quarius Records has seen a lot of changes in the past 40 years. Early records were made using 8-track boards and 1” tape.

By 1972 we started selling 8-tracks, in addition to our vinyl LP’s and 45’s. We had the first album by a Canadian artist to ship double-platinum (April Wine 1976.)

We produced our first video in 1978.

We had the second Canadian artist to have a million selling album (Corey Hart’s “Boy in the Box” was beaten out by Bryan Adam’s “Reckless” by a matter of weeks in early 1986.)

We gave rise to many careers including those of artists like Sass Jordan, Bif Naked and Serial Joe. Based in Montreal, it made sense to start a French labels; Tacca Musique and that did so well, we started a second; Deja Musique.

We launched other English imprints like Last Gang Records (with Chris Taylor), Arts & Crafts International (with Jeffrey Remedios), Upper Management Records (with Mike Renaud) and we partnered with Indica Records to greatly expand their roster of artists.

Today the biggest active artists on Aquarius are Sum 41, Danko Jones, Gob, and Jeremy Fisher.

As much as things evolved in our first 35 years, things have changed even more radically in the past five. Fortunately, Aquarius has the perspective to remember the very early days when we had to manage the artists and promote their shows in order to sell any records. It’s kind of like where we find ourselves today. We’re a music company that that has to serve a lot of different functions, because that’s what you do when you believe in an artist.

Gob