Today, “indie” is a much-abused time period, nonetheless known as upon to explain up to date guitar-based pop music, however usually with unfavorable connotations. Initially, nonetheless, “indie” was a considerably stronger abbreviation: a diminutive of “independent,” referring to the myriad self-financed, but influential file labels based by maverick music followers who usually found future superstars forward of the main file firms. On this article, uDiscover Music affords this beleaguered time period some overdue respect as we examine one of the best indie file labels of all time.
Island
Such is the power of Island’s colossal catalog (U2, Roxy Music, and Bob Marley And The Wailers are merely the tip of the iceberg) that the imprint’s humble origins as a strictly unbiased ska and reggae label established in Jamaica, in 1959, by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong are ceaselessly missed.
Trojan
This vastly influential London-based imprint was established in 1968 and took its identify from reggae legend Duke Reid’s sound system (which was itself named after the model of seven-tonne vehicles wanted to move his audio system). Nonetheless going sturdy after 50 years, Trojan is the proud purveyor of among the finest dub, rocksteady, and ska sounds of all time.
Harvest
Harvest was created by EMI in 1969 to assist promote prog-rock acts, however it has at all times operated with a wholesome diploma of autonomy. An imprint that continues to be energetic to at the present time, it has launched titles as various as Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma, Wire’s Pink Flag, and The Libertines’ Anthems For Doomed Youth.
Ohr
This trailblazing German digital and experimental music label was established by Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser and Hansa Data founder Peter Meisel. Energetic from 1970-1974, Ohr (which interprets as “ear”) launched seminal experimental German music by Ash Ra Tempel and Popol Vuh, together with all of Tangerine Dream’s pre-Virgin albums, together with the exceptional Zeit.
Stiff
Stiff established itself as probably the greatest indie file labels of the punk period when it launched the UK’s very first punk single, The Damned’s “New Rose,” late in 1976; the label ceaselessly devised all method of publicity stunts (every part from multi-artist excursions to badges with slogans comparable to “If It Ain’t Stiff It Ain’t Worth A F__k”) to advertise their artists. Stiff later launched data by stellar artists together with Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Insanity, and The Pogues.
Tough Commerce
Tough Commerce grew out of a London file store of the identical identify owned by Geoff Travis in 1978. Its quite a few accolades embody releasing the primary indie file to promote greater than 100,000 copies within the UK (Stiff Little Fingers’ debut LP, Inflammable Materials) and signing The Smiths and The Strokes.
Manufacturing unit
This Iconic Manchester-based imprint was co-founded by Granada TV presenter Tony Wilson, in 1978. Manufacturing unit bequeathed us Pleasure Division, New Order, Joyful Mondays, James, and legendary super-club The Haçienda, however ultimately fell foul of its personal handshake offers and poor accounting, and went bankrupt in 1993.
Mute
A still-influential imprint, Mute initially discovered its place as probably the greatest indie file labels on the forefront of the early 80s synth-pop growth. Based by Daniel Miller (who, as The Regular, wrote and recorded the unique “Warm Leatherette,” later recorded by Grace Jones), the imprint has been the long-term house of artists comparable to Depeche Mode, Erasure, Goldfrapp and Nick Cave And The Unhealthy Seeds. It grew to become a subsidiary of EMI in 2002, however has returned to the indie world, just lately releasing New Order’s Full Music.
Dischord
Impressed by UK anarcho-punk legends Crass’ self-sufficient DIY stance, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson established Dischord in Washington, DC, in 1980. Synonymous with the DC hardcore scene, the label has launched epochal data by bands together with Fugazi, Minor Risk, and Rites Of Spring, and stays fiercely unbiased.
Flying Nun
Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, by record-store supervisor Roger Shepherd, the resilient Flying Nun imprint got here to prominence via selling various and still-resonant Kiwi guitar-pop acts in the course of the 80s, amongst them The Chills, The Clear, and Jean-Paul Sartre Expertise.
