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It was the late sixties and Motown wanted to break into the white Rock/FM Radio market, so Rare Earth were seen by Motown as being the perfect vehicle to do this. The band made it clear from the start that they did not want their records released on any of the three main labels in Berry Gordy’s empire (Tamla, Gordy, Soul), as they thought they would be "lost" on any of these famous Soul labels, hence the new label.
The first single to be issued was from the legendary British band The Pretty Things, who like fellow UK acts UFO, Love Sculpture, Sounds Nice and Toe Fat had records issued in America through Motown and in the UK through EMI. During the lifetime of Rare Earth Records there were 53 singles released, Rare Earths "Midnight Lady" which came out in May 1976 was to be the final 45 to be issued. The first album on the label was Love Sculptures Blues Helping which hit the streets a month before The Pretty Things single in June 1969. There is no doubt that the biggest selling act on the label was Rare Earth itself. The label also had the great Meatloaf who was part of the duo Stoney and Meatloaf. A total of 41 albums were issued during the labels history and with the exception of Rare Earth themselves the labels mix of pop, rock and soul failed to set the world on fire, but will be fondly remembered for releasing some great music.
US released albums of which the first five were issued in dome cut sleeves and also presented as a box set to introduce the Rare Earth Label in 1969. In the UK the bands 1st two albums were issued under the Tamla Motown label until One World was released in 71. Some bands from the UK side were issued on the Rare Earth label in the US as part of the agreement with EMI in the UK. Some countries had different issues, details are requested for these so they can be included. The label ended in 1976 although a brief attempt with new acts in 1988 came to nothing apart from 1 demo issue.
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