Mood Duplication

Official name: Mood Music. French cassette duplication company. The company was founded in 1969 by Ernano da Silva Ramos, who ran a major background music company, in a deal with Eddie Barclay, who had become interested in the potential of tapes during a visit to the US. It would allow Barclay to simultaneously release their record productions in cassette and cartridge format. Under the management of Pierre Campiot the company quickly expanded to an ultra-modern factory in the suburbs of Paris, employing 150 people. It was equipped with two duplicators (one for cassette and cartridges, one cassettes only). These duplicators were manufactured and installed by the American company Electrosound. The Electrosound mother machine used a 1/2-inch tape dubbed from master tapes in Mood's own studio. For cassette loading it was equipped with Electrosound automatic cutters. For cassettes BASF tape and for cartridges 3M was used; cases were imported from an Italian partner EEC. The company has been considered a major innovator in the field. It was the first in France to print labels directly unto cassette cases, eliminating the need for printing stuck-on labels separately. It was also the first in Europe to introduce colored cases (blue, red and orange). The factory was also equipped with Dolby A and B noise eliminator systems before it was widely considered a valid commercial proposition. Mood Music supplied most French producers and exported frequently to Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Switzerland and Lebanon. In 1973 the company was good for producing 20,000 units daily, an increase of 5,000 compared to the previous year. Mood Music also operated its own mixing, dubbing and mastering studio, employing four engineers. In 1984 the company was taken over by Bertelsmann AG. Founder-owner: Ernano da Silva Ramos. Vice-president/co-owner: Ralph Spaar. General and studio manager: Pierre Campiot. Technical manager plant (1972-1982): Michel Papaleukas. Chief engineer studio: C. Danzier.