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to concentrate on a new project, the Chipping Norton recording studios. The Blue
Horizon masters were sold to Sire records.
However, the Blue Horizon label
name cropped up a few times over
the ensuing decades, not least in
1987, concentrating on new
recordings, which featured in 1991 a
fine release from Southampton’s own
Bob Pearce Blues Band - the LP “Hey
Hey The Blues Is Alright”.
In 2012 there was a further effort to
rekindle the label by Seymour Stein
and Richard Gottehrer, although
more as a rock than blues label.
More recently, in 2021 to be exact, a
deal was arranged with Fat Possum
Records, by Matthew Johnson
(founder of the label), Mike Vernon
and Seymour Stein, to issue in vinyl, many of the old Blue Horizon recordings in the
US. This resulted in the Blues Masters Series, which is well worth searching out for
those who are still seeking the original recordings (although I must admit I am
struggling to find them in the Fat Possum catalogue).
Finally, Mike Vernon (appointed an MBE in 2020 for services to music), who was
always up for getting involved in recordings, and indeed issued a solo Blue Horizon
LP in 1971, including the likes of Paul Kossoff and Rory Gallagher, has, in the last few
years been playing with his own band, ‘The Mighty Combo’. They sound pretty good
as well, although in more of an R&B/R&R groove than the blues he recorded all those
decades ago.