BIRDCAGE

Birdcage Records was the brainchild of Joe “Severs” Ramsey (aka Jah Paul Jo of Dread Zeppelin). Formed in 1983, initially for the purpose of releasing the early recordings of the Sierra Madre, CA band The Prime Movers, the label’s first release was The Prime Movers’ 7-inch vinyl single “Chances” b/w “In Touch With You (A.S.O.P.)”

In 1984, Birdcage Records became a partnership, adding Ramsey friends Lee Manning and Charlie Maselli. The Prime Movers’ first full length album “Museum” was released. Critical praise and a strong appearance on the CMJ college radio charts led to the band signing with Island Records UK. Birdcage remained closely involved with the ongoing affairs of The Prime Movers, while also releasing two records from L.A. band The Bel-Fires.

The Prime Movers went on to have success in the UK with two songs in the charts (“On The Trail” and “Dark Western Night”) and toured Britain as opening act for Big Country. Indeed, Big Country’s late, great Stuart Adamson lent his incredible guitar talent to the Prime Mover single, ‘Dark Western Night.”

In 1987, The Prime Movers returned to Birdcage to release their second full length album “Spooked!”. A third album was nearly completed, but shelved when the band morphed into Dread Zeppelin. (That album was later completed in 2016 by producer Lee Manning and released as “Exposure.”)

In 1988, Manning and Maselli left day-to-day operations of Birdcage for other endeavors. Ramsey carried on as a sole proprietor. The Prime Movers, stressed by the unfairness of major label politics and clearly out of their minds, went rogue and started the infamous Dread Zeppelin. Two vinyl singles and a cassette-only EP were released by Birdcage (“Immigrant Song” b/w “Hey Hey What Can I Do”; “Whole Lotta Love” b/w “Tour-Telvis: A Bad Trip” and “Kom Gib Mir Deine Zeppelin”) before the project was quickly snapped up by I.R.S Records.

After three successful full-length releases and several singles, Dread Zeppelin left I.R.S. Records and returned to Birdcage. 1994’s “Hot & Spicy Beanburger” marked their return to their home label as well as the massive “presence” of original vocalist, Tortelvis. Soon to follow in 1995 were the “No Quarter Pounder” album and the live double CD, “The Song Remains Insane” (On TWA Records Australia Exclusively) in 1998. (It is also of interest to note that Ramsey and Manning became AKA Jah Paul Jo and Rasta Li-Mon, the production team responsible for all of these original Dread Zeppelin recordings.)

1996 saw several Birdcage signings including former singer and mastermind of Wall of Voodoo and Drywall, STAN RIDGWAY, Ron Asheton of Iggy & The Stooges and the pet project of Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano, In Vivo.

Pietra Wexstun (Drywall) contributed an album by her alter ego, Hecate’s Angels, called “Hidden Persuader.” The Mystery Band’s “Insert Title Here” featured members of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band. A Thousand Other Names was somewhat of an LA underground supergroup led by guitarists GE Stinson (Shadowfax) and Nels Cline (Geraldine Fibbers, Thurston Moore). “Everything’s Small” by Ed’s Too Short featured a production credit for Dread Zeppelin’s Jah Paul Jo (Joe Ramsey) and Rasta Li-Mon (Lee Manning) as well as a signature harmonica turn by Stan Ridgway.

In 1998, Birdcage Records struck up a partnership with TWA Records in Australia. TWA released several titles and compilations including CDs by Stan Ridgway, Ron Asheton, Dread Zeppelin, Pain and Hecate’s Angels. Most of the CDs issued by TWA got the deluxe treatment; new artwork, extended liner notes and promo videos. Unfortunately, TWA folded (sob!) in the early 2000’s and these releases have become collector’s items.

In 2006, Birdcage Records went completely full circle with the re-release of The Prime Movers’ “Museum” on CD. The deluxe version contains bonus tracks from the Big Country UK Tour of 1986.

The Birdcage family were saddened to learn of the death of one of our heroes, RON ASHETON, in January 2009. FINALLY… Iggy, Ron and Scott Asheton were poised to take the big stage at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (whatever that means) BUT… cheated again. Finally, Ron was beginning to get his due as one of the originators of the punk rock guitar sound; ROLLING STONE even naming him the 29th most important guitarist in popular music – describing him as “the Detroit punk who made the Stooges’ music reek like a puddle of week-old biker sweat.”

Fortunately, Asheton was prolific in his later years leaving us with the reformed Stooges’ “The Weirdness” as well as his great tracks on Iggy’s “Skull Ring.” Thank you for all the great music, Ron.

In December of 2014, the Birdcage Records family lost it’s guiding light and fearless leader Joe “Severs” Ramsey following a struggle with various health problems. Lee Manning, with the help of Charlie Maselli, Bryant Fernandez (the original Ed Zeppelin), and Prime Movers Curt Lichter and Gary Putman, compiled and finished the previously un-released Prime Movers album “Exposure” as a tribute to Joe’s legacy. Another album featuring Joe’s unreleased solo recordings is in the works and due out late in 2018.

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