Label

Big record companies with thin prog connections
(CGD - DURIUM - PDU - PRODUTTORI ASSOCIATI - RIFI)

A single page for five record companies that were not particularly interested in the Italian rock and progressive scene, and just released a couple of interesting records each.

CGD (Compagnia Generale del Disco) was probably the biggest among them, being the distributor for Italy of many important foreign labels such as CBS/Columbia, Epic, United Artists. Sometimes these foreign releases appeared on different labels than their original issues (like the elusive Arzachel and Raw Material albums, two big rarities on Italian CBS!). Their Italian releases were mostly in the pop field, but some good exceptions were made with Gleemen, Garybaldi and Il Paese dei Balocchi, along with the first Campo di Marte album that was strangely issued on United Artists.
A minor Italian label which was distributed by CGD was Derby, that released the only album by Triade.

Durium was a long established record company, operating since the late 40's in the popular music field. Their connection with rock music is very thin and a single album, the J.E.T. Fede speranza e carità masterpiece, is to be remembered from their production.

Same applies to Produttori Associati, created in the early 70's by Antonio Casetta from the ashes of Bluebell and Belldisc, and distributed by Ricordi. Worth noticing in their production are Duello Madre and Maxophone's lonely albums. An US subsidiary, called Produttori Associati USA, or simply PAUSA, was also active for a few years.

PDU was closely connected to the most important female singer of the Italian 60's and 70's, Mina. This company (whose name meant "Platten Durcharbeitung Ultraphone") alternated mainstream pop releases to avantgarde, producing, among others, the Italian issues for most of the German labels Ohr and Kosmische Kuriere albums. One of their only progressive releases was the first and only album by Cincinnato. 

RiFi's was mainly concentrated in the 60', but continued working until early 80's, though on a minor level. Rock and progressive releases were limited, most of the production being in the beat and pop field. Among the most important of their beat releases are the debut albums by I Califfi, Giganti, Fausto Leali, while in the prog/psych field it's worth mentioning both Circus 2000 albums, the first and only albums by Odissea and Mack Sigis Porter, and Terra in bocca, again by Giganti. 
The label also acted as a distributor for some foreign labels, like Rare Earth and Variety.

CGD
60's label was black with silver logo and writing, it was replaced since around 1971 with a new one, tan coloured with an orange stripe on the top carrying the CGD logo. 
Only some relevant LP's are mentioned below:

DURIUM
Labels were black with silver logo and writing. 
Only some relevant LP's are mentioned below:

PDU
Labels were black with silver logo and writing. 
Up to around 1973 the label had an unboxed PDU logo on the lower side, this was later moved to the right and enclosed in a box.
PDU was distributed by Durium until 1970, later by EMI.
Some of the LP were also released as quadraphonic recordings with PLDSQ number.
Only some relevant LP's are mentioned below:

PRODUTTORI ASSOCIATI
Labels were black with cream circular logo on the top edge. 
The same label was also used for the German release of Maxophone, but with orange background instead of black. 
Only some relevant LP's are mentioned below:

RIFI
A record company founded at the end of the 50's in Milan by Giovanni Battista Ansoldi, whose son Tonino was the art director and talent scout, discovering many artists.
Labels were black with rainbow rim and multicoloured logos on the centre, laminated with a clear film that often peels off after many years.
In 1971-72 many records produced by this company had a protective inner bag made of orange thin paper with the round label logo.
Like other major companies, RiFi had a budget price label in the late 70's, called "Linea Penny", but this suffered from poor quality covers.
Only some relevant LP's from late 60's-early 70's are mentioned below: