Editing 415 Records (section)

==History==
415 Records was founded in San Francisco in 1978 by entrepreneurs [[Howie Klein]], Chris Knab, and Butch Bridges. Klein was a writer and entertainment promoter, Knab owned an eclectic record store in the Noe Valley section of San Francisco [[Aquarius Records (store)|Aquarius Records]], and Bridges was a music collector and retailer. Klein and Knab had become friends when Klein did some photography for his friend [[Harvey Milk]], whose camera store was next door to Knab's Aquarius Records on Castro Street. They worked together on various radio shows around the Bay Area, including an alternative radio show on [[KYLD#KSAN|KSAN]], and they started recording and promoting local musicians out of Knab's record store.<ref name=SFBGIntvw1>{{cite web|title=SFBG Radio: Talking to Howie Klein|url=http://www.sfbayguardian.com/politics/2011/02/12/sfbg-radio-talking-howie-klein|date=2011-02-12|publisher=San Francisco Bay Guardian Radio Online|access-date=2011-06-27|archive-date=2011-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928025628/http://www.sfbayguardian.com/politics/2011/02/12/sfbg-radio-talking-howie-klein|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Klein ran the label from a tiny office on 16th Street in [[Mission District, San Francisco|the Mission]], a district of San Francisco, where he kept a pushpin-covered United States map on his wall, bearing a sign that read, "All Bands on Tour All the Time."  Klein used his own late-night weekend radio shows to showcase his artist's records and he promoted them all over the country to nightclubs, record stores, and a newly blossoming array of other alternative radio stations. His artists were part of the 1980s San Francisco rock underground, though Klein leaned more toward the accessible, fun, new wave bands than the [[thrash metal]] and [[hard-core punk]] bands who were also part of that scene.<ref name=SFGATESelvin>{{cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/S-F-concert-in-honor-of-415-Records-3219164.php |title=S.F. concert in honor of 415 Records |page=2 |last=Selvin |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Selvin |date=September 4, 2009 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2011-06-26 }}</ref>  415 was the first North American record label to focus on punk and new wave music and they featured mostly musicians from the San Francisco region, though the label eventually also included artists from other areas. The British label [[Stiff Records]] had done similarly two years earlier; marketing England's emergent 1970s [[Pub rock (United Kingdom)|pub rock]] scene as punk and new wave and releasing their first record in August 1976.<ref name=INDPStiff>{{cite web|title=The spirit of Stiff Records lives on|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/stiff-records-if-it-aint-stiff-it-aint-worth-a-debt-415988.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010195810/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/stiff-records-if-it-aint-stiff-it-aint-worth-a-debt-415988.html |archive-date=2008-10-10 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|publisher=The Independent on Sunday|date=2006-09-15 |access-date=2011-06-26}}</ref>

415 Records enjoyed early and sustained support from [[Bill Graham (promoter)|Bill Graham]] and from [[David Rubinson]], owner of [[The Automatt]] recording studio on Folsom Street. Bill Graham managed many top-name acts through his management and promotion agency, [[Bill Graham Presents]], and from the start of the label he booked 415's artists as opening acts for major headlining bands to help them gain broader exposure.<ref name=Levitin/>  Queenie Taylor, long an employee of Bill Graham Presents, purchased Butch Bridges' share of 415 Records in 1979.<ref name=Levitin/>

Rubinson discounted fees for 415 label bands to record at San Francisco's [[The Automatt]] studios; sometimes recording them on speculation, such that the studio would share in the profits from those record sales.<ref name=Levitin/>  [[David Kahne]], operating out of a closet-sized office upstairs at The Automatt,<ref name=SFGATESelvin/> worked as 415's A&R director, performing artist development and in-house production and engineering there for 415 until 1982, <!--precisely when?--> when he left Automatt and went to work in [[Los Angeles]] as Vice President of A&R for [[Columbia Records]].<ref name=Levitin/>  Even so, he continued to produce records for artists on the 415 label.<ref name=Levitin/><!--which artists?-->

