Singapore-based. Baal had had records out on its own label in its homeland from the late 1960s but its main business was as a distributor; according to Billboard of the 11th of December 1976, in an article dealing with the launch of Baal in the UK, it was one of the major distributing companies of the Far East. The article added that the launch had been planned since the middle of the previous year, and that a manufacturing and marketing deal had been signed with Pye. A week earlier 'Music Week' of the 4th of December had broken the news of the label's launch. It named Balram Shotam as the company's chief, and said that Colin Brain was dealing with administration and finance. Baal's leanings would be towards MOR and Easy Listening, and its first products were intended to be four singles and four albums. By that time, however, the first Baal records appear to have been already released - the first singles had hit the shops in October, according to the John Humphries 'Music Master' catalogue.
The next mention of Baal in 'MW' came in the issue of the 17th of September 1977, which said that the company was expanding both its release programme and its artist roster. A licensing agreement had been signed with Canadian label GRT, which would lead to releases by Brutus, Ishan People and Ralph Murphy; Rock band Agnes Strange had been signed, and there was an intention to move into the area of New Wave - a couple of signings were expected 'soon'. Sadly that mention was also the last. Things quietened down in 1978, and then in 1979 Baal seems to have split from Pye and to have concentrated on albums for a while. There were a few more singles in 1980-81 but nothing after that.
Despite apparently being intended to aim at MOR and Easy Listening, Baal ended up covering a reasonably broad musical spectrum including Reggae (in the form of The Mexicano and Ishan People), Disco (AJL Band, Funkgus II) and Rock (October Cherries, Agnes Strange). Its singles were mainly numbered in a BDN-38000s, which started at BDN-38029 for some reason. The highest number which internet sources have yielded was BDN-38055, was issued in 1980, but several of the numbers seem not to have been used. What appears to be the very last single, XJ6's short and long versions of a medley called 'Let's Rock And Roll', came out in 1981 and was numbered B-74. One label design served throughout, but the final two BDNs - 38054 and 38055 - can be found with fancy purple-and-red labels with silver printing as well as the usual white labels - the reference to Pye at the bottom was blacked out on these latter. Presumably the purple-labelled copies were later re-pressings. Promo copies were marked with a big black 'A' in the usual Pye manner of the time (2). Baal singles tend to be rare rather than collectable, but 'Can't Make My Mind Up' b/w 'Johnny B. Good' by Agnes Strange (BDN-38048; 11/77) commands decent prices. See also 'Roots (RTZ prefix)'.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.