Label Guide: Harvest
Harvest Records was created by EMI in 1969 to market progressive rock music and to compete with Philips' Vertigo and Decca's Harvest labels, initially under the direction of Malcolm Jones and Norman Smith.
The first album was released in July 1969, the UK issue of Deep Purple's Book Of Taliesyn which had originally been released on the U.S. Tetragrammaton label on December 11, 1968. EMI moved the band from their Parlophone label, where the first album Shades of Deep Purple was released, to start the new Harvest subsidiary.
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1. Label Variation
first Harvest label (1969)
The very first releases on Harvest should have the above label. The top rim text starts with 'THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD', which is the original name of EMI recording company before its 1931 merger into 'Electric and Musical Industries Limited (EMI)'. The old name was still in use on record sleeves and labels until the end of 1973. There is no mention of 'EMI' anywhere on this label and this first label variation also has the text 'SOLD IN U.K. SUBJECT TO RESALE PRICE CONDITIONS. SEE PRICE LISTS' appear in the upper left corner. We believe that Edgar Broughton Band's Wasa Wasa album (SHVL 757) is the last release where the label originally carries this text.
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2. Label Variation
second Harvest label (late 1969 - Summer 1971)
This second label variation is identical to the first, just the 'SOLD IN U.K. SUBJECT TO RESALE PRICE CONDITIONS. SEE PRICE LISTS' text has been deleted. There is no boxed EMI logo on this label and 'MADE IN GT. BRITAIN' appears at the bottom center. We believe that Edgar Broughton Band's Edgar Broughton Band album (SHVL 791) is the last release without the EMI boxed logo on the label.
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3. Label Variation
third Harvest label (Summer 1971 - early 1974)
Harvest introduced the EMI boxed logo mid-1971 and all further releases have this logo printed on the label above the 'HARVEST' text. Other than that, the label is unchanged, still carries 'THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD' at the top rim and 'MADE IN GT. BRITAIN' at the bottom center. The last release with this original label is Roy Harper's Valentine (SHSP 4027), printed in February 1974.
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4. Label Variation
fourth Harvest label (from early 1974 on)
In 1974 EMI's company title changed from 'The Gramophone Company Limited' to 'EMI Records Limited', hence the text 'EMI RECORDS LTD' appears on all future releases additionally to the EMI boxed logo that is still present on the label above the 'HARVEST' text. Another change in this fourth label variation is that the 'MADE IN GT. BRITAIN' text was moved from the bottom centre to the right of the bottom rim.
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Special Label (UK)
Special UK Harvest label (1970)
A special label for the Roger Waters soundtrack 'The Body' with bent text and photos.
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Custom Label (UK)
Custom UK Harvest label (1973)
A custom label design for Pink Floyd's 'The Dark Side of the Moon' album.
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5. Label Variation
fifth Harvest label (1989)
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German Label Variation
German Harvest label
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Australian Label Variation
Australian Harvest label
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Swedish Label Variation
Swedish Harvest label (1979)