Bell Records
PrimeCutsLtd
jersey fresh 2,632 Posts
I was listening to "i got it" by the masqueraders on 45. Thinking to myself..."damn bell records is alright! 
PrimeCutsLtd
jersey fresh 2,632 Posts
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Particularly their R&B-oriented years in the sixties, although some of their bubblegum-slanted records from the 70's with the silver label are alright, too. I even wrote a chapter about Bell in the book Bubblegum Music Is The Naked Truth.
But, before they became the Home of David Cassidy, Bell was almost up there with Atlantic as far as southern soul went. Had some good rock records in the sixties as well, like the Box Tops, Crazy Elephant, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels (on New Voice, distributed by Bell) and the Syndicate of Sound.
In late 1974, Clive Davis took over the Bell label and changed the name to Arista, who is still with us.
I was going to start a thread about it because it is such a great album and it would be soooooo much better if they just didn't add in fake crowd sound at the beginning, end and in-between songs.
Still though this album is fantastic
That has to be one of my biggest pet peeves right there. Never heard or even saw that O'Jays album, although I have a couple of their Bell 45s.
Sundazed reissued it on CD minus the crowd noise...
- lee dorsey (on Amy)
- eddie hinton ("a railroad trestle in california," a 45 on Pacemaker)
- bob brady & the concords (white group from baltimore, sounded just like smokey & the miracles...on the bell-distributed Chariot label)
- the van dykes (on Mala)
- moses & joshua dillard (on mala)
please not to forget the Sam Most 45 'jungle Fantasy b/w Plop Plop Boom' on Bell
killer flute funky jazz, quite a way from the soul and pop names associated with the label
yeah, bell wasn't associated too much with jazz, although sonny cox (formerly of argo recording artists the three souls) had a 45 on the label
"the night they drove old dixie down" by the symbols
a soul version of The Band's song, released right after Joan Baez had a hit with it - really good!
im not sure, but the cat singing lead sounds suspiciously like dobie gray
Yeah, I mentioned them up thread. Even though they were affiliated with bubblegum, that album is worth investigating for psych fans.
Don't sleep: the B-side of their one hit, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'", is a psych MONSTER entitled "Dark Part Of My Mind."
Yeah, "dark part of the mind" is killer fuzzy track! Pretty common too!
I actually didn't find that record impressive at all (didn't ever play it out or listen to it at home) but I was quite happy to let it go for a large wad of cash...
I met her Friday. Really cool lady, although it wasn't a great look how all the grey haired 60's rock dudes were making sly moves on her during the Q&A section of her clinic. Great documentary. I think I'll watch it again today. I thought about going to the OAS runion thing in Orange later in May, but it's too expensive for me.
Rupert's People "Hold On"
whoa
I reckon it's the finest double sided record (if you know what I mean) I ever owned. Bar none
I searched for 2 years, finally found it in Chicago for a few bucks and walked on air for the next six months.
I have now more or less worn it out.
Anyone want to pm me with a minty copy....
Those two songs were on Al's first album, Back Up Train, on the Hot Line Music Journal label, which was distributed by Bell ca. '67. In 1972, when Al was hotter than a firecracker, Bell reissued the album as Al Green and got a small hit out of "Guilty" when it was released as a single.
Jazzman reissued it
You should worn out the reissue and left the OG alone!
I just picked this up & I think it's worthy of an honorable mention in this thread, here it is:
Probably one of the biggest hits on the label (at least from the oldies POV) but it never gets old...
Another huge Bell hit worth mentioning (it was running through my mind just the other day): Al Wilson's "Show & Tell," on the Bell-distributed Rocky Road label.
As I've said on the Strut before, I always thought Al wahit or miss, but he's pretty good when he hits. Other cool Al Wilson moments on Carousel/Rocky Road (both Bell labels): "Born On The Bayou" and the single of "I Hear You Knocking" b/w "Sugar Cane Girl."
The one that DOESN'T have "I'm Your Puppet?" That's the one I have, too.
Oscar Toney, Jr. was another good soul act on Bell. He was best known for his version of "For Your Precious Love," but a single to seek out is "You Can Lead Your Woman To The Altar" b/w "Ordinary Guy."
I have 2 of his earlier 45s on Liberty & I think I like them a bit better than the Rocky Road stuff, although his work for both labels is pretty different stylistically, so comparing is a bit tough.
But it does have "Shake A tail Feather" & other good stuff. I've never come across the first one.
Do the Box Tops count as good Bell stuff? I love that band.
I'm a fan, as well. I have all four of their Bell LP's (I'm not counting their best-of) plus quite a few of the singles, including some non-album things.
The first LP - The Letter/Neon Rainbow - is by far the best, although Dimensions is interesting because (a) it contains my fave Box Tops' song, "Soul Deep" and (b) this is their "progressive" LP, where they decided to Go Psychedelic, experimenting with white blues and abstract lyrics. It doesn't always work, either, but it's still worth hearing.