FAIRVIEW MUSIC / FAIRVIEW
The label of Fairview Music Studios, of
Hull. The studio was started in 1966 by Keith Herd, and it
is still going today. Over the decades it has had many famous clients; Def Leppard,
the Glitter Band and the Housemartins, to name but three. After
putting out a sole EP on its own label through Pollen (q.v.) in 1975, it appears to have
begun providing a regular custom recording service two years later, via SRT
(q.v.),
numbering its products in an SRTS/FMR-000 series; the SRTS part was later
dropped. The highest number I have so far been able to trace was FMR-084, Genghis Khan's
'Double Dealin'', which came out in 1984, though there may well
have been more - the rarity of private pressings
tends to make them google-proof. Some other items recorded at Fairview previous to 1977 can be found on SRT's
own label, with SRT numbers; Fairview is referred to only
on the covers.
One label design - a very simple one - served
throughout, though the font of the label name varied; the name disappeared
entirely at some point in 1982. A single by Techno Pop, 'Paint It Black'
b/w 'What You Are' (SRTS-79424; 12/79) had SRT labels with the text 'Fairview
Records' overprinted (5); this was an actual release rather than a custom recording. As seems to have been generally the case with SRT products,
pressing appears to have been by Orlake. The 'SRTS/FMR-000' numerical
series can be found on records on different labels, for example Best, Boulevard,
Haron, Marix, Rok (1978) and Sapphire (q.v. all). The discography
below is limited to the 1970s, and lists such Fairview Music products that I
have been able to find from that decade. Thanks to Sam Mauger for the
first scan and for bringing the label to my attention; the fourth scan comes by
courtesy of Robert Bowes.

Copyright 2009 Robert
Lyons.