The British North American Act
| Industry | Music |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1968 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Defunct | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Montreal , Canada |
| Products | Music albums |
The British North American Act was a Canadian psychedelic rock group originating from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 1968. Their sole studio album, titled In the Beginning, was released in 1969 and included the track "Joe Cool," which attained moderate chart success within Canada. Although the album initially received little attention, it eventually gained status as a sought-after collector's piece and has since been reissued.
History
The band's name was inspired by the British legislation that established Canada in 1867. Members comprised Andy Bator on keyboards, Bob Allen handling lead guitar, Dave McCall on drums, Rick Elger playing rhythm guitar, and Kirk Armstrong on bass guitar. Despite their Montreal base, most of the lineup were immigrants: Allen and Elger hailed from England, while Bator came from Hungary.
Following approximately one year of performing locally with a fusion of folk and psychedelic rock styles, they secured a contract with Now Records. The label presented the band in revolutionary-themed attire, aiming to replicate the popularity of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Their only album, In the Beginning..., lasting under half an hour, blended soft rock with garage rock influences and distortion effects. The single "Joe Cool" experienced moderate popularity, narrowly missing entry into Canada’s Top 40 chart.
The group disbanded after Now Records declared bankruptcy in the early 1970s. Renewed interest emerged in 1987 when In the Beginning... was reissued; original copies became highly collectible, commanding prices up to $1,000. In 2004, Akarma Records released the album on CD for the first time.