Hubbry Logo
Straight RecordsStraight RecordsMain
Open search
Straight Records
Community hub
Straight Records
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Straight Records
Straight Records
Straight Records
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

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 label, Bizarre Records. Straight and Bizarre were manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by the Warner Bros. Records family of labels, which also included Reprise Records. Straight recordings were distributed in the U.K. by CBS Records.

Key Information

Frank Zappa chose the majority of the artists for the Straight label. His original intention was to release albums by avant-garde artists on Bizarre, and recordings by more mainstream artists on Straight. However the original concept failed to work out as expected due to issues with record distribution and artist management. Frank Zappa, the Mothers of Invention, Wild Man Fischer, and Lenny Bruce certainly fit in at Bizarre, but all others ended up on Straight. This led to some very unusual albums on the Straight label especially those by Captain Beefheart, Alice Cooper and the GTOs.

Zappa was also responsible for the Persuasions' first LP, Acapella. Over the phone he heard the Persuasions singing live in a Jersey City record shop. Due to his passion for doo-wop Zappa immediately flew the vocal group to Los Angeles to record. Other notable Straight artists included Tim Buckley, and the duo of Judy Henske & Jerry Yester. These musicians came to the label through an association with manager Herb Cohen.

The first issue of Love It to Death by Alice Cooper was on Straight. However, by the time the album became a success it had already been re-issued on Warner Bros. Starting in 1972 this and other Straight recordings were re-issued by either Reprise or Warner Bros. By 1973 the Bizarre and Straight distribution agreement with Warner ended. Under a new agreement starting that year Zappa and Cohen's business ventures with Warner were merged and renamed to create DiscReet Records. The Zappa/Cohen business partnership ended acrimoniously with litigation from both sides in 1976. In the settlement, reached a few years later, Zappa retained ownership of his work and Herb Cohen assumed ownership of most of the non-Zappa material from Bizarre, Straight and DiscReet.

In 1988 and 1989 Straight recordings by Captain Beefheart, Alice Cooper, Tim Buckley, the GTOs, the Persuasions, and Lord Buckley were briefly re-issued on CD and cassette by the Enigma Retro label. Zappa died at age 52 in 1993. Cohen died at age 77 in 2010.

Rumors have been made that since the early 1990s the ownership of some Straight recordings has become unclear. This may have prevented further re-issues of some Straight material. By the late 2000s, however, some of these recordings (such as Tim Buckley's Blue Afternoon and Starsailor, and Captain Beefheart's Lick My Decals Off Baby) have since been reissued on 180-gram vinyl and have been made available for sale on the iTunes Store. They have not, however, been reissued on CD. Whilst it has not been officially stated, it is believed that the clause preventing these albums' re-release only covered CD releases and not other formats. However, tracks from them have been licensed for and appeared on CD compilations in recent years.

List of Straight Records artists

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Straight Records

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Straight Records was an American founded in 1969 by musician and his manager as a companion to the more Bizarre Records, with the intent to release relatively more commercial and accessible rock, folk, and . Distributed initially by and later by Warner Bros., the label operated out of and quickly became known for championing innovative underground acts during the late 1960s era. Among its most notable releases were Alice Cooper's debut album Pretties for You (1969) and breakthrough Love It to Death (1971), which helped launch the band's career, as well as and His Magic Band's critically acclaimed Trout Mask Replica (1969), a landmark of experimental and produced by Zappa. Other key artists included , whose jazz-folk fusion album Blue Afternoon (1969) showcased his vocal versatility, and , a female supergroup featuring , whose spoken-word debut Permanent Damage (1969) captured the scene's free-spirited vibe. The label also issued works by and (Farewell Aldebaran, 1969), , and , emphasizing eclectic and boundary-pushing sounds that reflected Zappa and Cohen's vision for artistic freedom. Despite its short lifespan, Straight Records played a pivotal role in bridging underground music with mainstream audiences, releasing around 20 albums before financial disputes between Zappa, Cohen, and led to its effective closure by , after which its catalog was absorbed into other imprints and later managed by the Zappa Family Trust. The label's legacy endures through its influence on rock's evolution, fostering acts that would define genres like glam, , and , and highlighting Zappa's entrepreneurial drive in an industry often hostile to nonconformity.

