A short-lived concern owned by songwriters / producers Chris Arnold, Dave Martin and Geoff Morrow, based at 10, Green St, London W1. 'Music Week' of the 17th of June 1972 reported that the trio were recording an album of popular songs from the 1920s and '30s by the likes of Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin, and that they were negotiating a label deal for it. The negotiations seem to have been unsatisfactory, for 'MW' of the 18th of November broke the news that the three men were launching their own label, Samantha, with the album. By that time the record had gained a title, 'Your Favourite Oldies', and it was credited to a group called Hush. According to the article 75,000 copies of the LP had been pressed by Saga, and marketing and distribution were to be by an independent company, Cyril Spencer Distribution, of Harlesden. There was also a single, 'Everytime We Say Goodbye' b/w 'And Then There Was You' (SAM S-1; 11/72), but only 2,000 copies of that had been pressed. It was the company's intention to offer exclusive distribution of its product to one dealer in each particular area. That first single was quickly followed up by another, 'White Christmas' b/w Seasons Are Turning' (SAM S-2; 12/72). The material on all three releases consisted of pleasant MOR vocal arrangements; one of Hush's vocalists was Stephanie DeSykes, who was to enjoy Chart success as a solo artist a year or so later. The 'MW' article of the 18th of November said that Samantha intended to put out a second album, this time of songs from famous shows, in January 1973, but that seems not to have happened. Both the label and the album appear to have been shelved, and in their place the Spring of 1973 saw the launch of Arnold, Martin and Morrow's MOR Pop label 'Ammo' (q.v.). See also 'Pentagon'.
Copyright 2007 Robert Lyons.