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:

Discography

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List of 7" issues on Riva Records in the UK [please fill in the blanks]
Riva No Date Artist Tracks
1 1975 Nov (No PS) Rod Stewart This Old Heart of Mine / All in the Name of Rock 'n' Roll
2 1976 April (No PS) The Atlantic Crossing Drum & Fife + Skye Boat Song / Skye Boat Song (instr.)
3 1976 May (No PS) Rod Stewart Tonight's the Night / The Ball Trap
4 1976 Aug (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 1976 Dec (No PS) Rod Stewart Get Back / Trade Winds
7 1977 Apr (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 1977 Jun Rod Stewart Sailing / Stone Cold Sober
10 1978 Jan (No PS) Rod Stewart Hot Legs / I Was Only Joking
11 1977 Oct (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 1978 Feb Johnny Cougar I Need A Lover / Born Reckless
15 1978 May Rod Stewart Ole Ola (Mulhera Brasileira)
16 1978 May Johnny Cougar Factory / Alley of the Angels
17 1978 Nov (No PS) Rod Stewart Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? / Dirty Weekend
18 1979 Jan (No PS) Rod Stewart Ain't Love A Bitch / Scared and Scarred
19 1979 April (No PS) Rod Stewart Blondes (Have More Fun) / The Best Days of My Life
20 1979 June John Cougar Miami / Do You Think That's Fair
21 1979 Sep John Cougar Taxi Dancer / Small Paradise
22 1980 The Lookalikes Can I Take You Home Tonight / Radio / Don`T Cry For Me
23 1980 May 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 1980 Oct (No PS???) Rod Stewart Passion / Better Off Dead
27 1981 The Lookalikes Baby Don`T Leave / Why Didn`T I Think of That
28 1980 Dec Rod Stewart My Girl / Dance With Me
29 1981 March Rod Stewart Oh God I Wish I Was Home Tonight / Somebody Special
30 1981 Feb John Cougar Hot Night in a Cold Town / Tonight
31 1981 May 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 1981 Oct Rod Stewart Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me) / Sonny
34 1981 Dec. Rod Stewart Young Turks / Tora Tora Tora (Out with the Boys)
35 1982 Feb Rod Stewart How Long / Jealous
36 1982 May John Cougar Hurts So Good / Close Enough
37 1982 Oct John Cougar Jack And Diane / Danger List
38 1983 Jan 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 1976 Jun 18 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 1977 Oct 28 Rod Stewart Foot Loose & Fancy Free
6 1978 Mar Johnny Cougar A Biography
7 ? ? ?
8 1978 Nov 17 Rod Stewart Blondes Have More Fun
9 1979 July John Cougar John Cougar
10 1981 July John Cougar Nothin' Matters And What If It Did
11 1980 Nov 21 Rod Stewart Foolish Behaviour
12 ? ? ?
13 ? ? ?
14 1981 Nov 9 Rod Stewart Tonight I'm Yours
15 1982 Carmine Appice Carmine Appice
16 1982 June John Cougar American Fool
17 1982 Nov 6 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

[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Lookalikes Music, Lyrics, Songs, and Videos". Reverbnation.com. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Official Web Site of Irish Musician Sean O'Connor". Seanoconnor.ie. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Riva Records – CDs and Vinyl at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
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