History

Founding and Early Years

Straight Records was established in the spring of 1969 in , , by musician and his manager as a sister label to the existing Bizarre Records. The label operated under the umbrella of Bizarre Inc., allowing Zappa and Cohen to expand their independent production efforts beyond the more experimental focus of Bizarre. The primary purpose of Straight Records was to release material by more commercially accessible rock-oriented artists, in contrast to Bizarre's emphasis on avant-garde and experimental acts, although the distinctions between the two labels often blurred in practice. Zappa played a central role in the label's direction, personally selecting most of the artists from his personal and professional network and overseeing their productions to promote emerging talent aligned with his vision for innovative yet marketable music. Straight secured an exclusive distribution agreement with Warner Bros./ for U.S. releases beginning in 1969, while a separate deal with CBS handled distribution in the UK. Among its initial output that year were albums such as Alice Cooper's debut in June, and His Magic Band's in June, and The GTOs' Permanent Damage in December, marking the label's early commitment to unconventional rock voices.

Operations and Key Developments

During its active period from 1970 to 1973, Straight Records expanded its roster significantly, signing and releasing albums by key artists that aligned with the label's focus on experimental and rock-oriented acts as a counterpart to the more Bizarre Records. Notable among these was Alice Cooper's second album, , released in March 1970, which built on their 1969 debut and marked the band's growing presence in the rock scene under Frank Zappa's production oversight. Similarly, Tim Buckley's , his first self-produced effort and debut for Straight, appeared in November 1969, showcasing his evolving folk-jazz style and receiving critical acclaim for its innovative arrangements. These signings exemplified the label's strategy to cultivate mid-tier commercial potential while maintaining artistic edge, with Zappa playing a central role in artist selection and development. Production highlights during this era underscored Zappa's hands-on involvement across the Straight catalog, including his production of Captain Beefheart's in December 1970, a follow-up to the groundbreaking (released on Straight in 1969), which further explored Beefheart's surreal blues-rock vision through Zappa's engineering and mixing. Zappa also contributed to archival releases like The Mothers of Invention's in 1970, compiling live and studio tracks that highlighted the band's improvisational intensity, though issued under the companion Bizarre imprint due to overlapping production resources. These efforts demonstrated Straight's commitment to boundary-pushing recordings, often involving Zappa's technical expertise to capture raw, unconventional sounds. Distribution evolved amid operational complexities, with Straight initially absorbed into Warner Bros./Reprise's network after early independent efforts, leading to reissues of the catalog starting in 1972 under numbering to broaden accessibility. In the UK, handled distribution until 1973, issuing albums like Starsailor by in 1970 with Straight catalog numbers. However, the close ties between Straight and Bizarre—sharing management by Zappa and , as well as /Warner distribution—created blurring in operations, resulting in co-releases and interchangeable artist placements that complicated catalog tracking and royalty management. A pivotal development came in 1973 when Straight and Bizarre merged to form DiscReet Records, continuing under a new distribution agreement to streamline operations and address the prior labels' logistical overlaps. This transition reflected the need for consolidated management amid the end of the original Bizarre/Straight pacts with , allowing Zappa to maintain creative control over an expanding slate of productions.

