Rolling Stones

LONDON Records Made In UK

London Records was the label who had the manufacturing and distribution deal with DECCA for several markets in the 60’s. Their main market was USA and Canada. London Records was an USA based company and they had their own vinyl pressing plants in USA. But for some reason they had also elpees manufactured for them in UK by Decca Record Company. The first four USA elpees issued in 1964 and 1965 were initially made in UK. These UK made elpees were used for distribution on the USA market.

 Decca made rather small quantities and apparently they were the first set made every time a new elpee was issued in USA. Maybe the pressing plants in US had longer delivery time so to get the elpee out on the market as soon as possible, they had a small number made in UK. It may also be that some of these elpees were used for promotional purpose. The actual reason for manufacturing US London catalogue elpees in UK has never been confirmed, we are only speculating.

The elpees had the songs and catalogue numbers as per the US versions. The vinyls were pressed in UK and the inner bags were made in UK as well. Then the elpees were exported to USA together with the bags. On arrival in the States, they were put into US made covers.

Elpees known to have been made in UK for export to US in 1964 and 1965 are the following ones:

Mono elpees

Englands Newest Hitmaker   LL3375

12 x 5   LL3402

Now   LL3420

Out Of Our Heads   LL3429

Stereo elpees

12 x 5   PS402

Out Of Our Heads   PS429

London Records had also the distribution deal for the Japanese market. Elpees sold in Japan in the end of the 60’s were locally manufactured by the Japanese company King Records. Around 1970 King Records had some financial problems and they were not able to meet the demand on the Japanese market. So, to cover up the shortage, London Records again used The Decca Record Company in UK for elpee manufacturing.

This time the complete albums including the covers were made in England. One of the four elpees known to have been exported to Japan do not belong to the USA catalogue, Stone Age. As this one was never issued in USA, Decca used the UK catalogue number, SKL5084. The other three has the US catalogue numbers.

 The following elpees are known to have been made in UK and exported to Japan under the London Records label:

All Stereo elpees

Flowers   PS509

Their Satanic Majesties Request   NPS2

Beggars Banquet   PS539

Stone Age   SKL5084

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