Bristol record labels
Encyclopedia
The city of Bristol
, in England, has since the mid 1970’s had a particularly fertile music culture, resulting in not only a great many influential musicians and bands, but also its own sound; Bristol Sound or Trip Hop
. Along with the music scene, a number of local record labels also developed, some receiving national and international attention, others had a smaller audience appeal. In the 1970s there was a DIY culture of record production and the independent record label
came to prominence, one of the most successful at that time was Virgin Records
started in 1972. Chiswick Records
, Stiff Records
, Rough Trade Records
and Factory Records
were to follow. By the later part of the decade Virgin had become a part of the music business establishment, and new independent record labels began appearing in virtually every British town and city, Bristol was no exception. One of the very first Bristol punk bands The Cortinas
released their debut single on Miles Copelands
Step Forward Records in 1977, eventually moving on to CBS
before disbanding. Miles Copeland also released in 1977 The Pigs Youthanasia EP on his newly formed New Bristol Records. The explosion in Punk/New Wave bands forming in the area did not attract interest from the major and London based record labels, so local labels sprung up to release recordings from these groups. Amongst the first, and initially more successful, were: Heartbeat Records, Fried Egg Records
, Recreational Records
, and Riot City Records
(a Heartbeat subsidiary). Others had more modest success Wavelength Records (although its subsidiary Bristol Recorder, did achieve some popularity), Circle Records and Sheep Worrying. Some bands set up their own labels: Black Roots
(Nubian Records) and Essential Bop
(Monopause Records). Yet other labels, although not based in Bristol, had a strong representation of bands from the area: Y Records
, Rialto Records and Naïve Records.
After the initial burst of activity in the Post-Punk/New Wave Era, most of the labels folded (although Heartbeat, or one of its subsidiaries, is still bringing out the occasional release). Riot City came under the influence of EMI
after they signed Vice Squad
, and last released a record in 1988. Meanwhile The Blue Aeroplanes
released their first LP on Party Records in 1984, and there was some short lived output from Children of the Revolution Records (COR), until a new generation of record labels were spawned from the Trip Hop
movement. Several exceptions to this were: rock label Sugar Shack Records, the Indie pop
of Sarah Records
and C86
sounds of The Subway Organization
.
There are still a number of record labels operating in Bristol, but it is ironic that one of the most prolific is Bristol Archive Records, which specializes in unreleased tracks and re-releasing recordings (mainly for download) from the Punk/New Wave Era of Bristol Record Labels, 1977–1981, and later.
Listed below are a number of Bristol (and surrounding area) Record Labels that due to their short lifespan, few releases or poor distribution, may have received limited national or international attention:
formed by Rob Fisher
and Pete Byrne
in 1979. It issued their first single "Making Waves/Me I See You" in October 1980. The duo later found success with EMI
as Naked Eyes
.
, based in Badminton, Gloucestershire
. “Amon Ra pioneered the recording of authentic performances on original instruments from the late 1970s and has built up a catalogue and reputation for quality and innovation in this field.”
a Bristol-based guitarist, pianist, songwriter and vocalist. It is distributed by Pinnacle. Jane won the UK and International Songwriting Competition in 2003 with her song "Blowing This Candle Out".
, Circus Circus, Various Artists and Joe Public. Recorder 2 had live tracks from Peter Gabriel
(including Ain't That Peculiar
), plus Fish Food, The Radicals, The X-Certs and The Welders (otherwise known as The Korgis
). Recorder 3 had tracks from P.B. Davies (of Crystal Theatre/Shoes For Industry), Essential Bop
. Robert Fripp
, Ekome Dance Company and Thompson Twins
.
) and Fran Frey. Their first CD 'Row of Ashes' was released in 2008.
Heartbeat Productions
Parent company of Bristol labels, Heartbeat Records formed in 1978, Punk labels Riot City Records
and Disorder Records
, the band Flying Saucer Attack
label FSA Records
and USA Garage Band label Trash City Records
.
