Riva Records was a British record label founded in the UK in 1975 by Billy Gaff, manager of Rod Stewart.
Rod Stewart signed to the label in the UK, but stayed with Warner Bros. Records in the US and the rest of the world. Another well-known artist on the label was John Cougar Mellencamp, distributed by PolyGram in the US, and WEA in most other countries. After Stewart and Mellencamp left the label, it stopped operating. Billy died in Dublin on 25 April 2022.
Stewart left in 1982 (last issue "How Long"), whereas Mellencamp stayed a little later. A variety of acts then had singles released on Riva in the UK (see below); the last known UK release was RIVA 51 (Glory with "Hearts Will Sing" / "As It Is") in 1987. Other acts to have releases on Riva included: Lewis Sisters / Lewis, Blinding Tears, Phil Thornalley, Carmine Appice, and The Lookalikes with Sean O'Connor.
Discography
+ List of 7" issues on Riva Records in the UK [please fill in the blanks] Riva No Date Artist Tracks 1 November 1975 (No PS)Rod Stewart This Old Heart of Mine / All in the Name of Rock 'n' Roll 2 April 1976 (No PS) The Atlantic Crossing Drum & Fife +Skye Boat Song / Skye Boat Song (instr.) 3 May 1976 (No PS) Rod Stewart Tonight's the Night / The Ball Trap 4 August 1976 (No PS) Rod Stewart The Killing of Georgie Parts 1 & 2 / Fool For You 5 ? (No PS) Frankie Laine / Lou Reizner & Will Malone Maxwell's Silver Hammer / You Never Give Me Your Money 6 December 1976 (No PS) Rod Stewart Get Back / Trade Winds 7 April 1977 (No PS) Rod Stewart The First Cut Is the Deepest / I Don't Want to Talk About It 8 1977 Faces Memphis (4 track) / stay with me +3 9 June 1977 Rod Stewart Sailing / Stone Cold Sober 10 January 1978 (No PS) Rod Stewart Hot Legs / I Was Only Joking 11 October 1977 (No PS) Rod Stewart You're in My Heart / You Really Got A Nerve 12 1977 (No PS) Window Bandit / Rose and Thorn 13 ? ? ? 14 February 1978 Johnny Cougar I Need A Lover / Born Reckless 15 May 1978 Rod Stewart Ole Ola (Mulhera Brasileira) 16 May 1978 Johnny Cougar Factory / Alley of the Angels 17 November 1978 (No PS) Rod Stewart Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? / Dirty Weekend 18 January 1979 (No PS) Rod Stewart Ain't Love A Bitch / Scared and Scarred 19 April 1979 (No PS) Rod Stewart Blondes (Have More Fun) / The Best Days of My Life 20 June 1979 John Cougar Miami / Do You Think That's Fair 21 September 1979 John Cougar Taxi Dancer / Small Paradise 22 1980 The Lookalikes Can I Take You Home Tonight / Radio / Don`T Cry For Me 23 May 1980 Rod Stewart If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right) / Last Summer 24 1980 The Lookalikes Call Me If You Really Want Me / Just What You Got 25 1980 Johnny Cougar This Time / Don't Misunderstand Me 26 October 1980 (No PS???) Rod Stewart Passion / Better Off Dead 27 1981 The Lookalikes Baby Don`T Leave / Why Didn`T I Think of That 28 December 1980 Rod Stewart My Girl / Dance With Me 29 March 1981 Rod Stewart Oh God I Wish I Was Home Tonight / Somebody Special 30 February 1981 John Cougar Hot Night in a Cold Town / Tonight 31 May 1981 John Cougar Ain’t Even Done with the Night / To M.G. Wherever She May Be 32 1981 Carmine Appice and the Rockers Be My Baby / Leave It Up To You 33 October 1981 Rod Stewart Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me) / Sonny 34 December 1981 Rod Stewart Young Turks / Tora Tora Tora (Out with the Boys) 35 February 1982 Rod Stewart How Long / Jealous 36 May 1982 John Cougar Hurts So Good / Close Enough 37 October 1982 John Cougar Jack And Diane / Danger List 38 January 1983 John Cougar Hand To Hold on To / Hurts So Good (picture Disc available) 39 ? ? ? 40 ? ? ? 41 1983 Phil Thornalley So This Is Love / Last Too Long 42 ? ? ? 43 1983 Manteau Promise / Love Let Down 44 1986 Lewis Can't Wait Another Minute / ? 45 1986 Lewis Sisters If The Love Fits / Can't Wait Another Minute 46 1986 Lewis Man in the moon / Sure Don't Come Easy – extended versions 47 1986 Lewis Sisters Melting Point / Devil Made Me Do It 48 1987 Lewis Sisters So Good, So Right / Dangerous 49 1987 Blinding Tears [Cawley And Storie] Heaven Only Knows / Call of the Wild 50 ? ? ? 51 1987 Glory Hearts Will Sing / As It Is
(No PS) indicates that the record was issued without a Picture Sleeve
+ List of LP issues on Riva Records in the UK [please fill in the blanks] Riva No Date Artist Album title 1 18 June 1976 Rod Stewart A Night on the Town 2 1976 Various Artists All This And World War II 3 1977 Faces The Best of the Faces 4 1977 Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing (Re-issue) 5 28 October 1977 Rod Stewart Foot Loose & Fancy Free 6 March 1978 Johnny Cougar A Biography 7 ? ? ? 8 17 November 1978 Rod Stewart Blondes Have More Fun 9 July 1979 John Cougar John Cougar 10 July 1981 John Cougar Nothin' Matters And What If It Did 11 21 November 1980 Rod Stewart Foolish Behaviour 12 ? ? ? 13 ? ? ? 14 9 November 1981 Rod Stewart Tonight I'm Yours 15 1982 Carmine Appice Carmine Appice 16 June 1982 John Cougar American Fool 17 6 November 1982 Rod Stewart Absolutely Live 18 1983 John Cougar Uh-Huh 19 1985 John Cougar Scarecrow 20 1986 Blinding Tears [Mark Cawley And Carl Storie] Blinding Tears
See also Lists of record labels
References
External links