Mystic Bird was the label of the Simurg company, of London. Its story seems to have been one of frustration. 'Music Week' of the 26th of March 1977 announced that the company intended to launch a 'cassette label' for singles, selling them mainly through 'untapped non-record outlets'. Three months later the issue of the 25th of June added that the intention had been to be the first 'Cassingle' label, launching in May, but that 'contractual problems and repertoire difficulties' had led to a delay. Under managing director Matt Royds, the launch was now 'imminent' and was to consist of twenty titles. The delay proved costly: another label, 5th Avenue (q.v.), had released the first cassingle in June and had thus robbed Mystic Bird of a place in history. The problems continued: 'MW' of the 13th of August had to report that there had been 'nothing so far' from the label, while that of the 24th of September pushed the launch back even further, saying that the company was now looking for an autumn or pre-Christmas release. Sadly neither happened, and Simurg eventually seems to have abandoned the cassingle project altogether. In the midst of all these problems, however, Mystic Bird managed to mark the Queen's Jubilee year by releasing a vinyl single, 'Jubilee' b/w 'Going Out' by Rick Lester with the Band of the Life Guards. It had catalogue numbers of MB-435311 and 435312, one for each side, and was pressed by CBS. A couple of years or so later, 'MW' of the 14th of April 1979 was able to say that Mystic Bird had placed one of its productions, a version of 'My Way' by the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, with Different Records (q.v.). That single came out as HAVE-15, and it appears to have been Mystic Bird's only other released product. Thanks to Sporidium of the 45cat site for letting me know that Mystic Bird had put a vinyl record out, and for allowing his scan to be used here.
Copyright 2019 Robert Lyons.