Sub-label of Decca that released new records from 1966 to the early 1980s.
Label Code: LC 0942 / LC 00942.
Initially set up to promote the Deramic Sound System, a new recording technique, resulting in 24 orchestral easy listening albums with The Moody Blues as the only rock band among them.
Later on, the label was molded into a specialist label for British psychedelia (mostly singles), Prog rock (the bulk of the albums) and Northern soul/mod sounds. In the 1980s, it released records by several synth-pop groups including B-Movie and Bananarama, as well as the post-punk of the likes of TV21 and Splodgenessabounds.
The label is now used by Universal Music for reissues.
Notes regarding label variations on UK album releases SML/DML1XXX Series (1966-1975).
At first view all the Deram labels are the same because the only evident difference are the colours of the labels, white/red for stereo and white/brown mono until 1970. On more careful inspection you can appreciate other details that for the collecting market are very important and these details are the size of label can be of 10 cm or 9 cm in diameter and the vinyl catalogue number positioned on the label over the cover catalogue number on the central right position (can start with the prefix ZAL or XZAL) and can be in normal position or upside down as if reflected in a mirror.
Starting from late 1966 from the number SML (stereo)/DML (mono) 1001 the Deram label has a label of 10 cm diameter and the first 21 numbers have a deep groove inside the label perimeter. Examples of SML/DML 1025 (The Web/Fully Interlocking) also exist with this label (Label Type 1).
In 1968 the groove disappears but the label is still large (10 cm diameter) up to and including the number SML/DML 1046 in 1969 (Sounds Like The Flirtations). (Label Type 2).
All the above LPs have also the vinyl matrix number (ZAL or XZAL matrix) upside down.
In late 1969 the label became smaller (9 cm diameter) but the vinyl matrix numbers of the labels are still upside down. (Label Type 3).
Again in 1969/70, from SML/DML 1047 (Mike Westbrook Marching Song Vol.1), the label is still small but with the vinyl matrix numbers of the label in normal position and stays small until the last months of 1971, SML 1097 or 1098 (not seen 1098 to verify) (Label Type 4).
From the last months of 1971 to the first months of 1972 the label again became larger (10 cm of diameter) and sometimes in white/brown but this time it was not indicative of a mono press*. Deram repressed in this period and with this size of label many of the 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 LPs but with the vinyl matrix number of the label in normal position (Label Type 5).
From 1973, starting SML (1098 or) 1099 and up to and including SML 1119, the label again became smaller and with the vinyl matrix numbers in normal positions but with 3 lines of credit before them. Also a small R appears positioned after the DERAM writing (Label Type 6).
So, for example, if you have an EAST OF EDEN/MERCATOR PROJECTED SML 1038 with a large Deram label but without the vinyl matrix numbers of the label upside down, this is a reissue of 1972 and not an original of 1968. If you have the same title with a label of 9 cm of diameter with the vinyl matrices numbers upside down it's a 2nd press of 1969, if you have a small label but with vinyl matrix numbers in normal position this is a 3rd press of 1969/1970/1971.
*The last new Mono release was DML 1065 (Ten Years After/Cricklewood Green).
(Based upon original text, with the kind permission of Lucio Corsini, Astral Dreams. Edited and revised based upon further observation of items by Adam_S).