ROTOR
RECORDS
Rotor Records was a DIY label. A Welsh label, owned by
Mervyn Read and based in Swansea. Its only vinyl release was a Swansea
City F.C. tribute single by Roger Evans, entitled, 'Swansea City' (PRO-001;
5/'79). Other titles were recorded and an album was planned, but the label
ran into legal and contractual difficulties. Rotor was relying on sales of
the album to generate money which would finance further releases, so when the
album was shelved the company was unable to issue any more records.
Initially the company was called, 'Propeller', and indeed labels with that name
on them were printed for the Roger Evans single. However, it turned out
that Pete Townsend had that name in mind as an outlet for his own releases; as
an acquaintance of Read's he offered to cover any costs that Propeller had
accrued if Read would agree to change his company's name. Read was willing
to oblige, so he cast around for an alternative and 'Rotor' - which as near to
Propeller as he could get - was born. The single's prefix, PRO, is a
reminder of its origins. Thanks to solid promotion throughout South Wales,
and to appearances by Evans and his backing group, the Special Acoustic Band, at
the Swansea City football ground, the single sold more than ten thousand
copies. It was remixed and re-released, on CD, in 2000; at the time of
writing (2006) copies were available from 91, Gorseinon Rd, Penllergaer,
Swansea, SA4 1AB. Happy to say, there are plans for more releases on the
reborn Rotor label. Distributed By Rotor Records. Thanks to
Robert Lyons For The Info.
79
Evens Roger & Swansea City F
C
Swansea City
ROTOR
PRO
001