Curious album on a Curious label..

[highland cow]

CARMEN - DON'T PASS ME BY (Spectrum 1970)

I found this in the cheapo section of MVE a few months back and I've been trying to find out more about the album and label. The only good track is a version of Barbara Ruskin's "So long Sam" but i'm somehow intrigued to find out more and googling hasn't revealed much at all.

Anyone else seen anything on "Spectrum"?

It certainly has that VV Friendly budget look about it.

I've scanned the sleevenotes which are pretty amusing - she wears her dresses mini-mini don't you know!

[Lord Thames]

Spectum are a very very odd label indeed - I think there may be links to Windmill in as much as they used the 'Spectro Stereo Dimension' tagline, and Ziggy Jackson appears to be involved in some way.

The two LPs I have are 'Tony Dalli Sings' (cabaret LP by Mario Lanza-inspired crooner, half decent version of 'You're Such A Good Looking Woman' with great arrangement and OTT Italian accent) and 'Wonderful World' by the Bill Shepherd Sound (orchestral cover versions by the erstwhile Bee Gees arranger).

Colortone Records, the parent company, was still going well into the 80s, and I have a couple of LPs by Bill Shepherd from this period with tracks that were used by the BBC on Pages From Ceefax! They're all signed by the composer David Brown, who's mentioned on the Carmen LP, and who appears to have lived quite near me in Basingstoke (where I found the LPs in the first place!)

If I remember rightly, Len Marten was the bloke who used to read the football results on Grandstand!

So there you go, that's what I know - not much, I'd love to find out more myself!

[antwhiplash2]

I know something about your album sir, it's usually bought outta cheapo sections by dirty old men who like the pervy cover

[highland cow]

Spectum are a very very odd label indeed - I think there may be links to Windmill in as much as they used the 'Spectro Stereo Dimension' tagline, and Ziggy Jackson appears to be involved in some way.

Ah yes. That makes sense I knew the Font/Typo reminded me of another label.

Colortone Records, the parent company, was still going well into the 80s, and I have a couple of LPs by Bill Shepherd from this period with tracks that were used by the BBC on Pages From Ceefax! They're all signed by the composer David Brown, who's mentioned on the Carmen LP, and who appears to have lived quite near me in Basingstoke (where I found the LPs in the first place!)

If I remember rightly, Len Marten was the bloke who used to read the football results on Grandstand!

So there you go, that's what I know - not much, I'd love to find out more myself!

Top stuff Lord T.

David Brown writes or co-writes all the original tracks on the album so it would appear he is the mastermind behind this.

I can't think what attracted him into signing her as she's not the best of vocalists.

[highland cow]

I know something about your album sir, it's usually bought outta cheapo sections by dirty old men who like the pervy cover

Yes I'm amazed it made it down to 50p before this dirty old man bought it.

Shocking thing is Ant if you look really closely you realise it's not her hands.

[The Toad]

They're not her hands? - Don't tell me they're her feet!
Spectrum issued a few singles in addition to their LPs. http://www.7tt77.co.uk/SPECTRUM.html

[peter sundae]

...and her boobs are different shades.

[cellardweller]

Shocking thing is Ant if you look really closely you realise it's not her hands.

yes, that's definitely what i was looking at, & trying to work out

'saw a copy last week & left it. is it worth reviewing? + not just for the dark eyed beauty adoring the cover.

[theeman]

here's some more info about Colortone, from our Working Man's Soul liner notes. it is indeed a Siggy Jackson label - don't know about the deal with the other label.

http://www.licoricesoul.com/lsd014-sophisticats.php

[Lord Thames]

Aha, nice work - I really like that Sophisticats track, too! Do you happen to know if Siggy had anything to do with the mighty Windmill label as well? I suspect he did, but I'd love to know more as Windmill is rather shrouded in mystery - even the address on the records is just 'London, England' which doesn't help at all!

[Viva Chiba]

On the subject of private pressings. . .is Smile records of Mankchester a private label or merely a very small one ???

I know I found a signed local folk thing on the label once. . (unsure if I passed it on to Lord T): I now have in my posession something hella funky on it. Just wondering if I can post this up here as a bona fide PRIVATE PRESSING or whether it's merely obscure!

I think Theeman may like it. It has a bit of slap-bass

[Lord Thames]

I've seen one or two things on Smile, including the one you sent me, and they've all been very much in PP territory - I've never seen an unsigned one, that's for sure! Tell me more about this funky thing.......

[Viva Chiba]

Heh.

Nice!

I'll put a chart up with some MP3's of it soon-ish. 'Tis funky Manc gospel wiv lots of crisp breaks. .. found no reference to it here after a bit of searching, so perhaps 'tis unknown!

And it's UNSIGNED!

Now what do I win ?

[Lord Thames]

Oooh, unsignedprivatepressraer!

I think I have possibly the only unsigned copy of Farnborough entertainer Dickie Richards' LP 'Dickie Richards Off The Peg' - I know someone who's got a signed one, and I bet he's dead jealous!

[Little Jimmy Oddman]

I suspect he did, but I'd love to know more as Windmill is rather shrouded in mystery - even the address on the records is just 'London, England' which doesn't help at all!

I suspect so as well and I also suspect he/Windmill had something to do with Stereo Gold Award. Some of the Windmill stuff 'feels' so much like SGA.

[Lord Thames]

There is definitely a link with Windmill and the later SGA stuff, as some material appeared on both labels - the Los Bandidos LP (from which Ian filleted the best track for the flutes and harpsichords set) originally appeared on Windmill, and I've got a signed copy! It's around the time Leo Muller stopped being credited on the labels, so maybe the Windmill people took over the SGA catalogue at some point? I feel sure we'll get to the bottom of this one day!