
Vertigo Records was a subsidiary of the Philips/Phonogram record label, launched in 1969 in the UK to specialise in progressive rock and other non-mainstream musical styles. The label was the brainchild of Gerry Bron, Tony Reeves and Olav Wyper when the latter was Creative Director at Phonogram. It was launched as a competitor to labels such as Harvest (a subsidiary of EMI) and Deram (Decca).
Vertigo was quickly established as a recognizable brand with the introduction of the iconic 'Vertigo Swirl' logo, created by Roger Dean, that covered the entire A-Side label of its album releases. It also helped that the young label's first record, Colosseum's Valentyne Suite, became an instant commercial hit after its release in November 1969.