Bell Records - Bell Records UK

Bell Records UK

The British branch was established in 1967. Previous British issues of Bell recordings were on EMI's Stateside Records. Bell/Amy/Mala's association with EMI dates back to 1964. Bell Records in London was headed by Dick Leahy and distributed by EMI (In other foreign territories, Polydor handled distribution which later picked up British distribution.). Artists signed to them included the Bay City Rollers, Gary Glitter, Showaddywaddy, The Glitter Band, and US acts Reparata and the Delrons and The Partridge Family with David Cassidy. Other artists on the label included Barry Blue, Barry Manilow, Terry Jacks, Hello, The Piglets, The Pearls and Harley Quinne, The Drifters and the UK releases of The Box Tops.

Bell UK initially kept its identity when Bell US was reorganized into Arista in 1974, but a year later, although releases continued on the UK Bell label until 1976, the UK label adopted the Arista name in 1975. Showaddywaddy released the last Bell single, "Under the Moon of Love", which reached No.1 in December 1976 before Arista UK briefly revived the label in 1981. The Bell logo has made occasional appearances on the jackets and labels of Arista UK releases.