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Is Island Records The Greatest Label Of All Time?

BertieWorcester

BertieWorcester

What-ho!!
From a selfish point of view, I can't think of any other label that matched my own music sensibilities to the extent that Island did. An incredible roster of talent that included Sandy Denny/Fairport Convention, Cat Stevens, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson, Kevin Ayers, Spooky Tooth, Nick Drake, Richard (& Linda) Thompson, Free, Quintessence, Stevie Winwood......the list goes on and on.

And those magical 'i' and pink rim labels!

How could such boundless talent be wrapped up in one place? And can any other label come even remotely close?
 
Well, obviously many can, but it does highlight how the labels we cherish are often down to one persons singular vision. Other examples being Verve, Atlantic, Motown.

I am reading ‘Small Hours’ by GraemeThomson at the moment which is a fascinating if grim biography on John Martyn. Chris Blackwell comes out of it very well
 
You overlook Island’s core strength IMO, reggae! They brought Bob Marley, The Upsetters right through to Steel Pulse, Grace Jones etc.

Plenty of amazing genre-defining labels though. If sticking with a very UK ‘rock-centric’ base (i.e. ignoring the world-changing significance of Blue Note, Riverside, Impulse, Chess, Stax, Motown etc etc) then I’d nominate Liberty/United Artists; Can, Amon Düül II, Neu!, Nektar, Hawkwind, Man, Groundhogs, Help Yourself, Brinsley Schwarz, Dr Feelgood, Buzzcocks, Stranglers etc etc. A remarkably unhinged and fearless catalogue for a major label (Island was obviously an independent). Obviously Virgin, Factory, Rough Trade, Mute, Warp etc deserve a mention in any discussion about UK rock/pop labels.
 
As a bit of an old prog rocker, my collection brims with Charisma, Harvest, Vertigo (swirl, natch!) and Deram releases. Somehow the CD age lost the magic of record labels which now that I have returned to vinyl, I am rediscovering. Now, where did I put that black and gold Parlophone....
 
For recent releases (I.e. 21st century) my vote goes to K Scope.

Many of my favourite artists and the sleeves etc. are often beautiful. Never had a problem with any of the pressings either.
 
musicman56 said:
As a bit of an old prog rocker, my collection brims with Charisma, Harvest, Vertigo (swirl, natch!) and Deram releases. Somehow the CD age lost the magic of record labels which now that I have returned to vinyl, I am rediscovering. Now, where did I put that black and gold Parlophone....
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Just a comment on your Avatar, Musicman. Second Album is one of my favourites of all time.......a truly seminal piece of work.
 
The old Island sampler LP's introduced me to so many artists I never heard of at the time. To this day Bumpers still one of my favourite records.
I would return to the shop where I bought the sampler LP, and search for records from the artists/ bands I liked. Spooky Tooth, Nick Drake, IF etc.
Loads of Reggae in my collection too, many on Island label
 
Candylion said:
The old Island sampler LP's introduced me to so many artists I never heard of at the time. To this day Bumpers still one of my favourite records.
I would return to the shop where I bought the sampler LP, and search for records from the artists/ bands I liked. Spooky Tooth, Nick Drake, IF etc.
Loads of Reggae in my collection too, many on Island label
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It was El Pea and You Can All Join In for me, two samplers that greatly influenced my musical tastes. Although I bought Fill Your Head With Rock From CBS around the same time it was the Island samplers that appealed to me more.
 
BertieWorcester said:
Just a comment on your Avatar, Musicman. Second Album is one of my favourites of all time.......a truly seminal piece of work.
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Yes, mine too. The second record I ever bought (with my own money!) and it's a cracker with a massive fold out sleeve! Beat that CDs.
 
Stunsworth said:
It was El Pea and You Can All Join In for me, two samplers that greatly influenced my musical tastes. Although I bought Fill Your Head With Rock From CBS around the same time it was the Island samplers that appealed to me more.
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You can all join in, great cover. Spent a while in my youth working out who is who.
Harvest had some good samplers too. Picnic etc.
 
Best centre label? Capitol. 60's, with the rainbow colours around the black centre with oval Capitol label. I remember as a kid watching it going round on parents mono record player. Probably Sinatra...
 
BertieWorcester said:
From a selfish point of view, I can't think of any other label that matched my own music sensibilities to the extent that Island did. An incredible roster of talent that included Sandy Denny/Fairport Convention, Cat Stevens, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson, Kevin Ayers, Spooky Tooth, Nick Drake, Richard (& Linda) Thompson, Free, Quintessence, Stevie Winwood......the list goes on and on.

And those magical 'i' and pink rim labels!

How could such boundless talent be wrapped up in one place? And can any other label come even remotely close?
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You forgot Tom Waits.
 
....and their licensing of the Ze Records catalogue.

Maaaaaany years ago, I borrowed the Island Records catalogue from my local record shop, to check up on what other gems I might have missed.
That turned out to be expensive.
 
I can still remember bringing home the Bumpers sampler LP, the sticker on it tells me it cost 29s 11p in old money. I then bought 'Nice Enough to Eat' which cost 15s 11p
Another singular focused label is Windham Hill Records
 
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