SIRE Records GETS THE ROYAL TREATMENT!

4-Disc Boxed Set of Leading Alternative Label Arrives September 27

Rhino Records salutes one of the most innovative record labels of the rock era with the September 27 release of JUST SAY SIRE: THE SIRE RECORDS STORY. The 3-CD/1-DVD boxed set features 81 of the top performances issued under the imprint's distinctive ying-yang logo. Sire Records was founded in 1966 by Seymour Stein - an old-school record man in the best sense of the word and legendary producer Richard Gottehrer, but the label's heyday is generally recognized as the 1976-1995 period when it was distributed by Warner Bros. The three CDs on THE SIRE RECORDS STORY drawn from this era include classics from genre-stretching hitmakers (Madonna, Seal), punk bands (Ramones, Dead Boys), ska acts (English Beat, Madness), alternative rockers (Talking Heads, The Replacements), and dance artists (Erasure, Depeche Mode).

Sire's initial plan was to seek out music from international sources, and the label went on to introduce scores of artists to the American marketplace. The second CD of THE SIRE RECORDS STORY includes such influential U.K. acts as The Undertones ("Teenage Kicks"), Echo & The Bunnymen ("The Killing Moon"), The Smiths ("This Charming Man"), and Ride ("Leave Them All Behind"), as well as Aussies The Saints ("[I'm] Stranded"), and Belgium's Plastic Bertrand ("Ça Plane Pour Moi"). Where other record companies might not have known what to make of K.D. Lang, the Ramones, Ofra Haza, or Barenaked Ladies, their distinctive approaches were selling points at Sire. The imprint's reputation as a place where music mattered above units shipped also attracted established artists, and THE SIRE RECORDS STORY shows how critical favorites like Little Jimmy Scott, Brian Wilson, and Lou Reed found a sympathetic home at the label.

The 20-track DVD includes additional performances from artists on the CDs (including the Ramones' "Rock 'N Roll High School," The Pretenders' "Brass In Pocket," Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime," The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary," and Madonna's controversial "Like A Prayer" video), as well as songs by Belly, Pet Shop Boys, Barenaked Ladies, and more. Co-produced by Stein (whose induction this year into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a testament to the music assembled here), THE SIRE RECORDS STORY is loaded with behind-the-scenes tales and tributes from fellow record execs and such artists as Madonna,  Ian McCulloch, David Byrne, Chrissie Hynde, Paul Westerberg, and many others.

Sire remains a strong, viable and unique presence in the music industry co-helmed since 2003 by Stein and partner Michael Goldstone. Currently, Sire's roster includes Finnish Goth band HIM, twin sisters from Brisbane, Australia, the Veronicas, Brit rockers The Futureheads, The Subways and the Battle, the Von Bondies and The Fags from Detroit.

Track Listing:

Disc: 1 CD

1. Everybody - Madonna       

2. Mirror In The Bathroom - English Beat       

3. Kiss Me - Tin Tin       

4. Oh L’Amour - Erasure       

5. Tainted Love - Soft Cell       

6. Situation (Remix) - Yaz       

7. People Are People - Depeche Mode       

8. Living On The Ceiling - Blancmange        

9. That Summer Feeling - Jonathan Richman       

10. Young At Heart - The Bluebells       

11. One Step Beyond - Madness       

12. Genius Of Love - Tom Tom Club       

13. Im Nin’alu - Ofra Haza       

14. Endicott - Kid Creole & The Coconuts       

15. Love And Mercy - Brian Wilson       

16. All The Way - Little Jimmy Scott       

17. Crazy - Seal       

18. Fire Woman - The Cult       

19. Constant Craving - k. d. lang       

Disc: 2 CD

1. Teenage Kicks - The Undertones       

2. This Charming Man - The Smiths       

3. I Melt With You - Modern English       

4. Moskow Diskow - Telex       

5. (I’m) Stranded - The Saints       

6. Ça Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand       

7. Top Of The Pops - The Rezillos       

8. Nowhere Girl - B-Movie       

9. Part Of The Process - Morcheeba       

10. Come Together (7" Version) - Primal Scream       

11. Beat Dis - Bomb The Bass       

12. The Love Cats - The Cure       

13. The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen       

14. Warm Leatherette - The Normal       

15. Everyday Is Like Sunday - Morrissey       

16. Never Never - The Assembly       

17. Oblivious - Aztec Camera       

18. Inside Out - The Mighty Lemon Drops       

19. Soon - My Bloody Valentine       

20. Leave Them All Behind - Ride       

Disc: 3 CD

1. Alex Chilton - The Replacements       

2. Come On Let’s Go - The Paley Brothers And Ramones       

3. Aloha Steve & Danno/ Theme From Hawaii Five-O - Radio Birdman       

4. The Wagon - Dinosaur Jr.       

5. Sonic Reducer - Dead Boys       

6. White Horse - Laid Back       

7. Blank Generation - Richard Hell & The Voidoids       

8. I Want That Man - Deborah Harry       

9. I’ll Be Your Everything - Tommy Page       

10. Summer Teeth - Wilco       

11. World Class Fad - Paul Westerberg       

12. Back On The Chain Gang - The Pretenders       

13. Give Back The Key To My Heart - Uncle Tupelo       

14. Shake Some Action - The Flamin’ Groovies       

15. Counting Backwards - Throwing Muses       

16. Boy - Book Of Love       

17. Romeo Had Juliette - Lou Reed       

18. O. G. Original Gangster - Ice-T       

19. Jesus Built My Hotrod - Ministry       

20. Burning Down The House - Talking Heads       

Disc: 4 DVD

1. Pop Muzik - M       

2. Rock ’N’ Roll High School - Ramones       

3. Let’s Go To Bed - The Cure       

4. A Little Respect - Erasure       

5. Brass In Pocket - The Pretenders       

6. The Cutter - Echo & The Bunnymen       

7. Bastards Of Young - The Replacements       

8. She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult       

9. Once In A Lifetime - Talking Heads       

10. Like A Prayer - Madonna       

11. Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode       

12. Feed The Tree - Belly       

13. Drifting, Falling - The Ocean Blue       

14. Reach - Martini Ranch       

15. Groovy Train - The Farm       

16. Things Can Only Get Better - D:Ream       

17. New York City Boy - Pet Shop Boys       

18. In The Meantime - Spacehog       

19. One Week - Barenaked Ladies       

20. Come To Daddy - Aphex Twin 

Buy Just Say Sire - The Sire Records Story @ CDUniverse $45.49 (USD)

Buy Just Say Sire - The Sire Records Story @ Amazon.com