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Retrospect Series

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The Retrospect Series was a series of [l35306], active from 1970 into the late 1970s in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. During that time, the UK branch of the [l35306] became known as [l62544]. [b]Australia[/b] With the June 1971 Programme, the series took over the numbering from the more patrician [l=Connoisseur Series (2)], which had been active from 1963 - 3128 was on the Connoisseur label, 3129 was Retrospect. Some of the Connoisseur releases were in fact reissued as Retrospect Series LPs. Like the Connoisseur Series, it functioned in the same way as a label, with its own distinctive designs - when making a submission, it is best to add the catalogue number as a series number (omitting any "S/" prefix for the occasional stereo LP). In 1975, after the EMI takeover, many of the LPs were reissued with new numbers (the R- series), but (as with The Record Society) the sub-label seems to have been gradually abandoned, with only a few new releases, which were numbered within the general WRC label sequence. The label design was initially the 'herald' label in the same gold colours as the Connoisseur Series, but the colours became paler (i.e. cheaper) after 1975, before reverting to the standard blue 'herald' label in the late 1970s. Cassettes were generally issued by the club without Retrospect Series branding. [b]U.K.[/b] World Record Club became known as [l62544] in 1973, but Retrospect Series LPs were being released before then, with the earliest here listed as 1970. UK releases had different catalogue numbers to Australian releases. [b]New Zealand[/b] New Zealand releases also had their own separate catalogue numbers. As with many other changes made by WRC, the switch to Retrospect Series occurred later than in Australia and the UK.