[78-L] Motown on 78 and weird Filipino labels

[Margaret Still]

I'm pretty sure the Philippine 78's were not manufactured in the Philippines
and sold in U.S. Army PX's. They were manufactured and sold to a listening
public that knew and loved American Top 40 Music and heard it on the huge
number of radion stations that played American music almost exclusively. I
was born and grew up there, and remember my older sister bringing home
Imperial Ricky Nelson 78's and Buddy Holly Coral 78's - as well as 45's. The
78's were much rarer by the Brit Invasion era, but I did see some Ventures
78's at that time. We did not have access to any PXes, just the local
stores.

I don't know anything about how the labels were appropriated and pressed
locally, but assume it was on the shady side, though not as shady as the
outright bootlegs being pressed in Taiwan at the time.

Best,
Margaret G. Still
====================

From: Alexandre Benoit <pathe90rpm at yahoo.fr>

Motown recordings on 78s in India? 
I doubt this. Because this is not the type of music Indians would have
listened to.
In India only those people listened to English language music who were
half-breeds (half Indian,?half British). Black music was never popular
there. 
There were however Motown releases in South Africa - on the Ridge label.
This label took licences from many US labels. On Ridge you can find the
Marvelettes and the Shirelles, possibly others. ?I know, because I had these
South African 78s.? 
?
The situation in the Philippines was pretty?much like the situation?in
France and Germany. Many 1950's and 1960's records that turned up in the
70's and 80's in France and Germany were completely unknown to the French
and German listeners And these records were never listed in the complete
listings of the record companies, either! Why? Because these records were
only sold in U.S. Army PX's (but pressed locally). 
?
I guess it was similar in the Philippines. 
?
How did companies in the Philippines appropriate the names of 3 major US
record labels? 
A rethorical question, I presume. Because nowadays, I am sure, you can
register names like 'Columbia' 'Sun', 'Sony' or whatever in Azerbaidjan,
Moldavia, Congo or what have you. 
Just like you could in the Philippines in those days. 
?
Alex