Just saw this thread. I don't know if it has been mentioned again but what about Williams' Earthquake and The Eiger Sanction? Could other labels release them?
Are you sure about that? That sounds like a weird licensing situation.
Yes, I am. It was discovered when someone who might confirm it had to license the score to do a re-recording.
I don't think it's that unusual. As we know from so many expanded soundtracks of the last two decades, often the new label had to negotiate with the original label for the tracks that had already been released and with the studio for those that hadn't. Split rights are a fact of life.
Morricone - 1979 - Bloodline Morricone - 1980 - The island Morricone - 1982 - The thing
Definitely not "The Thing," which was another MCA LP that Varèse briefly licensed for CD. The other two were Varèse originals, so they certainly could be under their control.