MYSTIC BIRD
RECORDS
Mystic Bird was the
label of the Simurg company, of London. Its story seems to have been one
of frustration. The company intended to launch a 'cassette label' for singles,
selling them mainly through 'untapped non-record outlets'. The intention had
been to be the first 'Cassingle' label, launching in May 1977, but that
'contractual problems and repertoire difficulties' had led to a delay.
Under managing director Matt Royds, the launch was now 'imminent' and was to
consist of twenty titles. The delay proved costly: another label, 5th
Avenue, had released the first cassingle in June and had thus robbed Mystic Bird
of a place in history. The problems continued, there had been 'nothing so
far' from the label, while that of the 24th of September pushed the launch back
even further, saying that the company was now looking for an autumn or
pre-Christmas release. Sadly neither happened, and Simurg eventually seems
to have abandoned the cassingle project altogether. In the midst of all
these problems, however, Mystic Bird managed to mark the Queen's Jubilee year by
releasing a vinyl single, 'Jubilee' b/w 'Going Out' by Rick Lester with the Band
of the Life Guards. It had catalogue numbers of MB-435311 and 435312, one
for each side, and was pressed by CBS. A couple of years or so later, on
the 14th of April 1979 Mystic Bird had placed one of its productions, a version
of 'My Way' by the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, with Different Records.
That single came out as HAVE-15, and it appears to have been Mystic Bird's only
other released product. Thanks to Robert Lyons For The
Info.
77
Rick Lester And The Band Of The
Life Guards
Jubilee
MYSTIC BIRD
MB
435312