The BLUE PAGES

The Encyclopedic Guide to 78 R. P. M. Party Records
© David Diehl 1996

This is an alphabetical listing of the obscure labels and specialized series on which party records are found. The yellow ball indicates that an image of the label is available. Updated 8/30/2000

-------------PARTY LABEL INDEX-------------

Many labels present no coherent numbering series and others were issued in multiple series. Label listings are being added to this work to assist the reader in locating flipsides and otherwise sorting out the disco-discrepancies.

***
BLACK LABEL
WHITE LABEL
In the main listing *** denotes that no corporate name is shown on the label. These come in several varieties, the earliest mass-produced specimins having black labels with gold printing. Some retain typography, numbers and layout of earlier issues on GENERAL TAVERN TUNES. These may be precoursors of the black label PARTY RECORD.
In the late 1940's and the 1950's blank label records were released by several different, as yet unidentified producers. One series has the titles in small capital letters with large serifs, another is handstamped. These are usually disguised dubs of older recordings. Generally there is a steady erosion of information as prefixes, then control numbers disappear from successive dubbings, often titles are shortened or even changed beyond recognition. Label colors are quite arbitrary. See also VICTOR

Test pressings are normally produced so that the artists, producers and engineers can evaluate the quality of a given recording. These tests are produced in extremely small quantities and are often prized by collectors. Party records, however, were sometimes distributed with white or test labels simply for anonymity. U.S. Records sold tests of several John RYAN records in substantial quantities before they were released on his own label. Buyers should use discretion.

INDEX