American, out of Los Angeles. According to Billboard magazine of the 1st of September 1979 AVI Records was an affiliate of American Variety International. From 1976 into 1978 the company's records were issued through Pye in Britain, coming out on the Pye International label; 'Cocomotion' by El Coco (7N-25761) almost got into the Top 30 at the start of 1978. AVI eventually made its appearance on these shores as an actual label in 1979, issuing singles in an AVI-100 numerical series, with Pye again doing the manufacture and distribution. Its records look to have been aimed squarely at the disco market, and it doesn't seem to have outlived the Disco craze over here, though it continued on into the early '80s in the States. It did however tickle the Top 40 with 'Mellow Mellow Right On', by Lowrell (AVIS-108). Promos were marked in what was the usual Pye way at that time, with a large black 'A' in the middle of the record. The discography only covers the 1970s.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.