnny Williams who was really Curley Williams.Hank Williams Listings [http://www.hankwilliamslistings.com/ind-han19.htm Budget Labels & Tribute Albums to Hank Williams] Later the It's Happening album by The Dave Clark Five And The Playbacks was released on Custom CS 1098. The album only had 2 tracks by the Dave Clark Five with The Playbacks covering the remainder. It was also released on Crown CST 473 in 1964.Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/Dave-Clark-FiveAnd-Playbacks-Its-Happening/release/3255693 The Dave Clark Five And The Playbacks – It's Happening]Rate Your Music [http://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/the_dave_clark_five/the_dave_clark_five_and_the_playbacks/ The Dave Clark Five and The Playbacks] The Playbacks appear to be just studio musicians.The British Music Invasion: Collectors Quick Reference Written and compiled by R. Duane Cozzen [https://books.google.com/books?id=AVOyCQAAQBAJ&dq=The+Dave+Clark+Five+And++The+Playbacks++%E2%80%8E&pg=PA38 Page 38 The Dave Clark Five]
=Exploiting the Psychedelic trend=
In 1967, the label released More Psychedellic Guitars CS-1096 (with 2 LLs), an album that featured the tracks "Another Trip", "Really Got It Bad", "Out Of Touch", The Letdown" "Psychedelic A-Go-Go" Flower Power", "Flower Power/Can You Dig It", "Sit- In", "Lost In Space", and "Psychedelic Venture".Collectors Frenzy [http://collectorsfrenzy.com/details/261132928179/MORE_PSYCHEDELIC_GUITARS__RARE_Original_CUSTOM_US_LP MORE PSYCHEDELIC GUITARS - RARE Original CUSTOM US LP] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127073638/http://collectorsfrenzy.com/details/261132928179/MORE_PSYCHEDELIC_GUITARS__RARE_Original_CUSTOM_US_LP |date=2016-01-27 }} This like the earlier release Psychedellic Guitars CM 2078,Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/Jerry-Cole-Psychedellic-Guitars/release/4296273 Jerry Cole – Psychedellic Guitars ] appears to be reissues of earlier Jerry Cole albums with the titles changed. This music however wasn't quite Psychedelic.Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/Jerry-Cole-More-Psychedellic-Guitars/release/2629040 Jerry Cole – More Psychedellic Guitars] One Exploito album that was a bit more in the psych mode was Are You Experienced by T. Swift & The Electric Bag.Flea Market Funk October 14, 2009 [http://fleamarketfunk.com/2009/10/14/t-swift-and-the-electric-bag-are-you-experienced/ T. Swift and the Electric Bag – Are You Experienced?]Popsike [http://www.popsike.com/T-Swift-The-Electric-Bag-Lp-Psych-Sealed-Guitar-Fuzz/280048163838.html T Swift & The Electric Bag Lp Psych Sealed Guitar Fuzz] This also featured Cole.ACE [http://acerecords.co.uk/psychedelic-guitars Psychedelic Guitars, Jerry Cole By Mike Vernon]
Later years
In 1978, the company appeared to be still in operation with a large section of the page in the January 7 issue of Billboard magazine, offering congratulations to fellow Los Angeles label Laff Records for their ten-year anniversary.Billboard January 7, 1978 [https://books.google.com/books?id=qiQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Custom+Records%22Normandie+Ave&pg=PT37 Page 38 A Company Built On Laughter]