AVI Records

Harris started the label's disco initiative after attending a Midem convention and recognizing the selling potential of mixes and extended cuts.

Additionally influenced by Donna Summer, Barry White and Van McCoy, AVI produced an album by studio group El Coco, passing off the product as European.

[4] AVI had laid the foundation for its own distribution in 1976, and activated this network in 1977 after having found success in the disco and R&B genres, particularly with El CoCo,[5] while becoming the first label to produce custom jackets for its 12-inch singles.

[1] In February 1978, the label hired Rick Gianatos as a special consultant for its disco output, and he was later promoted to general A&R director.

[12] In 2019, a New York Times article by Jody Rosen alleged that, among many other things, all 9,866 of AVI's master tapes were destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.