Pre-SD matrix numbers
Saydisc's first few releases were pressed by Levy's in London (Levy's own labels were Oriole and the Woolworth's budget covers 'own label', Embassy). Levy's entire business had been bought in 1964 by CBS. (The Embassy label was discontinued during 1965 but CBS had promised not to close the Oriole label, which had a good reputation in the UK. CBS, technically, did not renege; instead they renamed Oriole as CBS.) This more overt change of ownership was possibly one of the factors behind Saydisc finding an alternative manufacturer. Gef had the following to say about these early days, which tells you something about how disc mastering and pressing services were run:
"...the very first releases were made via Levy’s Sound Studio in London. I remember that, by the time we wanted to do a 2nd pressing of 112 Cylinder Jazz original version, we had discovered Orlake who told us that they had the metalwork anyway as Levy’s had used them to fulfil our order."
The first known new release manufactured specifically by Orlake at their Dagenham plant was SD 114 in, probably, early 1966.
The following are listed in order of matrix numbers rather than catalogue numbers.
The following are listed in order of matrix numbers rather than catalogue numbers.
Fred Wedlock - Volume One (SD I)
Levy's matrices are 16123-1 and 16124-1.
Levy's matrices are 16123-1 and 16124-1.
Christmas Carols on Disc Musical Boxes (no cat. no.)
Levy's matrices are 16179-1 and 16180-1. These matrix numbers also appear on later pressings with updated title of Enchanted Carols and assigning of SD 119 catalogue number. This probably slots neatly into the otherwise unknown 111 position as SD 111 (see Bristol Folks below). It looks very much as though this was repressed with a different sleeve and overall title for the following Christmas and assigned a new number at that point, hence, as Enchanted Carols, ending up as SD 119.
Levy's matrices are 16179-1 and 16180-1. These matrix numbers also appear on later pressings with updated title of Enchanted Carols and assigning of SD 119 catalogue number. This probably slots neatly into the otherwise unknown 111 position as SD 111 (see Bristol Folks below). It looks very much as though this was repressed with a different sleeve and overall title for the following Christmas and assigned a new number at that point, hence, as Enchanted Carols, ending up as SD 119.
Bristol Folks (no cat. no.)
Levy's matrices are 16185 + 1 and 16186 + 1. My guess is that this was also farmed out by Levy's to Orlake based on the "+" in place of the "-" of Levy's own pressings. This LP, meanwhile, has turned out to map to SDL 100 and also, possibly, SDL 110.
Levy's matrices are 16185 + 1 and 16186 + 1. My guess is that this was also farmed out by Levy's to Orlake based on the "+" in place of the "-" of Levy's own pressings. This LP, meanwhile, has turned out to map to SDL 100 and also, possibly, SDL 110.
Cylinder Jazz (SDL 112 - matrices are A 16199 + 1 and B 16200 + 1)
"+" signs indicating its Orlake provenance, although Levy's used - see Gef's comment above, and also see Bristol Folks, above. The relative closeness of the matrices suggests that these were both in production at the same time and probably batch-outsourced to Orlake. Levy's was able to cope with production of the most likely contemporaneous 7" Christmas Carols EP itself, by the look of things.
"+" signs indicating its Orlake provenance, although Levy's used - see Gef's comment above, and also see Bristol Folks, above. The relative closeness of the matrices suggests that these were both in production at the same time and probably batch-outsourced to Orlake. Levy's was able to cope with production of the most likely contemporaneous 7" Christmas Carols EP itself, by the look of things.
The Crofters - Pill Ferry (SD 113 - matrices are 16213-1 and 16214-1)
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