Label

ARISTON - FIRST

Ariston Records was created in 1964 by Alfredo Rossi, brother of composer Carlo Alberto, owner of another important record label, Car Juke Box.
Based in Milan, like the biggest Italian record companies of the 70's except RCA, Ariston was a very important label though not particularly interested in rock and progressive sounds. 
They've released anyway some relevant Italian rock and prog albums (since 1966 with I Corvi, one of the most important Italian beat groups) and deserve a mention here for this reason.

A subsidiary label, First, was created in 1969 to launch some young beat and rock bands, and it was on this label that some of the early Stormy Six singles and albums were released.

Among the minor Italian labels distributed by Ariston were Victory and early Radio records. The label also acted as distributor for many foreign record companies until the early 80's, and closed in 1989. 

Both First and Victory shared a similar numbering system as the main label, whereas Ariston albums had an AR/LP + 5 digits catalogue number, First used FR/LP and Victory VY/LP numbers.

ARISTON

LP

number


Band/Artist(s)


Title


year


notes
AR/LP 0152 I Corvi Un ragazzo di strada 1966 glossy single cover
AR/LP 10035 Stormy Six Le idee di oggi per la musica di domani 1969 gatefold textured cover 
AR/LP 10043 Mirageman Music cocktail 1969 single cover 
AR/LP 11005 Mirageman Per voi giovani 1970 single cover
AR/LP 11011 Mirageman Thrilling 1970 single cover 
AR/LP 11020 Claudio Rocchi Viaggio 1970 single cover with insert
AR/LP 11030 Mirageman Alto gradimento 1971 single cover 
AR/LP 12053 Various Artists Al festival di Viareggio 1971 1971 with Nuova Idea, Stormy Six, Top 5
AR/LP 12061 Nuova Idea In the beginning 1971 gatefold cover
AR/LP 12062 Mario Barbaja Argento 1971 gatefold textured cover
AR/LP 12067 Claudio Rocchi Volo magico n.1 1971 center opening foldout cover with inner
AR/LP 12072 Mirageman Thunder and lightning 1972 textured cover
AR/LP 12074 Simon Luca Per proteggere l'enorme Maria 1972 gatefold laminated cover
AR/LP 12075 Nuova Idea Mr E.Jones 1972 gatefold laminated cover - some with poster
AR/LP 12076 Mario Barbaja Megh 1972 single cover
AR/LP 12088 Claudio Rocchi La norma del cielo
(Volo magico n.2)
1972 gatefold laminated cover
AR/LP 12100 Nuova Idea Clowns 1973 gatefold laminated cover
AR/LP 12102 Simon Luca E la mia mente? 1973 gatefold cover
AR/LP 12107 Equipe 84 Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde 1973 inner with shaped tab
AR/LP 12108 Ernesto Bassignano Ma 1973  
AR/LP 12112 Claudio Rocchi Essenza 1973 gatefold cover with inner
AR/LP 12114 Stormy Six Guarda giù dalla pianura 1973 gatefold cover 
AR/LP 12124 Maurizio Vandelli Madeleine, anatomia di un incubo 1974 single cover
AR/LP 12133 Track Track rock 1974 single cover
AR/LP 12134 Equipe 84 Sacrificio 1974 gatefold with insert
AR/LP 12135 Claudio Rocchi Il miele dei pianeti, le isole, le api 1974 gatefold laminated cover with insert
AR/LP 12228 Luciano Basso Voci 1976 single cover
AR/LP 12261 Le Figlie del Vento E che c'entriamo noi con i guai del mondo1975 single cover
AR/LP 12268 Gianni D'Errico Antico teatro da camera 1976 single cover
AR/LP 12273 Mario Barbaja New York Bazar 1976 gatefold cover
AR/LP 12279 Claudio Rocchi Rocchi 1975 single cover with inner
AR/LP 12293 Claudio Rocchi Suoni di frontiera 1976 single cover with inner
AR/LP 12300 Nova Blink 1976 single cover
AR/LP 12324 Roberto Ferri Se per un caso un giorno la follia 1977 gatefold cover
AR/LP 12333 Luciano Basso Cogli il giorno 1978 gatefold laminated cover
AR/LP 12341 Mario Barbaja Made in Hong Kong 1978 single cover with lyric inner and poster
AR/LP 12354 Luciano Basso Frammenti tonali 1979 single cover
AR/LP 12374 Luciano Basso Luciano Basso 1980 single cover
AR/LP 12376 Barnaba Barnaba 1980  

