Satbel

South African music/film company active during the seventies and eighties which had a distribution network that included Rhodesia, Malawi, Zanzibar, and South West Africa. Its history can be traced back to 1969 when local insurance giant Sanlam bought out the US-based film distributor Twentieth Century Fox, renamed it "Kinekor", formed Satbel (Suid-Afrikaanse Teaterbelange Beperk), and, together with its other recently-attained "Ster Films", ended up controlling some 76 percent of South Africa's film distribution network -- in an effort to provide Afrikaans films as a counter to US-American culture. In May 1973 Satbel formed the Comunico music division which included "The Record and Tape Company" and "Impact Music Publishing", with Allart Constandse (ex-Phonogram International) and Robin Taylor (ex-of Decca and Teal Records) assuming the roles of executive director and managing director, respectively. Sometimes known as "Satbel Record and Tape Company", "R & T", "RTC" or any permutation thereof, the company could boast one of the country's first 16-track recording studios (located in Marshall Street, Johannesburg and originally built by Patric Van Blerk) as well as the skills of long-serving engineer/producer Greg Cutler. It was also the Africa-wide distributor for Capricorn Records and had a number of imprint labels that concentrated on "black" music. In 1979 the two film distributors were merged to form "Ster-Kinekor", and in 1984 Satbel was bought by casino/hotel magnate Sol Kerzner who promptly went about rearranging the company. Discogs user notice: Use this "Satbel" label only if [u]no[/u] other label/brand appears. Sleeves and/or smallprint will most likely always mention "The Record and Tape Company (Pty) Ltd." or "Satbel Record and Tape Company", regardless.