RECORDS
American. Bell began life in 1954, with Arthur Shimkin as company president; it specialised in popular music and comedy. Moribund by 1961, it was purchased by Larry Uttal in 1964. Uttal revitalised the label, and it became a force in Southern Soul music. Bell was sold to Columbia-Screen Gems in the late '60s, though Uttal remained as president and part-owner. The '70s saw a move to pop and softer rock; in 1974 Uttal sold his interest in the company and went on to found Private Stock records; he was replaced at Bell by Clive Davis, ex-president of Columbia. That same year the Bell company was renamed Arista, as was its label. In Britain, Bell appeared in 1968; it scored the occasional hit, but it only really got into its stide in the '70s, when, thanks to Gary Glitter, Showaddywaddy, the Bay City Rollers, David Cassidy, etc, etc, its name and its silver label became synonymous with Glam and Teen Pop. It also enjoyed huge MOR-Pop success during that period with Dawn. In the Autumn of 1976 all artists on the Bell roster were transferred to Arista and the Bell label was discontinued; the last single issued was Bell 1495, Showaddywaddy's 'Under The Moon Of Love. Some copies of this single can be found on the Arista label with the Bell catalogue number; was this a reissue or just a re-pressing? Arista revived the Bell label briefly in 1981/2, starting at BELL 1496, to no great effect. Bell used several label designs during its existence: a blue one in the late '60s, a black one in the early '70s, and then the best-known, silver, one; there seems to have been a slight overlap of the black and silver labels was issued after. The early '80s issues were injection moulded. Thanks to Robert Lyons for the info. Manufactured And Distributed By EMI Records Ltd.
A FULL DISCOGRAPHY OF THE BLL-BELL SERIES 1968-1982 CAN BE FOUND HERE
| 72 | Partridge Family | Breaking Up Is Hard To Do | BELL | MABEL | 1 |
| 72 | Dawn | Knock Three Times | BELL | MABEL | 2 |
| 73 | 5Th Dimension | Let The Sunshine In | BELL | MABEL | 3 |
| 73 | Cassidy David | I'M A Clown | BELL | MABEL | 4 |
| 73 | Mendes Sergio | Hey Look At The Sun | BELL | MABEL | 5 |
| 74 | Partridge Family | White Christmas | BELL | MABEL | 6 |
| 76 | Glitter Gary | Rock īNīRoll Part 2 | BELL | REBEL | 1 |