415's first release was a 1978 single by [[The Offs]], entitled ''Everyone's a Bigot'', with ''0°'' on the B-side (cat#911-39, 1978).<ref name=discogs415>{{cite web|title=Discogs 415 Records (sorted by date) | website=[[Discogs]] |url=http://www.discogs.com/label/415+Records?sort=date%2Casc|access-date=2011-06-26}}</ref><ref name=discogsOffs>{{cite web|title=Discogs The Offs| website=[[Discogs]] |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Offs%2C+The?anv=Offs|access-date=2011-06-26}}</ref>  Subsequent early releases included 7-inch EPs by [[SVT (band)|SVT]] (cat#S0005, 1979), [[The Nuns]] (cat#SUB01, 1979),<ref name=discogs415/> and [[Pearl Harbor and the Explosions]] ''[[Drivin' (Pearl Harbor and the Explosions song)|Drivin']]'' (uncatalogued, 1979).<ref name=discogsPH&EDrivin>{{cite web|title=Discogs Drivin'|website=[[Discogs]] |date=May 1979 |url=http://www.discogs.com/Pearl-Harbor-And-The-Explosions-Drivin/release/1752617|access-date=2011-06-26}}</ref><ref name=AMGPH&EBio>{{cite web|title=Pearl Harbour and the Explosions Biography|website=[[AllMusic]] |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pearl-harbour-the-explosions-p5117/biography|access-date=2011-06-26}}</ref>  Later records included a 7-inch by [[The Mutants (San Francisco)|The Mutants]] (cat#34859, 1980), an album by [[The Units]] (cat#A0003, 1980), a 12-inch {{frac|33|1|3}}&nbsp;rpm album by [[Romeo Void]] (cat# 415A-0007, 1981), a mini-album by [[New Math (band)|New Math]] (cat#A0008, 1981), and various other releases for many other bands.<ref name=discogs415/>

In 1981, 415 released Romeo Void's successful first LP, ''[[It's a Condition]]'' and then they built on that success by signing a co-branding contract with [[Columbia Records]] that gave Columbia first rights of refusal to produce, manufacture, and promote their artists' recordings. Many other independent labels would form similar alliances with major labels over the coming decades. 415 retained (nearly) full artistic control over which artists to sign, all recording, and the selection of songs and artwork. Columbia co-branded albums for [[Romeo Void]], [[Translator (band)|Translator]], [[Wire Train]], [[Until December]] and the [[Red Rockers]] under this arrangement; while outside the Columbia deal, Monkey Rhythm, the [[Pop-O-Pies]], and [[The Uptones]] all recorded albums that were released and promoted independently by 415 Records. Like many other independent labels, 415 had struggled to reach a national market, but by partnering with Columbia's knowledge and its established connections with radio, television, and retailers, they were able to bring their records to a much broader audience.<ref name=Levitin/>

Following Kahne's departure in 1982, local musician and producer [[Daniel Levitin]] began working in the A&R department<!--when?--> and in 1984, he became Director of A&R, serving as staff engineer and handling in-house production as well as development of new artists.<ref name=Levitin/>  In the early 1980s, Queenie Taylor had begun managing Wolfgang's  nightclub in San Francisco, and later, in the early 1990s, Slim's nightclub, owned by [[Boz Scaggs]].<!--did Queenie retain ownership, or sell, and if sold, when & to whom?-->  Christopher Knab sold his share of the label in 1985<!--to whom? Klein?--> and he moved to [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]] to manage the [[University of Washington]]'s alternative radio station KCMU, now [[KEXP-FM|KEXP 90.3 fm]]. Klein joined [[Sire Records]] in 1987 and he was named general manager of [[Reprise Records]] in 1989.<ref name=Levitin/>

Five artists that Levitin was supervising at 415 were turned down by Columbia for the 415/Columbia partnership: The Stir-Ups, The Big Race, The Scene, The Afflicted and Rhythm Riot. With Howie's blessing, Levitin completed the production for the latter two and sold the distribution rights to a different independent label, San Francisco's Infrasonic Records.

In 1989, Howie Klein was named general manager of [[Reprise Records]] in [[Burbank, California]] and Levitin stayed to help run the label after Klein left.<ref name=Levitin/>  Three months later, [[Sandy Pearlman]] and Steve Schenck bought 415. By this time, Al Teller, who had been president of Columbia Records when the 415 partnership began, was now president of [[MCA Records]]. Pearlman changed the record label's name to [[Popular Metaphysics]] and formed a co-branding alliance with MCA,<ref name=Levitin/> ending the 415 label.