EMI, PRT Records (1987–1988), Gearbox Music (2014–present)
Founded
1969
Founder
Mickie Most
Status
Active
Distributor(s)
Gearbox Music (2014–present catalogue) Parlophone Records (back catalogue) Chrysalis Records/Blue Raincoat Music (Suzi Quatro catalogue)
Genre
Rock, pop
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Location
London, England
Official website
[1]
Rak Records is a British record label, founded by record producer Mickie Most in 1969.[1] Rak was home to artists such as Herman's Hermits, Suzi Quatro, Mud, Kenny, Hot Chocolate, Smokie, Arrows, Span, Racey and Kim Wilde.[2] Rak Records were distributed via a licensing deal with EMI Records, which bought the company and its master recordings from Most in 1983. Most kept the company name and his RAK Studios, which still exists in St. John's Wood along with Rak Publishing. The latter company represents artists such as Joan Jett, Ben Taylor and KK. In 1986, Most defected the label from EMI to PRT Records which handled the last releases until February 1988. Owing to the records not being hits, the label folded. However, 26 years later in late 2014, Rak Records was revived as a label for new artists releasing both downloads and 7-inch vinyl in the form of a singles club. The Cadbury Sisters, Trojanhorse, and Beautiful Boy were the new signings. They recorded their own original songs as the A-sides, and covered a classic Rak artists cover as the B-side. The Cadbury Sisters covered Steve Harley's 1975 classic "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" (even though it was originally released on the generic EMI label), Trojan Horse did Cozy Powell's "Dance With The Devil", and Beautiful Boy did "Kids In America". As PRT Records is no longer in existence, the label is now distributed by Gearbox Records using the original sailing yacht paper label and the records packaged in the original royal blue paper sleeves.
When Warner Music Group acquired Parlophone from EMI in 2013, this included the rights to Hot Chocolate[3] and other artists. However, Suzi Quatro's albums on Rak are owned by currently independent label Chrysalis Records after Blue Raincoat Music acquired that label in May 2016 from Warner.[4][5]
^"The RAK Records Story - Media Centre". BBC. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
^Cartwright, Garth (2 June 2003). "Obituary: Mickie Most". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
^"Their Greatest Hits by Hot Chocolate on Apple Music". itunes.apple.com.
^"Now Warner sells records by Athlete, Steve Harley and more to Chrysalis". Musicbusinessworldwide.com. 7 July 2016.
^"Two months after Warner sale, Chrysalis signs with Kobalt Label Services". Musicbusinessworldwide.com. 3 August 2016.
RakRecords is a British record label, founded by record producer Mickie Most in 1969. Rak was home to artists such as Herman's Hermits, Suzi Quatro, Mud...
RAK Studios is a recording studio complex, with residential facilities, used by RakRecords, and located near Regent's Park in central London, England...
Look up RAK in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. RAK or rak may refer to: Rak (river), in Slovenia Rak, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, a village in north-central...
1971, after being spotted by the record producer Mickie Most, who had by that time founded his own label, RakRecords. Most had been persuaded to see Cradle...
Chocolate, Arrows, Racey and the Jeff Beck Group, often issued on his own RAKRecords label. Most was born as Michael Peter Hayes in Aldershot, Hampshire,...
UK RakRAK 326 With Joan Armatrading Me Myself I (A&M Records, 1980) With John Cale Slow Dazzle (Island Records, 1975) Helen of Troy (Island Records, 1975)...
year, he returned to London and joined the band Hot Club, signed to RAKRecords. His fellow band members were Glenn Matlock of the Sex Pistols and Rich...
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a British multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was originally founded as a British...
Foolish Heart", on RAKRecords. It was not a commercial success, but gained substantial airplay and was Sounds magazine's record of the week.[citation...
at St Albans College of Art & Design. As Kim Wilde, she was signed to RAKRecords by Mickie Most. Wilde's father Marty and brother, Ricky, were responsible...
label RAKRecords. Most produced their first single, "We Vibrate". The band also backed Spedding on his single, "Pogo Dancing". The Vibrators recorded sessions...
Atlantic Records Anvil Chorus (1975) Atlantic Records Kitsch (1977) RakRecords With Casino Steel Gary Holton & Casino Steel (1981) Killroy Records Part II...
Black", which reached No. 18. Arrows front man Alan Merrill, also a RAKrecords artist, played electric bass on '"The Man in Black'" and the b-side '"After...
April Wine), and "I Believe in Love". All those releases were on the Rakrecord label, owned by Most. Brown and bassist Tony Wilson wrote most of their...
Noone recorded four singles for UK RAKRecords, one single for UK and US Philips, and several singles for the small UK record label, Bus Stop Records. His...
countries. In the United Kingdom, the song was released on Mickie Most's RAKRecords, and peaked at number 6 on the UK singles chart. The strings are played...
One (1977). The 1978 LP, Donovan was on Most's RAKRecords in the UK and on Clive Davis' new Arista Records in the US; it reunited him for the last time...
Assassino in 1980. After his deal with Jet Records ended, he signed with EMI/Rak in Europe and Geffen Records in the US. There he released his third album...
(2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 297. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. "The England World Cup Squad - This...
contract with his RAK Publishing. This influenced the A&R department at EMI Records to offer the band a three-album deal. Cockney Rebel recorded their debut...
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