Hope Recordings
A Bristol based record label established in 1998 by Leon Alexander and Steve Satterthwaite. It is run by Leon Alexander, with English house music DJ and record producer Nick Warren in control of its A&R, and is home to progressive house and breaks artists such as Starecase, Jaytech, Matt Rowan, and Parallel Sound.
Monopause Records
This was Essential Bop
s own record label, having previously had the track “Chronicle” on the LP Avon Calling
. There were two releases, both in resealable plastic bags with folded picture sleeves and lyrics printed inside, and distributed by Bristols’ Revolver Records. The second single received airplay in New York, resulting in the band touring and recording there in 1981. The band subsequently released 2 tracks on the Bristol Recorder 3, an LP on TSAR Records and a downloadable album on Bristol Archive Records.
helped set up a number of labels to ride the current Punk/New Wave. Bristols’ The Cortinas
had already signed to Step Forward Records and New Bristol was another of his labels. As the labels first band The Pigs put it, “August 12th at Sound Conception 4-track studio.
It’s been about 20 weeks since we formed, we’ve written maybe 12 songs and played 6 or so gigs. Now we’re recording our whole set. As it turns out, most of this stuff won’t see the light of day for 30 years. Copeland chooses the four tracks for the EP that’s going to launch a new Bristol record label. They call it New Bristol Records. Yeah.” The label appears to have had only 2 releases, by The Pigs and Gardez Darkx.
Party Records
Released The Blue Aeroplanes
first album 'Bop Art' in 1984 and distributed by The Cartel.
, it has developed a wide range of releases; from Traditional, World, Period, Exotic and Unusual recordings, through to Folk and Meditative. It also has produced a number of local dialect and spoken word recordings. Parent of Classical label Amon Ra and Folk label The Village Thing
. Saydisc and Village Thing are featured in two books by Bristolian author, Mark Jones:
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, in England, has since the mid 1970’s had a particularly fertile music culture, resulting in not only a great many influential musicians and bands, but also its own sound; Bristol Sound or Trip Hop
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
. Along with the music scene, a number of local record labels also developed, some receiving national and international attention, others had a smaller audience appeal. In the 1970s there was a DIY culture of record production and the independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
came to prominence, one of the most successful at that time was Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
started in 1972. Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records was a British record company. Chiswick was the "first true 'indie' label" to be established in Britain for nearly a decade". The label has been described as "significant" in the "punk era"...
, Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
, Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
and Factory Records
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
were to follow. By the later part of the decade Virgin had become a part of the music business establishment, and new independent record labels began appearing in virtually every British town and city, Bristol was no exception. One of the very first Bristol punk bands The Cortinas
The Cortinas (punk band)
The Cortinas were a 1970s Bristol-based punk rock band. Guitarist Nick Sheppard went on to play with The Clash. In 2001, the band’s debut single, "Fascist Dictator" , was included in a leading British music magazine’s list of the best punk-rock singles of all-time.-Biography:Named after a car, the...
released their debut single on Miles Copelands
Miles Copeland III
Miles Axe Copeland III is an American entertainment executive, best known for founding I.R.S. Records. His brother, Stewart Copeland, was part of the pop-rock trio The Police, which Miles managed...
Step Forward Records in 1977, eventually moving on to CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
before disbanding. Miles Copeland also released in 1977 The Pigs Youthanasia EP on his newly formed New Bristol Records. The explosion in Punk/New Wave bands forming in the area did not attract interest from the major and London based record labels, so local labels sprung up to release recordings from these groups. Amongst the first, and initially more successful, were: Heartbeat Records, Fried Egg Records
Fried Egg Records
Fried Egg Records was a record label set up in 1979 by Andy Leighton, administrator of the Bristol based Crystal Theatre. Its first release was by the Theatres anarchic “house band” Shoes For Industry...
, Recreational Records
Recreational Records
Recreational Records was a British record label set up in 1981 by the Bristol record shop and distributor Revolver Records. Originally formed as an independent record label with its own distribution as part of the Cartel.-Revolver Records and the Cartel:...
, and Riot City Records
Riot City Records
Riot City was a British record label based in Bristol, active between 1980 and 1988, and run by Heartbeat Records boss Simon Edwards along with Dave Bateman and Shane Baldwin from the band Vice Squad...
(a Heartbeat subsidiary). Others had more modest success Wavelength Records (although its subsidiary Bristol Recorder, did achieve some popularity), Circle Records and Sheep Worrying. Some bands set up their own labels: Black Roots
Black Roots (band)
Black Roots were a roots reggae band from the St. Paul's area of Bristol, England formed in 1979. They released several albums before splitting up in 1990.-History:...
(Nubian Records) and Essential Bop
Essential Bop
Essential Bop were a Bristol based Post-Punk/Art band formed in early 1978 by Dave Robinson , with an initial line-up of Steve Bush , Mike Fewings , Simon Tyler , Nick Tufnell and Seng-gye Tombs Curtis...
(Monopause Records). Yet other labels, although not based in Bristol, had a strong representation of bands from the area: Y Records
Y Records
Y Records was an independent record label set up in 1980 by Dick O’Dell in the United Kingdom, and distributed by Rough Trade.-History:Artists included The Slits, Shriekback and a number of groups that were associated with the Bristol Indie Bands from the late 1970s: The Pop Group, Glaxo Babies,...
, Rialto Records and Naïve Records.
After the initial burst of activity in the Post-Punk/New Wave Era, most of the labels folded (although Heartbeat, or one of its subsidiaries, is still bringing out the occasional release). Riot City came under the influence of EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
after they signed Vice Squad
Vice Squad
Vice Squad is a punk band formed in 1978 in Bristol, England. The band formed from two other local punk bands, The Contingent and TV Brakes. Songwriter and vocalist Beki Bondage was a founding member and is currently with the band, although there was a period of time when the band had a different...
, and last released a record in 1988. Meanwhile The Blue Aeroplanes
The Blue Aeroplanes
The Blue Aeroplanes are an English rock band from Bristol, the mainstays of which: Gerard Langley, brother John Langley and dancer Wojtek Dmochowski originate from the earlier New Wave “Art band” Art Objects .-History:...
released their first LP on Party Records in 1984, and there was some short lived output from Children of the Revolution Records (COR), until a new generation of record labels were spawned from the Trip Hop
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
movement. Several exceptions to this were: rock label Sugar Shack Records, the Indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
of Sarah Records
Sarah Records
Sarah Records was a UK independent record label active between 1987 and 1995, best known for its recordings of indie pop.The label was formed in Bristol in 1987 by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes, and grew out of the fanzine scene at the time, Haynes having previously edited Are You Scared To Get...
and C86
C86 (music)
C86 is a cassette compilation released by the British music magazine NME in 1986, featuring new bands licensed from independent labels of the time. As a phrase, C86 quickly evolved into shorthand for a guitar-based musical genre characterised by "jangly" guitars and fey melodies, although other...
sounds of The Subway Organization
The Subway Organization
The Subway Organization was an independent music label founded in 1985 in Bristol, by Martin Whitehead.-Indie Pop and C86:The label was associated with the Indie Pop movement and the seminal NME cassette tape C86, that included the track It's Up To You by the Shop Assistants, from the label's first...
.
There are still a number of record labels operating in Bristol, but it is ironic that one of the most prolific is Bristol Archive Records, which specializes in unreleased tracks and re-releasing recordings (mainly for download) from the Punk/New Wave Era of Bristol Record Labels, 1977–1981, and later.
