LABEL STYLES - ALBUMS
RAINBOW
RAINBOW
Rainbow Products Ltd was one of Australia's leading budget-record and home-entertainment distributors, with its recorded-music operations conducted under the name Rainbow Record Products. Its origins can be traced to John Avakian's involvement in low-priced records and rack merchandising during the mid-1960s. Avakian worked with Basic Books (A'Asia) Pty Ltd, which from early 1966 began importing records from Britain and the United States for "rack-jobbing" through bookshops, department stores and other non-specialist retailers, generally at the low price of $2.50.
In 1970, Avakian introduced the short-lived Budget Records imprint as Basic Books expanded beyond the importation of finished budget records into the local licensing and manufacture of recorded music. The next stage came in mid-1970, when Basic Books combined its record activities with the Universal Record Club to form Summit Records Australia. By now the company was supplementing its overseas-sourced catalogue with recordings licensed from the Australian Record Company, Festival Records and RCA, while some repertoire obtained directly from overseas licensors was also pressed locally. These arrangements gave Avakian greater control over repertoire, manufacturing and supply, laying the foundations for a more substantial Australian record operation.
By June of the following year, Summit had been acquired by Paul Hamlyn Pty Ltd and integrated with its existing Australian Music For Pleasure operation, until then one of Summit's principal competitors. Avakian was appointed to manage the combined record division, further developing a model based on licensing older or underused recordings, repackaging them and selling them affordably through newsagents, department stores and other high-volume retail outlets.
Around the end of 1972, Summit Records Australia relocated from 21 Atchison Street, St Leonards—its address dating back to the Basic Books operation—to 176 South Creek Road, Dee Why West, the publishing, warehousing and distribution premises occupied by the Paul Hamlyn group since the 1960s.
In 1979, the Avakian-led record division transitioned from the Paul Hamlyn group to the newly established Rainbow Products Ltd, with its recorded-music activities now identified as Rainbow Record Products. Summit Records continued in parallel as a record imprint, although Music For Pleasure was retired. Address was now just outside the Dee Why complex, at 7 Boola Place.
By 1982, Rainbow had become a major Australian budget-music distributor, licensing repertoire from leading Australian and international record companies. Records were often pressed by PolyGram NZ, until it ceased pressing in mid-1986.
In September 1982, Singapore-based Times Publishing, through its wholly owned subsidiary Times Enterprises (Australia) Pty Ltd, acquired the remaining 70 per cent interest in Rainbow Products, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. Rainbow's Australian operation nevertheless remained closely associated with the Avakian family: John Avakian continued to lead the company, while Ara and Andrew Avakian later occupied senior management positions.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Rainbow Products successfully expanded beyond LPs and cassettes into compact discs and home video. Its music operations later also used the Rainbow Music Group name, while its video division marketed inexpensive VHS titles, including children's programs, fitness videos and feature films associated with Paramount and Universal. Rainbow became particularly known for offering compact discs at prices closer to those of vinyl records.
Rainbow Products remained active into the 2000s and diversified into consumer-electronics accessories through the associated Musicway Corporation business. Its distribution operations were sold in 2009, after which Rainbow Products Ltd was listed as dormant before entering voluntary liquidation around 2012.
The company reissued Rock Legends in 1985.
Only one label pair per title is displayed on this page. Label variations for a given record can be found on its corresponding LP page (accessible via the main 'LPs' menu, above).
In 1970, Avakian introduced the short-lived Budget Records imprint as Basic Books expanded beyond the importation of finished budget records into the local licensing and manufacture of recorded music. The next stage came in mid-1970, when Basic Books combined its record activities with the Universal Record Club to form Summit Records Australia. By now the company was supplementing its overseas-sourced catalogue with recordings licensed from the Australian Record Company, Festival Records and RCA, while some repertoire obtained directly from overseas licensors was also pressed locally. These arrangements gave Avakian greater control over repertoire, manufacturing and supply, laying the foundations for a more substantial Australian record operation.
By June of the following year, Summit had been acquired by Paul Hamlyn Pty Ltd and integrated with its existing Australian Music For Pleasure operation, until then one of Summit's principal competitors. Avakian was appointed to manage the combined record division, further developing a model based on licensing older or underused recordings, repackaging them and selling them affordably through newsagents, department stores and other high-volume retail outlets.
Around the end of 1972, Summit Records Australia relocated from 21 Atchison Street, St Leonards—its address dating back to the Basic Books operation—to 176 South Creek Road, Dee Why West, the publishing, warehousing and distribution premises occupied by the Paul Hamlyn group since the 1960s.
In 1979, the Avakian-led record division transitioned from the Paul Hamlyn group to the newly established Rainbow Products Ltd, with its recorded-music activities now identified as Rainbow Record Products. Summit Records continued in parallel as a record imprint, although Music For Pleasure was retired. Address was now just outside the Dee Why complex, at 7 Boola Place.
By 1982, Rainbow had become a major Australian budget-music distributor, licensing repertoire from leading Australian and international record companies. Records were often pressed by PolyGram NZ, until it ceased pressing in mid-1986.
In September 1982, Singapore-based Times Publishing, through its wholly owned subsidiary Times Enterprises (Australia) Pty Ltd, acquired the remaining 70 per cent interest in Rainbow Products, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. Rainbow's Australian operation nevertheless remained closely associated with the Avakian family: John Avakian continued to lead the company, while Ara and Andrew Avakian later occupied senior management positions.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Rainbow Products successfully expanded beyond LPs and cassettes into compact discs and home video. Its music operations later also used the Rainbow Music Group name, while its video division marketed inexpensive VHS titles, including children's programs, fitness videos and feature films associated with Paramount and Universal. Rainbow became particularly known for offering compact discs at prices closer to those of vinyl records.
Rainbow Products remained active into the 2000s and diversified into consumer-electronics accessories through the associated Musicway Corporation business. Its distribution operations were sold in 2009, after which Rainbow Products Ltd was listed as dormant before entering voluntary liquidation around 2012.
The company reissued Rock Legends in 1985.
Only one label pair per title is displayed on this page. Label variations for a given record can be found on its corresponding LP page (accessible via the main 'LPs' menu, above).
