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Electric & Musical Industries Ltd.

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Major British based multinational conglomerate operating from 1931 to 1971. (Later known as [l359207]) [b](This is a company, not a label.)[/b] [b] Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. (often simply referred to as EMI.) is represented on releases by its corporate trademark "boxed EMI logo" mostly alongside primary branded labels such as His Master's Voice, Columbia or Parlophone etc, this branding simply indicates that it was released by one of its subsidiary company's or their labels, which formed part of its record division.[/b] aka. Electric & Musical Industries Limited / [l320115] Principal activities through its worldwide subsidiary companies and branches - included the manufacture and sale of records and tapes, sound recording, music publishing, film production and distribution, retail, medical, industrial and military defence electronics, domestic electronic products and cinemas. Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. (E.M.I. Ltd.) [b](EMI)[/b] was founded and incorporated on the 20th Apr 1931 through the merger and acquisition of [l97841] and [l253617], 2 principal companies that were already operating established international branches and subsidiaries in other parts of world, including France, Germany, US, Australia, New Zealand, India and Africa. Following the merger, [l265984], Inc (RCA) initially had a stake in the new company due to its links with The Gramophone Co. Ltd., until selling their equity in 1935, but because of its takeover of [l80573] in 1929, RCA retained the North and South American rights to the "Nipper" trademark. In other countries however, rights to the Dog and Phonograph logo [l37150] was owned by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. In 1956 Electric & Musical Industries Ltd., after more than a half a century of collaboration, ended the matrix and exchange agreements between RCA-Victor and The Gramophone Co. Ltd. In 1931 the company was forced to sell the Columbia Graphophone Co. Ltd. American subsidiary - [l486953] (owner of the Columbia mark in North America), ownership passed to the Grigsby-Grunow Company in late 1931, and to the American Record Corp. in 1934. In 1938, [l477618] (ARC) was subsequently taken over by [l567392] (CBS), whom establish subsidiary [l449523] (later renamed [l269353]), which then operated "Columbia" as its flagship label in both the US and Canada. However, Columbia Graphophone Co. Ltd. ultimately maintained the rights to the [l1866] name in most other territories in the rest of the world, including the UK, most of Europe and the British commonwealth. The rights to the imprint (outside North America) were reassigned to The Gramophone Co. Ltd. in 1965 and continued to operate through affiliated companies until 1973, when it was replaced by "EMI." (the label). In 1953 [l475434] was subsequently established specifically to market and sell the European "Columbia" catalogue in the USA under The Gramophone Co. Ltd. registered Angel - [l7505] trademark. Post merger the Spanish operations of TGCL and CGCL, [l674706] and Odeon S.A are subsequently consolidated in 1933 to form [l71314]. (Later renamed [l79996] in 1972) The company establishes [l268691] (PPL) in 1934, alongside [l96171], with Louis Sterling serving as chairman of the PPL board from its incorporation until 1939. In 1936 the company effects a merger of its of 2 French (indirect subsidiaries) [l335468] and Compagnie Générale de Etablissements Pathé Fréres Phonographs et Cinematographs., (French subsidiaries of The Gramophone Co. Ltd. and Columbia Graphophone Co. Ltd. respectively) to form [l50112] ([l82793]) , direct owner of the [l70230] imprint (label). As of 27th March 2013 successor EMI Music France S.A.S. was still the registered owner the of Pathé trademark. German operations from 1931 continued to operate under the immediate control of (indirect) subsidiaries, [l69138] and [l275192] (later known as [l275513]) (These companies would be merged in 1972 to form [l108193]) The Gramophone Company Ltd. and Columbia Graphophone Company Ltd. had already established research and development departments, in the early 30s this work progressed through its jointly established [l1298639] (CRL) at the Hayes Blythe Road complex, the world’s first system for recording and playing "binaural sound" (stereophonic sound) was developed by one of its scientists, Alan Blumlein (although stereo recordings would not be widely commercially available for another 25 years). The company became increasingly involved within the electronics market, specifically within the domestic, industrial, military defence and medical science sectors, establishing and acquiring numerous new (non music related) companies over the next 4 decades, which carried out pioneering research and development, into e.g. stereo sound recording, studio recording consoles, vinyl presses, photomultipliers, magnetic tape, radar systems, guided missiles, televisions, radios, broadcasting, cameras, computing, integrated circuits, CT scanners. In 1948 [l305313] is founded to head Australian operations and takeover the activities formerly carried out by [l298856], [l1039841], [l287316]. Known as [l154119] from 1957, which operated the publishing arm [l314278] & [l385980]. New Zealand operations would continue to operate under the control of [l131539], which was established in 1926 by TGCL. As of the mid 50s the company (group) primarily operated as 2 main divisions - a records division and an electronics division (headed by E.M.I. Electronics Ltd. - which as of the 1960s included 6 sub divisions). These 2 principal divisions formed the backbone of what became generically known as Electric & Musical Industries Group (EMI Group). [b](Not to be confused with [l1032063] ,which was a successor company formed in 1996 and purely operating within the music / entertainment industry).