Label Guide: Janus
Janus Records was founded in July 1969 as a joint venture of American GRT Records and British label Pye Records. In its early years of operation the bulk of Janus' acts were U.S. issues of Pye artists such as Status Quo, Pickettywitch and Sounds Orchestral. GRT assumed sole ownership of Janus in 1971, after Pye pulled out of the venture.
Artists who had hits on Janus included Mungo Jerry, The Whispers, Cymande, Charlie, Al Stewart, Ian Thomas, and Ray Stevens. Chess Records was administered as a division of Janus in the early 1970s. Janus also distributed Westbound Records from 1970 until 1975, and Barnaby Records from 1974 to 1979, when Janus Records went out of business.
-
1. Label Variation
first Janus label (1968 - 1970)
White label with brown logo and "1700 Broadway, New York" address.
-
2. Label Variation (I)
second Janus label (1969 - 1974)
This version comes with a "1700 Broadway, New York" address.
-
2. Label Variation (II)
second Janus label (1969 - 1974)
This version comes with a "1700 Broadway, New York" address. Later releases have a GRT Corporation copyright note.
-
3. Label Variation
third Janus label (1974 - 1975)
This version comes with a "1633 Broadway, New York" address, and a GRT Corporation copyright note.
-
4. Label Variation
fourth Janus label (1970s)
This label has no address printed on the label. We are not sure how that one fits in with the label chronology.
-
5. Label Variation
fifth Janus label (1976 - )
Janus is now "a Division of GRT Corp., Los Angeles, California".