Kim Fowley was not, technically, an I.R.S. artist, but he did one LP for
I.R.S. predescessor Illegal Records, hence his inclusion here in the I.R.S.
Corner.
Kim Fowley is son of actor Douglas Fowley (featured player in Singin' In The
Rain). Embracing music and acting at an early age, Kim Fowley first recorded
with drummer Sandy Nelson in the late 1950s. But his first claim to fame came when he
created the Hollywood Argyles in 1960 and topped the charts with "Alley Oop,"
one of pop music's most popular "novelty" tunes. Throughout the 1960s Kim became a
counter-culture icon working with the likes of Frank Zappa, Paul Revere &
the Raiders, The Byrds, Gene Vincent and The Beach Boys.
Kim Fowley's lone LP for I.R.S. predescessor
Illegal Records (left) and a recent publicity shot showing what he looks like
(more or less) these days...
Mr. Fowley has been active as a songwriter, producer, artist, actor, composer, dealmaker,
film scorer, disc jockey, poet and showbiz manager. He has participated in some capacity in
the making of no less than 43 gold and
platinum records in his half century as a performer and showbiz "mover'n'shaker." He will
without a doubt be best remembered as the man who discovered, packaged and perfected a
group of rocking females (Joan Jett, Lita Ford and Cherie Currie) into 70's legend and
punk rock predescessors The Runaways. Other acts of the 70s he either wrote songs
for, managed, discovered or produced include Cat Stevens, Helen Reddy,
Warren Zevon, Them, Soft Machine, Blue Oyster Cult, The
Orchids and Kiss. In fact, thinking of that silly Kevin Bacon game, one could
very well play "Six Degrees of Kim Fowley" and connect virtually everyone in
the music business to Mr. Fowley with no more than six degrees of separtion. Try it!
Throughout it all he still continues to produce his own recordings (including a kickass
1995 collaboration with L.A. folk-rocker Ben Vaughn) as well and has a knack for
being able to write a song on the spot about any topic in any style. Sadly, none of his
own recordings have garnered the success he has brought to many of his cohorts and discoveries.
Despite his shadowy persona he has grown to be a music business cult figure of legendary
proportions with a small but dedicated fan following.
And that's the story so far...
KIM FOWLEY IRS DISCOGRAPHY
This discography will cover only KIM FOWLEY's recordings for IRS Records. Recordings for
other labels, other recordings, solo recordings and guest appearances, may be mentioned in the biography or
discography, but details can be found by visiting some of the cool links for KIM FOWLEY, below...
No Kim Fowley material has been released on I.R.S..
KIM FOWLEY LINKS AND OTHER COOL STUFF
There are plenty of websites devoted to the guru of rock and roll:
