Major League Productions is a record label from the United Kingdom based in Oxfordshire. It was founded in 1991 and operates in 100 different countries. As of 2013, it had 39 employees. Following a reduction of live services, in 2020 the company announced it was focusing only on its back-catalogue work and talked of the possibility of new vinyl releases to signed artists.
History Music operations The label, which began in 1995, was founded in Banbury and was aimed at the rock genre before expanding its field. Two years after its foundation, their first record, by Home, was released. The release was aimed at the UK market until the label obtained European and worldwide distribution. Only three months later, the Kokomo album Live 75 was released, the label was criticised for the album as it had described itself as a rock music label and this release was soul and funk, the album was sold in Europe and had main interest in Germany.
Hyper UK In 2007, MLP's parent label Hyper UK was set up to create new and abstract releases by bands such as Smash. The label has registered under Major League Productions, but is advertised as a separate label.
2000s Once the label was established, it tried to expand its presence, focusing on larger artists and bands such as Thin Lizzy and Alex Harvey. The label then developed its online services by offering downloads and YouTube services in 2005–2007. Finally, the label sought only download LPs explaining a limited release.
TV and film operations The company also operates a production service with previous services to live TV productions, Corporate Videos, Video Advertising and Sports Films. Live broadcasting was also provided for secondary companies such as the BBC and RTE. The company also operated a number of live events, pre-concert entertainment and had representatives in the middle East and Asia.
QR code introduction As MLP began to grow their CD and release network, a QR code was made that linked it to their website; this was used for publicity and label forms. In 2009, the label became the first record label to add a QR code to their CD releases.
RSS feed introduction In 2011, the Major League Productions or MLPLIVE1 news feed became available, the feed focuses on the YouTube channel MLPLIVE1 and also included information about new releases and fictional information. The RSS feed is available on many platforms this includes: PSP, BMW Online, iDrive, Calendar plus, Windows Desktop RSS gadget, and Feeddler RSS Reader for iPad and iPhone.
Mlpman UK and worldwide Mlpman is the eBay and Amazon operating name of MLPLIVE. It was formed on 17 July 2000. The record label owns and maintains the sub as well as control its logistics. From 1 January 2001, MLPMAN went worldwide. However, MLPMAN now rarely operates on Amazon as of Amazon offering the product under its own brand.
Mlplive.com shop The Mlplive.com shop opened in 2007 and allows customers to purchase CDs without going through either shops or Mlpman. The shop sells all CDs and alerts the audience when an album is available for downloads. Currently, the only payment accepted on this service is PayPal.
News and press coverage The record label has experienced a number of press and news releases especially that of its UK tour 75 Thin Lizzy release.
Twitter feed The label officially launched its Twitter feed on 17 July 2013. The feed is described to give information about the label, new releases and the song of the day feature. The creation of the Twitter feed is aimed to help the label move into the tech revolution as well as promote itself. The label has around 310 followers at present.
Television advertisements Between 2008 and 2011, the record label ran promo television advertisements during related shows and themes. The advertisements were mainly shown on Icelandic, Scandinavian, Estonian, and European T.V., with the exception of Niger. The advertisements included information about the releases and were to buy them and were language developed to the specific region. Upon MLPLIVE'S reports it concluded 137 advertisements had been shown and that the label would now advertise online in these regions.
Thin Lizzy – UK Tour 75 Released in September 2008, the CD has a large amount of publicity this included news articles in The Daily Express and Birmingham Times, as well as a number of magazines including the Record Collector, it was rated four stars out of five by The Daily Express.
Alex Harvey releases Alex Harvey releases have had a number of press and review articles this includes sections on all the three of the releases on the following press sites and companies: News of the world Kerrang Mojo (magazine) Record Collector Classic Rock (magazine) The Detour Great Yarmouth Advertiser Clash Magazine
Other releases Other releases have also gain publicity with majority of the company releases, this includes articles on services such as Mojo and Record Collector magazines, Newsvine, Rate Your Music and MTV.
Mojo magazine insert In May 2013, the label has allowed an insert of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band which included one of the songs free on a promo Audio-CD in the Mojo (magazine). The disc cover was highlighted by using an outline of Harvey himself. The magazine is estimated to sell 85,149 copies and is sold across the United Kingdom.
Artists Major League Productions A Band Called O Baker Gurvitz Army Canned Heat Captain Beefheart Caravan Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine Climax Blues Band Gaye Bykers on Acid Gentle Giant Gong The Groundhogs Heavy Metal Kids Home Kokomo Nucleus Pink Fairies Renaissance The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Soft Machine Thin Lizzy Trapeze
Additional talent services The company previously represented modelling talent briefly for music purposes only sourcing talent for music videos and corporate music productions
Hyper Productions UK Smash
Online/YouTube services In 2012, the company launched its YouTube service, the label currently publishes samples, promos and advertisements. The channel MLPLIVE1 is spread across both YouTube and Dailymotion and mainly operated and focuses on Northern Europe and the USA. As of 10 March the company elected to use the new YouTube channel layout, this has since been a success as of being the first record label to do this evidence of this is seen when the company gained one hundred subscribers in one day.
