In 2021, someone at BMG commissioned me to write a history of Transatlantic Records (1961-80) for some sort of website tied in with the promotion of 60 rare Transatlantic albums being released digitally during that year, its 60th anniversary.
Somehow, that didn’t happen – or at least not that year, though I believe several Transatlantic rarities are now available or becoming available on digital platforms.
One Transatlantic artist, George Deacon, has just alerted me to what seems to be at last that promised website (dated 2026), featuring my long tale and a link to a digital streaming version of the splendid 4CD ‘Transatlantic Story’ box set compiled by Laurence Aston, who worked at the label in the 70s. Laurence was among those I interviewed for the piece.
In fact, here’s the full Author’s Note (from the end of the story):
‘I had the great pleasure of interviewing Nat Joseph in 1992 for what eventually became ‘Dazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch and the British folk and blues revival’ (Bloomsbury, 2000). Some of the material in this piece has been adapted from that book and from interviews and research carried out for ‘Irish Folk, Trad & Blues: A Secret History’ (Collins Press, 2004), ‘The Wheels of the World: 300 Years of Irish Uilleann Pipers’ (Jawbone Press, 2015) and for numerous other journal pieces and CD booklets over the past 25 years. I revisited that 1992 interview with Nat for previously unpublished quotes and did extensive research using online discographic resources and the British Library’s subscription newspaper archive. Plus, it was great fun to seek out completely new and revealing recollections on Transatlantic from Sarah Joseph and several of the musical adventurers who jumped aboard its hot-air balloon for a while – and from Barry Devlin (Horslips) who almost did, and Ian A Anderson, who experienced the pros and cons of Transatlantic distribution for Village Thing. Thank you to Sarah and to Toni Arthur, Laurence Aston, Del Bromham (Stray), Andrew Cronshaw, George Deacon, Ron Geesin, Gordon Giltrap, Stefan Grossman, Ralph McTell, Dave Oberlé (Gryphon) and Mike Watts. Special thanks to both Mike and Laurence for looking over the final text and fine-tuning some of the detail.’
My advice, if you’re interested in reading it – have a large cup of coffee to hand. Maybe even a sandwich… We’re not talking about a five-minute read.
Can you let them know that the ‘Sign up for updates’ by email thingamajig doesn’t work? It would be good if it did!
I’ve been a Transatlantic fan since God knows when, and would love to get updates if/when old material gets a physical (re)release – but all I get from the fancy web page feature is the message ‘There has been an error!!’
Many thanks for the heads up anyway – I’ve cut’n’pasted the text into something I can read without having to be online – looking forward to a proper reading session.
I remember Transatlantic with fondness. However the sampler I recall is different to the one that appears on Discogs. I definitely remember it introducing me to Pentangle and was pretty sure Gryphon was on the same album but apparently not. I am sure they were on the label though.
They did a number of samplers, many of them loosely genre themed.
The best one that covers a lot of bases is (IMHO) the double LP called ‘Heads And Tales’ with a dope-smoking dragon emblazoned across the gate-fold and a very eclectic tracklisting, though it is entirely Gryphon-free.
In the early 70s I had a pal who worked for Nat Joseph at Transatlantic. I was working at Jonathan Cape at the time. We used to meet for lunch and swaps, and I ended up with a handsome collection of Transatlantic vinyl. All gone now, of course, but one I remember fondly and still play was Sky in My Pie by Pete Berryman. Lovely stuff.
You might know him, Colin – name of Laurence Aston.
I can remember the first album I bought on Transatlantic. It must have been 1970 or 1971 ish. It was a sampler of acoustic guitar tracks but I can’t for the life of me remember the exact title. Anyone?
It was likely to be The Transatlantic Contemporary Guitar Album Volume 1 (1969) or Vol 2 (1970) – both with a close up image of a guitar on the front. Vol 2 had exclusive edits of two Pentangle tracks and (possibly) a couple of exclusive tracks by other artists.
Thanks Colin, it was Vol.2. A very fine sampler it was too. I hadn’t thought of it for years until you posted. The heady rush of nostalgia for a wasted youth.
In 2021, someone at BMG commissioned me to write a history of Transatlantic Records (1961-80) for some sort of website tied in with the promotion of 60 rare Transatlantic albums being released digitally during that year, its 60th anniversary.
