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Chambers Brothers Royalties

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I know that most of the Chambers Brothers output from the late 60's through to the mid 70's was 'too rocky' for soulies on here (their take on CM's "People Get Ready" is sublime though) ........... BUT .............

I'm currently helping Lester Chambers & his wife chase CBS / Sony for old (& current) royalties.

The company has told them that very few of the group's records were released outside of the US & Canada !!

This is a blatant lie .........

With just a little checking I have established that these were released in Europe .........

........ CBS / Direction label 45's in Europe ..........

I Can't Stand It / Uptown (7", Single) CBS 3098 released in France in 1967

Time Has Come Today / Dinah (7") Direction 58-3760 released in UK in 1968

Time Has Come Today (7" Single) CBS 3356 released in France in 1968

I Can't Turn You Loose / Do Your Thing (7") Direction 58-3865 released in UK in 1968

I Can't Turn You Loose / Do Your Thing (7") CBS 3865 in France in 1968

I Can't Turn You Loose / Do Your Thing (7") CBS 3865 in Netherlands in 1968

Are You Ready / You Got The Power To Turn Me On (7") CBS 4098 in France in 1969

Wake Up (7") Direction 58-4367 released in UK in 1968

Funky / Love, Peace And Happiness (7") CBS 5389 in France in 1970

Love, Peace And Happiness / If You Want Me To (7") Direction 58-4846 in UK in 1970

Boogie Children (7") CBS S1550 in Germany in 1973

Have A Little Faith / To Love Somebody (7") CBS 66228 in Netherlands in 1973

........ ALBUMS : Early LP released in UK (licensed from Vault in US) .....

Shout ! (LP) on Liberty LBS 83272 .... issued here in UK in 1969

....... CBS / Direction label LP's in Europe ..........

The Time Has Come (LP) Direction 8 / 63407 in UK in 1967

The Time Has Come (LP) CBS S63 407 in Germany in 1967 (also in Canada)

A New Time - A New Day (LP) Direction 8-63451 in UK in 1968

A New Time - A New Day (LP) Columbia S63 451 in Germany in 1968

New Generation (LP) CBS S64156 in UK in 1971

The Time Has Come (LP) Music On Vinyl MOVLP210 across Europe in 2011

........ OTHER none CBS LP's;

Unbonded (LP) Avco Records 87 843 IT in Germany in 1973

Live In Concert On Mars (LP) Chelsea Records CHL 548 in UK in 1977

......... CD's .........

People Get Ready & Now (CD) Repertoire Records REP 4734-WY in Germany in 1999

Lots more were released in places such as Spain, Italy, Norway, Ireland, Sweden, etc. and I am trying to get some details of these other releases.

ALSO their stuff had to be released in places such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, JAPAN, etc.

Any help that listies can provide on establishing the details of the group's other non US releases will be much appreciated.

Lester has a Facebook petition going at present, think about supporting it please if you are a Facebooker.

Edited by modernsoulsucks

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Good luck, that picture & story board which has been doing the rounds is appalling.

  On 16/03/2012 at 08:58, Roburt said:

I know that most of the Chambers Brothers output from the late 60's through to the mid 70's was 'too rocky' for soulies on here (their take on CM's "People Get Ready" is sublime though) ........... BUT .............

I'm currently helping Lester Chambers & his wife chase CBS / Sony for old (& current) royalties.

The company has told them that very few of the group's records were released outside of the US & Canada !!

This is a blatant lie .........

With just a little checking I have established that these were released in Europe .........

........ CBS / Direction label 45's in Europe ..........

Are You Ready / You Got The Power To Turn Me On (7") CBS 4098 in France in 1969

Are You Ready / You Got The Power To Turn Me On was also released in the UK - I have the 45 -

Direction 58-4098 released in UK in 1969

Never too rocky - just different and very 'hip'. 'Time Has Come Today' was my first introduction to them via the Direction various artists LP 'Groovy Baby' - so that should be included also.

Remember seeing them on the Lulu show one Saturday night back in the days when TV attempted to provide proper entertainment - now that was a real treat!

