View source for Volcano Entertainment

{{Short description|Defunct American record label}}
{{Infobox record label
| name        = Volcano Entertainment, III, L.L.C.
| image_name   = [[File:Volcano Entertainment logo.svg|200px|class=skin-invert]]
| image_size  =200px
| image_bg    =
| parent      = [[Zomba Recording Corporation]] (1998–2003)<Br>[[Q Prime]] (1998–2000)<Br>[[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]] (2003–2004)<Br>[[Sony BMG Music Entertainment]] (2004–2008)<Br>[[Sony Music Entertainment]] (2008–present)
| founded     = [[1996 in music|1996]]
| founder     = Kevin Czinger
| defunct     = 
| status      = Dormant
| distributor = [[Sony Music]]<br>(In the [[United States|US]])<br>[[RCA Records]]<br>(Outside the US)<br>[[Legacy Recordings]]<br>(Reissues)
| genre       = Various
| country     = [[United States]]
| location    = [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[New York City]]
}}

'''Volcano Entertainment''' (sometimes referred to as '''Volcano Records''') is an American all-round music [[record label]] founded in 1996 which released albums by [[Tool (band)|Tool]], [[311 (band)|311]], [[Survivor (band)|Survivor]] and [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]. (The latter two were former [[Scotti Bros. Records]] artists and the only artists retained from that label.) The Volcano Records catalog is owned by [[RCA Records]], a division of [[Sony Music Entertainment]].

==History==
Volcano Records was founded in 1996 by Kevin Czinger.<ref name="Taylor">{{cite web
| url = http://www.narip.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=76&PHPSESSID=b574cd780e
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110525074902/http://www.narip.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=76&PHPSESSID=b574cd780e
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 2011-05-25
| title = An Interview with Lou Maglia
| first= Tess
| last= Taylor
| work = National Association of Record Industry Professionals
| date = 1996-11-01
| access-date = 2008-12-09
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Piccoli |first1=Sean |title=BLUE-CHIP HIP |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1997-03-09-9703060292-story.html|website=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |access-date=20 August 2019 |date=9 March 1997}}</ref> It is essentially the continuation of [[Zoo Entertainment (record label)|Zoo Entertainment]] which Czinger bought from BMG in 1996.<ref name="Taylor" /> Initially, the company was meant to have two divisions ''Zoo/Volcano'' and ''Volcano'' which would be a hip-hop imprint.<ref name="Jeffrey1">Jeffrey, Don. "Zoo Acquired by Start-Up Volcano; Firm Also Launches Hip-Hop Imprint" ''Billboard'' 108:34  (24 August 1996)</ref> The first album released with the new ownership was [[Tool (band)|Tool]]'s album ''[[Ænima]]'' followed by actor [[Keanu Reeves]]' band [[Dogstar (band)|Dogstar]]'s album ''[[Our Little Visionary]]''. However, the Zoo name was eventually phased out and many of Zoo artists became the cornerstone of the Volcano roster.

In October 1997, Volcano merged with [[Dallas Austin]]'s [[Rowdy Records]] to become [[Freeworld Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Sandler |first=Adam |date=1997-08-18 |title=Austin, Czinger in biz duet |url=https://variety.com/1997/music/news/austin-czinger-in-biz-duet-1116677938/ |access-date=2022-03-18 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> Freeworld was short-lived, as the label was plagued with financial trouble and the relationship with Austin faltered.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sandler |first=Adam |date=1998-04-09 |title=Q-Prime buys into Volcano |url=https://variety.com/1998/music/news/q-prime-buys-into-volcano-1117469649/ |access-date=2022-03-18 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url         = https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/money/1998/03/12/1998-03-12_local_label_in_zomba_spin__f.html
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20101005040313/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/money/1998/03/12/1998-03-12_local_label_in_zomba_spin__f.html
 |archive-date = 2010-10-05
 |title       = Local Label in Zomba Spin, Freeworld Founder Shy's Future in Doubt
 |first       = Phyllis
 |last        = Furman
 |work        = New York Daily News
 |date        = 1998-03-12
 |url-status    = dead
 |access-date  = 2008-12-09
}}</ref> Many of the label's employees were either cut or left.<ref>Coveney, Janine. "Labels ring in new year with executive shuffling; A&M warms to Ice Cube" ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' 110:4  (24 January 1998)</ref> Additionally, the label's flagship artist [[Tool (band)|Tool]] was attempting to leave the label which resulted in a lengthy lawsuit.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1434923/19970915/tool.jhtml
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010526180508/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1434923/19970915/tool.jhtml
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = May 26, 2001
| title = Tool Engaged In Legal Battle With Record Label
| work = MTV News
| date = 1997-09-15
| access-date = 2008-12-09}}</ref>

