Zoom Records (Scotland)
Encyclopedia
'Zoom' was a short-lived record label established in Edinburgh
, Scotland
founded and funded by successful music shop owner Bruce Findlay in the summer of 1977. After the first four single releases it secured a licencing deal with Arista Records.Findlay closed the label in 1980 to dedicate time to manage one of the most successful bands who began there, Simple Minds
.
Zoom signed many Scottish punk
and new wave
bands, some of them, later very well known and successful, like Simple Minds
, who Findlay managed from 1978 to 1990. However, one of the first band signed was The Valves
; the second band to sign were PVC2 (who featured Midge Ure
. The Skids
almost joined the label but Bruce encouraged them to go to their local (Dunfermline )record shop owner Sandy Muir, out of which No Bad records was formed.
The first single released by Zoom was Robot Love (with "For Adolfs Only" as B-side), of The Valves, on August 30, 1977, selling 15,000 copies.
The most successful band who signed to the label was Simple Minds
. They signed shortly after their formation, releasing their debut album 'Life In A Day' and first two singles Life In A Day and Chelsea Girl'. Their first three albums (Life in a Day,Real to Real Cacophony and Empires and Dance ) were released by Zoom and licenced to Arista Records.
Bruce Findlay now manages Aberfeldy
and has been regular host/contributor to Radio Forth
and BBC Radio Scotland
.
All the below licenced to Arista Records
Albums:
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
founded and funded by successful music shop owner Bruce Findlay in the summer of 1977. After the first four single releases it secured a licencing deal with Arista Records.Findlay closed the label in 1980 to dedicate time to manage one of the most successful bands who began there, Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
.
History
Findlay was a well known man in the British music scene. He organised the first Edinburgh Pop Festival in 1973 which featured among others The Incredible String Band, Can, Planxty, The Chietains, John Martyn, Kevin Ayers, George Melly, Procol Harum, etc.Zoom signed many Scottish punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
bands, some of them, later very well known and successful, like Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
, who Findlay managed from 1978 to 1990. However, one of the first band signed was The Valves
The Valves
The Valves were one of the early punk groups from Edinburgh, Scotland. The band, chronicled in Henrik Poulsen's book 77: The Year of Punk and New Wave, featured Dave Robertson as Dee Robot on vocals, G. Dair / Teddy Dair aka Gordon Dair on drums, Gordon Scott or Pada on bass guitar and Ronnie...
; the second band to sign were PVC2 (who featured Midge Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
. The Skids
The Skids
Skids were an art-punk/punk rock and new wave band from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, founded in 1977 by Stuart Adamson , William Simpson , Thomas Kellichan and Richard Jobson...
almost joined the label but Bruce encouraged them to go to their local (Dunfermline )record shop owner Sandy Muir, out of which No Bad records was formed.
The first single released by Zoom was Robot Love (with "For Adolfs Only" as B-side), of The Valves, on August 30, 1977, selling 15,000 copies.
The most successful band who signed to the label was Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
. They signed shortly after their formation, releasing their debut album 'Life In A Day' and first two singles Life In A Day and Chelsea Girl'. Their first three albums (Life in a Day,Real to Real Cacophony and Empires and Dance ) were released by Zoom and licenced to Arista Records.
Bruce Findlay now manages Aberfeldy
Aberfeldy (band)
Aberfeldy are a band formed by the singer-songwriter Riley Briggs in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2002. The band is named after the Scottish town.-History:...
and has been regular host/contributor to Radio Forth
Radio Forth
Radio Forth is a group owning two radio stations based in Edinburgh. The stations broadcast to Edinburgh, The Lothians and Fife.-History:Radio Forth was launched on 22 January 1975 by current chairman Richard Findlay. His opening speech included "This, for the very first time is Radio Forth"...
and BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
.
Bands and releases
Ordered chronologically:- Robot Love - The ValvesThe ValvesThe Valves were one of the early punk groups from Edinburgh, Scotland. The band, chronicled in Henrik Poulsen's book 77: The Year of Punk and New Wave, featured Dave Robertson as Dee Robot on vocals, G. Dair / Teddy Dair aka Gordon Dair on drums, Gordon Scott or Pada on bass guitar and Ronnie...
(August 30 1977) - Put You in the PicturePut You In The Picture"Put You in the Picture" is a song written by Midge Ure, and performed by his group PVC2, who comprised Ure on guitar and lead vocals, Kenny Hyslop on drums, Billy McIsaac on keyboards and Russell Webb on bass guitar...
- PVC2 (August 1977) - Ain't No Surf in Portobello - The Valves (December 1977)
- Stuck with You - ZonesZones (band)Zones was a British punk and power pop band founded in 1977, after the end of PVC2 and the Midge Ure's membership demise. PVC2 was conformed by Ure on guitar, Russell Webb on bass, Billy McIsaac on keyboards and Kenny Hyslop on drums...
(February 17 1978)
All the below licenced to Arista Records
- Some Other Guy - The QuestionsThe QuestionsThe Questions were a Scottish pop band, active during the late 1970s and early 1980s.-History:Although they emerged from the same scene as Orange Juice, Aztec Camera and The Bluebells, The Questions were distinguished from their peers for their blue-eyed soul sound. ...
(1978) - Love Is Blind - Nightshift (1978)
- Can't Get Over You - The Questions (1979)
- Life in a DayLife in a Day (Simple Minds album)Life in a Day is the debut album by Simple Minds, released in 1979. It reached #30 in the UK Albums Chart. The title track and "Chelsea Girl" were issued as singles.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Jim Kerr - vocals...
- Simple MindsSimple MindsSimple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
(March 10 1979) - Chelsea Girl - Simple Minds (June 1 1979)
Albums:
- Life in a Day - Simple minds
- Real to Real Cacophony - Simple Minds
- Empires and Dance - Simple Minds
External links
- schoolhousemanagement.co.uk...a passion for music Homepage of Bruce Findlay, founder of Zoom