Buddah's roots began in 1964 when three production company partners, [a264601], Hy Mizrahi and Phil Steinberg, formed the [l12390] label - gaining mover and shaker Art Kass to their board from MGM Records, the company with whom the four signed a distribution deal. The label did well for three years, but decided to begin extricating themselves from the MGM deal by forming a satellite label in 1967. Thus Buddah was born, steered by ex-MGM Records executive [a288481].
The first vinyl album released by Buddah (before it began a catalog reorganization with series 5000) was "Safe As Milk" by [a256164] (red label) BDM 1001 (1967). It was also the first (re-issued) on the new 5000 Buddah label (psychedelic/black) as BDS 5001 (1970).
Viewlex purchased a controlling interest in Buddah Records and Kama Sutra Records in November 1968.
Both Kama Sutra and Buddah flourished with a wide variety of artists. Kama Sutra was free of its MGM deal by 1969 and its distribution, including its Eleuthera label, continued through Buddah, along with subsidiaries such as Sussex, Curtom, T-Neck, Charisma, Pavilion, Super-K, Southwind, National General and Brut.
In 1977, the label was beginning to experience some financial difficulties so it struck a distribution deal with [a=Clive Davis]' Arista Records.
By 1982, the hits had dried up and Sutra Records was formed about this time. In 1986 Buddah was finished and the label and back-catalog was sold to Essex Entertainment Group, which in turn was sold to BMG Special Products.
BMG began re-issuing Buddah/Kama Sutra material in 1996, revising the logo to replace the Shiva statue image used in the early years of the label with that of Buddha and correct the spelling from [i]Buddah[/i] to [i]Buddha[/i]. Interestingly, the relaunch employed a remaster of "Safe As Milk" as its first issue. BMG has since been absorbed into Sony Music, with the Buddah/[l27250] catalog now being managed by Legacy Recordings.
Labelcode: LC 00971.
