A short-lived arm of Rediffusion, intended for Pop product. Fusion's arrival was heralded in 'Music Week' of the 22nd of September 1979, which said that Rediffusion was launching its new Pop label that Friday (the 21st) with a single by Robert Rigby, 'Let The Music Play' b/w 'It's You And Me' (FUS-001). According to the article the single would retail at £1 and would be distributed by Pinnacle. In addition, three separate series of LPs were planned, to be numbered in the FUS-3000, FUS-5000 and FUS-7000s. In the event, however, the plans came to not very much. Another Robert Rigby single, 'Nativity Song' b/w 'Under The Star' (FUS-003; 11/79), appeared a couple of months later, as did the album of a musical called 'Rock Star' from which it was lifted. The album was numbered FUS-7000, and the musical was based on the Christmas story. Then in 'MW' of the 19th of January 1980 came the news that Rediffusion was phasing out its record labels and would not be producing any more repertoire. That signalled the end for the infant Fusion label. Catalogue numbers of its singles were in a FUS-000 series; there's no sign of a FUS-002 having been released, only 001 and 003. The labels claim that manufacture, marketing and distribution were by Rediffusion but 'MW' of the 2nd of June 1979 had reported that the company had signed a two-year sales and distribution deal with Pinnacle; the deal was effective from the 1st of June and was to cover all of its products, including those on the projected (at that time) Fusion label. In addition the Robert Rigby single shown above was pressed by Lyntone (LYN-7385); so perhaps it would have been more accurate to claim that Rediffusion was responsible for manufacture and so on, instead of implying that it carried them out. Still, I don't suppose that it matters much now.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.