{{Short description|Former British music label}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use British English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox company | name = Castle Communications PLC | logo = Castle logo.png | logo_size = 250px | caption = | type = Private | genre = Musical reissues and repertoire | fate = Dissolved | foundation = {{start date and age|1983}} | founder = Terry Shand, Cliff Dane, Jon Beecher | defunct = {{end date and age|2007}} | location_city = Chessington, Greater London | location_country = United Kingdom | area_served = Worldwide | industry = Publishing, distribution | parent = Bertelsmann Music Group <small>(from 1993)</small><br>Sanctuary Records Group <small>(from 2000)</small> | divisions = Dojo Ltd.<br>Raw Power | subsid = | homepage = }}
'''Castle Communications''', also known as '''Castle Music''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/5129-Castle-Music |title=Castle Music Label | Releases |publisher=Discogs |access-date=2019-02-04}}</ref> was a British independent record label and home video distributor founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane, and Jon Beecher. Its video imprint was called '''Castle Vision'''. The label's production ceased in 2007, and its remaining rights are now chiefly vested in BMG Rights Management. Castle also operated a subsidiary label, Essential Records.
==History== Starting out as a mid-price catalogue reissue specialist, with labels including The Collector Series and Dojo, it grew into the largest European owner of repertoire outside the major record companies. It purchased catalogues including Pye, Piccadilly, Bradley's, Bronze, Black Sabbath, Sugar Hill,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/RHINO+AND+CASTLE+COMMUNICATIONS+PLC+BUY+SUGAR+HILL+CATALOG+MASTERS-a017007047 | title = RHINO AND CASTLE COMMUNICATIONS PLC BUY SUGAR HILL CATALOG MASTERS | access-date = 2011-07-03 | date = 12 June 1995 | publisher = PR Newswire}}</ref> Transatlantic, Beserkley, All Platinum and Solar. They possessed most of the Transatlantic and Trailer catalogue.
Starting in the early 1980s, they released compilations and reissued work by Fairport Convention, John Renbourn, Barbara Dickson, Steeleye Span, the Watersons, Richard Thompson, Geoff Turton and many others. They also diversified to reissue several early albums by the Fall as well as "Pink Years" and "Blue Years" albums by Tangerine Dream, and compilations by Nurse with Wound and Current 93. They have also released a comprehensive compilation featuring songs by Canadian rock band, Triumph.
In the 1980s, they were notable for releasing many heavy metal compilations albums under the series name ''Metal Killers''. Interest in these licensed releases led them to form their own heavy metal imprint '''Raw Power''', to sign and promote new rock acts, rather than to just license older product from other more established labels. The first signing to the Raw Power label was the NWOBHM act Hell's Belles, releasing their debut album and single in 1985. After several years, the Raw Power imprint was retired with the decline of heavy metal in the UK.
Castle Communications was acquired by BMG, the largest music distributor, for $24.5 million in 1993.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.afr.com/companies/bmg-australia-divides-and-hopes-to-conquer-19960603-kazen}}</ref> In 2000, they were acquired by Sanctuary Records Group.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4636831-1.html | title = U.k.'s Sanctuary Buys Castle Music | access-date = 2011-06-15 | last = Masson | first = Gordon | author2 = Ed Christman | date = 8 April 2000 | work = AllBusiness.com | publisher = Dun & Bradstreet | archive-date = 20 November 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071120011502/http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4636831-1.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> The label was dissolved when Sanctuary became a Universal Music Group subsidiary in 2007.<ref name="guardian-emiapproved">{{cite news|title=Universal's £1.2bn EMI takeover approved – with conditions|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/sep/21/universal-emi-takeover-approved|work=The Guardian|location=London|first=Mark|last=Sweney|date=21 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="latimes">{{cite news|title=Universal Music agrees to sell Sanctuary Records|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-universal-music-agrees-to-sell-sanctuary-records-20130214,0,6072346.story|work=Los Angeles Times|first=Dawn C.|last=Chmielewski|date=14 February 2013}}</ref> Since 2013 Sanctuary has been owned by BMG Rights Management, with global distribution handled by Universal Music Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bmg-forms-alliance-with-universal-sets-plan-to-move-physical-distro-to-umgs-commercial-services-division12/|date=19 October 2023|website=musicbusinessworldwide.com|title=BMG FORMS ALLIANCE WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP; PLANS TO MOVE PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION TO UMG'S COMMERCIAL SERVICES DIVISION}}</ref>
== Castle Vision/Home Video ==
Castle Vision was Castle Communications' home video distributor arm. It released many videotapes, including ''TUGS'', ''The Raggy Dolls'', ''Tumbledown Farm'', ''Heathcliff'', ''Alvin and the Chipmunks'', ''You've Been Framed!'', the ''Men of our Time'' series (documentaries about Hitler, Lenin, Gandhi and Kennedy), a documentary called ''Falklands War: The Untold Story'', ''The Fugitive'', ''Harry's Game'' as well as movies ''Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'' and ''Phantom of the Opera'' which, when released to the rental video market, were duplicated/distributed via CBS/Fox Video, acting as Castle's rental sales agent.
==See also== * List of record labels
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:British independent record labels Category:Folk record labels Category:Rock record labels Category:Home video distributors Category:Reissue record labels Category:Record labels established in 1983 Category:Record labels disestablished in 2007