Australia part of Decca’s 90th anniversary celebrations

Universal Music Australia has released the first of items around the 90th-anniversary celebrations of Decca Records.

The British label was the launching pad for The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Moody Blues and Tom Jones as well as Luciano Pavarotti and Dame Vera Lynn.

Launched on February 28, 1929, Decca was a major innovator in recorded sound.

It served as official label partner to three Royal Weddings, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics.

It is currently home to Andrea Bocelli, Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Gregory Porter as well as Australia’s The Seekers.

The first of six rare early era David Bowie videos, restored to 1080 HD, was released on March 8 and with the others issued on a monthly basis.

The Seekers and New Zealand’s classical singer Hayley Westenra were among the Australasian acts that it signed.

English ‘60s teen pop singer and producer Eden Kane lived in Australia for a time before moving to the US to become an actor.

British boxer-turned-ballad-singer Mike Preston had some hits in the late 1950s before emigrating to Australia where he became a TV presenter and actor.

Among anniversary items to be available in Australia are:

• A lavishly illustrated book called The Supreme Record Company: The Story Of Decca Records 1929-2019.
• A Ron Howard-directed full lengthy documentary on Pavarotti.
• 90 physical and digital reissues and rarities. The first Friday of every month for the whole of 2019 will be ‘Decca Day’ with a new release.
• For Record Store Day 2019 on April 13 is a series of exclusive vinyl releases.
• Australians can access on the BBC Sounds app two programmes on BBC Radio 2 that chart 20 of the most iconic Decca recordings of all time.
• 45 unique 90-second podcasts that outline key aspects of the label’s history, to appear on www.decca90.com

Overseas there will be a series of concerts in London, Berlin and Paris while hidden gem, Decca’s West Hampstead studios in London will open again in July for just a few nights, offering an array of activities, from one-off performances to artworks and exhibitions.