Battery Records (dance)

Last updated
Battery Records
Battery Records dance logo.jpg
Parent company Jive Records
Founded1994;30 years ago (1994)
Defunct1996;28 years ago (1996)
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s) BMG
Sony Music Entertainment (currently)
Genre Dance, hip hop
Country of origin United States
Location New York City

Battery Records was an American record label that served as the dance sublabel of Jive Records, and was active for a short time during the mid-1990s. The label was mostly known for releasing music by the Swedish Eurodance group Rednex in North America, namely its novelty hit "Cotton Eye Joe", as well as Insane Clown Posse's third studio album, Riddle Box . The Battery Records name was later revived by Sony Music Entertainment in 2008 with a focus on hip hop music.

Contents

History

Battery was formed when Zomba's Dutch office signed Rednex and created a number-one hit with "Cotton Eye Joe." Newly appointed Jive president Barry Weiss was attempting to broaden the pop-music reach of the label group, and introducing Rednex to American listeners was one of his first steps. [1] Suddenly Jive needed a suitable American outlet for this unique style and didn't feel that any current sub-labels were appropriate. Thus, Battery record's inaugural release was the "Cotton Eye Joe" American import in 1994. Although the song was successful, reaching #25 on the Billboard charts, it remained the group's only US hit. [2] [3]

While the New York City-based label largely focused on pop-oriented electronic music, it also released Insane Clown Posse's third album, Riddle Box . The label continued for a few more years signing at least one more artist before closing its doors in 1996.

Releases

Cat. No.ArtistTitleFormatTypeRelease Date
01241-46000 Rednex Sex & Violins CDAlbum1995
01241-46001 Insane Clown Posse Riddle Box CDAlbum1995
01241-46500 Rednex "Cotton Eye Joe"CD, 12"Single1994
01241-46501 Rednex "Cotton Eye Joe"7"Single1994
01241-46504 Insane Clown Posse "Chicken Huntin'"CDSingle1995
01241-46506 Tamperer featuring Maya "Feel It"CDSingle1998

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jive Records</span> American record label

Jive Records was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chicago. Jive was best known for its successes with hip hop, R&B, and dance acts in the 1980s and 1990s, along with teen pop and boy bands during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

<i>The Great Milenko</i> 1997 studio album by Insane Clown Posse

The Great Milenko is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on June 24, 1997, by Hollywood Records in association with Psychopathic Records. As the fourth Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival mythology, the album's lyrics focus on the titular Great Milenko, who is a necromancer.

<i>Riddle Box</i> 1996 studio album by Insane Clown Posse

Riddle Box is the third studio album by the American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse, released in 1996 on Battery Records and Island Records in association with Psychopathic Records. It is the third Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival mythology. It was released a second time by Battery Records and Jive Records. In 2008 it was re-released on a Riddle Box vinyl record. The album was the first Insane Clown Posse album in which the group worked with studio vocalist and guitarist Rich Murrell, who would work with the group throughout much of their career under the name Legz Diamond. It was released in four different versions, and earned a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 2008, Riddle Box was re-released on vinyl double LP format. In 2015, Psychopathic Records reissued the album in a 20th anniversary edition, featuring bonus tracks.

<i>Ringmaster</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Insane Clown Posse

Ringmaster is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse, and their second Joker Card in the first Deck of the Dark Carnival mythology. It was originally released on March 8, 1994 via Psychopathic Records and was reissued in 1998 through Island Records. Recording sessions took place at 313 Studio in Detroit. Production was handled by Mike E. Clark and ICP themselves. It features guest appearances from Capitol E and Jumpsteady. The album's lyrics describe the leader of the Carnival, who serves as one of the judges of one's soul in the afterlife, as being created from the listener's own evils.

<i>The Amazing Jeckel Brothers</i> 1999 studio album by Insane Clown Posse

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on May 25, 1999, by Island Records, in association with Psychopathic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1998 to 1999. The album is the fifth Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival mythology. The album's lyrics focus on the nine circles of hell and the morality of man as he is torn between righteousness and evil. The album's titular Jeckel Brothers are spirits who juggle balls of fire, representing the sins committed during the mortal life of the dead.

Psychopathic Records is an American independent record label headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The label is most associated with the hip-hop music subgenres horrorcore and rap rock. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. The iconography of a man with a meat cleaver has been used for years as a symbol of the group, its fanbase, and its associates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rednex</span> Swedish musical group

Rednex is a Swedish musical group whose style is a mix of American country music and modern Eurodance, with their appearance and stage names taking inspiration from the American redneck stereotypes. The band originally consisted of the lead singer Mary Joe, alongside Bobby Sue, Ken Tacky, Billy Ray and Mup. Pat Reiniz also served as the band's producer. The band has gone through multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with none of the members having an uninterrupted tenure.

