TRANSATLANTIC
RECORDS
Transatlantic Records was one of the earliest successful
independent record companies in this country, Transatlantic was founded in 1961
by Nat Joseph purely as an import company, but it soon moved into the field of
record production. After putting some money in the bank with a series of
notorious but best-selling sex-instruction records the company moved on to less
controversial and more musical ground, becoming a home for contemporary folk
music, with such notables as Pentangle, the Dubliners, Ralph McTell and Bert
Jansch on its books. Transatlantic's musical policy was dictated by
Joseph's tastes, which over the years led to an eclectic catalogue of albums,
with Folk-Rockers Decameron and Dransfield rubbing shoulders with
'Medieval-Prog' band Gryphon and the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band - the
Brighouse and Rastrick gave the company its biggest hit single in 1977, when its
version of 'The Floral Dance' got to No.2 in the Charts. Joseph also
leased and imported material from US labels: obscure Classical records from
Nonesuch, Jazz from Prestige and Milestone, etc. In addition Transatlantic
acted as distributor for a number of other labels - for example Jazz label Black
Lion, and several Reggae labels such as Jama and Love. In 1975 Joseph sold
75% of Transatlantic to Granada; he retained the remainder of his holding until
1977, when the company was sold to publishers Marshall Cavendish and was put
under the wing of Logo Records, which Marshall Cavendish part-owned. Most
Transatlantic acts were transferred to the Logo label; the very occasional
Transatlantic record came out until 1981 when the label disappeared.
Transatlantic singles first appeared in the early '60s, on a white-and-purple
label; the logo changed in 1966 and had moved by the time 1970 came
around. From 1970-71 the company's singles were released on the Big T
label, but in 1972 the Transatlantic label as such made a return, bearing a
pinky-purple label and having catalogue numbers in the BIG-500s - '60s singles
had been numbered in a TRA/SP-0 series, which reached at least TRA/SP-21.
The colour changed to red with TRA-509, and the legend in the banner shortened
from ' Singled Out' to 'Single'. Copies of at least two singles, BIG-519
and 521, were pressed in Holland: the vinyl shortage became acute in 1974, and
lot of Transatlantic records were being pressed abroad. Towards the end of
1974 the paper label was replaced by an injection-moulded one, which was
manufactured by Phonodisc. A change of design followed almost immediately,
in early 1975, with the introduction of a balloon logo and a rather attractive
company sleeve; this design could also be found on paper labels, which look to
have been sourced from Pye. For the most part these singles were coloured
blue, but the odd red one appeared. 1976 saw a futher change of design:
with BIG-556 the balloon logo went, to be replaced by a scroll; this time around
red was the most common colour with blue only making an appearance every now and
again. Most of the scroll labels were injection moulded Phonodiscs, but
the occasional paper one came out; the paper ones went well with the company
sleeve. May 1977 saw a brief returned to the balloon design, in blue, red
or white paper labels; while the final three issues, which were cream coloured,
went back even further to the 'transport' logo. From 1968 Transatlantic
started to distribute some of its own records, a task it shared with other firms
at first. At the very start of the '70s Decca and BIRD (a group of
independent distributors including Lugton) were also handling the label, from
the 1st of September 1970 main distribution would be switching to EMI. EMI
continued to do that job until Transatlantic's own distribution network grew
sufficiently large to take it on, which it did in July 1972; the label was
handled by Clyde Factors in Scotland. Pressing was done by various
companies: according to the same Billboard article for the middle of 1970 it had
been done by CBS, British Homophone and IPC up to that point but was to
gradually be taken over EMI. The earliest BIG-era singles were
manufactured by EMI but from the 1st of July 1972 RCA took over responsibility
for that task: they only pressed albums at their own plant, however, singles
being farmed out to CBS. RCA were followed by a firm that I haven't as yet
been able to identify; as stated above, at least couple of 1974 singles were
pressed in Holland. Phonodisc took up the baton around the start of 1975
and was responsible for the injection moulded records. Pye did a stint in
1976, then came more Phonodisc injection moulded labels. Transatlantics
from the early part of the Logo period were pressed by mainly pressed by Decca
and were distributed by Selecta - the Brighouse & Rastrick Band single can
be found in a variety of contract pressings. The last few Logo-era
records, from 1978 onwards, were manufactured and distributed by
RCA. Thanks to Robert Lyons For The Info.
