“Island pressings” The earliest Island singles were pressed by Oriole, but by 1965 they were pressed by another factory. Island probably changed pressing plant when Oriole was bought by CBS in September 1964. This new pressing plant did a few contract pressings for the major labels. I have decided to call them “Island pressings”; the factory normally made records for Island, Chrysalis and B&C. Some pop records from the Philips group of labels were pressed by this factory in the 1960s. Partly, this may have come about because of the connection between Philips/Fontana and Chris Blackwell – the manager of The Spencer Davis Group – who owned Island records and leased the group to Fontana.
(Right and above) “Island pressed” singles. They can be found with either textured or smooth labels. Note the pressing markings on the centre of the singles. There are two pressing rings, one of them is very close to the cut-out. The edge of the vinyl varies between a knife edge and a flat edge.
34
Inledn ny.indd
34
2008-10-06, 23:50