Colgems Records

Colgems Records was a short-lived but influential American record label, operating from 1966 to 1971. It was formed as a joint venture between the television and music publishing arm of Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, and the prominent music publisher and producer Don Kirshner. Primarily created as an outlet for music from Screen Gems' television properties, the label is best remembered for its successful soundtrack albums and its association with the made-for-television band The Monkees.

History

The label was established in 1966 by Don Kirshner, who had been appointed music supervisor for Screen Gems following his successful tenure at Aldon Music. The name "Colgems" was a portmanteau of "Columbia" and "Gems," directly linking it to its corporate parent, Columbia Pictures. Its primary initial purpose was to release music from Screen Gems-produced television shows, most notably the soundtrack for the NBC sitcom The Monkees. The label's distribution was handled by RCA Records, a major force in the industry at the time. A significant early conflict arose between Kirshner and the members of The Monkees, particularly Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith, who demanded greater creative control over their recordings, leading to Kirshner's dismissal in 1967. Despite this upheaval, the label continued operations, releasing music from other Screen Gems projects like the musical film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and the animated series The Archie Show. Financial difficulties at the parent company and changing musical trends led to the label's dissolution in 1971, with its catalog and remaining artists absorbed by its corporate siblings.

Notable artists

The label's most commercially successful act was undoubtedly the prefabricated band The Monkees, whose recordings for the label included global hits like "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer". The label also released solo work from Monkees members, including Davy Jones's single "Girl" and Michael Nesmith's early country-rock efforts. Another major act was the bubblegum pop group The Cowsills, a real-life family band that scored hits with songs like "The Rain, the Park & Other Things" and "Hair", and served as the inspiration for the television series The Partridge Family. The studio group The Archies, an animated band from the CBS Saturday morning cartoon, achieved a number-one hit with "Sugar, Sugar", produced by Jeff Barry. Other artists on the roster included pop singer Oliver, who had a hit with "Good Morning Starshine" from the rock musical Hair, and the vocal group The Saints.

Discography

The label's output was dominated by soundtrack albums and singles tied to Screen Gems' multimedia projects. Its most significant releases were the series of albums by The Monkees, including The Monkees, More of the Monkees, and Headquarters, the latter marking the group's first album with self-contained instrumentation. The soundtrack for the Monkees' avant-garde film Head, produced by Jack Nicholson, was also a notable release. Successful albums from The Cowsills included The Cowsills and We Can Fly. The label also released the chart-topping The Archies album and the soundtrack for the film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, featuring music by Rod McKuen. Several compilation albums, such as The Monkees Greatest Hits, were issued to capitalize on the ongoing popularity of the catalog.

Legacy

Though its lifespan was brief, Colgems Records left a distinct mark on the landscape of 1960s popular music and the music industry's relationship with television. It stands as a prime example of the vertically integrated "music factory" model, where television production, music publishing, and record manufacturing were controlled under one corporate umbrella, a strategy also employed by rivals like Disney and Hanna-Barbera. The label's success with The Monkees and The Archies demonstrated the immense commercial potential of television-driven pop music and the burgeoning bubblegum pop genre. Its catalog, particularly the recordings of The Monkees, has enjoyed enduring popularity through continual reissues on Rhino and other labels, introducing the music to new generations. The corporate evolution of its assets continued through later entities like Arista Records and Sony Music, ensuring the preservation of its recorded legacy.