Paris tower records

[Geeselad]

Came across this above label, from Florida? I think. While digging online, never heard of before but is does seem to have a lot of very rare releases. Many are garage but are there any good soul, funk or R &B sides on it? Anyone collect it or any insight? 

[Kenb]

You can get most of what you may want by following Discogs and 45cat…but if you want something specific, or say info on  The Hyperions ( on Paris Tower), etc let me know. 
Gil Cabot was a major influence on Paris Tower label , but somewhat oddly I have never come across his name as “ owner” even though he was a major influence in the label and the 3 other associated labels.

[Floyd]

Hi

i have a few on this label the best being a fantastic  female up tempo northern track with great  horn breaks

title of track - stardolls and the  astros - nothing can change - paris tower

 

lovely silver label with picture of the Eifel Tower on it, most things on this label are pretty rare

ATB

Floyd

[Blackpoolsoul]

14 hours ago, Kenb said:

You can get most of what you may want by following Discogs and 45cat…but if you want something specific, or say info on  The Hyperions ( on Paris Tower), etc let me know. 
Gil Cabot was a major influence on Paris Tower label , but somewhat oddly I have never come across his name as “ owner” even though he was a major influence in the label and the 3 other associated labels.

This site says he started it 

https://www.waybackattack.com/mercy.html

[Kenb]

16 minutes ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

This site says he started it 

https://www.waybackattack.com/mercy.html

thanks for that...probability suggests Gil did "own" Paris Tower, ( i've seen that site before, and others), but i'd like to see something more difinitive about "ownership". e.g. in print by Gil himself, and yet i have tons of stuff on Gil and not one where he talks about "ownership" of Paris Tower, whereas the other of his labels he does.

[Kenb]

Gil 1965 pic & Gil 1971 pic

 

[The Yank]

From Record World (July 27,1968) -

[Geeselad]

Thanks for the contribution so far, seems quite obscure for a label that put out so many releases, that's what peaked my interest. Lots are garage, but a lot don't have clips on discogs and many seems rare, any ideas why? 

[Blackpoolsoul]

23 hours ago, Kenb said:

Gil 1965 pic & Gil 1971 pic

 

Seems he was a little controversial 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-14-me-224-story.html

[Kenb]

9 hours ago, Geeselad said:

Thanks for the contribution so far, seems quite obscure for a label that put out so many releases, that's what peaked my interest. Lots are garage, but a lot don't have clips on discogs and many seems rare, any ideas why? 

Gil, bought one label from H & H Productions (see the early Paris Tower labels around label image edge). Gil also bought 4 labels from Charles Fuller ( productions) that at the time (June 1968) who had 30 artists/bands recording under them. Hence many releases. Although Gil went on to be a force across the labels ( and Paris Tower came under Gil Enterprises) i was never certain he originally owned it, and that it was one of the labels he bought from Fuller.

Gil recorded some of the stuff ( he had a 'desk' at the studio) at H &H productions which was run by Charles Harder & Phil Kempin, although Charles Harder's dad was a partner (silent), hence H & H. 

Gil was essentially a promo man, he'd started Flori-Promotions with Bob Barnes, and an 'unknown' in New York (early '68) to 'package' artists ( photo's, cut records, etc) but had big ambitions, which he seemd to fulfil and moved to California.

[Chalky]

The parent label for Paris Towers is Gil Cabot Enterprises as stated on some of the labels.

[Kenb]

21 minutes ago, Chalky said:

The parent label for Paris Towers is Gil Cabot Enterprises as stated on some of the labels.

yeah, like this...my point was about the possible 'original owner'.

[Chalky]

41 minutes ago, Kenb said:

yeah, like this...my point was about the possible 'original owner'.

I presume he is the owner given the parent company and production company is owned by him

[George G]

This forum is your best place to find info. One of the contributors had done extensive research on Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater bands that recorded for PT.

Limestone Lounge - A place to discuss Florida musicians, records, record labels, & 1960s radio DJ's. (tapatalk.com)

Surprised no one mentioned the Del Rays. Not only is it by far the best soul record on the label, it's also one of the rarest PT 45s. 

Many of the records came with band picture postcards. 

 

[Md Records]

There is an album that's just come out stateside with the garage sides on

[Sebastian]

On 26/06/2024 at 00:15, Geeselad said:

many seems rare, any ideas why? 

Very small pressing runs.

I've always had the feeling (and one of the ads above seem to back it up) that Paris Tower was a "pay-to-play" label. That the groups had to pay a fee to get their 45s recorded/pressed/promoted, hence little motivation for Paris Tower to do anything with the records once they had been pressed.

A compilation that focuses on the garage side of things was recently released:
https://www.discogs.com/release/28927195-Various-The-Best-Of-Paris-Tower-16-Crunchin-60s-Garage-Tracks-From-Tampas-Legendary-Label

[Blackpoolsoul]

1 hour ago, Md Records said:

There is an album that's just come out stateside with the garage sides on

Kip does not seem to have a high profile on the net other than a webpage with a link to Discogs

All records recorded for 45's as no masters

https://kipcorecords.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kip-brown-8357993b?trk=people-guest_people_search-card&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fpub%2Fdir%2FKip%2FBrown

Edited June 27 by Blackpoolsoul

[Mach]

On 25/06/2024 at 23:15, Geeselad said:

Thanks for the contribution so far, seems quite obscure for a label that put out so many releases, that's what peaked my interest. Lots are garage, but a lot don't have clips on discogs and many seems rare, any ideas why? 

As you mentioned not many sound clips can be found i did a podcast a few years back which featured the illusive Del Rays @ 46mins probably one if not thee rarest on the label.

