How Soon is Now?: The Madmen and Mavericks who made Independent Music 1975-2005

by King, Richard

  Another factor apart from the Internet would start to work against the independent sector; the major labels had surrendered valuable sales in a shrinking business to a sector they had not long ago dismissed. If ‘indie’ was once again popular and profitable then they needed a share in its market.

  Pete Thompson ran the distribution company Vital that handled the majority of accounts for the independents. Thompson had been at the frontline of independent distribution since his teens, having started at Red Rhino, the northern component in The Cartel. From the optimism and decentralisation of The Cartel to its chaotic bankruptcy, through to the indie-manqué of Britpop and the resurgence of guitar music in the 2000s, Thompson had witnessed the independent sector’s varying fortunes. ‘Whether it was the Strokes, the White Stripes, Bloc Party, Maximo Park, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys,’ he says, ‘they were all on independent labels. It was genuinely coming from the indies and the majors weren’t going to fucking take that lying down were they? They were going to react in exactly the way you’d expect the majors to react which is, “Don’t let the indies sign anybody.”’

  As the majors stared to sign second- and third-division guitar bands – many of whom were bedecked in either Strokes skinny jeans and ties or polo shirts with upturned collars in the style of Arctic Monkeys – a surplus of tired, functional guitar-music-by-numbers was relentlessly released and marketed as the next big thing. The results were dismissed as ‘landfill indie’, one of the most ignominious phrases to ever contain the troubled word. It was a description that accurately and wittily captured the meaningless attempts at style over content with which an endless procession of four-piece bands embarked on their often very short-term careers.

  ‘You’ve got no independent labels signing bands,’ says Thompson. ‘You’ve got majors signing a load of bands that they don’t really fucking want anyway. You’re left with an independent sector that has XL, Domino, Wichita, Rough Trade, Beggars and Warp doing their stuff, and very little else, nothing coming up.’

  By 2006 Martin Mills had celebrated nearly thirty years at the head of Beggars Banquet. His Beggars Group had a string of international offices and now counted 4AD, XL, Rough Trade and the Rough Trade East record shop in London among its concerns. Mills also chaired AIM, the Association of Independent Music, a trade body set up to defend the sector’s interests, making him something of a father figure and counsel for independence. Having weathered all the highs and lows of remaining outside the major-label music business, Mills had always maintained a pragmatic optimism about the independent sector’s future. ‘The majors are fundamentally about control,’ he says. ‘There was a period when they let enough control slip through their fingers for us to flourish, and a lot of that goes down to the control of the distribution. God bless Geoff for having been around there in the beginning and having taken control out of the hands of the majors. But you can see the majors trying to claw it back and I fear a world in which they have managed to get back into control of distribution.’

  There is also a home truth about the independent music business that is inescapable.

  ‘It’s always down to money isn’t it?’ says Mills. ‘If you’re doing this and you haven’t got money problems, then you’re doing something wrong.’

  In the concert halls and bars of the East End of London, or Williamsburg, or Berlin or any metropolitan city centre, it is hard to understand that the music business is undergoing a difficult and prolonged period of fundamental readjustment as it comes to terms with the realities of a digital future. The venues are full of bands, artists, DJs and audiences, many with a passion for and knowledge of music as strong and deep as any of their predecessors. The diminishing costs of recording and distributing music, together with an international framework and media for music of every genre, mean that, in many ways, there has never been a better time to be working in music. However, to turn these opportunities into the kind of careers (or anti-careers) enjoyed by many of the subjects of this book is becoming harder.

  ‘All bands want is to look good and be cool, and have some nice people around them whilst making as much money as possible,’ says Mark Bowen. Having worked at Creation during the years of Oasis mania, he left to start a label in his bedroom, and has the broadest possible perspective. ‘It’s a really hard thing to do. You have to choose: you can be on some kind of really small indie, or you can be on Polydor. One of them’s going to sell you tons of records and the other one’s going to be your mate, but it’s a really, really hard line to walk, one that’s almost impossible to get right. That’s why we still talk about the only ten or so labels able to do it – the Factories, the Rough Trades and a handful of others.’

  * idm stands for intelligent dance music and, possibly in tribute to its newsgroup origins, is always written in lower case.

  Select References

  Michael Bracewell, England Is Mine: Pop Life in Albion from Wilde to Goldie, HarperCollins (1997)

  Liz Farrelly, Brain-aided Design: The Designers Republic, Laurence King Publishing (2006)

  Dave Haslam, Manchester, England, Fourth Estate (2010 edition)

  Heike Munder (ed.), text by Sean Snyder, Wolfgang Tilmans, Sarah Morris and Michael Bracewell Peter Saville: Estate 1–127, JRP/Ringier (2007)

  Rick Poyner, Vaughan Oliver: Visceral Pleasures, Booth-Clibborn Editions (2000)

  Cynthia Rose, Design After Dark: The Story of Dancefloor Style, Thames & Hudson (1991)

  Jon Wozencroft, The Graphic Language of Neville Brody, vol. 1, Thames & Hudson (1988)

  Rob Young, Rough Trade: Labels Unlimited Black Dog Publishing Ltd (2006)

  Index

  A Certain Ratio (ACR), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  ‘Flight’, 1

  A Witness and the Shrubs, 1

  A&M Records, 1;

  see also Arista

  Abbey Road Studios, 1, 2

  Abbott, Tim, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

  Absolute Beginners (film), 1

  Accident (film), 1

  acid, see LSD

  acid house, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

  acid jazz, 1

  Acklam Hall, Ladbroke Grove, 1

  Acme Attractions, 1, 2

  ACR, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Adelphi Hotel, 1

  Adventure Babies, 1

  Afrika Bambaataa, 1

  Aguirre, the Wrath of God (film), 1

  AIDS, 1, 2

  Aitken, Matt, 1;

  see also Stock Aitken Waterman

  Albini, Steve, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Alive at The Living Room (Creation compilation), 1