Listed below are a number of Bristol (and surrounding area) Record Labels that due to their short lifespan, few releases or poor distribution, may have received limited national or international attention:
3D Music
The own label of Bath band NeonRob Fisher
Rob Fisher was a British keyboardist and songwriter from Cheltenham, England, who achieved chart success as a member of Naked Eyes, and later Climie Fisher...
formed by Rob Fisher
Rob Fisher
Rob Fisher was a British keyboardist and songwriter from Cheltenham, England, who achieved chart success as a member of Naked Eyes, and later Climie Fisher...
and Pete Byrne
Pete Byrne
Pete Byrne is a Los Angeles, United States based English recording artist, and lead singer for the pop/New Wave duo Naked Eyes, during the earlier years of the 1980s. They are well known for their cover version of "Always Something There to Remind Me"...
in 1979. It issued their first single "Making Waves/Me I See You" in October 1980. The duo later found success with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
as Naked Eyes
Naked Eyes
Naked Eyes is a British New Wave band that rose to prominence in the early 1980s. Originally a duo, the band is known largely for its singles: a cover of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David standard " Always Something There to Remind Me" , as well as the band's subsequent hits "Promises, Promises", "When...
.
Amon Ra
Classical label of parent SaydiscThe Village Thing
The Village Thing was an independent record label in the United Kingdom which published folk music, blues and acoustic music between 1970 and 1973, under the tag of "The Alternative Folk Label".-History:...
, based in Badminton, Gloucestershire
Badminton, Gloucestershire
Badminton, Gloucestershire, is a village in England famous for its horse trials, which take place in early May each year in the grounds of the Duke of Beaufort's residence, Badminton House...
. “Amon Ra pioneered the recording of authentic performances on original instruments from the late 1970s and has built up a catalogue and reputation for quality and innovation in this field.”
Bicycle Records
Record label formed by Jane TaylorJane Taylor (musician)
Jane Taylor is a Bristol-based guitarist, pianist, songwriter and vocalist. Jane won the UK and International Songwriting Competition in 2003 with her song "Blowing This Candle Out".-Early career:...
a Bristol-based guitarist, pianist, songwriter and vocalist. It is distributed by Pinnacle. Jane won the UK and International Songwriting Competition in 2003 with her song "Blowing This Candle Out".
Bristol Archive Records
Subsidiary of Sugar Shack Records, set up in 2008 and specializing in unreleased tracks and re-releasing recordings (mainly for download) by Bristol bands, from 1976 onwards. According to Mike Darby, label owner, “Bristol Archive Records was officially launched this year 2008 as a vehicle to talk about and remember Bristol’s forgotten stars, those people that should have, could have or probably had no chance of fame and Global domination, but had a go, made some great music, went to the gigs, helped make the records, bought the records or just had great fun growing up in this ace city of ours.”Bristol Recorder
Innovative subsidiary label of Wavelength Records, that produced three issues of a combination LP/magazine, before folding. Bristol Recorder 1 included live tracks from Electric GuitarsElectric Guitars
Electric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
, Circus Circus, Various Artists and Joe Public. Recorder 2 had live tracks from Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
(including Ain't That Peculiar
Ain't That Peculiar
"Ain't That Peculiar" is a 1965 song recorded by American soul musician Marvin Gaye for the Tamla label. The single was produced by Smokey Robinson, and written by Robinson, and fellow Miracles members Ronald White, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin...
), plus Fish Food, The Radicals, The X-Certs and The Welders (otherwise known as The Korgis
The Korgis
The Korgis are a British pop band, originally composed of singer / bassist James Warren and singer / drummer Andy Davis , both former members of 1970s band Stackridge, along with unofficial members violinist Stuart Gordon and keyboardist Phil Harrison.-Career:The Korgis released their first single...
). Recorder 3 had tracks from P.B. Davies (of Crystal Theatre/Shoes For Industry), Essential Bop
Essential Bop
Essential Bop were a Bristol based Post-Punk/Art band formed in early 1978 by Dave Robinson , with an initial line-up of Steve Bush , Mike Fewings , Simon Tyler , Nick Tufnell and Seng-gye Tombs Curtis...
. Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
, Ekome Dance Company and Thompson Twins
Thompson Twins
The Thompson Twins were a British pop group that were formed in April 1977 and disbanded in May 1993. They achieved considerable popularity in the mid 1980s, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States and around the globe. The band was named after the two bumbling detectives...
.
| Cat No. | Artist | Title | Date | Configuration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR 001 | Various | Bristol Recorder 1 | 1980 | LP/Magazine | |
| BR 002 | Various | Bristol Recorder 2 | 1981 | LP/Magazine | |
| BR 003 | Various | Bristol Recorder 3 | 1981 | LP/Magazine | |
Circus Records
Commercial label (distributed by Pinnacle) that produced 6 singles and a compilation LP in 1981, before calling it a day. The LP, The Circus Comes To Town (TENT 0001), included tracks from: Rimshots, Black Roots, Treatment, Alarm Clox, Gold, Riz Wah Wah, Steve Booton & Pat Jones, The Dangerous Brothers, Forty Blue Fingers, Info-Mania, Kevin McFadden and The Bite.| Cat No. | Artist | Title | Date | Configuration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIRC 0001 | Bohana Mouse Band | F/Seven C’s | 1981 | 12” single | |
| CIRC 0002 | The Source | Like a Child/? | 1981 | 7” single | |
| CIRC 0003 | The Stingrays The Stingrays The Stingrays are a New Wave/Rockabilly band, which originally formed in 1977 in Bristol, England, and is still gigging today. .... |
Never do/Satellites | 1981 | 7” single | |
| CIRC 0004 | Bendall’s Box | Nightmares/Games Today | 1981 | 7” single | |
| CIRC 0005 | Sky High | Ghettos of your own kind/Part 2 | 1981 | 7” single | |
| CIRC 0006 | Slim Bridges And The Wildflowers | Rocking Goose/Mole At The Circus | 1981 | 7” single | |
| TENT 0001 | Various | The Circus Comes To Town | 1981 | LP | |
Flightcase Recordings
Founded in 2008 Flightcase is a small independent label currently looking after the catalogue and new releases of Bristol dance/DnB troupe and producer Dr Meaker. The first long player release was the album A Lesson From The Speaker. The label has gained exposure via Radio 1, 1xtra, 6Music, XFM as well as print articles in Clash, Venue, Knowledge, Word magazine and others. Flightcase is distributed by AMD (Absolute Marketing and Distribution) and run from Easton area in Bristol.Green Goat Productions
Record label currently producing material from Steve Bush (ex-Essential BopEssential Bop
Essential Bop were a Bristol based Post-Punk/Art band formed in early 1978 by Dave Robinson , with an initial line-up of Steve Bush , Mike Fewings , Simon Tyler , Nick Tufnell and Seng-gye Tombs Curtis...
) and Fran Frey. Their first CD 'Row of Ashes' was released in 2008.
Heartbeat ProductionsHeartbeat ProductionsHeartbeat Productions is the parent company of a number of record labels originating from Bristol, England. Heartbeat Records was formed in 1978, and other labels have been added over the years to cater for specific niche markets or bands: Riot City Records in 1980, Disorder Records in 1981, FSA...
Parent company of Bristol labels, Heartbeat Records formed in 1978, Punk labels Riot City RecordsRiot City Records
Riot City was a British record label based in Bristol, active between 1980 and 1988, and run by Heartbeat Records boss Simon Edwards along with Dave Bateman and Shane Baldwin from the band Vice Squad...
and Disorder Records
Heartbeat Productions
Heartbeat Productions is the parent company of a number of record labels originating from Bristol, England. Heartbeat Records was formed in 1978, and other labels have been added over the years to cater for specific niche markets or bands: Riot City Records in 1980, Disorder Records in 1981, FSA...
, the band Flying Saucer Attack
Flying Saucer Attack
Flying Saucer Attack was an experimental space rock band that formed in Bristol, England in 1992. David Pearce was the core member of the group, and Rachel Brook was a member for most of the band's lifetime....
label FSA Records
Heartbeat Productions
Heartbeat Productions is the parent company of a number of record labels originating from Bristol, England. Heartbeat Records was formed in 1978, and other labels have been added over the years to cater for specific niche markets or bands: Riot City Records in 1980, Disorder Records in 1981, FSA...
and USA Garage Band label Trash City Records
Heartbeat Productions
Heartbeat Productions is the parent company of a number of record labels originating from Bristol, England. Heartbeat Records was formed in 1978, and other labels have been added over the years to cater for specific niche markets or bands: Riot City Records in 1980, Disorder Records in 1981, FSA...
