Riviera-LM Records was a French record label.

History

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Riviera-LM was founded in 1951 by French record producer Eddie Barclay. The label produced new singers and bands. Riviera-LM production facilities in Milan produced Italian editions of foreign artists, including Nino Ferrer and Peter Holm. Riviera was distributed in Spain and Portugal.

In September 1964 Barclay and Phillipe Loury, then president of Erato Records, founded Compagnie européenne du disque (CED) to distribute records. Riviera and Erato were the first two labels used by the system.[1] Riviera later became Riviera-LM, run by Leo Missir.[2] Riviera was distributed in Spain and Portugal.

Riviera gained distribution rights for Chess, Atlantic and Stax. It compiled many recordings of these labels by initiating a system of direct imports from the US for distribution in France.

Partial sale of Disques Barclay

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On November 16, 1978, PolyGram acquired a 40% interest in Disques Barclay and Societe Generale also acquired 40%, leaving Barclay with 20% of the company. Barclay remained president and retained operating independence in terms of artistic, commercial and distribution activity.[3]

Sale of Disques Barclaly

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In 1979, hit by the music industry crisis, Barclay sold his company, which included the Riviera label, to Philips-owned conglomerate PolyGram. His labels survived as a unit of PolyGram and then Universal Music Group.[4][5]

Selected artists

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The best-known singers who worked with the subsidiary of Barclay Records were Nino Ferrer, Guy Marchand, and Daniel Balavoine, including albums that came out under the Barclay / Riviera labels from 1978-1984. Others were Raymond Lefèvre, Jean Musy (fr), Nicoletta and Michel Orso.

Other labels named Riviera

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The Riviera of this article should not be confused with Riviera Records, an American label founded by Eddie Heller, who also founded Rainbow Records.

Selected discography

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Catalog No. Year Artist Album title
RIV/LP 80005 1969 Nino Ferrer Agostino Ferrari ovvero Nino Ferrer
RIV/LP 80006 1969 Nino Ferrer Per voi giovani
RIV/LP 80011 1970 David Alexander Winter Oh Lady Mary
RIV/LP 80016 1970 Nino Ferrer Rats and rolls

45 rpm

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Catalog No. Year Artist Titles
RIV 501 1966 Ricardo "Per ognuno c'è qualcuno"/"Un amour"
RIV 503 1965 Evy "Giochi proibiti"/"Ma che magnifico ricordo"
RIV 504 1966 Nino Ferrer "E' colpa tua"/"Me ne andrò"
RIV 508 1966 Ricardo "La carta vincente"/"Un po' di pioggia giù"
RIV 509 1966 Guy Marchand "L'appassionata"/"Vi vedo perplessa"
RIV 511 1966 Nino Ferrer "Mirza"/"La mia vita per te"
RIV 513 1966 Ricardo "Solo più che mai"/"Benvenuto mio amore"
RIV 514 1966 Patricia Carli "Il male che fai"/"Un giorno a te ritornerà"
RIV 516 1966 Aimè Barelli "Le Stop Op"/"Le Bal Des Petits Lits Blancs"
RIV 521 1967 Michel Mallory (fr) "Accipicchia l'Angelicchia"/"Una casa"
RIV 5020 1967 Nino Ferrer "La pelle nera"/"Se mi vuoi sempre bene"
RIV 5023 1967 Nino Ferrer "Le telephone"/"Mao et moa"
RIV 5024 1967 Nino Ferrer "Al telefono"/"La mia vita per te"
RIV/NP 77004 1968 Nino Ferrer "Il re d'Inghilterra"/"Una bambina bionda"
RIV/NP 77006 1968 Nino Ferrer "Non ti capisco più"/"Marilù"
RIV/NP 77009 1969 Michel Orso "Se te ne vai"/"E mai, e mai"
RIV/NP 77015 1969 Nino Ferrer "Donna Rosa"/"Monsieur Machin"
RIV/NP 77019 1969 Peter Holm "Cosa fai senza me"/"Come te"
RIV/NP 77020 1969 Nino Ferrer "Mamadou Memé"/"Il baccalà"
RIV/NP 77026 1969 Michel Polnareff "Tout, tout pour ma cherie"/"Tous le bateaux tous les oiseaux"
RIV/NP 77027 1969 Nino Ferrer "Agata"/"Les petites filles de bonne famille"
RIV/NP 77027 1969 Nino Ferrer "Agata"/"La Rua Madureira"
RIV/NP 77033 1970 Peter Holm "Miss Jane"/"Cerca un posto"
RIV/NP 77034 1970 Nino Ferrer "Chiamatemi Don Giovanni"/"Je vends dse robes"
RIV/NP 77036 1970 Nino Ferrer "Re di cuori"/"Un giorno come un altro"
RIV/NP 77037 1970 Nino Ferrer "Viva la campagna"/"La Rua Madureira"
RIV/NP 77043 1970 Nino Ferrer "Io, tu e il mare"/"Les Yeux de Laurence"
RIV/NP 77050 1971 Nino Ferrer "Amsterdam"/"Gertrude"
RIV/NP 77062 1972 The Popcorn Makers "Popcorn"/"Toad In The Hole"
RIV/NP 77063 1973 Rocky Roberts "Mathusalem"/"Looking Back"

References

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  1. ^ "Distribution Supermarkets and Department Stores Rack One Third of Stores," by Jean Tronchot, Billboard, May 1, 1971, pg. F20
  2. ^ "Barclay 21," Billboard, May 30, 1970, pps. B1–B24
  3. ^ "Polygram In 40% Buy of Barclay Co.," by Henry Kahn, Billboard, November 25, 1978
  4. ^ "French Exec Barclay Dies," Billboard, May 13, 2005
  5. ^ "Biz Legend Barclay Dies," by Emmanuel Legrand, Billboard, May 28, 2005, pg. 61