An independent label from late in the decade. Evolution started out in September 1973 as a management agency, led by Johnnie Jones and Berry Dunning. It gradually grew in scope: 'Music Week' of the 8th of March 1975 noted that it numbered Mud, Babe Ruth and Tom Paxton among its clients, that it also acted as an agency, and that it intended to branch into publishing. 'MW' of the 30th of April 1977 reported on the addition of a concert division, Evolution Promotions, and a record label followed in 1979. A pressing and distribution deal was signed with RCA ('MW' 24th November) and the first single duly appeared. 'In Love' b/w 'Wimpey Bar Song' (EV-1), by Punk group The Plague, was pressed in pink vinyl and was a reissue of a single that had originally been put out on Psycho (q.v.) some six months earlier. Another eight singles followed in the first seven months of 1980, including another by The Plague, and there were also three albums, by Manchester United F.C., the Wales Rugby Team, and Tom Paxton. A number of songs on them were published by a company called Rulvan, which suggests that that may have been Evolution's publishing arm. Sadly there were no hits, and the Evolution label seems not to have survived into 1981.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.