Dissolution and Aftermath

The distribution agreement with Warner Bros. Records expired in 1973 following financial disputes, leading to the consolidation of Straight Records and its affiliated Bizarre label into DiscReet Records, a new entity also distributed by Warner Bros.. This merger marked the effective end of Straight as an independent operation, though its catalog continued under the new imprint. The label's short lifespan from 1969 to 1973 was hindered by the for its experimental releases, which generally saw limited commercial viability despite breakthroughs by select artists like , whose early contracts were impacted by the transition. By 1976, the business partnership between Frank Zappa and manager Herb Cohen had collapsed, triggering mutual lawsuits over control of master tapes, royalties, and unauthorized expenditures on DiscReet projects. The disputes, which included allegations of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, froze assets and delayed releases for several years. An out-of-court settlement in the late 1970s granted Zappa ownership of his recordings, enabling him to establish Zappa Records in 1979 and later Barking Pumpkin Records in 1981 for independent distribution. In contrast, non-Zappa masters from Straight reverted to Warner Bros. control. Select Straight catalog items saw brief revivals through Enigma Retro, which reissued recordings by artists including and on CD and cassette between 1988 and 1989. The deaths of Zappa on December 4, 1993, from , and Cohen on March 16, 2010, from cancer complications, further complicated the handling of remaining archives, leaving some ownership and release rights unresolved.

Artists and Releases

Roster of Artists

Straight Records, co-founded by and in 1969, featured a roster curated primarily by Zappa from the Los Angeles underground music scene, emphasizing rock, , and novelty acts that were more commercially accessible than the experimental material on the sister Bizarre label. Over its four-year run, the label signed approximately a dozen acts, many for one-off releases, resulting in 14 albums and a handful of singles. Zappa's selections prioritized performers with an offbeat edge but potential for broader appeal, such as shock rock pioneers and folk-jazz innovators, often drawn from personal connections in the local club circuit. Key artists included , who released three early albums on the label from 1969 to 1971, marking the band's transition from to theatrical heavy metal. and His contributed two landmark albums, (1969) and (1970), showcasing the bluesman's surreal, avant-blues compositions under Zappa's production. delivered two experimental folk-jazz efforts, (1969) and Starsailor (1970), highlighting his vocal range and improvisational style during a pivotal career phase. The GTOs, an all-female supergroup featuring Pamela Des Barres and other Zappa-associated figures, issued their sole album Permanent Damage (1969), a spoken-word and collection reflecting the Sunset Strip's culture. The Persuasions debuted with the album Acappella (1970), introducing the group's street-harmony sound to a wider audience through Zappa's endorsement. Judy Henske and Jerry Yester released Farewell Aldebaran (1969), blending folk-rock with psychedelic elements in a one-time collaboration. Other notable signings encompassed novelty and niche acts, such as Lord Buckley's posthumous compilation A Most Immaculately Hip Aristocrat (1969), reviving the comedian's hipster-jive routines; Jeff Simmons with Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up (1969) and the soundtrack Naked Angels (1969) alongside Randy Sterling, capturing raw garage-rock energy; Tim Dawe's folk album Penrod (1969); and Mayf Nutter's single Are My Ears On Wrong (1969). While Zappa produced much of the output, his own band, The Mothers of Invention, did not release full albums on Straight, though the label's operations were deeply intertwined with his creative oversight. Posthumous spoken-word material from comedian Lenny Bruce appeared in reissues under the Bizarre/Straight imprint, but no original Straight releases during the label's active period.

