K-Tel - Biography

Biography - K-Tel

USA

Legendary budget label of the 1970's and 1980's.
They made a successful business of issuing compilations of older music and marketing them with television ads to maximize publicity. It was started in Winnipeg Canada by Phil Kieves.
It was based on the idea, which I had been mentioning to acquaintances, that you can't sell many records unless everyone knows about them, rather than just placing them in store bins quietly.*

Starting in 1974, a two-number code began appearing on the center labels of LP's issued by the label (an apparent influence on, but way different from, the system instituted by PolyGram beginning in 1979). As can be ascertained, the codes are as follows (with those unknown at this time being indicated by a question mark):
- 01 = Specialty Records Corp., Olyphant, PA
- 02 = ?
- 07 = Custom Record Mfg. (custom plant of United Superior Records), Los Angeles, CA
- 09 = MCA Pressing Plant, Gloversville, NY
- 11 = Monarch Record Mfg. Co., Los Angeles, CA
- 12 = PRC Recording Co., Richmond, IN
- 15 = MCA Pressing Plant, Pinckneyville, IL
- 16 = Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman, NJ
- 17 = Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria, CA
- 18 = Sonic Recording Products, Inc. (pre-1975) / Goldisc Record Mfg. (post-1975), Holbrook, NY
- 19 = Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute, IN
- 29 = ? (possibly Keel Mfg. Corp. / Hauppauge Record Mfg.)
- 44 = RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis, IN
- 47 = ?
- 55 = ?
- 56 = ?
- 61 = ?
- 66 = ? (possibly H.V. Waddell Co., Burbank, CA)
- 69 = ?
- 70 = Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Carrollton, GA
- 74 = ElectroSound Group Midwest Inc., Shelbyville, IN
- 80 = Trutone Mastering Labs(?)
- 91 = Hub-Servall Record Mfg. Corp.
- 95 = Wakefield Manufacturing

(* text of George Slv)

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