Release Descriptions MLP Home – Live BBC Sessions 1970−73 Classic BBC live recordings from one of the most under-rated British rock bands of the early 1970s. Featuring the twin guitars of Laurie Wisefield and Mick Stubbs, the band riff and solo through every song. The songs here are heavier and extended from their studio output and this CD features tracks from all three Home albums including a complete live run-through the concept album The Alchemist, plus previously unreleased material. The sessions were recorded for Bob Harris and John Peel shows plus tracks from the In Concert series.
Kokomo – Live in Concert 1975 This was recorded in December 1975 as the band toured between their first two albums, Kokomo (1975) and Rise and Shine (1977). The set features songs from both these albums plus previously unreleased material.
Caravan – Live UK Tour '75 A previously unreleased live recording by one of the leaders of the Canterbury scene, Caravan, at Nottingham Polytechnic in 1975, found the band in a period of change as the band were between record deals and labels. Having just changed their keyboard player, sessions for a new album were about to start when the band went on tour.
Trapeze – Live at the Boat Club See Separate Page Live at the Boat Club for more information.
Recorded at the Boat Club in Nottingham on 13 September 1975 for an on-air radio broadcast, this live set includes 70 minutes of high energy live classic rock. Having just returned from asuccessful US Tour headlining 20,000 seat venues, Trapeze played a short UK tour to promote their latest album Trapeze (1976). Featuring guitarist Mel Galley (ex-Whitesnake) and drummer Dave Holland (ex-Judas Priest) the band play a set of classic old numbers, new tracks and covers.
Groundhogs – Live UK Tour 1976 A previously unreleased live recording captures The Groundhogs in concert at the Kings Hall, Derby on a UK tour in 1976 for a live radio broadcast. Tony McPhee added a second lead guitarist which really beefs up the sound as the band play tracks from their latest albums, live favourites including a manic 14-minute encore of "Cherry Red" and some other rarer live tracks.
Carter USM – BBC Live in Concert 1991−94 78 minutes of previously unreleased BBC performances at six different venues: Wembley Arena (1991), Kilburn National (1991), Norwich Sound City (1992), Glastonbury (1992), Reading University (1994) and Phoenix (1994). It captures the duo from their rise to fame in early 1991 at Wembley through an electric performance at Kilburn and a headline slot at the Glastonbury Festival. This
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – British Tour '76 Previously unreleased on-air radio broadcast recording at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester, during The Sensational Alex Harvey Band's 1976 UK tour promoting the album SAHB Stories (1976). Great quality and mastered from the original tapes, this album considered 'better' than the official live album and fully authorised by the band, who write sleeve notes in a 16-page booklet full of great live photos and an intro by biographer Martin Kielty.
Baker Gurvitz Army – Live in Derby '75 Official band-authorized CD release of a previously unreleased live recording from Baker Gurvitz Army in 1975 while the band were touring the second album Elysian Encounter (1975). Featuring rock star 'Cream' drummer Ginger Baker and Adrian and Paul Gurvitz (Three Man Army) with the vocals of Snips (Sharks). Recorded for a live radio broadcast, on 21 October 1975, the set features songs from their first two albums plus Cream covers and unreleased material.
Gong – Live in Sherwood Forest '75 See CD Page Live in Sherwood Forest '75 for more information Official, band-authorised CD, contains a previously unreleased live recording from the University of Nottingham on 25 November 1975. Originally an on-air radio broadcast, this set features the penultimate gig with guitarist Steve Hillage on his farewell tour with Gong, days before he was to leave for his solo career. Contains tracks from upcoming 1976 album Shamal and the 1974 album You plus tracks from Steve's recent solo album Fish Rising (1975).
Soft Machine – British Tour '75 Soft Machine recorded In Concert for an on-air radio broadcast at the University of Nottingham in October 1975 on a short British Tour between the recording of the two albums, Bundles (1975) and Softs (1976). The album includes three improvs/jams totalling over 30 minutes of music.
Renaissance – British Tour '76 Renaissance recorded at the University of Nottingham on 24 January 1976 during a 10-date British University Tour for an on-air radio broadcast. This set has over 78 minutes of live music including favourites: "Running Hard", "Ocean Gypsy" plus the nine part 25+ minute epic "Song of Scheherazade" and a rousing encore of "Ashes Are Burning".
Captain Beefheart – Amsterdam '80 Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band recorded at Paradiso in Amsterdam on 1 November 1980 while on a European Tour promoting the album Doc at the Radar Station (1980). This superb quality recording was made by the Dutch for an on-air radio broadcast and has been mastered from the original tapes.
Nucleus – UK Tour '76 (2 CD)