GEMINI
Gemini was originally intended to be a subsidary of Morgan Records, a firm
that was started by Monty Babson and Barry Morgan in connection with
their Morgan recording studios and publishing business. Canadian Carl Denker left his
post as sales manager at CBS to become managing director of Morgan in October 1968 ('Billboard'; 26th October),
and in April 1969 he bought out Babson's and Morgan's shares in the record
business and took complete control of it ('Record Retailer'; 16th April). Gemini was
conceived during his reign. Its first mention came in 'RR' of the 18th of June of
that year, in an article which said that the new label would be
launched in September. 'RR' of the 30th of July reiterated the launch
date, but Morgan was in financial difficulties by that time and Gemini failed
to appear. 'RR' of the 29th of November 1969 broke the news
that Morgan had failed due to high overheads and limited record sales; a creditors'
meeting was due to be held on the 28th. Gemini, however, was still
a going concern. The article revealed that President had taken a 60% share in the
company and that the new label would be relaunched (perhaps more accurately 'launched')
in the new year. This time, the launch
took place. Gemini was incorporated by Denker on the 23rd of January
1970, and its first records came out in March. Singles were
numbered in the GMS-000s, and distribution was by a combination of Selecta and BIRD - a group of independents including
H.R. Taylor, Keith Prowse, Lugtons
and Clyde Factors ('RR'; 29th November 1969).
Gemini showed its Morgan roots when it reissued
a number of more popular items from that company's catalogue - anything
on the label with a date before 1970 is a
reissue. It seems to have had the same sort of
split personality that Morgan had demonstrated: it concentrated mainly on Easy Listening albums,
but in among all the Hammond organ records with
well-built scantily-clad ladies on the covers are the
occasional (now-collectable) Rock and Psychedelic items by the likes of The Ghost
and Sheridan & Price. Denker was appointed managing director of the President group
of labels in June 1970, while remaining Gemini's owner ('RR'; 27th June), but he
resigned around six months later. According to Billboard magazine of the
23rd of January 1971 he planned to develop the Gemini label,
but its release schedule seems to have petered out
in 1972, and solitary singles in 1975 and 1976 appear to have been
its final issues. By that point it seems to have become just
a minor member of the President family. Gemini's singles aren't often found, nowadays; some of
them command respectable prices. Thanks
to Col.Wolfe of the 45cat site for the use of
the first scan.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.