Shadows On The Ember Label

[anniv 63]

Noticed that someone had a query on the letters page of Record Collector, after
last months feature on the Ember Record Label.
It said that one "oddity" was not mentioned , i.e. the 1975 issue of The Shadows(SE8031)
We know this was a straight reissue of the MFP budget LP Walkin MFP1388 , but with different
cover / picture artwork.
What was asked was how did it end up on on Ember , which apparently at that time had a distribution
deal with PYE Records? Logically you would have expected a re release to have been on EMI, the groups
label till switching to Polydor in 1980
Does anyone know the reason , this "oddity came about?

Mike

[cockroach]

Wasn't Ember one of the labels on which the Woolworths' cheap records were sold? which were all covers of current hits?

[cockroach]

Apologies from a forgetful old twat (me!)...
The Woolworths label was Embassy, not Ember...DOH!

[drakula63]

Noticed that someone had a query on the letters page of Record Collector, after
last months feature on the Ember Record Label.
It said that one "oddity" was not mentioned , i.e. the 1975 issue of The Shadows(SE8031)
We know this was a straight reissue of the MFP budget LP Walkin MFP1388 , but with different
cover / picture artwork.
What was asked was how did it end up on on Ember , which apparently at that time had a distribution
deal with PYE Records? Logically you would have expected a re release to have been on EMI, the groups
label till switching to Polydor in 1980
Does anyone know the reason , this "oddity came about?

Mike

I bought the Shads' Ember album in about 1977 and I love it! The first time I heard Little B, Walkin', Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James, etc... The cover shot is great (looks like the Rostill line-up in a TV studio) and the reverse has an interesting blue-washed photo of Hank and Bruce at the mics, with John Farrar almost visible! This was one of the albums that really cemented my interest in the Shadows.

[Monty]

the most common are the two UK releases on MFP - first the blue cover with the scrapbook like photos of each in lurid pink !

even more common is the colour circa 1966-67 pic sleeve version of the four sat on a bench with drinks in hand - thats very common and was in Woolworths on sale (like 'Mustang' which followed)

I have a German MFP copy with four birds with each members heads (!) on the cover too

The curious Ember release was on thick vinyl with a great circa 1966-67 colour TV studio pic of them with instruments

it's a strong compilation with (then) rarer track; 'Running Out of World' (in true stereo), some B sides, EP tracks and the 'Wonderful Life' Shads numbers plus a few album tracks

The budget compilations such as 'Walkin', 'Mustang', 'At The Movies' (on MFP) and 'Somethin Else' (Regal Starline) were really useful back then including some rarer tracks, EP tracks, 'B' sides (- often in true stereo) and some album tracks plus Shadows tracks from Cliff albums and EPs etc gathered together to make memorable albums in their own right...