BASF

BASF as a label, record company and distributor entered the market on 01 March 1971 and ran until the end of 1976. Label Code: LC 2685 / LC 02685. The brand / logo is also used for the German chemical company (BASF AG is the largest chemical company in the world). BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik (Badenia Aniline and Soda Factory). It was founded in Mannheim, Germany, by Friedrich Engelhorn in 1865 for the production of dyes. In 1867, he managed the first industrial synthesis of Indigo, with the effect that jeans became affordable work clothes. They later became leading in the development of plastics (Nylon, Styropor). BASF started financing recordings of classical music in the 1930s and began making stereo recordings in the early 1940s. In the 50s, the company was engaged mostly in classical and jazz records, and later on, popular music as well. By the end of 1970, BASF started to setup its own record division, and on 01 March 1971, BASF took over the record company MPS Records GmbH, owner of the label MPS Records. Also part of the new repertoire were the labels Cornet, Harmonia Mundi, the radio play label Paradiso (3), and the prog rock label Pilz (2). The new label and distributor started with 220 LP's and 5 Singles, mostly manufactured by Sonopress (later changed to Phonodisc). In May 1972, BASF started as label in the U.S. and in Canada, soon followed by the UK. More countries followed in the next years (e.g. BASF Fare in Italy, 1974, etc.) Despite massive investments, the music production remained a loss-making activity, so the company decided to leave the music industry. After talks for a takeover by CBS and Polygram fell through, BASF discontinued their music division, effective December 31st, 1976. Up to this date BASF was listed as distributor also in the rimtext of the labels in combination with the MPS label. In the US, the label remained active until at least October 1978, by the local licensee Audiofidelity Enterprises. BASF Records first used CQA / CRA / CRM / CRF / CRP, etc. prefixes, but already in late 1971 the cataloguing system was changed to seven digit numbers, starting with 05, 06 (7") and 10, 12, 20 (LP), etc. The numbers are Deutsche Mark (DM) price codes: 00 = Promos, 05 = 5 DM, 12 = 12 DM, 20 = 20 DM, etc. In 1935, IG Farben and AEG presented the "Magnetophone" – the first tape recorder – at the Radio Exhibition in Berlin, and BASF had a magnetic tape division. After acquiring Agfa-Gevaert (which produced photo and film materials) in the 1990s, BASF Magnetics was spun-off into the French Emtec, producing magnetic media products and other computer related consumables such as recordable CDs. The current brand owner is EMTEC Magnetics GmbH.