Manticore Records is a record label launched by the Manticore production company in 1973. These companies were owned by the members of the progressive rock group Emerson, Lake & Palmer (commonly known as ELP) and their manager, Stewart Young.[1] The manticore was first featured in the artwork for the second ELP album Tarkus, as one of the eponymous creature's adversaries (the only one able to inflict damage on the Tarkus creature, according to the sleeve illustrations). Manticore was initially the name given to ELP's music publishers, credits first appearing in the credits on Trilogy,[2] released on Island in 1972.
History
Initially, the label was manufactured and distributed by Island Records, distributed by Island/EMI,[1] but ELP were unhappy with Island's overseas licensing of their previous records via Cotillion, and looked to RCA for interim distribution before choosing WEA for a manufacturing and distribution deal.