COTTAGE / ALIDA STAR
RECORDS
Cottage Records was a record
label of the Alida Star studios, of Syston, Leicestershire. Opinions
differ as to what the label was actually called - the logo just has 'Cottage' on
it, while the 'ASC' prefix suggests 'Alida Star Cottage'. Most of the few
records listed on the label were LPs, but there was at least one 7" record: an
EP by Country singer Don Woods, featuring 'Don't Tear Down The Pedestal', 'Love
Beyond Compare' and the two tracks shown on the scan above. Its catalogue
number, ASC 127514, give the month (12) and the year (75) in which the recording
was made; the remaining numbers presumably show that it was the fourteenth
record made that year. Pressing was done by Orlake, probably in early
1976. There is some doubt as to whether Alida Star / Cottage was a custom
recording concern or a bona fide label. The material on the Don Woods EP
and on the Heidelbergers' 'Nottingham Bier Keller' LP (ASC-107510) hints at the
former, but cult Folk band Spriguns Of Tolgus are said to have been signed to
the label for their now hugely-collectable 'Jack With A Feather' LP (ASC-7755),
and Folk singer Rosie Hardman is reported to have been unhappy with the cover
which the company provided for her album 'Jersey Burger' (ASC-7754), which
suggest that Alida Star may have actually issued records, not just made
them. Doubtless there are others out there - are there any more 7"
ones? Don Woods went on to make a definitely self-financed album through
SRT, 'Country At The Flixton Buck' (SRTX/79/CUS/493), and had a couple of
singles out in the 1980s on the Merseyside-based 'Peninsula' labe
Thanks to Robert Lyons For The Info
75
Don Wood
Don't Tear Down The
Pedestal
COTTAGE
ASC
127514