An offshoot of a Neasden-based publishing firm. 'Music Week' of the 17th of June 1978 mentioned December Songs as being 'a new record company set up by the publisher of that name'; 'MW' of the 10th of February 1979 followed up by saying that the general manager of the company was Todd Lutterodt and that it was based in Park View Road, London NW10. An advert in Billboard of the 25th of March 1978, pre-dating the formation of the record label, provided the information that lyricist Michael Todd and singer / songwriter Ray Williams were also with the company; Williams had had several records out on the Vasko label (q.v.). According to the second of the 'MW' articles December Songs was looking to expand into the Disco and New Wave markets, both in the areas of publishing and of making records. In the event it seems to have released just two singles, both of which were by Tony Paiton. 'Love Me' b/w 'Let It Be Me' (DSS-45; 7/78) was manufactured and distributed by Pye, with marketing by Plastic Fantastic, while 'Here I Am' b/w 'What I Say' (DSS-46; 1979) appears to have been mastered by Pye but was manufactured in France and handled by Spartan. Neither single is commonly met-with. The first is MOR Male Vocal with a hint of Soul, while the second is in Barry White territory; both boast proper orchestral backing and a big production, which suggests that some time and money must have been invested in them. 'Music Master' gives a release date of February 1980 for 'Here I Am', while the label says 1979; it may perhaps be that the 1980 date was that on which Spartan took on responsibility for distributing the record. After that release December Songs seems to have concentrated on its primary business of music publishing. Paiton went on to make at least two more singles, in 1988-89, on the Ellorac label, which apparently sold in greater numbers - there tend to be a few of them on sales sites.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.