B & C Records
Encyclopedia
B&C stood for Beat & Commercial and was a British record label
run by Trojan Records
' owner, Lee Gopthal. It existed primarily between May 1969 and September 1972.
In 1971 the progressive and folk artists that were still signed to the label were moved over to B&C's new Pegasus Records imprint (which later became Peg), though singles continued to be issued on the B&C label until 1972. The company continued after this point in its original format as a record manufacturing, distribution and marketing company, continuing to distribute records by Charisma Records
and the newly formed Mooncrest Records
label. Mooncrest had started out as Charisma's publishing company, but had become a record label in its own right in 1973. In 1974 B&C got into financial trouble and was finally sold, along with Trojan and Mooncrest, to Marcel Rodd, head of Allied/Saga Records. Trojan and Mooncrest continued to issue records marketed by B&C, though Charisma moved its operations over to Phonogram in May 1975. The B&C label was resurrected as a label between 1977 and 1981, releasing just a few new singles and reissuing several classic tracks as singles or EPs.
B&C was originally intended to reissue gospel/soul artists such as James Carr
, but more notable releases included Atomic Rooster
's first two albums, Atomic Roooster (1970) and Death Walks Behind You
, Steeleye Span
's Please to See the King
(1971), Nazareth
's Loud 'n' Proud
(1974), Andy Roberts
' Home Grown (1971) and Everyone (1971) and one LP by the Newcastle based band, Ginhouse.
The label was also quite prominent in the early "revival" period of 1950's rock'n'roll. The Wild Angels, one of the first of these groups had two LP's released on B & C in 1970, Live At The Revolution and Red Hot N Rockin. Noted that they both had "gatefold" sleeves. The company also released an album called "Battle Of The Bands (optimistically labelled volume one) which featured an early recording by Shakin' Stevens also Gene Vincent, and acts such as The Impalas and Houseshakers. There was also an LP by a group called The Rock N Roll Allstars entitled Red China Rocks. This had a great cover featuring Mao Tse Tung (?) wearing a drape. They apparently were going to tour China. Don't know if that ever happened but the LP was OK and the cover is great!
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
run by Trojan Records
Trojan Records
Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
' owner, Lee Gopthal. It existed primarily between May 1969 and September 1972.
In 1971 the progressive and folk artists that were still signed to the label were moved over to B&C's new Pegasus Records imprint (which later became Peg), though singles continued to be issued on the B&C label until 1972. The company continued after this point in its original format as a record manufacturing, distribution and marketing company, continuing to distribute records by Charisma Records
Charisma Records
Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
and the newly formed Mooncrest Records
Mooncrest Records
Mooncrest Records is a British record label that was formed in 1973 as a subsidiary of Charisma Records.They issued albums by Shirley Collins , Iain Matthews , Shakin' Stevens and Alan Hull . More recently they have handled Fairport Convention and Michael Chapman...
label. Mooncrest had started out as Charisma's publishing company, but had become a record label in its own right in 1973. In 1974 B&C got into financial trouble and was finally sold, along with Trojan and Mooncrest, to Marcel Rodd, head of Allied/Saga Records. Trojan and Mooncrest continued to issue records marketed by B&C, though Charisma moved its operations over to Phonogram in May 1975. The B&C label was resurrected as a label between 1977 and 1981, releasing just a few new singles and reissuing several classic tracks as singles or EPs.
B&C was originally intended to reissue gospel/soul artists such as James Carr
James Carr (musician)
James Carr , was an American Rhythm & Blues and soul singer.Born to a Baptist preacher's family in Coahoma, Mississippi, Carr began singing in church and was performing in gospel groups and making tables on an assembly line in Memphis, Tennessee, when he began recording in the mid-'60s for Goldwax...
, but more notable releases included Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
's first two albums, Atomic Roooster (1970) and Death Walks Behind You
Death Walks Behind You
Death Walks Behind You is the second studio album by British rock band Atomic Rooster. It was their first album to receive US release, albeit in a different sleeve. It is commonly thought of as the archetypal Atomic Rooster album, recorded by the 'classic' line-up of Vincent Crane, John Du Cann and...
, Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
's Please to See the King
Please to See the King
Please To See The King is the second album by Steeleye Span, released in 1971. A substantial personnel change following their previous effort, Hark! The Village Wait, brought about a substantial change in their overall sound, including a lack of drums and the replacement of one female vocalist with...
(1971), Nazareth
Nazareth (band)
Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band, founded in 1968, that had several hits in the UK in the early 1970s, and established an international audience with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog. Perhaps their best-known hit single was a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts", in 1975...
's Loud 'n' Proud
Loud 'n' Proud
-30th Anniversary Bonus Tracks:-Salvo Records Remaster Bonus Tracks:Salvo Records released a version in 2010 with the following bonus tracks:-Band members:*Dan McCafferty - lead vocals*Darrell Sweet - percussion, drums, backing vocals...
(1974), Andy Roberts
Andy Roberts (musician)
Andrew "Andy" Roberts is an English musician.He gained a violin scholarship to Felsted School. He then attended Liverpool University. He has played with The Liverpool Scene, Plainsong, The Scaffold, Roy Harper, Chris Spedding, Pink Floyd, Hank Wangford, Kevin Ayers, Vivian Stanshall and Grimms...
' Home Grown (1971) and Everyone (1971) and one LP by the Newcastle based band, Ginhouse.
The label was also quite prominent in the early "revival" period of 1950's rock'n'roll. The Wild Angels, one of the first of these groups had two LP's released on B & C in 1970, Live At The Revolution and Red Hot N Rockin. Noted that they both had "gatefold" sleeves. The company also released an album called "Battle Of The Bands (optimistically labelled volume one) which featured an early recording by Shakin' Stevens also Gene Vincent, and acts such as The Impalas and Houseshakers. There was also an LP by a group called The Rock N Roll Allstars entitled Red China Rocks. This had a great cover featuring Mao Tse Tung (?) wearing a drape. They apparently were going to tour China. Don't know if that ever happened but the LP was OK and the cover is great!