Label Guide: Evolution

There are two different Evolution labels which are not related!

Evolution Records (UK) was an obscure underground label out of Old Compton Street in London. It was founded by Mohamed Zackariya whose company Zackariya Enterprises also had another tiny record label, Zel Records, under its helms.

Evolution (UK) existed from 1968 to 1971/72, released a bunch of singles, and at least three albums we know of; all of them were pressed in small numbers and did not make much of an impact due to the very limited promotional budget of Zackariya and Evolution. However, Evolution managed to produce one of the early milestones of the Canterbury scene with the Arzachel album, which is now - together with the Raw Material LP - extremely rare and in high demand by collectors worldwide.

Evolution Records (USA) was a subsidiary of Stereo Dimension Records, which in turn was indirectly owned by Swiss watch company Longines. It was founded in 1969 as the retail arm of the mail order Longines Symphonette Society which usually issued box sets of old radio shows or traditional pop songs. But the label diversified quickly into rock, pop, and even jazz, and signed a few successful acts like Canadian rock group Lighthouse and Suzi Quatro's brother Michael.

Longines exited the record business completely in 1975. The Swiss firm discontinued the Longines Symphonette Society and their recorded music subsidiary, and with that Evolution (USA) was also closed as a record label.