a) light brown with red grid pattern until about 1987-88
b) a brief period of yellow with red grid pattern somewhere around 1986 - 1988
c) also around this time, some had picture labels.
d) a mix of light brown (no hatching), and a darker brown (no hatching) till the demise of the label.

Just want to make a few observations about this infernal label...

Found myself kind of drawn into that particular discography recently, like the veritable vertigo swirl-like vortex of confusion it is, when trying to date them.

I can see a few things that may help narrow date ranges in there, but also serve to muddy the water a little:

1. It seems EMI released these at the rate of about 4-5 a month.
2. The release dates usually coincide with a new release by the artist whose album is being reissued.
3. The label progression seems to be as follows:

a) light brown with red grid pattern until about 1987-88
b) a brief period of yellow with red grid pattern somewhere around 1986 - 1988
c) also around this time, some had picture labels.
d) a mix of light brown (no hatching), and a darker brown (no hatching) till the demise of the label.

Can't be any more specific than that.

But one more point to make, that could be a source of the confusion...

An early title released on this label will obviously have the light brown with red hatching, but through continuous, or intermittent pressing, will also exist as a yellow label with red hatching, a plain light brown, and a plain dark brown, but one of the last releases may exist only as a dark brown. A title from about 88, may exist as a picture label, plain brown (either), or even a yellow with red hatch, but not a light brown with red hatching (as per the earlier releases).

In view of this, is it possible that some people have made entries both here and on discogs erroneously, based on the label version date they have, but not the first appearance of that title on Fame (with an earlier label).

I feel EMI would not release the titles out of catalogue sequence chronologically, exceot maybe by a couple of months - say a band announces a new album in the works, so a programmed release of a reissue of one of their earlier titles is brought forward to coincide with it (or maybe pushed back?)

In the case of the Japan album on Fame, I think this may be as much as two years off.

(It doesn't help that they started arse-ing around with the catalogue numbers themselves, and putting the numbers 41, and 1 either side of the four digit catalogue number on some... although I believe the sequence still holds based on these four central digits, and a few entries here and elsewhere may be well off beam because of it).

Any thoughts?

I think we should have a drive to get all the Fame labels (and covers) up, this label seems to cause people no end of strife.

Could you dig your Dr Hook out Neil, and bump it up your entry schedule (if you have one!), I'm going to try to have a go at pinning down the dates for these.

I did have a cursory look at some listings on ebay with fame labels... I did see a Piper at the gates of Dawn with the plain brown labels, and a few months back saw one with the yellow with red hatch, so he brown one will be later pressed than the yellow... and a Collection Of Great Dance Songs with brown labels.

So if people are dating here and elsewhere by the label colour issue, when an early varaint exists, it's no wonder these are all outa bonk.

(Sad as it may be, this label is begining to keep me awake at nights! )

I think we should have a drive to get all the Fame labels (and covers) up, this label seems to cause people no end of strife.

Could you dig your Dr Hook out Neil, and bump it up your entry schedule (if you have one!), I'm going to try to have a go at pinning down the dates for these.

I did have a cursory look at some listings on ebay with fame labels... I did see a Piper at the gates of Dawn with the plain brown labels, and a few months back saw one with the yellow with red hatch, so he brown one will be later pressed than the yellow... and a Collection Of Great Dance Songs with brown labels.

So if people are dating here and elsewhere by the label colour issue, when an early varaint exists, it's no wonder these are all outa bonk.

(Sad as it may be, this label is begining to keep me awake at nights! )