A label dedicated to records featuring songs and stories about a cartoon horse called Alphonse. As well as the single shown above, 'Alphonse (Dance Theme)' b/w 'Follow That' (ALP-401), which had no artist credit, there were at least a couple of albums: 'Four Adventures Of Alphonse' (ALP-403; 1977) and 'Party Games With Alphonse' (ALP-404; 1977). Googling doesn't dredge up an ALP-402, though I assume that there was one; it may have been either a single or an album, as they shared the same numerical series. Producer / songwriter Keith Bonsoir was responsible for writing, arranging and producing both sides of the single; he also wrote the scripts for the 'Four Adventures' and provided the voice of Alphonse, so it seems reasonable to guess that he was the man behind the label. Alphonse Promotions was based at the same address as the Alphonse Fan Club; that is, at 6 Sherlock Mews, London W1M. The 'Adventures' LP had 'As seen on TV' on the cover, which makes the paucity of material about Alphonse on Google seem a little odd. The single was pressed by Pye; there's no date on it, but going by the dates of the albums it's almost certainly from 1976 or '77.
Copyright 2016 Robert Lyons.