[/b] In 1956 [l274008] was established to head / oversea the record division internationally, [l87317] was subsequently acquired in 1955 and would oversea North American operations. The first in-house publishing company was established in 1958 as [l294416] (formed following the acquisition of Capitol Records, Inc. which included its publishing arm [l324674] & [l271400]). Further acquiring in 1969 the publishing companies [l308685] and the "K.P.M. Music Publishing Group" - [l304289], [l301863], [l294878], [l360245], [l283692] and [l331399] In 1959/60 introduced the "boxed "EMI" logo, as its new principal corporate trademark, replacing [l29049080]s former corporate logo used throughout the 50s. In late 1963/64 the company also introduced the "EMI record/globe" "specifically "EMI" and a halved oval design, the left half consisting of the stylized representation of a phonograph record and the right half consisting of a representation of a terrestrial globe". - this new trademark logo represented the record division. The record division is reorganised in 1965, [l274008], [l311921], Columbia Graphophone Company Ltd. were merged into The Gramophone Co. Ltd. which becomes the principal company behind the division (and the H.M.V. record stores), subsequently bringing the labels (trademark rights) and catalogues of these companies and subsidiaries under one administrative control and direct ownership. From this period the credit [b]"E.M.I. Records (The Gramophone Co. Ltd.)[/b]" often appears on releases (and official company docs) - [l217094] being the trading name (division name) of The Gramophone Co. Ltd. (The Gramophone Co. Ltd. was renamed [l63404] on the 1st July 1973 and subsequently took over this role.) A majority holding is acquired in [l98081] (including [l307356] & [l342330]) in 1967, a company with close ties dating back to the 1940s. In 1968 US subsidiary Capitol Records, Inc. merges with [l648022], forming the new holding company behind North American operations [l265679], the following year Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. and this newly formed company both acquire 25% stake each in the Japanese company [l299509] (Later renamed [l8185] in 1973) As part of its growing leisure entertainment operations, which already included "The Grade Organisation" (established by [a1919228]), the company acquired Associated British Picture Corporation (A.B.P.C.) and its substantial chain of 260 cinemas, [l526112], ITV contractor [l683105] and "Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors Ltd. in 1969, the latter subsequently being merged into its other film distribution company Associated British Pathe Ltd. to form Anglo-E.M.I Distributors Ltd. In 1970 the company also entered into certain arrangements with [l247112] (MGM), with both companies collaborating on certain productions at Elstree and establishing the jointly owned distribution company - [l919395] As of 1970 the company was employing 42.000 people worldwide and operating over 60 principal subsidiaries, 23 UK based companies of which 11 were music related and formed part of the record division, the other 12 consisted of electronic, medical and defence companies which now operated as part of 14 sub divisions. Overseas the company was operating 39 wholly owned / majority owned principal subsidiaries in 26 countries (not including the various local subsidiaries and joint partnerships.) Principal companies that formed part of the recorded music operations as of 1970 - included: [b]UK[/b] - [l253617], [l131854], [l204290], His Master's Voice (Record Shops) Ltd., (H.M.V.), ("K.P.M. Music Publishing Group" head of publishing operations [l304289], [l683105] 60%), [b]Austria[/b] - [l316180], [b]Belgium[/b] - [l46473], [b]Denmark[/b] - [l304326], ([l286783] 50%), [b]Ireland[/b] - [l1057822], [b]France[/b] - [l50112] (A.k.a. [l82793]), [b]Germany[/b] - [l69138], [l275513], [b]Greece[/b] - [l272867], E.M.I.-Lambropoulos Bros. S.A. (50%) ([l134218]), [b]Italy[/b] - [l847062], [b]Switzerland[/b] - [l1269733], E.M.I Records (Switzerland) A.G.- ([l174089]), [b]Spain[/b] - [l71314], [b]Sweden[/b] - [l143488], [b]Norway[/b] - [l111103], [b]The Netherlands[/b] - [l98081], [b]Turkey[/b] - [l465372], [b]Nigeria[/b] - E.M.I. (Nigeria) Ltd. ([l327821]), [l389768], [b]South Africa[/b] - [l472456], [b]Australia[/b] - E.M.I. (Australia) Ltd. ([l154119]), [b]New Zealand[/b] - [l131539], [b]USA[/b] - [l265679] (immediate parent of [l87317] from 1968), [b]Canada[/b] - [l231078], [b]Mexico[/b] - [l555282], [b]Singapore[/b] - [l1408904], [b]Malaysia[/b] - [l1408630], [b]Hong Kong[/b] - [l1013066], [b]Pakistan[/b] - [l304910], [b]India[/b] - [l83491], [b]Argentina[/b] - [l146543], [b]Brazil[/b] - [l317091],[b]Chile[/b] - [l355705], [b]Lebanon[/b] - [l631342], [b]Japan[/b] - [l299509] (50%) In 1970 the board requested approval from shareholders to change the name of the company, quote "Our present name no longer reflects are wide span of activities and interests, secondly, The initials "EMI" have become are primary means of identification throughout the world". In Jan 1971 the company was renamed [l359207] (The removal of "periods" between "E.M.I." company names was reflected across the board within this time period 1971/72, with the majority of its companies being slightly rebranded / renamed.) [b]Note[/b] Following the introduction of the companies boxed "EMI" corporate trademark, this logo was commonly placed on releases alongside primary branded labels such as - [l37150], [l39354], [l7505], [l37813], [l2564], [l55762], [l4920], [l54908], [l1866], [l2294], [l33930], [l654], [l70230] etc.., the logo simply indicates it was released by one of its operating companies (subsidiaries) who were the direct registered trademark owners of these primary labels / brands. Trademarks used by its other operating companies (electronics) included - Emitron, Emitape, Emiscope, Marconiphone, G. Marconi, Morpy Richards, Ardente