Jim Cherry’s Reviews > Becoming Elektra: The True Story of Jac Holzman's Visionary Record Label > Status Update

Elektra signs the MC5 and The Stooges. Holzman eyes early retirement and Carly Simon.

The late 60's. Elektra experiments that lead to missteps such as Paul Rothchild's supergroup Rhinoceros, and Paxton Lodge. So many artists recorded at Elektra I might write a review with just the names of all the artists and groups.

Elektra makes the transition from folk to pop with artists like Tim Buckley bridging the divide.

Love and The Doors. Elektra branches out to L.A. and rock 'n' roll with Love. Love was the biggest band in L.A. and a unique sound, Love records 3 albums but won't tour in support. Arthur Lee of Love recommneds The Doors, Holzman signs them and the rest is rock 'n' roll history.

Moving into the mid-60's Elektra gravitates towards folk-rock with some of the folk people like John Sebastian moving with them. The Paul Butterfiled Blues Band hits big for Elektra.

In the shadow of Bob Dylan Elektra moves into the 60's with Tom Paxton and Phil Ochs. Paul Rothchild is hired as producer and foreshadowing to The Doors.

Judy Collins signed with Elektra at first because looking for an Elektra Joan Baez, but then Collins evolves over several albums.

Josh White and Theo Bikel give Elektra a measure of financial stability with Blues and Russian Folksongs respectively.

Elektra ends the first stage of its existence a combination of folk music and genre albums to sustain itself. The book has page after page of beautiful photos of people, places, equipment, and album covers over the span of its history.

The founding of Elektra Records by Jac Holzman. He created the company in his college dorm room, soon bought a record store & started recording folk singers of the near by Greenwich Village in NY. Definitely at the right time & place when folk music entered mainstream consciousness.