Van Morrison's Battle with Bang Records: A Story of Rebellion and Resilience
Van Morrison's career is marked by a rebellious spirit that has often clashed with record labels. In the late 1960s, Morrison found himself in a contractual dispute with Bang Records, resulting in the release of an album titled Blowin' Your Mind! without his consent. This led to a series of confrontations between Morrison and the label's owner, Bert Berns, culminating in a bitter feud that continued even after Berns' death. Despite attempts to sabotage Morrison's career, he eventually broke free from Bang Records and went on to achieve commercial and critical success with albums like Moondance. The songs recorded during his contractual obligation sessions with Bang remained unreleased for many years but were eventually made available in 2017 as part of the Authorized Bang Collection.