Label Guide: Spark

Spark Records was a British record label started 1967 by Bob Kingston of publisher Southern Music in London. Spark relied heavily on the musicians, writers and studio technicians already employed by Southern: John Carter, Ken Lewis, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, Eric Woolfson (Alan Parsons Project) and others.

Many of Spark's 1960s releases are now fetching high prices as original sales were usually very low due to poor promotion and an underserved distribution deal with Pye Records. Spark did become more successful in the mid-1970s with UK Top Ten hits from The Peppers, The Band Of The Black Watch and Wigan's Ovation. Bob Kingston left Spark after 11 years in 1977.

Spark Records (American Label) was a Los Angeles based 1950s label, formed by writers and producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. In 1960, the label was bought by Atlantic Records, which hired Leiber and Stoller in an innovative deal that allowed them to produce for other labels as well. There is no connection between both these Spark labels.