In the spring of 1998, Freeworld was purchased and "saved" by the [[Zomba Label Group]]. Though the [[Zoo Entertainment (record label)|Zoo]] branding was briefly reintroduced, Zomba quickly returned the Volcano [[moniker]], abandoning Zoo altogether.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4809872-1.html
| title = Zomba To Save Freeworld Label
| work = The Hollywood Reporter
| date = 1998-03-13
| access-date = 2008-12-09}}{{dead link|date=April 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4771542-1.html
| title = Zomba Puts Lid On Volcano
| first= Marc
| last= Pollack
| work = The Hollywood Reporter
| date = 1998-03-23
| access-date = 2008-12-09}}{{dead link|date=April 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> A month later, [[Q Prime]], led by top managers [[Cliff Burnstein]] and [[Peter Mensch]], purchased a 50% stake in Volcano and made sure that hard-rock artist Tool would stay.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4927233-1.html
| title = Q Prime Pair Buy Half Of Volcano From Zomba
| work = The Hollywood Reporter
| date = 1998-04-09
| access-date = 2009-04-10}}{{dead link|date=April 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> They would sell their share back to Zomba in the early 2000s.

1998 also marked the year that Volcano acquired the contracts and masters of [[Scotti Bros. Records]] which had just been purchased by [[Pearson PLC]]. Volcano also purchased [[Capricorn Records]] in December 2000.<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://variety.com/2001/music/news/bone-sues-capricorn-walden-over-label-sale-1117795790/
| title = Bone sues Capricorn, Walden over label sale
| first= Janet
| last= Shprintz
| work = [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]
| date = 2001-03-23
| access-date = 2009-04-11}}</ref>

In 2002, Zomba was purchased by BMG, returning Volcano to the BMG umbrella it had previously been a part of as Zoo Entertainment in the early nineties.<ref>{{cite magazine
| url = http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4368335-1.html
| title = BMG Buys Rest Of Zomba
| magazine = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] Bulletin
| date = 2002-06-11
| access-date = 2008-12-09}}{{dead link|date=April 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Volcano now controls the [[Scotti Brothers Records|Scotti Bros. Records]], [[Capricorn Records]] (later) and [[Zoo Entertainment (record label)|Zoo Entertainment]] catalogs.

With Yankovic fulfilling his Sony contract on their main label [[RCA Records|RCA]], with his 2014 album ''[[Mandatory Fun]]'', Volcano functions primarily as a reissue label. Tool released its contract fulfillment album for Volcano, ''[[Fear Inoculum]]'', on August 30, 2019, through Tool Dissectional/Volcano/RCA, completing their five-album requirement.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.loudersound.com/news/tool-have-tons-of-material-for-fear-inoculum-follow-up | title = Tool have "tons of material" for Fear Inoculum follow-up | work = Metal Hammer| date = 2019-09-18| access-date = 2019-10-07}}</ref>

==Artists==
{{Main|Volcano Entertainment artists}}

==Releases==
{{Main|Volcano Entertainment discography}}
Volcano products were initially distributed by BMG. When Zomba purchased the label in 1998, distribution was handled through the [[Zomba Group of Companies#Zomba International Records Group|Zomba network]] which, depending on the territory, may have been BMG, Virgin, Zomba itself or other smaller labels. When Zomba was purchased by BMG, BMG became the sole worldwide distributor again. Between 2004 and late 2008 distribution switched to [[Sony BMG]] in accordance with the merger of Sony and BMG. Since early 2009, Sony Music Entertainment distributes Volcano products worldwide.

==See also==
* [[List of record labels]]
* [[Zoo Entertainment (record label)|Zoo Entertainment]]
* [[Freeworld Entertainment]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Sony Music}}
{{Zomba Group of Companies}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Volcano Entertainment| ]]
[[Category:American record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1996]]
[[Category:Sony Music]]
[[Category:Alternative rock record labels]]
[[Category:Zoo Entertainment (record label)]]
[[Category:Zomba Group of Companies subsidiaries]]