Harvest

EMI launched its new subsidiary music label to compete with the demand for the new style of ‘progressive’ rock music. The first release in July 1969 was a UK issue of Deep Purple’s “Book Of Taliesyn” which had originally been released in the US on the Tetragrammaton label at the end of 1968. Deep Purple had originally been on EMI’s Parlophone label for their successful “Shades Of Deep Purple” LP so it made a logical sense both artistically and commercially to launch Harvest with a moderately well known act.

Despite having been known as EMI (Electric & Musical Industries Ltd) since the merger in 1931 between The Gramophone Company and Columbia Gramophone Company, no mention of EMI appeared on Harvest labels or sleeves until mid-1971, when the EMI ‘boxed’ logo was printed above ‘Harvest’ on the label, the legal entity that appeared on labels and sleeves was The Gramophone Company Ltd, it was finally renamed EMI Records Ltd. in 1973.

Harvest featured some highly successful acts, notably Deep Purple, Edgar Broughton Band, The Move, ELO and Pink Floyd, but would also release some very obscure artists that would fail to achieve any commercial success. Many original UK releases are now extremely collectable and whilst not quite achieving the stellar values of some other labels’ rarities (e.g. Vertigo Swirl) are still highly prized by collectors.

Harvest Records discography (click the links to go to each album’s page):

LABEL DESIGN VARIANTS:

1. The very first releases on Harvest (pre-1970) carried the following information:

  • “THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD” text appears around the top edge of the label
  • “SOLD IN U.K. SUBJECT TO RESALE PRICE CONDITIONS. SEE PRICE LISTS.” text appears in the top quadrant above “HARVEST”
  • “MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN” appears in the centre at the base of the label above “UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE…” wording
SHVL-751-label1 SHVL-751-label1a

2. The next releases from early 1970 onwards changed slightly thus:

  • “THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD” text appears around the top edge of the label
  • “SOLD IN U.K. SUBJECT TO …” text has been deleted
  • “MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN” appears in the centre at the base of the label above “UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE…” wording
SHVL-751-label2

3. Around mid-1971, an EMI logo was introduced for the first time:

  • “THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD” text appears around the top edge of the label
  • EMI boxed logo appears above “HARVEST” in the top left quadrant
  • “MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN” appears in the centre at the base of the label above “UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE…” wording
SHVL751-label-3

4. Early 1974, the legal entity finally changes to EMI Records Ltd, replacing the original Gramophone Co. Ltd:

  • “EMI RECORDS LTD” text appears around the top edge of the label
  • EMI boxed logo appears above “HARVEST” in the top left quadrant
  • “MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN” appears on the same line and at the end of the  “UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE…” wording

SHVL751-label-4

 

4 comments on “Harvest”

  1. Pingback: Harvest Records – stage 2 update « Rare Record Collector

  2. Do you not think the early order of releases might be wrong as shown above? I think that as SPSLP 118 is date stamped May 1969 and was to advertise the “first four June releases” it probably predates SHVL 751, 752, 754 and 755, which were those first four “June” releases. The later three don’t have date stamps but we can conclude they should be stamped 0669 if they were released in June as advertised. 751 is stamped May, but maybe was the first release in June (maybe original release date was scheduled for May but they waited (to make the title of 118 make sense?)). 753 should be shown after 755 but before SHDW 1/2. Any idea what dates 756 and 757 were actually released as they do not have stamps on cover?

    Reply

    • Hi Steve, hear what you’re saying and yes the sampler could easily have come out before those albums, or the sleeve could have been printed before them and they waited until they were finished and released…so you’d have the 4 albums to refer to in conjunction with the sampler. Maybe. Or Not. The date code is a useful (but not cast-iron) additional method of trying to sort the order out.

      With regards to 756 and 757…the next one in the catalogue sequence I have a copy of is Deep Purple 759 – this has a date code of ‘6911’ so one would assume (but it can only be an assumption) is that they predated 758 (Mantlepiece) and 759 (Deep Purple). If anyone has a copy of Battered Ornaments ‘Mantlepiece’ it would be appreciated if they can send in the date code and any other relevant information…

      Reply

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