A label dedicated to Dance music, of the Square and Barn variety. The only records on Gus that I have managed to trace are the single shown above, 'Julie' by the Maverick Square Dance Band (JDC-003/004) and a quartet of EPs by Ben Burpp's Barn Dance Band, 'Enjoy Yourself - Friendly Style' (JDC-0079), 'Two Change Partner Square Dances' (JDC-0080), 'Colour it - Friendly Style' (JDC-0081) and 'Himazaz' (JDC-0082). Presumably there were others, though exactly how many is open to question. There should at least be a JDC-001/002 single out there, and some JDC-0070s. That said, the numerical series may be proper to the company through which the recordings were made, rather than to Gus itself, as JDC-0077 and 0078 appeared on the Castleton label (q.v.). There are no dates on the labels, but the 'Two Change Partner' EP had a matrix number of LYN-3562, which indicates that it was made by Lyntone in 1976 - the gold-on-black scan of that label appears by kind permission of Col. Wolfe of the 45cat.com site. The yellow-labelled version has an Orlake-style matrix number in the run-off, in addition to the Lyntone one; presumably that was a re-pressing. Oddly the 'Enjoy Yourself' EP has a lower catalogue number (0079) but a higher Lyntone number, LYN-4564, which indicates 1977. Callers Ron Vizard and John Chatfield (for the Ben Burpps) appear to have been active in the Brighton area, while Gus itself had at least two addresses during the course of its existence: one at Partridge Green, Horsham, West Sussex; the other at Upper Beeding, Steyning, Sussex. Going by the back of the picture sleeve, the company's 'motto' was 'Round, Flat Happiness'.
Copyright 2010 Robert Lyons.