UK Casablanca
and its identifying features

I have already stated that the distribution deal with PYE Records was coming to a close in 1980, and that the last KISS single released via Casblanca/Pye was indeed "2,000 Man". However, before the distribution was handled by Phonogram (which also saw the end of the distinctive paper Casablanca film-set backdrop label logo, being replaced by the stock silver plastic Casablanca/Phonogram center-ring), there was a short period where Casablanca 7" singles were handled by PRT Records. I have since discovered that PRT stands for Precision Records and Tapes, but I haven't got a clue if it was PYE Records under another name or whatever.

There appears to be have been a quick transistion to PRT Records from PYE Records as can be judged by the logo appearing on the 7" releases (see below). This all happened at some point between CAN 210 (Mac Davis' "It's Hard To Be Humble") and CAN 217 (Suzanne Fellini's 'Give Me The Light'). Regular Casablanca/Pye releases have the Pye Records logo and and their address (ATV House, London), but on CAN 219 the regular logo has been covered by a silver 'PRT Records' logo - but retaining the same address. CAN 217 has a brand new PRT logo without the ATV House address. It is likely therefore that ATV Music (who appear to have owned Pye) either phased out the Pye brand, or simply switched over to Precision Records and Tapes. To be honest, I haven't got a clue, and who gives a monkey's chuff anyway?!

Here are some lovely images!

The regular Pye Records logo and company address

The Pye Records logo overprinted with PRT Records logo

The regular PRT Records logo. Note that the address has gone

Things are even more confused when we see that the UK KISS 'Dynasty' album was relased without the PYE distribution mark being present on the label. On the special picture-label (the same picture as the poster insert) it is easy to overlook the fact that there is no PYE logo. However, the regular PYE logo does appear on the back of the 'Dynasty' album as it had done since 1977's 'Rock And Roll Over'.

But as we can see from this 'regular' version of the UK 'Dynasty' album below, the 'Pye' logo and its manufacture and marketing address at ATV House, Great Cumberland Place, W1 has been completely edited out. No subtle 'PRT' mark over this one! What exactly is going on here I can't explain. Why was Dynasty's PYE logo edited out when it featured on the singles released from the album, including "2,000 Man" in 1980? It is possible that the version pictured below was a 1980 re-release when PYE appears to have been phased out sporadically in favour of PRT, but this doesn't seem likely as, don't forget, the original release with the picture label also has no PYE logo on it... Answers on a postcard please!

The strange 'censored' label given to this version of 'Dynasty'

If you have a KISS album that has a PYE logo on its cover then it's safe to assume that it has been released during or after 1977, most likely 1977. When PYE took over the distribution deal in the UK for 1977 onwards (to 1980), they quickly re-released the previous KISS albums that were originally released via Casablanca/EMI. These re-releases include 'KISS', 'DRESSED TO KILL', 'ALIVE!', and 'DESTROYER'.

'HOTTER THAN HELL' was also released among this batch, but this was actually the first domestic issue of the album in the UK, it is not a re-release. Things become a bit more obvious when the actual record is taken out of the sleeve - the paper centre label has an image of KISS lifted from the 'LOVE GUN' album cover. It has been stated time and again that these re-releases (and Hotter Than Hell) were issued at the same time as 'ROCK AND ROLL OVER' in February 1977. Personally, I don't think so. There are two reasons. Firstly, it's very doubtful that KISS would have used an image from an album on the labels that was not due for release for another 4 or 5 months ('Love Gun' was released in June 1977 in the USA and July 1977 in the UK), they'd only just released 'ROCK AND ROLL OVER' don't forget and KISS were still very much using their look used on the DESTROYER album cover and tour. Secondly, the original pressings of 'ROCK AND ROLL OVER' did not have this 'Love Gun' label. What's more likely is that RARO did see release in February 1977 as CALH 2001, but the re-issued KISS albums were actually released later on in the year, but prior to the release of 'LOVE GUN' in July 1977. The catalogue number for the PYE re-issue for 'DESTROYER' is CALH 2009, the catalogue number for 'LOVE GUN' is CALH 2017. It's tempting to believe that the PYE re-issues were actually released around June 1977, ie after the USA release of 'LOVE GUN' but prior to the UK release thereby giving time for the 'Love Gun' style picture label to be used...

This mark appeared on all of Casablanca's UK 'PYE' releases on the back cover with only subtle variations.

It's fairly common knowledge that all Casablanca/Pye releases where actually an extremely dark 'red' vinyl - usually only visible when held up to the light. This is true in most cases at least. There are often subtle differences on the paper labels on each single. A large 'A' may appear on one version of a single to denote the a-side for instance and not on another single of the same artist/title. This is usually the case on 'promo' singles released to radio stations so the A-side is easily identifiable, and frequently have a date stamped on them also. The label may also hold slightly different information... such as the song's duration on one single and not another.

Other variations may occur in the actual vinyl itself. Some singles were 'etched' (see the CAN 110 example above) while other singles of the same catalogue number had the regular small hole centre. These variations existed in Casablanca's 7" catalogue from the EMI days right up to 1980 when the Phonogram deal took place, and may simply show subtle variations in their design due to the run of singles being shared between two (or possibly more) seperate factories producing the vinyl.

However, although many Casablanca singles and albums made it to these shores from abroad as an import item (such as the four seperate KISS solo albums which never saw a UK manufacture, and Double Platinum was released over here in a USA cover), there is evidence that some 7" singles at least were being manufactured abroad for a specific release in the UK. For instance, CAN 210 (Mac Davis's "IT'S HARD TO BE HUMBLE") is a very strange beast. It feels a lot thinner, it feels a lot floppier, the label is paler, the label is bigger, and it is not opaque red at all - which is strange seeing as it is so thin - unlike other UK Casablanca/Pye vinyl. Lastly, the paper sleeve is the 'morphing' Casablanca sleeve used in the USA. Of course, this sleeve may well have been produced in the USA, but not the record itself, but it seems likely that versions of Casablanca/Pye records were being produced in the USA and shipped to the UK, as opposed to KISS' Double Platinum which WAS produced in the UK on Casablanca/Pye but was contained in the silver American packaging.

The original company sleeve with camels and original 'Casablanca' logo

Incidentally, though the 'morphing' (see below) Casablanca sleeve was used pretty early on in the USA, it doesn't appear to have been used widely in the UK until 1980. The UK company sleeves (when not picture sleeves) kept the basic 'Casablanca' logo and camels (see above). As can be seen, the camels on the left have turned into cameras on the right hand side, and the full logo is being used - "Casablanca Records and Filmworks"

The later company sleeve with 'morphing' camels and the 'Records and Filmworks' added.
More frequently used in the UK around 1980-82

By 1981 the 'morphing' Casablanca sleeves are pretty common place in the UK and can mostly be seen containing a single with the new horrid bland Phonogram silver plastic centre ring. Nasty. Another distinguishing feature between UK and USA sleeves is the obvious Phonogram logo on front and back of the sleeve in the UK, while the USA retained their "Manufactured and Distributed by Casablanca Records and Filmoworks, 8255 sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif., 90046" address on front and back

If it says Phonogram it's European (including the UK)

By this time the catalogue number has begun a CAN 1000 series - the most famous of which undoubtedely being Irene Cara's 'Flashdance... What A Feeling' which appeared as CAN 1016.

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