A label started by Eddie Grant and intended to feature mainly British artists; Grant sold it in 1972, because he was suffering from health problems at the time. 'Record Retailer' of the 18th of October 1969 reported that Grant was to launch Torpedo as an 'underground Blues label', and that its first singles were to be Taiconderoga's 'Witchi Tai To' and 'Jook Jook' by Winston Groovy. There appears to have been some sort of change in the plans, as the Taiconderoga single came out on Beacon (BEA-143) with a production credit to Torpedo Records, and while 'Jook Jook' did eventually come out on Torpedo it was credited to Twizzle & The Hot Rod All Stars. Torpedo made its debut as a label in February 1970: 'RR' of the 14th of that month said that the company's first three singles were now available, via President. President continued to handle the label throughout 1970.
Torpedo issued records in two separate periods: first in 1970, then in 1974-75. A certain amount of 'underground Blues' material emerged during its first year but in the main it seems to have concentrated on Reggae and other West Indian material. It released fifty-seven singles, numbering them in a TOR-0 series; numbers reached TOR-28 before the break and the started up again at TOR-30. The same basic label design was used from start to finish, but it came in several different colour schemes. The 1970s releases were purple-on-lime-green (1); after the break the label turned sea-green and the printing was silver (2). From TOR-37 onwards the purple-and-lime-green colour returned, the lime green turning yellow at times (3). For the latter part of its existence the label was part of the President family, and demos from that period have a large hollow red 'A' on them, after the President style of that period (6). Thanks to Charlie Chalk of the 45cat site for the fourth scan, to Alan Philips of the same site for the sixth, and to Robert Bowes for the scan of the yellow label.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.