A small independent label owned and run by expatriate Australian band Xanadu, who also owned the Decibel studios. 'Music Week' of the 4th of September 1976 reports that after a couple of unsuccessful contracts with Phonogram and GTO the band had set up their own label; they had registered the name 'Jester' and were looking for manufacture and distribution deals for a single that they had recorded, 'Zsa Zsa Gabor' b/w 'Baby Come Back' (JX-100001; 1976). The single eventually appeared, pressed by Phonodisc, but there's no mention of a distributor on its picture sleeve. Despite the fact that the numerical series it used, JX-10000, offered plenty of scope for issues, Jester seems to have managed just that solitary single. Xanadu did however go on to make several records for other companies, so perhaps that made their own label redundant. The singles 'Baby Face' b/w 'Jungle Boogie' (VEL-100; 4/77) and 'Mr. Diceman' b/w 'Evidence' (VEL-103; 1/78) were on Peerless's Pop label Velvet (q.v.); 'Let Me Be Your Sunshine' b/w 'Patch It Up' (MAM-179; 9/78) and 'When The Lights Went Out' b/w 'Take Another Look' (MAM-185; 3/79) were for a bigger company, MAM (q.v.). The band also had several records released in mainland Europe, including an album 'So Far From Home' on Ariola (28 934) in Germany - the album contained both sides of the Jester single. Previous to leaving Australia Xanadu had also put out several singles there. Jester operated out of premises at 1 Hawthorne Way, London N9. Thanks to Robert Bowes for bringing the label to my attention and for providing the scan.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.