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Century Records: Custom Recording Service

NateBizzoNateBizzo 2,328 Posts
edited January 2016 in Record Collecting
What LP's do people on this board have that were custom pressed by Century Records?How many different stock covers did they have? I just got this "Statement '72 LP by Arroyo Grande High School. Pretty curious spiritual vibe.Anybody know the full story with this label?
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  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    it would be impossible to track everything on Century. They did custom jobs all over the US. I recall that guy Plantweed starting a discography of Century, and maybe a few other custom labels... but honestly, it would never be finished. I've probobly had 30 or so LPs on Century Custom that I've dumped or sold over the years... mainly High School and Xian LPs.


    Dante has a stock LP catalogue, I think from Century. You were able to chose from a huge inventory of stock covers, so I'd imagine there is probobly at least 1 LP for each stock cover floating around out there.
  • anthonypearsonanthonypearson 2,442 Posts
    thousands
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    thousands

    once you finish the LP discography... the 45 discography would be a whole other beast
  • DCarfagnaDCarfagna 983 Posts
    The thing about Century is that, though based in Saugus, California, they had locations scattered across the US. In addition to doing pressing and manufacturing, they also provided on-site recording (which explains the millions of school and church-based LPs). You could do as few as FIVE records (pressed and manufactured, not acetates) with the company, albeit at around $30 a pop. I have a works list where you see all of the price breaks, which pretty much annuls every dude that swears that you "can't press only ten records." I wrote an article in Wax Poetics (horror!) where I showed many stock LP covers from the Century pamphlet I have. In all they offered about 100 different images.

    To the best of my knowledge, Century is still in the CD duplication business at the original location (as seen in the drawing on many Century LPs) in California.

    In addition to Century, there were many other larger-than-average, regional custom plants (read: send us your tape, we'll press up your record) including QCA, Mark, Gabor and Delta.

    A discography of Century product is a fruitless and impossible task.
    Needed, but impossible.
  • NateBizzoNateBizzo 2,328 Posts
    The thing about Century is that, though based in Saugus, California, they had locations scattered across the US. In addition to doing pressing and manufacturing, they also provided on-site recording (which explains the millions of school and church-based LPs). You could do as few as FIVE records (pressed and manufactured, not acetates) with the company, albeit at around $30 a pop. I have a works list where you see all of the price breaks, which pretty much annuls every dude that swears that you "can't press only ten records." I wrote an article in Wax Poetics (horror!) where I showed many stock LP covers from the Century pamphlet I have. In all they offered about 100 different images.

    To the best of my knowledge, Century is still in the CD duplication business at the original location (as seen in the drawing on many Century LPs) in California.

    In addition to Century, there were many other larger-than-average, regional custom plants (read: send us your tape, we'll press up your record) including QCA, Mark, Gabor and Delta.

    A discography of Century product is a fruitless and impossible task.
    Needed, but impossible.

    Is this in an upcoming issue of wax poetics?
  • DCarfagnaDCarfagna 983 Posts

    It was a few years ago. Maybe issue 5 or 6.
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    http://gravediggervideo.com/century.html
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    I think a good portion of the missing LPs on these custom label discographys could be hashed out over a few years of some serious Soulstrut imput.
  • BamboucheBambouche 1,484 Posts
    In addition to Century, there were many other larger-than-average, regional custom plants (read: send us your tape, we'll press up your record) including QCA, Mark, Gabor and Delta.

    Dante, any similar enlightenment to offer regarding U.S. Recordings? The Mingering one has a mail-us-a-tape-and-we'll-mail-you-an-acetate that cost him $2.99 back when. I figure if Mike partook, others must have as well, and if they did isn't it safe to assume you have them registered in the Carfagnalogue?

    I remember the Wax Poetics article. Great piece. Thanks for the work. Seriously.
  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    Carfagnalogue
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Century has a humongous rep with garage fans - apparently, several teen bands from the sixties had singles (and possibly albums?) pressed on this label, yet as someone just noted in another post, the Century records you see the most are the high school and church albums.
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    Century has a humongous rep with garage fans - apparently, several teen bands from the sixties had singles (and possibly albums?) pressed on this label, yet as someone just noted in another post, the Century records you see the most are the high school and church albums.


    I have a nice garage-folk 45 by some band (can't recall the name right now) on Century...
  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    You could do as few as FIVE records (pressed and manufactured, not acetates)

    holy shit
  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts

  • 99Problems99Problems 1,541 Posts
    You could do as few as FIVE records (pressed and manufactured, not acetates)

    Please report to "Super-Raers" thread.
  • TenyuTenyu 30 Posts
    You could do as few as FIVE records (pressed and manufactured, not acetates)

    holy shit

    Just like any other test pressing/promos but with labels attached?

