I.R.S. Records

Logo description and capture by Logophile

Background: I.R.S. (International Record Syndicate) Records was a record label  formed in 1979 by Miles Copeland III. It was the sister label of the UK record company Illegal Records. Its releases were distributed by A&M, then MCA, and finally EMI. They are best known for releasing many influential albums from new wave and alternative artists, like R.E.M., Wall of Voodoo, The Go-Go's, and Fine Young Cannibals, among others. The label was folded in 1996. In 2011, the label would be revived by EMI; however, it was consolidated into Universal Music Group after they purchased of most of EMI's assets in 2013. I.R.S. would make one more comeback that year as I.R.S. Nashville, but that too would fold in 2015.

(1980s)

Logo: On a black background a circle scrolls the bottom of the screen. Inside the circle is a brick wall and ground (the animation is all black and  white drawings), then it goes over a man's feet and after going past  them, it goes back to the feet. The circle then pans up the man's body all the way to his head. He is wearing a black suit and tie and has a hat and sunglasses on with a cigarette in his hand. His head is looking down. After he raises his head, the brick wall disappears and "I.R.S." fades in above his head and under the circle "PRESENTS" appears.

FX/SFX: Hand-drawn animation. Music/Sounds: A jazzy bass theme, which sounds vaguely similar to the intro of Elmer Bernstein's The Man With the Golden Arm theme. Availability: Seen on videos from the label, such as I.R.S. Records Presents Fine Young Cannibals and The Beast of I.R.S. Vol. 1. It also made a brief appearance on VH1's Behind the Music episode on R.E.M.