ReviewThis was a very signifcant and important and very sad release from "London"
Polygram had bought out the rappidly fading Decca Record Company just weeks before it's previous owner and master Sir Edward Lewis died in his bed in his home in Chelsea across the river and oposite his beloved Decca House on the Albert Enbankment. Polygram had sadly been pressing Decca's product for quite sometime,
This release represents the final genuine original UK London imprint title and shares it's UK parentage and legacy with Decca Records and all things London right from 1948 and that shared USA and UK 10" shellac title from of all people Universal Pictures. Now as UMG and owners of Polygram and the world! the rather late in proceedings vinyl launch day for the Decca Record Co, The stereo records launch day for Decca Records in 1959 specally including 4 exclusive stereo titles on the London imprint. The end of Decca's tri-centres, the end of shellacs, right they way through. This was Polygrams final original London imprint title a very reflective take on an icon the silver tops.
The sleeve was the same as previous Polygram London 12" title cheap and rather shabby a buck standard Polygram white thin card 12" die-cut (what is a centre holed??? the record?) The same white 12" die-cut sleeves used to house all those Polygram pressed label blanks over printed in blacks with an animated 1 and 2 as pairs.
These die-cuts just over printed with red ink with the scripted london logo. (these being the 2nd "Generic" die-cut London sleeves).
The pressing also shared the london past of those titles that came out as the labels changed from silver on black scripted logo to the equally revered and loved silver tops" of having a second label, just as the change from all black and text to the silver tops was dramatic and really classic so the new Polygram London label would be, (nothing could ever be as dull as Decca's 1967 boxed logos!
Not only was the label striking and a really excellent take on what the London brand was and incorporating Decca's FFRR ear logo trade mark, the London logo now re encased in the 1950's retail record shop advertising and promotional sign boards that utalised a take on a coffin shape box . and the FFRR roundal at the top centre, all sent on top of a maroon coloured inverted triangle, with the whole design set on top of three horizontal silver grey bars. They indeed looked stunning and look fantastic revolving at 45rpm on a turntable.
Effort was also put in to the matching generic die-cut sleeves using the maroon and grey and large London coffin boxed logo at the bottom with a large weged box with an animated12" in white text., a blank white 2" band across the top for over printing of artist and titles and mixes. Polygram also did a 7" generic die-cut of this sleeve.both in the maroon and grey and as a very touching acknoledgement and reminder of vinyl day for London in 1954 with a sea-green over the silver grey. (Sea Green was the base colour of the first London 45 sleeves, the sea reverence clearly to the Atlantic and USA.
The only really tradgic part of Polygram's relaunch of London and the new LON and LONX for 12"s and the final few HL+ releases as this one was that ALL the 7" pressings were IEP's (Integral Embossed & Painted) paited with silver paint. Luckly there were to my knowledge NO Polygram IEP 12" pressings from the mainland plants shipped and sold in the UK I have yet to see one.
To ANY London lover collector BOTH this retired label pressing and the new design are essential, only bother with the 7" if you are a compleatist.
The representation of the silver tops made an actual and very welcome re-appearence on the 12" Sugarbabes release AND wonderfuly the promo pressing was a 7" only, however the real absoilute gem of this project was that it was not only a silver top label but also dinked with a cutting head leaving a legendary and iconic Decca Record Company UK 3pin tri-centre. The commercial 12" could have, but did not carry a printed representation of a Tri.
This was the second "take" that HB had done to "Le's Start the Dance" the 1st version also came out via Polygram but on the Mercury imprint of Phonogram. HB in all did 3 "takes" on his very very catchy 4 bar melody. The various elements and vocals and raps do vairy between the 3 productions. stand out call for me is " Bohannon! Make It Funky!! which this pounding chugging ditty is.