Contact & Go
A Chicago-based bastion for noise rock and post-rock, Contact & Go labored extensively in the course of the 80s and 90s with Steve Albini (Large Black, Shellac, and Slint, whom he produced), along with soon-to-be-major-label-acts The Jesus Lizard and Urge Overkill. Submit-Y2K, Contact & Go additionally helped break influential NYC acts Yeah Yeah Yeahs (they launched the group’s Machine EP in 2002) and TV On The Radio.
Creation
Creation arguably sits on the high of the heap of the UK’s finest indie file labels. At all times hip, Alan McGee’s imprint first surfed the zeitgeist within the late 80s with The Home Of Love and My Bloody Valentine, however, throughout their 90s heyday, Creation’s colossal roster (which included Oasis, Primal Scream, and Tremendous Furry Animals) meant they may name the pictures within the mainstream.
Warp
First based within the again room of a Sheffield file store, with a authorities grant, in 1989, Warp shortly took its place among the many finest indie file labels on the forefront of the experimental digital music scene in the course of the 90s and early 00s, releasing acclaimed titles comparable to Aphex Twin’s Chosen Ambient Works Quantity II, Boards Of Canada’s Music Has The Rights To Youngsters and techno pioneers LFO’s Frequencies.
Kill Rock Stars
This anti-establishment identify appears ideally suited for an Oregon-based underground label whose preliminary focus in the course of the 90s included Pacific North West riot grrl outfits Bikini Kill and Heavens To Betsy. Nonetheless, KRS have since achieved widespread acclaim and gone on to launch titles by indie leviathans The Decemberists and Sleater-Kinney.
Sub Pop
Morphing from fanzine to fledgling file label in 1986, Seattle’s Sub Pop launched landmark early titles from Nirvana (Bleach), Soundgarden (the Screaming Life and Fopp EPs), and Mudhoney, and can at all times be celebrated for its important contribution in delivering grunge to the lots.
Domino
Since its inception, in 1993, the London-based Domino imprint has sponsored heavy-hitting releases from each side of the Atlantic. Laurence Bell’s label’s credit embody albums by US cult heroes Pavement and Sebadoh, however his imprint grew to become an particularly scorching property in the course of the mid-00s once they launched Franz Ferdinand’s eponymous debut and Arctic Monkeys’ multi-platinum No matter Individuals Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.
Thrill Jockey
The brainchild of ex-Atlantic Data A&R Bettina Richards, Thrill Jockey started life in New York in 1992, however took off in Chicago, the place it grew to become house to most of the Windy Metropolis’s most intriguing various rock acts. The imprint has launched acclaimed US alt.pop and post-rock outfits comparable to Tortoise, The Sea And Cake, Eleventh Dream Day and The Fiery Furnaces.
Fierce Panda
Fierce Panda was based by NME journalist Simon Williams merely to launch a four-track 7” EP compilation entitled Shagging In The Streets, in 1994. That title bought its 1,000-only urgent in a day and, via releasing early singles by large names comparable to Coldplay, Supergrass, and Placebo, Fierce Panda have remained off the endangered species record.
Glassnote
Daniel Glass started Glassnote Data in 2007 with the thought of beginning a renaissance in unbiased labels. His imprint has some high-profile artists on its roster, together with Phoenix and Mumford & Sons, every of whom gained Grammy Awards inside a couple of years of the label’s founding. Most just lately, Glassnote has launched albums by Infantile Gambino and Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam.
Captured Tracks
Among the finest indie file labels to return out of NYC in recent times, this strictly old-school Brooklyn imprint was based in 2008 by Mike Sniper. Specializing in limited-edition coloured vinyl, it embraces each new artists and reissues of classic titles comparable to Cleaners From Venus’ 4LP field set Quantity One. Captured Tracks are at present within the strategy of compiling a tenth-anniversary compilation and revel in continued crucial acclaim.
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