Play It Again Sam
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Play It Again Sam (also known by its acronym, PIAS) is an international record label. It began as a record shop in Brussels, Belgium in 1983, Founded by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot. It now has offices there as well as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Sweden, and the United States.
Among its most prolific artists are Little Barrie, The Legendary Pink Dots, Young Gods, The Neon Judgement, La Muerte, Sigur Rós, Mogwai, DJ Format, Front 242, Soulwax, Tiga, Vitalic, Mark B, Editors, Voicst, Click Click and Scala & Kolacny Brothers.
"Play it again, Sam" is also a (mis)quote from the movie Casablanca, though in fact none of the characters ever say that exact line. The quote is "Play it once, Sam."
Play It Again Sam and Wax Trax! Records, the Chicago-based electronic label, formed a partnership in 1988 that led to the creation of two sub-labels: Play It Again Sam Records U.S.A. and Wax Trax! Europe. PIAS USA titles were manufactured, marketed and distributed by Wax Trax! in North America, while PIAS did the same for Wax Trax! titles in European territories. Both sub-labels were dissolved in early 1991, with Caroline Records absorbing the PIAS USA name and roster.
In early 2006 the front page of Music Week reported that PIAS was going to create a super-indie by merging with rival Wall of Sound. No further details were released to the new brand of the company, however Music Week suggested 'Wall Of Sam'.
Play It Again, Sam is also a Broadway play by Woody Allen and a 1972 film based upon the play, starring Allen and directed by Herbert Ross.
"Play it again Sam" was also the branding used by Superior Software to rerelease their old titles in compilations of four (with the exception of their earliest such compilations, The Superior Collection volumes 1–3). The original Play it again Sam featured four games which had each made No. 1 individually (Citadel, Thrust, Ravenskull, and Stryker's Run), but subsequent compilations increasingly featured one or more makeweight games of poorer quality, sometimes purchased from other software houses. The series eventually ran to approximately 18, though the latest ones were released well into the demise of the 8-bit scene and very few copies were sold.
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[edit] References
- All Music Guide. http://www.allmusic.com/ search "Play It Again Sam", labels, go (accessed 21 Mar. 2004).
- PIAS. "[PIAS] Story." http://www.pias.com/v4/piastory.htm (accessed 21 Mar. 2004).