 

SINGLES

number


Band/Artist(s)


Title


year
AR 0136 I Corvi Un ragazzo di strada
Datemi una lacrima per piangere
1966
AR 0161 I Corvi Bang bang
Che notte ragazzi
1966
AR 0197 I Corvi Sospesa ad un filo
Luce
1967
AR 0227 I Corvi Quando quell'uomo ritornerà
Si prega sempre quando è tardi
1967
AR 0288 I Corvi C'è un uomo che piange
Che strano effetto
1968
AR 0229 (?) Mirageman Thrilling
Gulp
1970
AR 0341 Claudio Rocchi Indiscutibilmente
La televisione accesa
1970
AR 0506 Claudio Rocchi Cerchi
Grazie
1971
AR 0510 Nuova Idea La mia scelta
Non dire niente
1971
AR 0511 Mirageman Hashish
Hypnosis
1971
AR 0521 Mario Barbaja Il mondo di Giulietta
Il cammino
1971
AR 0522 Mario Barbaja Argento
Il mio cammino
1971
AR 0534 Claudio Rocchi Tutto quello che ho da dire
La realtà non esiste
1972
AR 0539 Nuova Idea Mister E.Jones
Svegliati Edgar
1972
AR 0548 Simon Luca Per proteggere l'enorme Maria
Mangia con me il tuo pane
1972
AR 0550 Mario Barbaja Sono stato
Non dire mai
1972
AR 0551 Mirageman Paralysis
Paroxysm
1972
AR 0552 Mirageman Thunder
Atmosphere
1972
AR 0556 Simon Luca Ridammi la tua anima
Cuore nero
1972
AR 0559 Claudio Rocchi Vado in India pt.I
Vado in India pt.II
1972
AR 0571 Gianni D'Errico La vestaglia
Precipitando verso Dio
1972
AR 0578 Pane Burro e Marmellata Scacco al re
Blu
1972
AR 0589 Nuova Idea Sarà così
Uomini diversi
1973
AR 0591 Equipe 84 Senza senso
Diario
1973
AR 0594 Simon Luca Io credo in te
Come è fatto il viso di una donna
1973
AR 0595 Gianni D'Errico La casa di roccia
L'ultima esperienza
1973
AR 0616 Equipe 84 Clinica Fior di Loto SpA
Meglio
1974
AR 0621 Claudio Rocchi Radici e semi
Templi e mercati
1973
AR 0628 Equipe 84 Mercante senza fiori
Sigaretta e via
1974
AR 0643 Equipe 84 Risvegliarsi un mattino
Se c'è
1974
AR 0645 Claudio Rocchi Il miele delle api
Adesso
1973
AR 0666 Pappy Mammy & Son Bubble gum
Chrysalis
1975
AR 0672 I Computers Frutta fresca
Oh! mama mama
1975
AR 0682 Equipe 84 Sogni senza fine
Meditazione
1974
AR 0696 Luna di Pece Proprio tu
Tra inferno e paradiso
1975
AR 0705 Mario Barbaja Super supermarket
Lady drive in
1975
AR 0719 Equipe 84 Vai amore vai
Signor playboy
1976
AR 0731 Luna di Pece Amanti noi
Come un airone
1976
AR 0749 Pappy Mammy & Son La salsa
Sciubi sciu a
1976
AR 0785 Equipe 84 Opera d'amore
Anguilla rock
1977
AR 0786 Luna Hallo
Siliah era diversa
1977
AR 0793 Matia Bazar Solo tu
Per un minuto e poi
1977
AR 0831 Luna Iron fair
Stay here with me
1978
AR 0887 Dik Dik Laser vivente
Dolce amara tu
1980
AR 0903 Dik Dik Vuoto a rendere
Mamamadama
1980

 

 

FIRST

LP

number


Band/Artist(s)


Title


year


notes
FR 50001 Stormy Six Le idee di oggi per la musica di domani 1969 gatefold textured cover
FR 50050 Stormy Six L'unità 1971 gatefold cover

