Immediate Sound Services Ltd.

Independent vinyl pressing and tape duplication plant in North London (UK), established in April 1973 and operating under this name until 1988. Vinyl pressings can be recognised by the presence of a six-pointed asterisk ( ✱ ), close to the catalog number, in the runouts - see example. The asterisk indicates that a lacquer was furnished for plating and pressing done by ISS. Occasionally, ISS is also etched into the runouts. ISS operated 12 x Toolex Alpha AD12 fully automatic 12" presses and a couple of 7" presses. In 1976, the company acquired a second plant, the Rediffusion Records Pressing plant in Caerphilly, Wales. In October 1978, ISS took over the complete tape duplication of Pye's Precision Tapes Ltd.. In August 1979, the company and its manufacturing plants were sold to Multiple Sound Distributors Ltd., who already owned a plant in Leicester. In August 1980, both former ISS plants were sold to Spartan Records Ltd. The plant in Wales was renamed Spartan Manufacturing Ltd., while this plant kept its name. In 1987, a management buy-out took place incl. other stakeholders (a.o. Lambourne Productions Limited acquired a 50% stake). By 1989 the plant was renamed Audio Services Ltd.