[78-L] 78s on Angel in the USA and Canada

[David Lennick]

I've seen Angel EP 45s and popular LPs on US pressings but no American 78s. 
However I've seen MANY Canadian Angel 78s..Piaf, Trenet, Becaud, and even a few 
French entertainers with lesser reputations. Once English Columbia and 
affiliated labels separated from US Columbia (or the other way around, if that 
was the case) we began getting these recordings on wonderful vinyl master 
pressings instead of the atrocious 78 dubs from shellac they fobbed off on us 
in Canada. And 1953 (if not '52) was the launch date..I'm sure I have some 
early release sheets somewhere.

EMI bought Capitol in 1957. Prior to that, the albums were imported (classical) 
or pressed here (usually by Compo in Canada and "whoever" in the States, 
wherever Soria could get a good deal as the US rep).

dl

On 8/27/2010 5:13 PM, agp wrote:
> I am curious about the Angel label and how it all fits into things.
> The reason I ask is because of a disk that showed up on eBay by Les
> Compagnons de la Chanson -- Lettre a Virginie b/w Quand on s'a, Quand
> on s'aime -- Angel (Canada) catalog ANG C52.054. The eBay link is:
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=17052917788
>
> The trusty rusty wikipedia says that Angel was started in 1953 by EMI
> in New York. Obviously, though, I've seen disks from much earlier
> with the recording angel as the trademark. But, was 53 REALLY the
> launch of a label with that name -- and in the USA?
>
> I also note that the disk says that it is a product of Electrical and
> Musical Industries (US) Ltd. I was unaware that EMI had any presence
> in the USA prior to its involvement with Capitol.
>
> But -- most curious is the fact that Angel is typically thought of as
> being a classical or "serious" music label as opposed to a pop label
> -- and Les Compagnons de la Chanson seem pop to me. It looks like
> Angel did launch a pop series in 1954, and that the group had an LP
> (10-inch one no less) on catalogue ABL 64000 in the USA.
>
> Can anyone tell me if this 78 had a release in the USA. In fact, I
> wonder what other pop 78s came out on Angel.
>
> T
>