| 72 |
Johnsons |
Continental Trailways
Bus |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
501 |
| 72 |
Monica & Voice Of Freedom |
Crying For Love |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
502 |
| 72 |
Dixon
Errol |
Let The Love Shine Into Your
Heart |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
503 |
| 72 |
Nicholson Lea |
God Bless The Unemployed |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
504 |
| 72 |
Johnsons |
Streets Of London |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
505 |
| 72 |
Skin
Alley |
You Got Me Danglin |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
506 |
| 72 |
Watersons |
Rubber Band |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
507 |
| 72 |
C M U |
Heart Of The Sun |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
508 |
| 73 |
Unicorn |
Cosmic
Kid |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
509 |
| 73 |
Cartwright Dave |
My Delicate Skin |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
510 |
| 73 |
Skin
Alley |
In The
Midnight Hour |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
511 |
| 73 |
Stray |
Hallelujah |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
512 |
| 73 |
Cartwright Dave |
Cobweb Broom |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
513 |
| 73 |
Skin Alley |
If I Only Had The Time |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
514 |
| 73 |
Portsmouth Sinfonaia |
William Tell Overture |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
515 |
| 73 |
Stray |
Move
It |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
516 |
| 73 |
James John |
Black And White Rag |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
517 |
| 73 |
Contraband |
Lady For
Today |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
518 |
| 73 |
Digance
Richard |
Working Class
Millionaire |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
519 |
| 73 |
Humblebums |
Coconut Tree |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
520 |
| 74 |
Pasadena Roof Orchestra |
White Christmas |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
521 |
| 75 |
Krazy Kong |
Return Of Kong |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
522 |
| 75 |
Mae
Mckenna |
The
Other Side Of Me |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
523 |
| 75 |
Randy |
Crazy Love |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
524 |
| 75 |
Andrews Harvey & Graham
Cooper |
From Today |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
525 |
| 75 |
Quilapayśn |
Elegy (Elegia) |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
526 |
| 75 |
Amin,
Idi |
Amazin'
Man |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
527 |
| 75 |
Pasadena Rooftop
Orchestra |
Pasadena |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
528 |
| 75 |
Grayhound |
Dream Lover |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
529 |
| 75 |
Black Mikado London Cast |
The Sun And I |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
530 |
| 75 |
Black Mikado London Cast |
So Please You Sir |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
531 |
| 75 |
Magnificent Mercury
Brothers |
New Girl In School |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
532 |
| 75 |
Griffiths
Derek |
Tit
Wilow |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
533 |
| 75 |
Digance
Richard |
Rosemary Mclaren Of The
Strand |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
534 |
| 76 |
Sadista
Sisters |
Black
& White |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
535 |
| 76 |
Magnificent Mercury
Brothers |
Why Do Fools Fall In
Love |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
536 |
| 76 |
Not Issued |
|
Transatlantic |
BIG |
537 |
| 76 |
Andrews,
Harvey |
Man With A
Gun |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
538 |
| 76 |
Pasadena Roof Orchestra |
It Don'T Mean A Thing |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
539 |
| 76 |
Mae
Mckenna |
Crying
In The Rain |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
540 |
| 76 |
Alberto Y Lost Trios
Paranoias |
Dread
Jaws |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
541 |
| 76 |
Worthing,
Sonny |
La Belle France |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
542 |
| 76 |
Trader |
Sweets
For My Sweet |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
543 |
| 76 |
Sight & Sound |
Dance With Me |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
544 |
| 76 |
Not Issued |
|
Transatlantic |
BIG |
545 |
| 76 |
Not Issued |
|
Transatlantic |
BIG |
546 |
| 76 |
Out To
Lunch |
Everything'S Nice |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
547 |
| 76 |
Brighouse And Rastrick Brass
Band |
The Floral
Dance |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
548 |
| 76 |
Not Issued |
|
Transatlantic |
BIG |
549 |
| 76 |
Not Issued |
|
Transatlantic |
BIG |
550 |
| 76 |
Cribbins Bernard |
I Don'T Like Your Country
Music |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
551 |
| 76 |
Classicodisco Orchestra |
For Elsi |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
552 |
| 76 |
Mae Mc
Kenna |
I
Want To Believe In You |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
553 |
| 76 |
Pasadena Roof Orchestra |
Cheek To Cheek |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
554 |
| 76 |
Worthing,
Sonny |
Head Over Heels |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
555 |
| 76 |
Andrews Harvey |
Why |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
556 |
| 76 |
Decameron |
Dancing |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
557 |
| 76 |
Raymonde Ivor Orchestra |
Dickens Of London Theme |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
558 |
| 76 |
Shearston
Gary |
A Whiter Shade Of Pale |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
559 |
| 76 |
Metro |
Criminal World |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
560 |
| 77 |
Dennis
Neil |
Sally In The Moonlight |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
561 |
| 77 |
Out To
Lunch |
This Is Your Life |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
562 |
| 77 |
Mccalmans |
Romeo And Juliet |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
563 |
| 77 |
Worthing,
Sonny |
La Belle
France |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
564 |
| 77 |
Rafferty,
Gerry |
Mr.
Universe |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
565 |
| 77 |
Wrigley Bernard |
Teabags In My Coffee |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
566 |
| 78 |
Pentangle |
Light Flight |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
567 |
| 79 |
Wootton Brenda |
Apple Wine |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
568 |
| 81 |
Midland Phil And
Friends |
Brass
Pinafore |
Transatlantic |
BIG |
569 |
| 70 |
Stray |
Only What You Make
It |
TRANSATLANTIC |
PROMO |
1 |
| 71 |
Various
Artists |
The Transatlantic
Valentine |
TRANSATLANTIC |
MMS |
1 |
| 73 |
Gryphon |
Glastonbury
Carol |
TRANSATLANTIC |
GLA |
1001 |
| 76 |
Brighouse And Rastrick Brass Band |
The Floral Dance / Girl With The
Flaxen Hair |
TRANSATLANTIC |
BIG |
548 |
| 76 |
Purple Gang |
Granny Takes A
Trip |
TRANSATLANTIC |
BIG |
101 |
| 76 |
The Pasadena Roof
Orchestra |
Special Christmas
E.P. |
TRANSATLANTIC |
TEP |
1 |
| 77 |
Tim
Souster |
Future Is Now |
TRANSATLANTIC |
TBG |
1 |