Check it out on mixcloud

Northern Soul Bomb Shelter by Cris Walker Allen | Mixcloud

 

Edited June 27 by Mach
trying to add file

[Geeselad]

1 hour ago, Mach said:

As you mentioned not many sound clips can be found i did a podcast a few years back which featured the illusive Del Rays @ 46mins probably one if not thee rarest on the label.

Check it out on mixcloud

Northern Soul Bomb Shelter by Cris Walker Allen | Mixcloud

 

It was the delays track indeed that got me looking at the label, thanks for that. 

4 hours ago, Sebastian said:

Very small pressing runs.

I've always had the feeling (and one of the ads above seem to back it up) that Paris Tower was a "pay-to-play" label. That the groups had to pay a fee to get their 45s recorded/pressed/promoted, hence little motivation for Paris Tower to do anything with the records once they had been pressed.

A compilation that focuses on the garage side of things was recently released:
https://www.discogs.com/release/28927195-Various-The-Best-Of-Paris-Tower-16-Crunchin-60s-Garage-Tracks-From-Tampas-Legendary-Label

So a vanity label of sorts?

[Pomonkey]

Del Rays is tough but I sold 2 clean copies in the last few months, there's another still in NYC, then other than that suspect they have all made it to Europe unless GG has/kept one.  Most won't know Kip who put out the Paris Tower comp as he doesn't touch soul other than to flip it but he is a big garage collector (in joke there, he's usually the only person taller than me at record fairs over here  ).  If you find any with the inserts then congrats, the US's main sleeve collector has a standing offer of 4 figures each for several of them, GL!

[Blackpoolsoul]

7 hours ago, Pomonkey said:

Del Rays is tough but I sold 2 clean copies in the last few months, there's another still in NYC, then other than that suspect they have all made it to Europe unless GG has/kept one.  Most won't know Kip who put out the Paris Tower comp as he doesn't touch soul other than to flip it but he is a big garage collector (in joke there, he's usually the only person taller than me at record fairs over here  ).  If you find any with the inserts then congrats, the US's main sleeve collector has a standing offer of 4 figures each for several of them, GL!

I am very surprised that no one has reissued the Del Rays as everything else is getting a press, it seems, unless I missed it.

[StJames]

On 24/06/2024 at 13:58, Kenb said:

You can get most of what you may want by following Discogs and 45cat…but if you want something specific, or say info on  The Hyperions ( on Paris Tower), etc let me know. 
Gil Cabot was a major influence on Paris Tower label , but somewhat oddly I have never come across his name as “ owner” even though he was a major influence in the label and the 3 other associated labels.

Kenb- I've done quite a bit research on Gil and Paris Tower. I live in Tampa. His history is WILD! But I found this thread because my father-in-law recorded a record for PT/Gil Produced and the 45 was released twice. I've been lookong for a copy for a while. Missed a few for sale here and there. Perhaps you have a source?

BAND: The Magic Circle

SONG: I Put A Spell On You (Cover)/ She Means the World to Me (Original)

[Kenb]

7 hours ago, StJames said:

Kenb- I've done quite a bit research on Gil and Paris Tower. I live in Tampa. His history is WILD! But I found this thread because my father-in-law recorded a record for PT/Gil Produced and the 45 was released twice. I've been lookong for a copy for a while. Missed a few for sale here and there. Perhaps you have a source?

BAND: The Magic Circle

SONG: I Put A Spell On You (Cover)/ She Means the World to Me (Original)

Hi, and welcome, thanks for getting in touch.

Unfortunately i no longer have a Floridian source.

What i can tell you ( but you probably already know) is Magic Circle was placed 2nd behind The Soul Tenders, at the Battle of The Bands at The National Guard Armory April 1967.

Which band member from Wildwood & Leesburg was your Father-In-Law?

P.S. put your 'want request' into the relevant forum on here. Someone might have one for sale.

Edited November 12 by Kenb
spelling

[StJames]

Jim Rast. Bassist/ Vocalist.  He continued as a touring, professional musician in multiple bands and projects, studio work and jingle writing until a few years ago. This was the only recorded original music that was pressed and released by any of his other bands other than demos and the jingles. THANK YOU for the reply. 

[Soul-slider]

This is a nice 'blue-eyed' NS tune, I've never seen a copy for sale though.

 

[Clee93]

On 12/11/2024 at 09:47, Kenb said:

Hi, and welcome, thanks for getting in touch.

Unfortunately i no longer have a Floridian source.

What i can tell you ( but you probably already know) is Magic Circle was placed 2nd behind The Soul Tenders, at the Battle of The Bands at The National Guard Armory April 1967.

Which band member from Wildwood & Leesburg was your Father-In-Law?

P.S. put your 'want request' into the relevant forum on here. Someone might have one for sale.

Is this the same group on Mira who did I Was Bewitched?

[Pomonkey]

<<<Is this the same group on Mira who did I Was Bewitched?>>>

The Mira group is The Tams under an alternate name

The Paris Tower is a bunch of white FL teens from a speck of a town called Wildwood in the middle of a huge morass of swamps and lakes

[Clee93]

8 hours ago, Pomonkey said:

<<<Is this the same group on Mira who did I Was Bewitched?>>>

The Mira group is The Tams under an alternate name

The Paris Tower is a bunch of white FL teens from a speck of a town called Wildwood in the middle of a huge morass of swamps and lakes

Is actually that true? I’ve never heard anybody say that, that’s crazy if so! I know the track is written by Ray Whitley who wrote The Tams hits but I definitely thought that they were a white group. Great track, definitely has more of a garage feel to it rather than soul.

Edited 4 hours ago by Clee93