TAKRL Labels and the Monique D’Ozo Connection
One of a number of paper labels used by Ken on his various bootleg labels from 1975 onwards: TAKRL PLAIN (Side 1/2) – WORLD RECORDS – MONIQUE D’OZO – SPINDIZZIE – BLANK/PISTOL
Monique D’Ozo is actually a real person. She was one of the members of Saint Tropez, kind of like a French language version of Prince’s all female protegee group Vanity6.
Below: back cover of the “Je T’Aime” 12″:
bobsboots.com writes: “In 1977, TAKRL (The Amazing Kornyfone Record Label) used this label extensively for about ten different artists. The real Monique D’Ozo is one of over a dozen singers that were involved in a project called St. Tropez. The idea behind the 1977 project spearheaded by Michael Lewis and Laurin Rinder was that they would take the then hot disco music, and sing racier lyrics in French. Inspired by gay disco, the theme would be gay and bi-sexual women. Over a five year period, the project produced three albums and five 45 rpm singles. The first LP that came out (on the AVI Label?) [it was actually Butterfly Records] in 1977 was called Je T’Aime, and was released on pink vinyl. [Follow up releases] were Belle De Jour (1978) and Hot And Nasty (1982 ). There was most likely a connection between TAKRL and D’Ozo, but it is unknown exactly what that connection was.“
Regarding the alleged gay and bi-sexual content, each St. Tropez song I dialed up on Youtube [the things you have to do as a blog writer!] featured a dude calling up a female and either these are the ultimate blue balls’n teaser songs or the girl-on-girl action was limited.
Anyway, my theories how a bootleg label ended up with these labels is that “Je t’aime” was first envisioned as a solo release before that idea was scrapped and these labels – who made Monique look like an arm- and chest-less Venus De Milo anyway – were no longer needed. I dare to suggest that the only connection there ever was between Ken and that label was that he got his hands on these for free from the printer somehow.
THE AMAZING KORNYFONE LABEL 
I have a Bob Dylan bootleg under the Monique D’ozo label. It is the Hurricane Carter Benefit Concert. It is a two record album and the second record is on the “Blank” album w/ Spunk on it as Spunk was actually the name of a Sex Pistols bootleg album and “Blank” was the label that the bootleg album was relased on through TAKRL. I wonder how that happened. Was that a mistake on the part of TAKRL or was it something else.
By the way, Je T’Aime translated into English means “I Like You”.
Thanks in advance for any answers.
Thank you for the comment. I have a feeling the label was not called after that bootleg and was used before that album came out (on the TAKRL 900 series, so late 1978 at the earliest). The Blank/Pistol label did have the actual song titles on it – or whatever they thought the titles were.
Yes, it is as you said. The song titles are on the label on both sides. But again, it is the Hurricane Carter Benefit recording on the record as it is on the first record. Though I am not really a huge Sex Pistols fan, I still would like to hear that Spunk bootleg record for myself as I have been looking for it and comparing prices. I must say that the Hurricane Carter bootleg record sounds pretty good. I am glad to have it in my ever growing vinyl collection.
I also have a TAKRL bootleg by Emerson Lake and Palmer called Works 1/2. It is a live record that also sounds pretty good.
I am missing the Heh heh heh labels. The World Records label is also available with white background.
If you have any scans of things you would like to see or are missing, please send them in (guam10 at yahoo dot com). I am not sitting on a pile of these records but researching it as I go along.
I have a sex pistols kornyfone album and it’s on Monique D’ozo what’s the story?
Ken had started to focus on new artists in 1978, especially with his Impossible Recordworks line (which I did cover extensively). In the same year, he also started the TAKRL 900 series, where he re-issued older TAKRL titles with laminated b&w covers and introduced new ones as well. Two of these were by the Sex Pistols. He copied the Euro boot “Spunk”, naming it simply “Sex Pistols” (TAKRL 929) and he produced the Live At Winterland title (#916) with a pressing mistake repeating side 1 on 2. Both of these exist with Monique D’Ozo labels.
Lynyrd Skynyrds “Flying High Live From Great Britain” also has that label and if interested I would be happy to supply you with a photo of that label.