.
Hope RecordingsHope RecordingsHope Recordings, established in 1998 by Leon Alexander and Steve Satterthwaite, is a Bristol, UK based record label.The label is run by Leon Alexander, with English house music DJ and record producer Nick Warren in control of its A&R. It is home to progressive house and breaks artists such as...
A Bristol based record label established in 1998 by Leon Alexander and Steve Satterthwaite. It is run by Leon Alexander, with English house music DJ and record producer Nick Warren in control of its A&R, and is home to progressive house and breaks artists such as Starecase, Jaytech, Matt Rowan, and Parallel Sound.Monopause RecordsEssential BopEssential Bop were a Bristol based Post-Punk/Art band formed in early 1978 by Dave Robinson , with an initial line-up of Steve Bush , Mike Fewings , Simon Tyler , Nick Tufnell and Seng-gye Tombs Curtis...
This was Essential BopEssential Bop
Essential Bop were a Bristol based Post-Punk/Art band formed in early 1978 by Dave Robinson , with an initial line-up of Steve Bush , Mike Fewings , Simon Tyler , Nick Tufnell and Seng-gye Tombs Curtis...
s own record label, having previously had the track “Chronicle” on the LP Avon Calling
Avon Calling
Avon Calling is an album of tracks featuring bands from Bristol, UK, on local record label Heartbeat Records, and was originally released in 1979...
. There were two releases, both in resealable plastic bags with folded picture sleeves and lyrics printed inside, and distributed by Bristols’ Revolver Records. The second single received airplay in New York, resulting in the band touring and recording there in 1981. The band subsequently released 2 tracks on the Bristol Recorder 3, an LP on TSAR Records and a downloadable album on Bristol Archive Records.
| Cat No. | Artist | Title | Date | Configuration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moan 1001 | Essential Bop | Raider’s Blues/Eloquent Sounds/Failsafe/Mandarin Whores (live) | 1980 | 7” EP | |
| Moan 1002 | Essential Bop | Croaked/Butler (in running shorts) | 1981 | 7” single | |
New Bristol Records
In 1977 Miles CopelandMiles Copeland III
Miles Axe Copeland III is an American entertainment executive, best known for founding I.R.S. Records. His brother, Stewart Copeland, was part of the pop-rock trio The Police, which Miles managed...
helped set up a number of labels to ride the current Punk/New Wave. Bristols’ The Cortinas
The Cortinas (punk band)
The Cortinas were a 1970s Bristol-based punk rock band. Guitarist Nick Sheppard went on to play with The Clash. In 2001, the band’s debut single, "Fascist Dictator" , was included in a leading British music magazine’s list of the best punk-rock singles of all-time.-Biography:Named after a car, the...
had already signed to Step Forward Records and New Bristol was another of his labels. As the labels first band The Pigs put it, “August 12th at Sound Conception 4-track studio.
It’s been about 20 weeks since we formed, we’ve written maybe 12 songs and played 6 or so gigs. Now we’re recording our whole set. As it turns out, most of this stuff won’t see the light of day for 30 years. Copeland chooses the four tracks for the EP that’s going to launch a new Bristol record label. They call it New Bristol Records. Yeah.” The label appears to have had only 2 releases, by The Pigs and Gardez Darkx.
| Cat No. | Artist | Title | Date | Configuration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBR 01 | The Pigs | Youthanasia/They Say/Psychopath/National Front | 1977 | 7” EP | |
| NBR 02 | Gardez Darkx | Freeze (In the U.L.zone)/Heartbeat | 1978 | 7” single | |
Party RecordsThe Blue AeroplanesThe Blue Aeroplanes are an English rock band from Bristol, the mainstays of which: Gerard Langley, brother John Langley and dancer Wojtek Dmochowski originate from the earlier New Wave “Art band” Art Objects .-History:...
