RECORDS
The record label of the Southern Music group, Spark started life in 1968. Despite issung a number of singles which are now much-sought-after by collectors of Psychedelia, the company had to wait until 1971 for its first hit, Keith Michell's, 'I'll Give You The Earth' (SRL-1046). The '70s saw a steady stream of releases, apparently with the emphasis on Pop or Northern Soul; Spark's second success came in 1974, in the form of The Peppers' instrumental, 'Pepper Box' (SRL-1100). 1975 was a good year for the label, with three hits by Wigan's Ovation, two by the Band of the Black Watch and one by Tommy Hunt. Hunt followed up with two more Chart entries the following year, and Linda & the Funky Boys added another, but that seems to have been the lot, as far as Chart action was concerned. The first seven records, at least, had a silver label with red printing, with the logo and three small sparks enclosed in a half-circle at the top of the label, by the time that SRL-1021 came out, in 1969, the logo had changed: the word 'SPARK' was now enclosed in a box, with electricity short-circuiting between the uprights of the letters. Around 1971 the colours changed to blue with silver printing, though the design remained the same. Some 1971 Spark singles, including SRL-1052, seem to have been issued with a black-on-yellow label, similar in appearance to the promotional copy, but without the red lettering. In 1972, at some point between SRL-1073 and SRL-1079, the sober blue design was replaced by a much more striking yellow-and-blue one, which in later years appeared in fawn-and-orange with a slightly altered logo. It doesn't look as though Spark lasted past 1978. Spark singles were initially pressed by Decca; manufacture and distribution from 1970 onwards were by Pye. Thanks to Robert Lyons for the info.
A FULL DISCOGRAPHY OF SPARK SRL SERIES 1968-1978 CAN BE FOUND HERE