Somehow, that didn’t happen – or at least not that year, though I believe several Transatlantic rarities are now available or becoming available on digital platforms.
One Transatlantic artist, George Deacon, has just alerted me to what seems to be at last that promised website (dated 2026), featuring my long tale and a link to a digital streaming version of the splendid 4CD ‘Transatlantic Story’ box set compiled by Laurence Aston, who worked at the label in the 70s. Laurence was among those I interviewed for the piece.
In fact, here’s the full Author’s Note (from the end of the story):
‘I had the great pleasure of interviewing Nat Joseph in 1992 for what eventually became ‘Dazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch and the British folk and blues revival’ (Bloomsbury, 2000). Some of the material in this piece has been adapted from that book and from interviews and research carried out for ‘Irish Folk, Trad & Blues: A Secret History’ (Collins Press, 2004), ‘The Wheels of the World: 300 Years of Irish Uilleann Pipers’ (Jawbone Press, 2015) and for numerous other journal pieces and CD booklets over the past 25 years. I revisited that 1992 interview with Nat for previously unpublished quotes and did extensive research using online discographic resources and the British Library’s subscription newspaper archive. Plus, it was great fun to seek out completely new and revealing recollections on Transatlantic from Sarah Joseph and several of the musical adventurers who jumped aboard its hot-air balloon for a while – and from Barry Devlin (Horslips) who almost did, and Ian A Anderson, who experienced the pros and cons of Transatlantic distribution for Village Thing. Thank you to Sarah and to Toni Arthur, Laurence Aston, Del Bromham (Stray), Andrew Cronshaw, George Deacon, Ron Geesin, Gordon Giltrap, Stefan Grossman, Ralph McTell, Dave Oberlé (Gryphon) and Mike Watts. Special thanks to both Mike and Laurence for looking over the final text and fine-tuning some of the detail.’
My advice, if you’re interested in reading it – have a large cup of coffee to hand. Maybe even a sandwich… We’re not talking about a five-minute read.
https://www.transatlanticmusic.co.uk/
Great Colin – a wonderful label. i will wait til I have coffee and snack at hand.
Wise move!
Can you let them know that the ‘Sign up for updates’ by email thingamajig doesn’t work? It would be good if it did!
I’ve been a Transatlantic fan since God knows when, and would love to get updates if/when old material gets a physical (re)release – but all I get from the fancy web page feature is the message ‘There has been an error!!’
Many thanks for the heads up anyway – I’ve cut’n’pasted the text into something I can read without having to be online – looking forward to a proper reading session.
Will do!
I remember Transatlantic with fondness. However the sampler I recall is different to the one that appears on Discogs. I definitely remember it introducing me to Pentangle and was pretty sure Gryphon was on the same album but apparently not. I am sure they were on the label though.
Gryphon are definitely on the 4CD box set
They did a number of samplers, many of them loosely genre themed.
The best one that covers a lot of bases is (IMHO) the double LP called ‘Heads And Tales’ with a dope-smoking dragon emblazoned across the gate-fold and a very eclectic tracklisting, though it is entirely Gryphon-free.
Here it is, outside and inside:
In the early 70s I had a pal who worked for Nat Joseph at Transatlantic. I was working at Jonathan Cape at the time. We used to meet for lunch and swaps, and I ended up with a handsome collection of Transatlantic vinyl. All gone now, of course, but one I remember fondly and still play was Sky in My Pie by Pete Berryman. Lovely stuff.
You might know him, Colin – name of Laurence Aston.
*edit* having read hte piece, I see that you do!
Indeed so!
The excellent Tansads were later on Transatlantic.
The Tansads from Wigan?
The very same, many of whom are now Mery Hell.
Don’t comb it over, Brian Cant!
I can remember the first album I bought on Transatlantic. It must have been 1970 or 1971 ish. It was a sampler of acoustic guitar tracks but I can’t for the life of me remember the exact title. Anyone?
It was likely to be The Transatlantic Contemporary Guitar Album Volume 1 (1969) or Vol 2 (1970) – both with a close up image of a guitar on the front. Vol 2 had exclusive edits of two Pentangle tracks and (possibly) a couple of exclusive tracks by other artists.
Thanks Colin, it was Vol.2. A very fine sampler it was too. I hadn’t thought of it for years until you posted. The heady rush of nostalgia for a wasted youth.
Youth is rarely wasted, even if the youths concerned occasionally become so.