Tetragrammaton Records
| Company type | Record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music industry |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Roy Silver, Bruce Post Campbell, Marvin Deane, Bill Cosby |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Key people | Roy Silver, Bruce Post Campbell, Marvin Deane, Bill Cosby |
| Products | Music recordings |
Tetragrammaton Records was a United States-based record label established in 1968 by industry figures Roy Silver, Bruce Post Campbell, Marvin Deane, and comedian Bill Cosby, who was represented by Silver. The label’s title is derived from the Hebrew divine name (YHWH). Its leading act in terms of success was the rock group Deep Purple.
History
In 1968, Tetragrammaton took on the US release of the provocative Apple Records album Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, after Capitol Records refused to distribute it due to its controversial nude cover. The album encountered legal obstacles, with law enforcement confiscating roughly 30,000 units in New Jersey, which hindered sales and added to the label’s financial struggles.
Among its releases were Bill Cosby’s 1969 comedy album 8:15 12:15 and a pair of albums by comedian Murray Roman. Several projects never reached the public, including a follow-up record by Elyse Weinberg and an album by Memphis artist Captain Milk (Edwin Hubbard), from which a single featuring the Lennon/McCartney track "Hey Jude" was issued. An unreleased 1968 album recorded for Tetragrammaton by English rock band Bodast, which included future Yes guitarist Steve Howe, only saw release in 1981.
Despite featuring a lineup of prominent artists, Tetragrammaton filed for bankruptcy and shut down operations in 1970. In 1972, Deep Purple’s subsequent label, Warner Bros. Records, reissued selections from their Tetragrammaton albums on the compilation Purple Passages. In Canada, Polydor Records handled distribution for some Tetragrammaton titles and later issued Deep Purple compilations exclusive to that market.
Co-founder Marvin Deane passed away due to heart failure on August 16, 2010, in Los Angeles at age 79.
Discography
- T-101You Can't Beat People Up and Have Them Say I Love YouMurray Roman [1968]
- T-102Shades of Deep PurpleDeep Purple [7/68]
- T-103The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's SideBiff Rose [1968]
- T-104IvoryIvory [1968]
- T-105Let Me Show You the WayBobby Paris [1968]
- T-106Together Again for the First TimeCarol Burnett & Martha Raye [1968]
- T-107The Book of TaliesynDeep Purple [11/68]
- T-110Both Sides NowJohnstons [1968]
- T-111Relight My FireRhetta Hughes [1969]
- T-112Sweet ThursdaySweet Thursday [1969]
- T-113Tom GhentTom Ghent [1969]
- T-114SummerhillSummerhill [1968]
- T-116Children of LightBiff Rose [1969]
- T-117ElyseElyse Weinberg [6/1/69]
- T-118DeparturePat Boone [1969]
- T-119Deep PurpleDeep Purple [6/69]
- T-120Blind Man's MovieMurray Roman [1969]
- T-123The Mother of Us AllSteve Baron Quartet [1969]
- T-124Hello Love [aka Gene and Francesca]Gene & Francesca [1969]
- T-125Joshua FoxJoshua Fox [1969]
- T-12?Greasepaint SmileElyse Weinberg [unissued]
- T-131Concerto for Group and OrchestraDeep Purple [1969]
- T-5000The Girl on a Motorcycle (Soundtrack)Douglas Gamley & British Lion Orchestra [1969]
- Apple/Tetragrammaton T-5001Unfinished Music No. 1: Two VirginsJohn Lennon & Yoko Ono [01/1969]
- T-5002QuatrainQuatrain [1969]
- T-5003Mark Slade's New HatMark Slade [1968]
- T-5006Che! (soundtrack) Lalo Schifrin [1969]
- T-5007The Chairman (Soundtrack)Jerry Goldsmith [1969]
- TD-51008:15 12:15 Bill Cosby [6/1/1969]
- TD-5101Once Upon a Time Kingston Trio [1969]
- TDL 5200 The Great White Hope (Original Cast) Charles Gross & Cast [1969]