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List of record labels from Bristol

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This is a list of notable record labels from, and associated with, the English city of Bristol and its surrounding areas (including North Somerset, Bath & North East Somerset, Western Wiltshire, and South Gloucestershire).

0–9

  • 3D Records: The own label of Bath band Neon. It issued their first single "Making Waves/Me I See You" in October 1880.

A

B

C

D

F

G

H

  • Heartbeat Productions: Is the parent of Heartbeat Records, Riot City Records, Disorder Records, FSA Records and Trash City Records. Initially Simon Edwards set up Heartbeat Records in 1978, however over time subsidiary labels were added to cater for different musical styles and bands, all the labels are now grouped under Heartbeat Productions.
  • Heartbeat Records: Started in 1978 as a partnership of local musician Simon Edwards and Tony Dodd of Tony's Record Shop. Simon Edwards recorded and produced the first single, "I don't want my heart to rule my head" by Social Security, after which Tony Dodd decided to concentrate on his shop and Simon Edwards took over sole control. The labels' third release was the 12" EP, "This Is Your Life", from the influential Glaxo Babies. A number of other singles were released, however to accommodate the large number of bands around at the time they brought out the seminal "Avon Calling" – The Bristol Compilation LP. Four further LPs were released: 2 by the Glaxo Babies, The Transmitters and Art Objects (later to form the nucleus of The Blue Aeroplanes) before the label became inactive in 1984. It was revived with the 1997 album release of a 1967 radio recording by American 60's psych band The Electric Prunes. Cherry Red in recent years has repackaged tracks and albums from the Heartbeat back catalogue, including previously unreleased songs from the Glaxo Babies, Art Objects and The X-Certs.
  • Hope Recordings: Started in 1998 by Leon Alexander and Steve Satterthwaite, the label is run by Leon Alexander, with DJ and record producer Nick Warren head of A&R. Its progressive house and breaks artists include: Starecase, Jaytech, Matt Rowan, and Parallel Sound.
  • Household Records: Own label of The Chesterfields on which they released 3 singles and an album, before the band split in 1989.

L

  • Label7: An Electronic Music label that has released tracks from live breaks & techno dance act Bosch Stacey.

M

N

  • New Bristol Records: In 1977 Miles Copeland helped set up a number of labels to ride the current Punk/New Wave. Bristols' The Cortinas had already signed to his Step Forward Records and New Bristol was another of the labels he set up. The label appears to have had only 2 releases, by The Pigs in 1977 and Gardez Darkx in 1978.
  • Nightcap Records: Independent student-run music production label that teams with artists from all genres and aims to nurture them into a world of music.
  • Not Very Nice Records: Initially a subsidiary of Riot City Records, the first release was the 1985 spoof NOW! album, "NOW! That's What I Call A Fuckin' Racket (Vol 1)" (GRR 1), by Chaotic Dischord. Chaotic Dischord went on to release 2 other albums on the label.
  • NP Records: Independent family run label that has released a 4 track EP by Manchester quartet, Coraline.
  • Nubian Records: See Black Roots.

P

  • Party Records: Released The Blue Aeroplanes first album Bop Art in 1984, distributed by the Cartel.
  • Pop God released some absolutely wonderful records by the Moonflowers, Me and Praise Space Electric, amongst others.

R

  • The Record Press: An imprint of Bristol Folk Publications dedicated to publishing British record label discographies; has also released a CD to tie in with a book on Transacord, which includes nothing but recordings of steam engines. More CD releases are planned.
  • Recreational Records: The label was started in 1981 by the Bristol record shop and distributor Revolver Records, with its own distribution as part of the Cartel. Amongst their artists were, Talisman a multi-racial Reggae Band who provided the labels second single and first UK Indie Chart hit (#17). Dole Age also became Single of the Week and the 1981 Record Sleeve of the Year in the NME. Nine singles were released in total, including "Work/Don't Wake The Baby" by Electric Guitars.
  • Resurrection Records: Short-lived label that released the first single by punk band Lunatic Fringe in 1981.
  • Riot City Records: Set up in 1980 by Simon Edwards of Heartbeat Productions along with Dave Bateman and Shane Baldwin from the band Vice Squad, and distributed by the Cartel. Vice Squad's Last Rockers EP was Riot City's first release and Indie Hit, selling 22,000 copies. In its relative short lifespan the label had over 40 releases, selling nearly 250,000 records and was one of the prominent exponents of British punk music, regularly having hits in the UK Indie Chart.
  • Riot State Records: Subsidiary of Riot City Records that in 1982 released an American punk compilation album, "Hell comes to your House" (Reagan 1), licensed from Bemisbrain Records USA.