Notable Albums and Singles

One of the landmark releases on Straight Records was and His Magic Band's , a double LP issued in June 1969 that showcased the label's commitment to rock. Produced by with hands-on involvement in engineering and arrangements, the album featured chaotic, blues-infused compositions recorded at Whitney Studios following intensive rehearsals at Beefheart's house, blending , , and experimental structures. Initially met with mixed reception due to its abrasive sound and unconventional structure, it sold modestly—failing to chart significantly—but later earned status for its innovative influence on alternative music, with critics praising its raw vision of American . Alice Cooper's Love It to Death, released in March 1971 as the band's third album on the label, marked a pivotal breakthrough after their earlier Straight efforts like Pretties for You (1969) and Easy Action (1970). Production by Bob Ezrin and Jack Richardson emphasized the group's shock-rock edge, refining their theatrical with tighter songwriting and hooks, though marketing remained limited, contributing to niche initial sales under 100,000 copies. The album's success was driven by the single "I'm Eighteen," which peaked at number 21 on the in early 1971, propelling Love It to Death to number 35 on the and establishing Alice Cooper as a commercial force in proto-metal. Other notable Straight releases included The Persuasions' Acapella (1970), a revival of a cappella doo-wop traditions featuring covers of R&B standards like "Searchin'" and originals, produced under Zappa's supervision to highlight the group's vocal harmonies without instrumentation; it achieved modest underground acclaim for preserving street-corner singing amid the rock era but saw limited commercial reach. The GTOs' Permanent Damage (December 1969), a spoken-word and psychedelic project by Zappa's groupie collective (Girls Together Outrageously), mixed vignettes, raps, and cameos from rock figures like Rod Stewart, reflecting the label's eclectic ethos; Zappa handled production, yet its niche appeal resulted in poor sales and divisive reviews as a curiosity rather than a cohesive album. Tim Buckley's Starsailor (November 1970) pushed experimental folk boundaries with avant-garde vocals and jazz improvisation, self-produced after his earlier Straight debut Blue Afternoon (1969), earning praise for its bold departure from folk norms though it sold modestly due to the label's minimal promotion. Straight's singles output was sparse, emphasizing novelty and underground appeal over mainstream hits. Alice Cooper's early single "Reflected" b/w "Living" (1969, ST-101) previewed their harder sound yet garnered minimal airplay, underscoring Straight's focus on artistic risk over broad marketing; the label's overall releases typically sold under 100,000 units, fostering influence in underground rock circles rather than commercial dominance.

Legacy

Cultural Influence

Straight Records played a pivotal role in bridging , , and during the late 1960s and early 1970s, releasing albums that fused elements with rock structures. Captain Beefheart's (1969), produced by , exemplified this by blending , , and into a dense, polyrhythmic sound that challenged conventional song forms and influenced subsequent . Similarly, Alice Cooper's early releases (1969) and (1970) on the label laid the groundwork for glam shock rock, transitioning from psychedelic experimentation to theatrical horror elements that defined the band's later commercial success. The label significantly boosted artist careers within ' freak scene, a countercultural hub of nonconformists rejecting mainstream norms. Zappa's Straight Records served as a platform for Beefheart's avant-blues evolution, enabling his Magic Band's intense rehearsal regimen and resulting in landmark recordings that shaped underground aesthetics. For , the Straight era provided crucial early exposure, honing their raw energy and stage antics that propelled Vincent Furnier to stardom as the godfather of . Tim Buckley's jazz-folk innovations also found a home there, while Zappa positioned the label as a nexus for the LA freak scene, amplifying voices like ' poetic vignettes. Straight Records' broader impact extended to inspiring independent and experimental labels by demonstrating artist-led production models distributed through majors like Warner Bros., prioritizing creative control over commercial viability. It preserved countercultural expressions amid industry challenges. Critically, the label earned praise for fostering artistic freedom— was later inducted into the as a visionary work despite initial commercial obscurity—but faced critiques for its risky bets on unmarketable talent, embodying Zappa's ethos. This footprint endures in documenting the 1970s underground, influencing , , and scenes through its raw preservation of freak-era rebellion.