Good luck with it

Mike

good luck, I hope you get something. Did you try looking at discogs, and then musicstack and gemm?

I have 3/4 german Chambers Bros 45s that are not on your list. Can PM you the details. Can you send me a reminder by PM? I tend to forget things I've said in the office once I'm at home ...

Hi Roburt,

A good place to start:-

https://www.discogs.com/artist/Chambers+Brothers%2C+The#t=Releases_All&q=&p=1

Accounting should be relatively straightforward with a list of all the releases.The Chambers Brothers actually weren't that successful outside of the U.S. so there won't be a fortune from foreign sales, but they should still be included in the label's accounting shouldn't they?

I bet the original paperwork has long gone!

Ian D :D

  On 16/03/2012 at 10:20, Ian Dewhirst said:

Hi Roburt,

A good place to start:-

https://www.discogs.c...ases_All&q=&p=1

Accounting should be relatively straightforward with a list of all the releases.The Chambers Brothers actually weren't that successful outside of the U.S. so there won't be a fortune from foreign sales, but they should still be included in the label's accounting shouldn't they?

I bet the original paperwork has long gone!

Ian D :D

I never knew they had 2 avco LPs. I have a 45 on Roxsbury by the "starshine sisters" that sounds exactly like the chambers bros. I assume they did that due to some sort of contractual issues.

  On 16/03/2012 at 10:23, boba said:

I never knew they had 2 avco LPs.

Me neither. That was news to me as well. Probably worth investigating.

Ian D :D

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Cheers guys, I got a lot of the above info off Discogs (such a good place to go to access old vinyl info easily - the catalogue numbers are needed & Discogs details those).

It's Lester's wife Lola that is doing the royalty chasing on his behalf, but Sony just keep telling her nothing by the group was released outside of the US & Canada.

At present she is only chasing Sony as the vast majority of the group's sellers were put out by CBS (Columbia).

I've still got a load more digging to do, especially with regard to Japanese, Australian & South American releases from the group.

BTW, Lester's preparing info on the group's exploits to put in a book about them BUT his memory of what went down back then seems a bit fogged up (wonder why !!)

I have a coloured vinyl Chambers Brothers - I can't stand it. I'm sure it's a German release on CBS? I'll check when I get home.

Hope they do manage to scrape a few quid back. It's criminal what these artists have to go through for what it rightfully theirs!

Edited by Emily73

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Recently auctioned on Ebay ............

Chambers Brothers --- "People Get Ready" .......... "Vault 9003" .......... Released in 1966

The auction was for two Master Recordings on Reel to Reel tape made at one of the most famous recording studios at the time.

................ Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, Calif.

They were original reels of tape. The tape used by the technicians, used to make the released recording and then stored away. The tapes in the auction were acquired from an Estate sale in San Jose,California in 1989. The deceased had been an engineer for Chess Records and these were in his collection.

Edited by Roburt

  On 16/03/2012 at 20:10, Roburt said:

Recently auctioned on Ebay ............

Chambers Brothers --- "People Get Ready" .......... "Vault 9003" .......... Released in 1966

The auction was for two Master Recordings on Reel to Reel tape made at one of the most famous recording studios at the time.

................ Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, Calif.

They were original reels of tape. The tape used by the technicians, used to make the released recording and then stored away. The tapes in the auction were acquired from an Estate sale in San Jose,California in 1989. The deceased had been an engineer for Chess Records and these were in his collection.

That doesn't surprise me one bit. It's becoming commonplace for most companies to just ignore dealing with original master tapes. They're lazy and don't want to spend money baking, transfering and digitizing original masters. Too much hassle and too much cost. Ace/Kent and Numero are the rare exceptions who actually worry about this stuff.

Getting the finance to restore original master tapes is right at the bottom of most company's priorities. It'll soon be a lost art.

Ian D :D

Here's a european issue of "I can't stand it" that I have. I've copied the record and pic cover to give as much info as possible.

Also, if it helps, they also have a track on a UK Compilation LP I have called "Groov'y Baby". Track 5 on side 1.

Good luck to Mr and Mrs Chambers.

Kev Bodley

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