Thanks to subscriber barrymn1 who commented on my last post and asked if I knew anything about the A.P.I. label. I didn’t but did some quick research and this is what I found:
Associated Productions International (A.P.I.) is related to record producer Brian Ross who has a long bio on Discogs. According to his Discogs bio (perhaps written by him), he’s a 35 year music industry veteran who’s an expert in international music rights based in part because he produced a children’s version of We Are The World.
He was associated with the Christian teen choir Up With People that appeared on his Pace Label.
Main interest for me is that Ross had two garageband associations: he produced the hit single Talk Talk by the San Jose garageband Music Machine and was the arranger of a few singles by the obscure garageband Rain.
Music Machine was co-founded by Sean Bonniwell whose catalogue with and after Music Machine has been compiled and released by AceUK on two CDs. Ross is mentioned several times in the description of the second CD that you can read here. Both CDs sound like real treasures. Note that the Music Machine was first issued on Art Laboe’s Original Sound label straight outta Hollywood. There’s more about Original Sound here.
Rain had two releases on A.P.I., both garageband classics that have appeared on compilations. Rain‘s E.S.P. single was reissued on London Records but Sundry1 on 45Cat writes that the London version was edited: “the London label pressing edits / removes the feedback guitar break. The local A.P.I. release contains the full, unedited song.” E.S.P. has a great drum solo and some fine electronic sound effects. Ross is credited as producer/arranger on E.S.P. but the band is the stand out more than the production. Here’s a comment by Jay Himmelsbach on a youtube posting of Rain’s Outta My Life: this “terrific L.A. rock trio were singer/songwriter/lead guitarist Larry Self – singer/songwriter/bass Greg Ciebiera – drummer/singer, Bobby “Crusher” Medke. Their live performances were absolutely explosive. They really should have had much more recognition, but good talent that got overlooked in the late ’60’s was sadly a common story.” As much as Rain’s garageband sound is authentic, it’s also a rip-off as reported by Shoestring on 45Cat: “E.S.P.” is a great tune, but clearly a rip-off (musically) of the Pretty Things “L.S.D.”, while the B-side is a rip-off of “I Can Only Give You Everything”.
In the 1980s Ross switched genres again and produced at least 37 releases on his new Starborn label. Not sure exactly the genre here…I’ll let you decide.
Music By The Pound 
Thanks! I have both singles on London, as well as one on A.P.I. You’re right about the edit on E.S.P. I guess London thought it was a bit too much…or Brian Ross presented this altered version to London.