A product of Andy Cowan-Martin's 'Pebble Beach Sound Recorders' studios, of Worthing. PBSR occupied the premises formerly used by Saturn (q.v.) studios, but according to an article in 'Music Week' of the 20th of December 1975 the only connections it had with Saturn were the shell of the building and Andy Cowan-Martin himself. Pebble Beach acted as a production company alongside its studio work; in the summer of 1976 it signed a singles deal with Transatlantic ('MW', 31st July 1976), which led to the release of a trio of records by 'Sonny Worthing' - actually house producer Jim Kennett - on the Transatlantic label. 'MW' of the 19th of February 1977 referred to Pebble Beach as Andy Cowan-Martin and Adam Sieff's label, and said that it had agreed a deal with Transatlantic; singles by Pure Gold and Andy Craven were scheduled to appear in March. There must have been a slight change of plans, as the singles weren't released until May. Perhaps the delay was due to growing ambitions: 'MW' of the 28th of May reported that the Pebble Beach's productions had been sufficiently successful abroad for a new company to be set up here. According to the article the aim was to cover all kinds of music and to offer artists long-term development. By that time three singles had been issued, all of them on the 6th of May; they were supposed to be followed by albums by Country artist Jack Hudson and Jazz / Funk guitarist Mitch Dalton, but in the event neither seems to have reached the 'pressing' stage. A fourth single, by Punk band The Depressions, was also listed in the article; this did come out, but on the Barn label (q.v.) in October 1977, with a production credit to Pebble Beach. Two other Depressions singles followed, again on Barn with a Pebble Beach production credit. A Barn acetate of Mitch Dalton playing 'You Make Me Feel Like Dancing' exists, but the track wasn't released. 'Music Week' of the 22nd of July 1978 threw some light on the Barn connection when it said that Pebble Beach had split with Transatlantic / Logo the previous November and was putting all of its efforts into its production company and into placing the resultant product. The Pebble Beach label as such was in 'suspended animation'; its operations had been 'complicated and unsatisfactory' and a new deal was being sought. Sadly no new deal seems to have been found. There were hopes of a rebirth in 1980. 'MW' of the 5th of January broke the news that Adam Sieff had sold the company to Rod De'Ath, who had invited old managing director Andy Cowan-Martin to return, and a 'relaunch and extension of activities' was planned. Those plans, too, seem not to have worked out - at least, there were no more Pebble Beach records to show for them. As can be seen from the scans the record label looked rather striking. It joined the small band of labels which marked the 'B' sides with a prominent 'B' (2). Manufacture was by Pye, distribution by Transatlantic.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.