Spark (UK record label)

Last updated
Spark
Parent companySouthern Music
Founded1967
FounderBob Kingston
Distributor(s) Decca, Selecta
GenreVarious
Country of originEngland

Spark was a British record label that was formed in 1967. It was active throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Some of the artists that had releases on the label included The Artwoods, Killing Floor, Gene Latter, Sheila McKinlay, Mighty Dodos, Keith Michell, Sparrow, and Venus and the Razorblades.

Contents

Background

Founded by Bob Kingston in 1967, [1] Spark was a division of Southern Music. Their records were pressed and distributed by Decca. [2] Selecta was also a distributor for the label. It was overseen by Bob Kingston and Freddie Power.

Making their debut on the market in 1968, the executives were tight lipped on their first releases. They were to be revealed at the international music industry at MIDEM in Cannes later in January 1968. [3]

History

It was reported by Billboard in the June 1, 1968 issue that Southern Music, the parent co. of Spark Records had now moved into the stage musical field. They were publishing the music score of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice which was "The Likes of Us, which was to premiere in Dublin later in 1968. Former vocalist with the Ted Heath Orchestra and publisher, Bob Britton was the professional manager for Southern. Spark was seeking and developing new talent. It was also noted that Freddie Poser who ran his own enterprise, Poser Music company and had been with Mills Music for some years had recently taken the position of manager for the label. Barry Kingston who was the managing director's son was in charge of the Meridian department which would produce independent records for the Spark label as well as major labels. [4]

Releases

The single for A New Generation, "Smokey Blues Away" bw" She's a Soldier Boy" was released on Spark SRL 1007 in 1968. It was reviewed by Peter Jones in the May 18 issue of Record Mirror . Calling it an unusual release, Jones said that a lot of folk were rootin' for it but said it will need dee-jay support and careful listening to get the maximum impact. Saying he liked the song a lot, he gave it seven stars. [5] Released in the United States on Imperial 66317, it was also later reviewed by Cash Box in the September 7 issue with the reviewer saying it was "destined for heavy Top 40 play with sales to follow". [6] Spending five weeks in the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at number 38 that year. [7]

In April 1971, the Mighty Dodos had a single, "Honey (I Need Your Love)" bw "You Don't Love Me" released on Spark SRL 1051. Composed by Byrne and Davis, this soul copy single was produced by Barry Kingston. [8] [9] The composers were actually Conan Byrne aka Con Byrne and Warren Davis of the Warren Davis Monday Band. [10] [11] Also in 1971, Les Charles (later known as Billy Ocean) had the single "Nashville Rain" bw "Never Is Such a Long Time" released on Spark SRL 1050. [12] [13]

The marching band, Band of the Black Watch, recorded an album, Scotch on the Rocks which was released on Spark in 1975. It made it into the Record World England Top 25 album chart. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manfred Mann</span> English rock band

Manfred Mann were an English rock band, formed in London and active between 1962 and 1969. The group were named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The band had two different lead vocalists, Paul Jones from 1962 to 1966 and Mike d'Abo from 1966 to 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Foundations</span> UK soul band

The Foundations were a British soul band who were primarily active between 1967 and 1970. The group's background was: West Indian, White British and Sri Lankan. Their 1967 debut single "Baby Now That I've Found You" reached number one in the UK and Canada, and number eleven in the US. Their 1968 single "Build Me Up Buttercup" reached number two in the UK and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. The group was the first multi-racial group to have a number one hit in the UK in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Be Doggone</span> 1965 single by Marvin Gaye

"I'll Be Doggone" is a 1965 song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye and released on the Tamla label. The song talks about how a man tells his woman that he'll be "doggone" about simple things but if she did him wrong that he'd be "long gone". The song was written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore and Marv Tarplin, initially for The Temptations, who rejected the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smokie (band)</span> English rock band

Smokie are an English rock band from Bradford, Yorkshire. The band found success at home and abroad after teaming up with Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn. They have had a number of lineup changes and were still actively touring in 2024. Their most popular hit single, "Living Next Door to Alice", peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and, in March 1977, reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as going to No. 1 on the Australian singles chart. Other hit singles include "If You Think You Know How to Love Me", "Oh Carol", "Lay Back in the Arms of Someone", and "I'll Meet You at Midnight".

Disques Vogue was a jazz record company founded in France by Léon Cabat and Charles Delaunay in 1947, the year after the American Vogue label ceased.