Released The Blue AeroplanesThe Blue Aeroplanes
The Blue Aeroplanes are an English rock band from Bristol, the mainstays of which: Gerard Langley, brother John Langley and dancer Wojtek Dmochowski originate from the earlier New Wave “Art band” Art Objects .-History:...
first album 'Bop Art' in 1984 and distributed by The Cartel.
Saydisc Records
Founded in 1965, and based in Badminton, GloucestershireBadminton, Gloucestershire
Badminton, Gloucestershire, is a village in England famous for its horse trials, which take place in early May each year in the grounds of the Duke of Beaufort's residence, Badminton House...
, it has developed a wide range of releases; from Traditional, World, Period, Exotic and Unusual recordings, through to Folk and Meditative. It also has produced a number of local dialect and spoken word recordings. Parent of Classical label Amon Ra and Folk label The Village Thing
The Village Thing
The Village Thing was an independent record label in the United Kingdom which published folk music, blues and acoustic music between 1970 and 1973, under the tag of "The Alternative Folk Label".-History:...
. Saydisc and Village Thing are featured in two books by Bristolian author, Mark Jones:
- Bristol Folk provides a discographical history of many of the artists that recorded for Saydisc and Village Thing and also includes a partial history of the labels.
- The Saydisc & Village Thing Discography includes the most comprehensive available discographies for Saydisc, Amon Ra, Village Thing and other related labels, such as Matchbox and Matchbox Bluesmaster. The book includes pictures of all available sleeves plus all known label designs and it is rounded off with a history of Saydisc and Village Thing.
Sheep Worrying
Label that grew out of Bridgewater based Magazine and Entertainments Promoter, Sheep Worrying, founded by Brian Smedley. They released the single ‘False Nose/County Councillor’(1980) and 2 tape albums 'Internal Organs' (1978) and 'Going Shopping' (1980) by The Dangerous Brothers.Shoc-Wave Records
Shoc-Wave was based in Easton, Bristol, and run by Gene Walsh. It specialized in Dominican music and Jamaican reggae bands such as Joshua Moses and Buggs Durrant, but also released records from a variety of other genres including Dub, Disco and Ska. In 1980 they released the single “I Was Wrong / Stuck in a Boat” (SRP0007) by The Rimshots, five middle class white kids from Bristols’ northern suburbs playing 2-Tone styled ska.Wavelength Records
The label was set up by drummer Thomas Brooman (along with Bob Hooton) to release a single by his Bristol Big Band, The Spics. It subsequently released 3 further singles by Gardez Darkx, Joe Public (another Brooman band) and Color Tapes before reinventing itself in 1980 as a combination magazine/record called The Bristol Recorder, which ran for 3 issues.| Cat No. | Artist | Title | Date | Configuration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HURT 001 | The Spics | You and Me/Bus Stop | 1981 | 7” single | |
| HURT 002 | Gardez Darkx | Bliss/Winter Scene | 1979 | 7” single | |
| HURT 003 | Joe Public | Hermans Back/Travelling With Raymond/Like It | 1979 | 7” single | |
| HURT 004 | Color Tapes | Cold Anger/Leaves of China | 1979 | 7” single | |
| BR 001 | Various | Bristol Recorder 1 | 1980 | LP/Magazine | |
| BR 002 | Various | Bristol Recorder 2 | 1981 | LP/Magazine | |
| BR 003 | Various | Bristol Recorder 3 | 1981 | LP/Magazine | |
See also
- List of record labels from Bristol
- List of independent UK record labels
- List of record labels
- List of bands from Bristol
- Culture of BristolCulture of BristolBristol is a city in South West England. As the largest city in the region it is a centre for the arts and sport. The region has a distinct West Country dialect.-Events:...