<i>Tunnel of Love</i> (EP) 1996 EP by Insane Clown Posse

Tunnel of Love is the fourth EP by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on April 19, 1996, by Psychopathic Records. It is the third and final "sideshow" entry in the group's Dark Carnival saga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RCA/Jive Label Group</span> Short-lived American record label group

RCA/Jive Label Group was a short-lived American record label group, owned by Sony Music Entertainment and representing the merger of the RCA Music Group and JIVE Label Group. The umbrella group was formed in 2007 under the name BMG Label Group, was rebranded as RCA/Jive Label Group in 2009. In July 2011 it was finally dissolved into two separate labels: the RCA Music Group and Epic Records which took Jive subsidiaries until October 2011 when it retired Jive Records along with Arista Records and J Records. The artists on those three labels were moved to RCA Records.

<i>Sex & Violins</i> 1995 studio album by Rednex

Sex & Violins is the debut studio album by Swedish Eurodance group Rednex, released on Jive Records in February 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insane Clown Posse discography</span>

The discography of Insane Clown Posse, an American hip rock duo from Delray, Detroit, composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the wicked clowns Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, consists of sixteen studio albums, eighty-four singles, nineteen extended plays and nineteen compilations. Music videos and collaborations are also included, as are film and television appearances and home video releases.

<i>The Best of the West</i> 2002 greatest hits album by Rednex

The Best of the West is the title of the first compilation album released by Swedish dance group Rednex compiling almost all previously released Rednex singles, except the promotional single "Riding Alone". The album is the second and final release through Jive Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolling Home (song)</span> 1995 single by Rednex

"Rolling Home" is a Christmas-themed song by Swedish band Rednex, released in December 1995 by Jive Records as the last single from the band's debut album, Sex & Violins (1995). The song is written by Jan Ericsson and Lizette von Panajott, and produced by Michael B. Tretow. Lead vocals are performed by Annika Ljungberg. It was a top 20 hit in Austria (18), a top 40 hit in the band's native Sweden (32) and a top 50 hit in Germany (42). The music video for "Rolling Home" was shot in black-and-white, featuring the band performing the song in a winter-landscape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Weiss</span> American music executive (born 1959)

Barry Weiss is an American music executive. He co-founded the record label RECORDS in 2015, an imprint of Sony Music Entertainment which specializes in young recording artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken Huntin'</span> 1995 single by Insane Clown Posse

"Chicken Huntin'" is a single by hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse, from their second studio album, Ringmaster. The "Slaughter House Mix", from the group's third studio album, Riddle Box, has become one the duo's most popular songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insane Clown Posse</span> American hip hop duo from Michigan

Insane Clown Posse, often abbreviated as ICP, is an American hip hop duo. Formed in Detroit in 1989, ICP's best-known lineup consists of rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore and is known for its elaborate live performances. The duo has earned two platinum and five gold albums. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the entire catalog of the group had sold 6.5 million units in the United States and Canada as of April 2007. The group has established a dedicated following called Juggalos numbering in the "tens of thousands".

<i>The Mighty Death Pop!</i> 2012 studio album by Insane Clown Posse

The Mighty Death Pop! is the twelfth studio album by Underground American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on August 14, 2012. It is their second album to focus on the Dark Carnival since the conclusion of the group's original "Joker's Cards" series. The title character is the second in a set of six new Joker's Cards. It is the group's 29th overall release, and is the last album to date to feature long-time producer Mike E. Clark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cotton Eye Joe (Rednex song)</span> 1994 single by Rednex

"Cotton Eye Joe" is a song by Swedish Eurodance group Rednex, released in August 1994 as the first single from their debut studio album, Sex & Violins (1995). Based on the traditional American folk song "Cotton-Eyed Joe", it combines the group's style with traditional American instruments such as banjos and fiddles. The vocal verses are performed by Annika Ljungberg, while the "Cotton Eye Joe" chorus is sung by Göran Danielsson, who never appears in the music video for the song, directed by Stefan Berg. It was a number one hit in at least eleven countries, and reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 23 on the Cash Box Top 100 in the US. In 2002, "Cotton Eye Joe" was remixed in a new dance version, and was released on Rednex's first greatest hits album, The Best of the West (2002).

The discography of Rednex, a Swedish dance group, consists of three studio albums, two compilation albums, one extended plays, 18 singles, including one as featured artist, 9 promotional singles, and 17 music videos, including one as featured artist. The first Rednex release was the debut studio album Sex & Violins in 1995, preceded by the massive chart hits "Cotton Eye Joe", a cover version, and "Old Pop in an Oak", both released in 1994. This success was followed with the sophomore release Farm Out in 2000, including the hit single "The Spirit of the Hawk". The album Best of the West, their first compilation album, followed in 2002. In 2012, a studio album titled Saturday Night Beaver was planned, but remains shelved.

References

  1. Flick, Larry (1995-02-18). "Weiss Named Jive President, Aims to Boost Pop Presence". Billboard . pp. 6, 117.
  2. Bronson, Fred (1995-02-04). "Arista Sweeps: 'Creep' to 'Country'". Billboard . p. 132.
  3. Flick, Larry; Price, Dominic (1995-02-18). "Will U.S. fans dance to Jive's Rednex Fiddling?". Billboard . pp. 11, 117.