OBM started out in 1979 as the label of entertainment / agency / management / music publishing firm O.B.M. - the initials stood for (Kevin) O'Brien and (Tommy) Murray. It was described as a 'new label' in 'Music Week' of the 10th of November 1979, by which point it had released an album and a single. A later edition of 'MW' (26th January 1980) said that the company had been formed by Murray and O'Brien towards the end of 1978 and had released its first LP in June of the following year. December 1979 saw OBM signing a distribution deal with Pye; according to 'MW' (8th December) the first two releases were not included in the deal. Marketing was to be carried out by Robert Kingston's RK Records (q.v.). The layout of the Pye-distributed singles (2) differed somwehat from that of the first single (1). By the middle of 1981 OBM appears to have become basically a vehicle for records by Kenny Johnson, who ended up with six singles and two albums to his name; it seems not to have survived long into 1983. During the course of its existence it issued at least eleven records, one of which was 'I Still Love Her' b/w 'Equus' by Jonjo O'Neill (OBM-1007; 3/81) - presumably the famous jockey. Distribution was by initially by Lugton and latterly by Pye. Albums and singles seem to have shared the same OBM-1000 numerical series, for the most part; OBM-1002 and 1003 appear to have been used twice, albeit with a gap in time and a change of distributor.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.