A rarely-seen independent label, owned by Noel Brown. I had always believed that Airborne had come and gone in the 1960s: certainly most of its records date from that decade. However, Bobert Bowes has sent me a scan of an Airborne single from 1974, the Newcastle United Cup Squad's 'Black And White Army' b/w 'On The Way To Wembley' (NBP-1200). Presumably Noel Brown revived his label, after it had been dormant for several years; perhaps for the sole purpose of putting that Newcastle United record out. The '60s version of Airborne issued at least twenty-one records during the period c.1964-c.68 using the same NBP-0000 catalogue series for albums, EPs and singles alike. It seems to have concentrated on Jazz and Caribbean (?) music during that period, if the few examples I have seen listed are anything to go by, though the example shown is an inoffensive sort of instrumental thing vaguely reminiscent of the New Vaudeville Band. The company was based at 70, New Bond St, London W1.
Copyright 2009 Robert Lyons.