S.A. Gramophone N.V.

Belgian record / electronics company. Incorporated 23rd November 1936, as the Belgian branch of the EMI group. Succeeded by EMI Belgium SA/NV in 1971/1972. Between 1904 and 1936 EMI product was distributed in Belgium and Luxemburg by a local branch of Cie Française Du Gramophone. They opened a recording studio in Forest and settled on the Boulevard Maurice Lemonnier in 1932. In 1934 the Columbia label is brought under this Belgian branch. After the founding of Les Industries Musicales Et Electriques Pathé Marconi in France, a new Belgian company S.A. Gramophone N.V. was created under management of Victor Staelens, previously representative of Columbia. In 1952 the company acquired the rights to Capitol Records and in 1961 to Parlophone and Odeon (previously with Discobel). Up into the 1960s the Gramophone labels were mostly pressed by Sobedi in Ghent. In the mid-'60s priority was given to having releases manufactured by European sister companies, mainly the Dutch N.V. Bovema and French Pathé Marconi, with the Italian EMI Italiana S.p.A. pickung up less urgent releases. In the late 1960s an own pressing plant at the Quai des Charbonnages is mentioned, but it does not seem to have survived after the renaming of the company. There was also a studio, first at the Quai des Charbonages, later at the Boulevard Maurice Lemonnier. Managing director: John Kirsch (1961-1971), Jacques Bevierre (until 1961). Assistant general manager: S.J. Robins. A&R manager: Jeff De Boeck. Publicity manager: Robert Huyssens. Promo manager: José Langlois. Commercial manager: Émile Garin. Amongst the labels Gramophone represented in Belgium are His Master's Voice, Pathé, Odeon, Cornet, Regal, Capitol Records, Dolton Records, Immediate, Regal, Imperial (2), Markel Records (2), Columbia, Gloria (2), Liberty, Parlophone, Markel Records (2), Stateside, Encore!, Cameo, Parkway and Trianon. Also local representatives of Ardmore & Beechwood Belgium.