Reissues and Archival Efforts

Following the dissolution of Straight Records in 1973, early reissues began in 1972 when several catalog titles were transferred and re-pressed by , the label's original distributor, to maintain availability amid shifting operations. By the late 1980s, ' Retro imprint reactivated select Straight material for vinyl and CD formats, including remastered editions of Frank Zappa's (originally a Bizarre release but tied to the Straight ecosystem) and Captain Beefheart's , aiming to revive interest in the label's experimental roster. These efforts were limited to high-profile titles, preserving key artifacts from the label's short run without a full catalog overhaul. Ownership of Straight's masters evolved through legal resolutions in the early 1980s, when Frank Zappa's lawsuit against Warner Bros. Records—stemming from unpaid advances and creative disputes—settled out of court, reverting control of Zappa-produced recordings to Zappa himself. After Zappa's death in 1993, the Zappa Family Trust assumed stewardship of Zappa-related masters, while Warner Bros. retained rights to non-Zappa artists like and . This split persisted into the , with a notable shift in 2012 when Zappa Records, under the Trust, licensed digital distribution of select Straight-era titles through platforms like , broadening access to works such as Beefheart's catalog. In the late 2000s, amid a broader vinyl resurgence, independent labels like reissued Straight titles on vinyl, including Captain Beefheart's . Digital availability expanded in the via and similar services for albums like , though comprehensive CD box sets have not materialized due to fragmented rights among the Trust and Warner Bros. These modern reissues have ensured ongoing access while highlighting the label's role in rock preservation. Archival challenges intensified in the and following Zappa's death, as ownership of some non-Zappa Straight masters became unclear amid disputes between the Zappa estate and Herb Cohen's heirs, leading to sporadic availability and delayed digitization. By , partial streaming on platforms like has digitized select titles, such as Beefheart's early works, but gaps persist for others due to unresolved licensing. Recent efforts by the Zappa Estate, in partnership with since 2022, focus on catalog management for Zappa material. Meanwhile, through Rhino has continued remastering and reissuing Straight-era albums, including titles such as Clear Spot (2022), Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (2023), and The Spotlight Kid (2024) for , enhancing audio quality and vinyl availability as of 2025. Similar remastering has extended to Alice Cooper's early Straight releases, such as Pretties for You, through Warner's oversight, underscoring the commitment to maintaining the label's experimental legacy.

References

  1. https://www.discogs.com/label/51954-Straight
  2. https://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/distributed/straight.html
  3. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/frank-zappa-collaborations/
  4. https://rateyourmusic.com/label/straight_records/
  5. https://www.wired.com/2012/01/zappa-straight-bizarre/
  6. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/captain-beefheart-dead-at-age-69-237126/
  7. http://www.afka.net/Articles/1969-12_Record_World.htm
  8. https://americansongwriter.com/how-frank-zappa-helped-alice-cooper-become-the-rockstar-we-know-and-love-today/
  9. https://www.cvinyl.com/labelguides/straight.php
  10. https://www.discogs.com/release/1719508-GTOs-Permanent-Damage
  11. https://www.afka.net/Articles/1970-03_Record_World.htm
  12. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/alice-cooper-easy-action/
  13. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/captain-beefheart-trout-mask-replica/
  14. https://www.zappa.com/releases/weasels-ripped-my-flesh/
  15. https://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/distributed/discreet.html
  16. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/artists-with-record-labels/
  17. https://www.afka.net/Articles/1978-01_Record_World.htm
  18. https://www.afka.net/Articles/1979-08_Musician.htm
  19. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/03/20/cds-helped-mine-the-gold-in-oldies/
  20. https://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/07/obituaries/frank-zappa-musical-iconoclast-guitarist-and-restless-innovator-dies-at-52.html
  21. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/apr/01/herb-cohen-obituary
  22. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/frank-zappa-from-straight-to-bizarre-dvd/
  23. https://wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/Straight_Records
  24. https://www.afka.net/Books/straight.htm
  25. https://open.spotify.com/album/5yND3OgaskLaguTFQLcrf3
  26. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/trout-mask-replica-50th-anniversary-captain-beefheart-848521/
  27. https://www.discogs.com/master/52898-Alice-Cooper-Love-It-To-Death
  28. https://worleygig.com/2011/04/24/im-eighteen-enters-billboard-chart/
  29. https://www.discogs.com/master/93069-GTOs-Permanent-Damage
  30. https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/Trout-Mask-Replica_Shepperd.pdf
  31. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/frank-zappa-hungry-freak-diy-pioneer/
  32. https://musicbrainz.org/label/65a76ced-a924-4402-b5db-8e156978e53c
  33. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-12-19-fi-606-story.html
  34. http://dbpedia.org/resource/Straight_Records
  35. https://www.universalmusic.com/universal-music-group-becomes-the-permanent-home-of-frank-zappa-estate/
  36. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/trout-mask-replica-captain-beefheart-streaming-1193345/
  37. https://www.beefheart.com/category/blog/releases/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.