The Official Chicago Fan Network

Which Record Label was it?

I'm a little confused now because at a recent Chicago concert in Australia which I saw on youtube and now I can't find, the band was asked if it was true when they were first looking for a record label to sign them, one label told them they would sign if they got rid of the horn section. But a few years earlier, VH1 Behind The Music made it look like that incident occurred after Chicago's final albums with CBS (Chicago 14 & 15). So which was it? Did it happen before CTA or after 14 and 15, or did it happen twice?

May I ask which record label it was that said they would sign Chicago only if they get rid of the horn section? I'm dying to know. What year did it happen?

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Permalink Reply by Omar DeLeon on February 23, 2012 at 7:28am

The band was hoping to get signed by a label after being dropped by Columbia in 1980, and according to James Pankow, one label told them they would sign them only if they got rid of the horn section "which is like telling Elton John to get rid of the piano", James Pankow, 'Behind the Music'. What label was it? I think only the band knows that one for sure, but I am guessing Capitol or A&M. Ruling out: Arista since Clive was running that one at the time, CBS which took ownership of Columbia, and A&M, as that label gave artists the freedom to record their songs (Burt Bacharach, Segio Mendez, Herb Alpert, Janet Jackson, to name a few).

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Permalink Reply by Brett Simpson on February 23, 2012 at 9:52am

Interesting you mention Arista - wonder why Clive didn't sign them a second time? I remember when I first saw the 'Live by Request' DVD where Clive's message about his original signing of the band being a highlight of his career is read out and thinking 'sign them again Clive!' But I think he would have done so by now if he was ever going to!

As to the original question I doubt we'll ever know for sure - Jimmy probably doesn't remember himself...