Label Guide: Regal Zonophone

Regal Zonophone Records was a British record label formed in 1932, through a merger of the Regal and Zonophone labels. Post WWII, Regal Zonophone was largely dormant in Britain until 1964, when the label was revived with a few beat group offerings. Regal Zonophone was also widely used as a catchall EMI label in foreign territories, and often in regions or nations where the main EMI Columbia and HMV logos and trademarks were disputed/held by competitors.

In 1967 Regal Zonophone was revived again as an EMI label, featuring acts signed to music publisher David Platz's independent production group, Straight Ahead, several of which had seen chart action on Decca's Deram label. Chief among these were Procol Harum and The Move, joined by Marc Bolan's Tyrannosaurus Rex and Joe Cocker. This new impetus was largely dissipated by 1970, when many of the Straight Ahead acts moved to the Fly and Cube labels, although new releases as well as reissues were issued on the Regal Zonophone label through the late 1970s.