Composers' Labels

[29944 32]

There are some composers who have created their own labels, and have used them to release scores. Here are some examples, does anyone know any others?

 

Physical (Discogs links):

• Richard Band: Little Gems Records / self-released
• Vince DiCola: 3H Enterprises
• Jim Dooley: Pelagic Music
• George Fenton: Shogun Music Ltd.
• Elliot Goldenthal: Zarathustra Music
• Joel Goldsmith: FreeClyde Music
• Christopher Gordon: Magic Fire Music Pty Ltd / self-released
• Joe Harnell: Five Jays Music / Five Jays Records
• Kevin Kaska: Denouement Records
• Bear McCreary: Sparks & Shadows
• Lolita Ritmanis: MarLo Songs
• John Scott: JOS Records
• Batu Sener: bsMx Publishing
• Howard Shore: Howe Records
• Christopher L. Stone: Dragonsense Inc.
• Chris Tilton: self-released

 

Digital (Qobuz links):

• Richard Band: RFM Music / RFM Productions
• Jeff Beal: Categorical Records
• Paul Buckley: self-released
• Kostas Christides: White Tower Music
• Helena Czajka: self-released
• Jim Dooley: Pelagic Music
• George Fenton: Shogun Music Ltd
• Germaine Franco: Metate Music
• Christopher Gordon: self-released
• Joe Harnell: Five Jays Music
• Carl Johnson: self-released
• Kevin Kaska: Denouement Records
• Rafael May: self-released
• Bear McCreary: Sparks & Shadows
• Mark R Poff: self-released
• Conrad Pope: Morning Star Music
• John Powell: 5 Cat Label
• Sean Renner: self-released
• Lolita Ritmanis: Higher Purpose Music, Marlo Songs / Marlo Songs
• Batu Sener: self-released
• Christopher L. Stone: Dragonsense
• Patrick Stump: self-released
• Chris Tilton: Exploding Tuba Music
• Mike Verta: Tudor-Ford Music

 

Unsure: TRIPTE (Don Davis? "PTE" could be "Pacific Time Entertainment Company," which released the CD)

[KK 3,310]

Howe Records (Howard Shore)

[29944 32]

Thanks. Also added Denouement Records (Kevin Kaska).

[TolkienSS 518]

How much does it cost running a label to release your own music?

[29944 32]

2 hours ago, TolkienSS said:

How much does it cost running a label to release your own music?

Most of the composers listed use CDBaby or TuneCore to distribute their music, the pricing of those services can be found here:

https://cdbaby.com/cd-baby-cost/

https://www.tunecore.com/pricing

Patrick Stump apparently distributed his Black Friday score without the use of a service, but I'm not sure how that works/what the costs might be.

 

If the composer doesn't own the rights to the music (or if they decide to use the film artwork on the front cover), presumably they would have to get permission from/pay the film company to use it.

 

And, if they are doing a physical release, they will have to pay for the manufacturing costs.

 

Also, if other people master the album and/or design the artwork, presumably that would also add to the costs.

[Stark 979]

I believe John Scott has his own label as well, and Vince DiCola (albeit he’s mostly written other music).

[Thor 9,347]

Elliot Goldenthal - Zarathustra Music

[29944 32]

1 hour ago, Stark said:

I believe John Scott has his own label as well, and Vince DiCola (albeit he’s mostly written other music).

53 minutes ago, Thor said:

Elliot Goldenthal - Zarathustra Music

Added:

• Vince DiCola: 3H Enterprises
• Elliot Goldenthal: Zarathustra Music
• John Scott: JOS Records

[Jay 45,820]

How has nobody mentioned Bear McCreary's Sparks and Shadows yet?

 

https://sparksandshadows.com/

[29944 32]

5 minutes ago, Jay said:

How has nobody mentioned Bear McCreary's Sparks and Shadows yet?

 

https://sparksandshadows.com/

Added (Discogs and Qobuz).

[Sylvan 29]

Joel Goldsmith had FreeClyde Music while he was still with us. He is so deeply missed

 

https://www.discogs.com/label/376375-FreeClyde-Music

[1977 2,104]

I wish John Scott would start releasing his stuff digitally.

 

How is it that he seemingly holds the (mechanical?) rights to so many of his scores?

[Paul M. Grenon 93]

On 29/7/2023 at 11:09 AM, 1977 said:

How is it that he seemingly holds the (mechanical?) rights to so many of his scores?

He probably puts it in his contract whenever he scores something.

[Stark 979]

I believe William Goldstein has his own label (New Gold) through which much of his music released.

[Yavar Moradi 4,366]

They may be technically termed as "composer promos", but Michael J. Lewis for years produced exclusive soundtrack albums of his work, sold through outlets like Intrada and SAE... the cover art was infamously worse than even the JOS label (thankfully several recent reissues of JOS albums have featured brand new wonderful cover art by the great Jim Titus):

https://www1.screenarchives.com/composer.cfm?composerID=585

 

(Everything there except for Theater of Blood was put out by Lewis himself.)

 

Yavar

[Thor 9,347]

While he may not be known outside Norway, Eirik Myhr releases his soundtracks on his own label, Pling Kong Recordings:

 

https://plingkong.com/

[Jill Sandwich 11,039]

https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/

John Carpenter label

[Yavar Moradi 4,366]

Paul Wiley has released his three Terrifier scores on his own label:

https://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=159687&forumID=1&archive=0
 

Yavar

[Gabriel Bezerra 770]

Lolita Ritmanis' labels are on the list but not Dynamic Soundtrack Records, the label she has with Michael McCuistion and Kristopher Carter.