S

  • Sarah Records: Formed by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes and active between 1987 and 1995, it is best known for its recordings of twee pop. Haynes subsequently established Shinkansen Recordings in London, where many Sarah artists went on to record.
  • Saydisc Records: Parent label of Amon Ra Records and The Village Thing. Founded in 1965, and based in Badminton, Gloucestershire, it has diverse releases; from Traditional, World, Period, Exotic and Unusual recordings, through to Dialect, Folk and Meditative. 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: Bridgewater based magazine and record label.
  • Shoc Wave Records: Based in Easton, Bristol, and run by Gene Walsh. It specialised 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.
  • Silent Age Records: See Gravenhurst.
  • Shabby Cabin Records: Based on the outskirts of Bristol, specialises in folk music.
  • Sink and Stove Records: Set up by Benjamin Shillabeer and Stuart Bell in 1998 to release their own conceptual album 'The Fall Project' followed by a compilation of tracks by bands/musicians they knew. A number of the bands who originally released albums on S&S later re-released material on other labels, including: Chikinki and Gravenhurst.
  • smallPRINT Records: Label set up by Tim Kirby that specialises in edgy hip hop, folk, electronica, musique concrete, left field, and avant rock.
  • The Subway Organization: Founded in 1985 by Martin Whitehead of The Flatmates. 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 labels first release. Other artists included: The Chesterfields, Pop Will Eat Itself, Razorcuts and The Soup Dragons.
  • Sugar Shack Records: Set up in 1985 by Mike Darby, a veteran of the Bristol Music Scene. Rock influenced label with releases by Redefine, Left Side Brain and Midasuno, Its subsidiary label Bristol Archive Records is dedicated to re-releasing music and unreleased material from the Bristol area, mainly in downloadable format.
  • Swarf Finger Records: Bristol based label that has released recordings by Crescent, Experimental Pop Band and The Blue Aeroplanes.

T

  • The Record Press: An imprint of Bristol Folk Publications that concentrates on publishing record label discographies (including one on Bristolian labels, Saydisc and Village Thing), one of which included a CD of railway sounds.
  • Three Stripe Records: Released the ‘Stepper's Delight’ (1992) and ‘Remember Me’ EPs by Smith & Mighty.
  • Trash City Records: Trash City was primarily set up by Heartbeat Productions in 1994 to issue 7" singles by US garage bands. It only released one record in its first year and in wasn't until 1996 and the signing of UK band Headcase, that the label issued another record. Three more singles and two albums were to eventually follow.
  • Tribe Recordings: See Danny Byrd.

V

  • The Village Thing: Folk music subsidiary of Saydisc that operated between 1970 and 1973. Records were pressed in relatively small numbers, although "The Folker" by Fred Wedlock did go onto sell around 20,000 copies.
  • Volatile Records: Own label of Post Punk/Goth band The Escape, releasing one single in 1982 "NoGo/I'll Pretend To Kill You", before signing with Phonogram/Mercury Records.

W

  • West Peto Records: Netlabel created by Luke Smith in March 2015. Rock/Pop Genre. Artists include: Selian's Daydream, Georgie Biggin, The Cheap Thrills and Chey Naish.
  • Wavelength Records: Released four singles by The Spics, Gardez Darkx, Joe Public and Colortapes before reinventing itself in 1980 as a combination magazine/record called the Bristol Recorder, which ran for 3 issues.
  • The Western Star Recording Company: Specialising in Rockabilly, Psychobilly and 50's/60's Britpop-styled music, it has been owned and run by record producer and musician Alan Wilson since 2003.

Y

See also

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