DERAM - a great new label from DECCA

[Daddy-o]

I must recommend a great article in this month's Record Collector magazine by Richard Morton Jack. It has a great 9-page feature on the Deram label with some interesting recollections from Mike Hurst, Bill Fay and a friend of mine who produced some of the Deram acts, Peter Eden. One very nice and historic invitation from Decca PR man, Tony Hall, goes like this:

The Decca Record Company Ltd. proudly announces the launching of its first new label since 1929; DERAM RECORDS - meet BEVERLEY & CAT STEVENS and producers; Denny Cordell, Mike Hurst and Paul Samwell-Smith and hear 'The Velvet Touch Of Johnny Howard' LP.

If anyone went to this event we want to hear from them here!

Beverley (John Martyn's ex-wife) had the first Deram release and Cat the second with 'I Love My Dog'. Paul Samwell-Smith worked for Deram at the time in a strange twist of fate. Cat's work isn't featured greatly in the article as it concentrates on the more obscure and overlooked. However, well worth grabbing for information on Cat's first label.

[Chris]

Thanks George,

I'll check it out, I find much of what Mike Hurst has to say quite interesting and it will be nice to hear what they have to say about hte now defunked label.


BTW.. George did you ever hear the radio program where Mike Hurst talked about the top ten songs of that month, (late 60's) talking about the different artist and one of Cats songs were listed among them. The man just sounded so nice and he didn't have a emean word to say about any of the songs. Love to hear what he is up to today.

[Daddy-o]

Hi Chris,

I merrily posted this message and it seems awful that it followed your link to Yusuf's comments on the recent atrocity in Russia. Wrong forum here I know but it is just beyond belief. I've been trying not to read or think about it. At times of war and conflict, no matter what religion, the psychopaths come out.

Anyway, Deram. I did hear that programme you mentioned. Mike Hurst is a great guy. He is proud of his 60s work and rightly so. He was responsible for a string of classic pop songs by P.P. Arnold, The Move (Carl Wayne has just died which is very sad), Colin Blunstone, Manfred Mann, Chris Farlowe, Paul & Barry Ryan. The list is endless and quite incredible. Mike Hurst was responsible for hits of so many people. He also discovered the Cat of course! Mike is still working in the music biz, still performs live, his band includes his son. He still does radio I believe.

[Chris]

Daddy-o said:

Mike is still working in the music biz, still performs live, his band includes his son. He still does radio I believe.

This is interesting! Any idea what type of music he plays and/or the name of the band? It's nice to know he is still in the business.

As for apologizing for posting your thread after Yusufs' comments. I think many of us are having just as hard of time trying to come to terms with what went down, so don't feel badly. It's hard to fanthom such hatred.

[Daddy-o]

Hi Chris,

Mike Hurst's and his All Star band play his old hits from Springfields days (e.g. 'Island Of Dreams', 'Silver Threads And Golden Needles') and some of the many hits he's been involved in. He also does some old rock'n'roll numbers by the likes of Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. I believe that there's a DVD release on Angel Air Waves with an interview. There's also CD reissues of his solo albums 'Home' and 'In My Time' on one CD which was 70s period. Luminaries such as Mary Hopkin, Doris Troy, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Ray Cooper, Nigel Olsson, Rod Argent appear on the album. The track 'World Of Glass' is recommended. Reminds me a little of Nick Crake and Colin Blunstone. There's some very nice material on that (Angel Air SJPCD098). Also, there's at least 1 or 2 compilations on CD of his recordings with Paul & Barry Ryan, Episode Six (pre-Deep Purple), Alan Bown, Colin Blunstone et al. I think these are called Mike Hurst Producers Archives on the same label. Out of interest, Mike's first band was made up of Jimmy Page, Albert Lee and Tony Ashton which is some super-group!