What do Bishop Simkin and Zodiac Records have in common?
In 2016, we were given items as a donation relating to the former Bishop of Auckland, William John Simkin, which included this acetate of the recording of his funeral service in 1967. The recording was likely to have been mastered and pressed at Stebbing’s Studio and displays the Zodiac Records label. The service took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Auckland, now the Holy Trinity Cathedral. This unique recording would have been intended for broadcast.
Zodiac Records was an Auckland record label started by the Stebbing brothers, Eldred and John in the late 1940s and is mainly associated with the Auckland Mod scene in the 1960s. Zodiac recorded and released records by bands such as The La De Da’s, The High Revving Tongues, and Ray Columbus and the Invaders. Stebbing Recording Centre is still running from its location in Jervois Road, Herne Bay.
More on the history of Zodiac Records can be found on the Audio Culture website.