A short-lived and obscure label from the early '70s. Smoke was one of two labels run by leisure conglomerate Scotia Investments, the other, appropriately, being Fire (q.v.). The first hint of either came when 'Record Retailer' of the 20th of March 1971 reported that Scotia was moving into the music business; it was forming a new company, Scotia Music, and would be launching its own label shortly. A month later 'RR' of the 17th of April was able to report that Scotia had taken some steps forward: they had purchased publishing company Mother Mistro Music, and they planned to launch Smoke (for Contemporary music) and Fire (for Pop) 'within the next few weeks'. The intention was that an as-yet nameless third label would follow, aimed at the MOR market. Shel Talmy was named as managing director of Scotia's music arm. 'RR' of the 15th of May was able to announce that the first single on Fire had just been released, but then on the 26th of June 'RR' broke the news that Scotia was undergoing a 'revamp' - no records would be issued on the company's labels 'for the time being' and any new product would be licensed out. As an aside the article added that the Smoke label was to be handled by CBS. Despite that news a single on Smoke, 'Black Ant' b/w 'Kotoko' by Afro Rock band Osibisa, came out a week later, on the 2nd of July - presumably the records had already been pressed and were ready to ship. Its catalogue number was SS-1001, and, as the 'RR' article had stated, it was pressed and distributed by CBS.
As was the case with Fire, the first single on Smoke was also the last, as 'for the time being' turned out to mean 'ever'. 'RR' of the 2nd of October 1971 confirmed that Smoke - and by association Fire - was defunct. Shel Talmy left, while label manager John Whitehead moved to another post within the firm. Tito Burns became the chief executive of the new Scotia company - the 'Investments' part of the name was dropped. Scotia had another go at issuing records in 1979, with their 'Scotia' label - see 'Scotia (1979)'. The company's other interests included discotheques, films, caravan parks, holiday camps and zoos.
Osibisa climbed from the wreckage and went on to record for a number of better-known companies. The band enjoyed a couple of Singles Chart successes with Bronze Records (q.v.) in 1976: 'Sunshine Day' b/w 'Bum To Bum' (BRO-20; 11/75) and 'Dance The Body Music' b/w 'Right Now' (BRO-26; 5/75). 'Black Ant' b/w 'Kotoko' was reissued in that same year on the Feelgood label (q.v.) as FLG-101, but sales again were low. By that time both tracks had been available on a album on the budget-priced Contour label, 'Afro Rock Festival' (2870-311; 1973).
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.