 

SINGLES

number


Band/Artist(s)


Title


year
FR 5000 Rinaldo Ebasta Soffro soffro
Un gioco inutile
1969
FR 5001 Nico e i Gabbiani Fiumi di parole
Vivo
1969
FR 5002 Mario Guarnera Lei, lei, lei
Il concerto del leone
1969
FR 5003 Massimo Salerno Il concerto del leone
Un gioco inutile
1969
FR 5004 Massimo Salerno Fiumi di parole
Lei, lei, lei
1969
FR 5005 Le Lunghe Storie Un bel momento
Quando un uomo se ne va
1969
FR 5006 George Luky Luky
Senza te
1970
FR 5007 Stormy Six La luna è stanca
Lodi
1970
FR 5008 Orchestra Giorgio Moroder Mah-ná-Mah-ná
Doo-Bee-Doo-Bee-Doo
1969
FR 5009 Rinaldo Ebasta Farufaru
Viva Bobby Joe
1970
FR 5010 Stormy Six Alice nel vento
Il venditore di fumo
1970
FR 5011 Nico e i Gabbiani Per un bacio d'amor
Nessuno al mondo
1970
FR 5013 Joe Marvin Farufaru
Plaisir d'amour (La notte del sì)
1970
FR 5014 Cristy Principe azzurro
Una pistola in vendita
1970
FR 5015 Gargiulo Io vendo tutto e compro il sole
È soltanto illusione
1970
FR 5016 Enzo Brunelli Gli occhi come i tuoi
È giorno
1970
FR 5017 Josha Come eri
Sunday Sunday
1970
FR 5018 George Lina con la luna
Risi e bisi
1970
FR 5019 Rinaldo Ebasta Farufaru
Sarebbe una bella famiglia
1970
FR 5022 Mike Holm Mademoiselle Ninette
Sandy
1970
FR 5023 Lianella Virgili Un sogno senza età
Mai nascerà
1970
FR 5024 Andy Person In the summertime
Hey hey
1970
FR 5025 Belve Dentro Cronaca nera
Subito dopo
1970
FR 5026 Ninni Carucci Io vendo tutto e compro il sole
1970
FR 5027 The Eggmen Good good King Midas
Every night I'm there
1970
FR 5050 Rinaldo Ebasta Cappello a tuba
1971
FR 5051 Christy Notte d'amore
Stasera
1971
FR 5052 The Mayfair Set Rain
Mississippi line
1971
FR 5053 Stormy Six Leone
Rossella
1971
FR 5054 Orange Peel I got no time
Searching for a place to hide
1971
FR 5056 Stormy Six Garibaldi
Tre fratelli contadini di Venosa
1972
FR 5057 Stormy Six Sotto il bambù
Nicola fa il maestro di scuola
1972

 

In the time frame covered, the Ariston label had three different designs, starting with the classic black label with silver rectangular logo and writing. 
This was originally (until 1969) composed by a dark grey background with a light grey pattern and was later slightly reworked changing the background to an all black design that kept the same silver logo.
Around the end of 1971 (among the first known releases is Volo magico n°1 by Claudio Rocchi), and following the company's interest in the new rock bands, another label was introduced, beige with an elf and red logo, called "Ariston progressive - Produzione Gnomo". This was used on all the rock and progressive releases up until mid 70's, when the label went under the Ricordi distribution and a new black label was adopted, reminding the original one but with a black letter Ariston logo on a shaded grey background.

Singles had the same variations as the LP's.

In mid-70's, like many other Italian labels, Ariston launched their budget-price LP series, called Oxford, and many of their most important albums were reissued on it with cheap single covers often having a revised design.

It's also worth mentioning that some young artists were directed on Ariston's subsidiary First. This was the case with Stormy Six, whose first album was released on both Ariston and First.
Label was black with a thin silver logo on the first issues, while the logo was changed to a fat yellow/white type in the 70's releases.

 

original 60's LP label

late 60's/early 70's LP label

"Gnomo" progressive series LP label

mid 70's LP label

First LP label (late 60's)

First LP label (70's)

First single label (70's)

Ariston-distributed Victory LP label