The fruit of a short-lived association between A&M Records and Charlie Gillett & Gordon Nelki's 'Oval' production company. Oval (q.v.) had had its own label from 1974 until the middle of 1976, at which point it seems to have taken a break. Late in 1978 it linked up with A&M. 'Music Week' of the 11th of November reported that the two companies had signed a worldwide deal, as a result of which Oval Productions would 'deliver, develop and record' new signings for A&M. Charlie Gillett was to work on the project full-time, and Bobby Henry and a band called The Secret were the first acts to be lined up. In the event the deal lasted for around a year. 'MW' of the 1st of September 1979 revealed that Oval was re-starting its own label, which was to have independent distribution, and the following month came news that the licensing deal with A&M had been brought to an amicable conclusion. A&M / Oval acts The Secret and Shrink were to stay with A&M. The arrangement 'wasn't working', Gillett is quoted as saying, and he added that Oval was looking for suitable pressing and distribution for its own label.
The joint A&M / Oval label issued an album and five singles during the course of its existence, and there was one additional promo-only single. Issues and promos were generally the same pink colour; the reddish shade of the promo shown above seems to have been peculiar to it. To judge from the list shown below, the singles seem to have been of a New Wave nature; their catalogue numbers were borrowed from A&M's main AMS-7000 series. Manufacture and distribution were by CBS, as they were for A&M's other records at that time. The majority of the singles had their sides designated something other than 'A' or 'B': 'Fast Side' / 'Slow Side', 'Heads' / 'Tails', 'Sunnyside Up' / 'The Dark Side', and 'This Side Up' / 'Upside Down' were all used, which was a pleasantly idiosyncratic touch.
Copyright 2007 Robert Lyons.