New York Graffiti - 1619-1750 Broadway - An Independent American Pop Story 1958-1968

A fascinating story emerges surrounding the growth of a group of independent US Publishing Companies, some 28 in number, the oldest of which Broadway Music was founded in 1914, and how by the end of 1968 all had come under the ownership of one, the Edward Kassner Music Company.

New York Graffiti is set in the time when the song publishers launched their own in house record labels. Not only that, these companies were part of the business as a vertical integration of publishers, writers, arrangers, producers, labels, studios, artists, management, DJs, radio. Most in the same district of New York, often in the same building. With control of ‘the Song’ then it was about manipulating as much as possible around it’s exploitation for maximum commercial exposure. With our group of Publishers they specifically launched and ran the labels Joy Records, Seville Records, President Records, Duel, Gulf, Shell Records, Select, and the recordings on this collection are drawn from them.