    Gospel Clouds - Keep On Praying LP - Century (picked from Paycheck's store)
  • Rob_SevierRob_Sevier 150 Posts

    Just like any other test pressing/promos but with labels attached?



    Yes.
  • TenyuTenyu 30 Posts

    Just like any other test pressing/promos but with labels attached?



    Yes.


    I was under the impression most places do that.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I can think of 2 "hits" on Century.
    1) Edwin Hawkins Oh Happy Day
    2) Solar Plexus

    A slew of NTSUs were well distributed.

    My favorite might be Goddard High School Goes Underground. Make that had it.
  • PlantweedPlantweed 394 Posts
    By my estimates there were upwards of 70,000 records pressed by Century for their label. I think they stopped doing the custom pressing around 1979, and became mainly a plastics manufacturer, though they still pressed records for other labels. The company folded in 2003:

    http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/sg122303.htm

    Here's a link to the obit of their founder:

    http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/sg052800.htm

    I'll never finish the discography, but it's fun to try.
  • Rob_SevierRob_Sevier 150 Posts

    Just like any other test pressing/promos but with labels attached?



    Yes.


    I was under the impression most places do that.

    These are runs of 5 vinyl pressings with fully printed labels and jackets.
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts

    I'll never finish the discography, but it's fun to try.


    masochism.

    In ROckford, IL yesterday, I saw about 20 different records on Century... and no way was I about to write down all that shit....

    Holy Trinity Church of the Gracious Beacon of Christs Good Messenger Service - Let Us Raise Up And Praise Him For All Ways 1975 (Century 1154655)

    Thats not a real record, but you get my drift.
  • DCarfagnaDCarfagna 983 Posts
    Plantweed,
    My e-mail is temporarily busted, so I'll give you these missing Century 45 titles here:

    33626 Uncle Tom's Cabinet "Night Rain-Other Times/ Harambee-Boogaloo" Nashua, NH R&B
    33728 The Volcanic Eruption "Soul Sister, Brown Sugar-Knock On Wood/ Grazin??? In The Grass-Respect" Louisville, KY soul
    33841 Cavaliers Unlimited "Soul Vein/ The Nasty" 1969 Portland, OR funk
    36967 Bennie Cole & His Soul Brothers "I Need Someone (To Love Me)/ I Gotta Go Back Home" Milwaukee, WI soul
    40467 Cold Bold & Together "Hey, Hey Devils And Fools!/ Dedication" Seattle, WA funk/ soul
    43829 Soft Touch "Look Up, Look Down/ Plenty Action" 1976 Oakland, CA funk/ soul
    44154 The Diabolics "Key To Your Heart/ Get It Together" 1976 Oakland, CA funk/ soul

    There's more 45s (including one called The Funky Aliens), I'll let you know as I find them.
  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    33841 Cavaliers Unlimited "Soul Vein/ The Nasty" 1969 Portland, OR funk

    Wow, well that explains the origins of that!
  • PlantweedPlantweed 394 Posts
    Thx for the tips, discog info always appreciated.

    Now if I could only fill in those mystery titles for Tiger Lily and Guinness...
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Thx for the tips, discog info always appreciated.

    Now if I could only fill in those mystery titles for Tiger Lily and Guinness...

    are your discogs on line?
  • PlantweedPlantweed 394 Posts
    http://gravediggervideo.com/guinness.html

    http://gravediggervideo.com/tigerlily.html
  • akoako https://soundcloud.com/a-ko 3,418 Posts
    There's more 45s (including one called The Funky Aliens), I'll let you know as I find them.

    i have two copies of a 45 on century: The Spinning wheel - The Funky Alien

    is this similar? im pretty sure i contributed this to the discog already though.
  • djrdjr 511 Posts

    just stumbled across this one on e-bay for anyone who is taking notes:

    Lime T. Royal Century Records 36050 Peace Brother/Carefree Love

    listed as garage/psych
  • DCarfagnaDCarfagna 983 Posts
    There's more 45s (including one called The Funky Aliens), I'll let you know as I find them.

    i have two copies of a 45 on century: The Spinning wheel - The Funky Alien

    is this similar? im pretty sure i contributed this to the discog already though.

    That's the one.
    I found it in Council Bluffs in the mid-90s, so it makes sense.
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