<i>Greatest Hits: From the Beginning</i> (The Miracles album) 1965 greatest hits album by The Miracles

Greatest Hits from the Beginning is a compilation double LP by The Miracles released in 1965. This was the first double album ever released by the Motown Record Corporation. It covers most of the group's hits from their pre-1965 albums, such as "Shop Around", "Who's Lovin’ You", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" and "Mickey's Monkey", as well as the non-album singles from 1964: "I Like It Like That" and "That's What Love Is Made Of". The album was a success, reaching #21 on the Billboard Pop Album Chart. It was also the first Miracles album to chart on the Billboard R&B Album chart, where it was an even bigger success, peaking at #2.

Paul Brett was an English classic rock guitarist. He played lead guitar with Strawbs, The Overlanders, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, The Velvet Opera, Tintern Abbey, Fire, Roy Harper, Al Stewart, Lonnie Donegan. He switched to twelve-string guitar in the 1970s.

Willie Henderson is an American R&B and soul musician and producer.

<i>Flying High Together</i> 1972 studio album by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Flying High Together is an album by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label, released in 1972. It is noted as The Miracles' last studio album with original lead singer Smokey Robinson, who retired from the act to concentrate on his duties as vice president of Motown. The album charted at #46 on the Billboard Pop Album chart, and featured two singles: the appropriately named "We've Come Too Far to End It Now", which matched the parent album's chart position on the Billboard singles chart, charting at #46, and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B singles chart, charting at #9, and "I Can't Stand to See You Cry", which charted at #45 Pop, and #21 R&B.

<i>A Pocket Full of Miracles</i> 1970 studio album by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

A Pocket Full of Miracles (TS306) is a 1970 album by Motown Records R&B group The Miracles, issued on its Tamla subsidiary label, one of three albums the group released that year. This album charted at #56 on the Billboard pop albums chart, and reached the top ten of the magazine's R&B albums chart, peaking at #10. It was released on September 30 of that year. Hit singles on the album included "Point It Out" and the topical Ashford & Simpson written-and-produced song "Who's Gonna Take the Blame", a sad, dark song about a girl that is turned out as a prostitute. Also included is the charting flip side "Darling Dear", B-side of "Point It Out", which reached #100 on the Billboard pop chart, and spawned a cover version by The Jackson Five.

The Revels were an American rock band from California, associated with the 1960s surf music craze. They had hits with "Six Pak", and "Church Key" which was their most famous single.

President Records is a British independent record label. It is one of the oldest independent record companies in the UK, originally launched in 1957 by Edward Kassner. During the 1960s and 1970s the label, and its subsidiary Jay Boy, had hits with artists including the Equals, George McCrae and KC & the Sunshine Band, Paintbox, and later focused on releasing back-catalogue compilations as well as occasional new albums by artists such as Robots In Disguise. President Records remains part of the Kassner Music Group.

Impact Records was a California based record label run by CT Records creator, Tony Hilder in the 1960s. This label released some surf records by The Crestwoods, Dave Myers and The Surftones, The Ramblers and The New Breed and The Revels. The Revels were known for the hits "Comanche" and "Intoxica".

<i>Psychotic Reaction</i> (album) 1966 studio album by Count Five

Psychotic Reaction is the only studio album by the American garage rock band Count Five, released in October 1966, through Double Shot Records DSS5001.

Gil Bernal was an American singer and session musician. His saxophone can be heard on recordings such as "Searchin'" by The Coasters. In the 1950s he played on Duane Eddy's 1958 album Have 'Twangy' Guitar Will Travel. In later years, he played on Warren Zevon's 2003 album The Wind and the Chávez Ravine album by Ry Cooder.

Paul Kyser is an American promoter, record label owner, singer, songwriter, record producer and arranger. He wrote and co-produced the hit "Dawning of Love" with Tom Vetri for Devotion. He also wrote "Body and Soul " for the group Soul Generation and "Where Were You " for Jimmy Briscoe and the Little Beavers. Along with Leon Stuckey he co-wrote "Just How Sweet Is Your Love" for Rhyze, which appears on the Boogie's Gonna Getcha: '80s New York Boogie compilation album. He co-wrote "Be My #2" which appears on the R. Kelly Untitled album. He is also credited with discovering Jimmy Briscoe & The Little Beavers.

The Road was a rock band that was formed in 1967. They had a hit in Greece with a cover of the Zombies song "She's Not There". They released further singles on the Kama Sutra label. They broke up in the 1970s.

The Sermon were a rock band from Syracuse, New York that lasted from the late 1960s to early 1970s. They are known for their 1969 hit "Never Gonna Find Another Love" which was released on the Kama Sutra record label. They re-united decades later.

Broadway was an American disco band that had three chart hits. Produced by Willie Henderson they had a national hit in 1978 with their version of the "Exile hit, "Kiss You All Over". They had another chart hit with "This Funk Is Made For Dancing"

Stoney Ground was a single for UK soul group The Foundations. It made it on to the US Billboard chart in 1972. It also represented the group's last charting first release of a single.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.