Emperor Norton

Joshua Abraham Norton (c. 1818 – January 8, 1880), known as Emperor Norton, was a citizen of San Francisco, California who in 1859 proclaimed himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States" and subsequently "Protector of Mexico".

Born in England, Norton spent most of his early life in South Africa. He immigrated to San Francisco in 1849 after receiving a bequest of $40,000 (inflation adjusted to $1.1 million in 2015 US Dollars) from his father's estate, arriving aboard the steam yacht Hurlothrumbo. Norton initially made a living as a businessman, but he lost his fortune investing in Peruvian rice.

After losing a lawsuit in which he tried to void his rice contract, Norton became a less and less public figure. He reemerged in September 1859, laying claim to the position of Emperor of the United States. Although he had no political power, and his influence extended only so far as he was humored by those around him, he was treated deferentially in San Francisco, and currency issued in his name was honored in the establishments he frequented.

Emperor Norton Records

Emperor Norton Records, was a Los Angeles-based electronica, hip-hop, and dance-music record label. Among the artists featured on the label were Ladytron, Arling & Cameron, Money Mark, Ugly Duckling, and Fantastic Plastic Machine. Additionally, it released the soundtracks to such movies as Lost in Translation, CQ and The Virgin Suicides.

The company was named after Joshua A. Norton, a San Francisco citizen noted for proclaiming himself Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico in 1859. The company was purchased by Rykodisc in 2004 and was then acrimoniously shut down later that year, with Rykodisc inheriting its back-catalog.

Artists

Norton Records

Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music and early R&B.

Early days

Billy Miller first encountered Miriam Linna while she was drumming for The Cramps in 1976. The two were properly introduced while Miller was selling vinyl at a record show in 1977. Miller recalled selling Linna the You Must Be a Witch LP by the Lollipop Shoppe. Miller later said, "You can't let a gal with taste like that slip away!" One year later, in 1978 Miller and Linna started Kicks, a magazine devoted to obscure rock, soul and rockabilly.

Norton unleashed

In 1986, when the couple published an article in Kicks about West Virginia guitarist Hasil Adkins, the response was so intense that Linna and Miller decided to form a record label to reissue his music. They named their company after Ed Norton, Art Carney's character on The Honeymooners. Adkins had recorded about 15 singles in the 1950s, but many had never been released or collected on an LP. "We made 500 copies and prayed that it would sell," recalled Linna.