  Alma Road (4AD), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Almond, Marc, 1

  Altered Images, 1, 2

  alternative radio, US, 1

  alternative rock, 1

  Alway, Mike: and Blanco y Negro/Travis, 1, 2;

  and Cherry Red, 1;

  and él Records, 1;

  musical taste, 1, 2;

  resigns from Blanco y Negro, 1

  Amazulu, 1

  Ames, Roger, 1, 2, 3

  Amon Düül II, 1

  amphetamines, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

  Anastasia Screamed, 1

  Anderson, Emma, 1

  Anderson, Ian, 1

  Anderson, Laurie, 1

  ‘O Superman’, 1

  Andy Warhol Diaries, 1

  Anton, Robert, 1, 2

  Antony and the Johnsons, 1

  Aphex Twin, 1

  AR Kane, 1

  Lolita EP, 1

  ‘When You’re Sad’, 1

  Arbus, Diane, 1

  Arctic Monkeys, 1, 2;

  and MySpace/Internet, 1;

  sign to Domino, 1

  Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, 1;

  ‘Fake Tales of San Francisco’, 1

  Ardent Records, 1

  Arista Records, 1, 2

  Artificial Intelligence (Warp series), 1, 2

  Ashley, Laura, 1

  Association of Independent Music (AIM), 1
r />   Astley, Rick, 1

  Aston, Martin, (journalist), 1

  Astor, Pete, 1

  Atencio, Tom, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Atlantic Records, 1

  Au Pairs, 1

  Augustus Pablo, 1

  Aunt Twacky’s, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Austin, Mo, 1, 2

  Austin, Nick, 1

  Auteurs, 1

  Axelrod, David, 1

  Axis Records, 1

  Ayuli, 1

  Aztec Camera, 1, 2, 3

  ‘Just Like Gold’, 1;

  ‘Mattress of Wire’, 1

  B.A.L.L., 1

  Babyshambles, 1, 2

  Back Door to Babylon, The (Camden), 1, 2

  Backs (Norwich distributor), 1

  Bad Dream Fancy Dress, 1

  Choirboy Gas, 1

  ‘Leigh–Sea’, 1;

  ‘The Supremes’, 1;

  Badly Drawn Boy, 1

  Baker, Anita, 1

  Rapture, 1

  Baker, Arthur, 1

  Balearic, 1, 2

  Balfe, Dave, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Balham, Ed, 1

  Ball, David, 1

  Ball, Ed, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Bam Caruso Records, 1

  Bananarama, 1

  Barker, Dave (Fire/Glass), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

  Barlow, Lou, 1

  Barney Bubbles, 1

  Barrett, Jeff (Heavenly), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Bataan, Joe, 1

  Bates, Dave, 1

  Bauhaus, 1, 2, 3, 4

  ‘Dark Entries’, 1

  ‘Telegram Sam’, 1

  Bay 63, Ladbroke Grove, 1, 2, 3

  Bearsden Academy, 1, 2

  Beatles, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1

  ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’/‘Penny Lane’, 1;

  Beatmasters, 1

  ‘Rock Da House’, 1

  Beck Road, Hackney, 1

  Beckett, Larry, 1

  Beckett, Steve (Warp), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Bedford, Dave, 1, 2

  Beggars Banquet Records, 1, 2, 3, 4;

  formation, 1;

  and 4AD, 1

  Beggars Group, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Bell, Laurence, 1, 2, 3, 4;

  and Arctic Monkeys, 1;

  founds Domino, 1

  Belly, 1

  Benitez, Jellybean, 1, 2

  Bennett, Alan, 1

  Benny Hill, 1

  Berlin, 1, 2, 3

  Berry, Andrew, 1

  Berry, Heidi, 1

  Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG), 1

  Bessy, Claude, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5;

  moves to Factory, 1

  Bethnal Green, 1, 2

  Bickers, Terry, 1

  Biff Bang Pow, 1, 2, 3

  The Acid House Album, 1

  Big Black, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Atomizer, 1;

  Headache EP, 1;

  Songs about Fucking, 1;

  The Sound of Impact, 1

  Big Chill, The (film), 1

  Big Flame, 1, 2

  Big in Japan, 1, 2

  Big Life (record label), 1, 2

  Big Star, 1, 2, 3, 4

  ‘September Gurls’, 1

  Bikini Kill

  Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah/Our Troubled Youth, 1

  Billboard, 1, 2, 3

  Birkett, Derek, 1

  Birmingham, 1

  Birthday Party, 1, 2, 3, 4;

  in Berlin, 1

  ‘The Friend Catcher’, 1

  Black Dog Productions, 1, 2

  Bytes, 1

  Black Flag, 1

  Black Francis (Pixies), 1, 2, 3

  Black Grape, 1

  It’s Great When You’re Straight, Yeah, 1

  Black Horse, Camden, 1

  Black Uhuru, 1

  Blackwing Studios, 1, 2, 3

  Blake, Norman, 1

  Blancmange, 1

  Blanco y Negro Records, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11;

  formation, 1

  Blast First, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8;

  formation, 1;

  Nothing Short of Total War (compilation), 1;

  and Rough Trade, 1, 2;

  work ethic, 1, 2;

  see also Big Black; Butthole Surfers; Dinosaur Jr; Mekons; Sonic Youth

  Blenheim Crescent (Rough Trade), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

  Bloc Party, 1, 2

  Blood and Fire, 1

  Bloom, Louis, 1

  Blue Aeroplanes, 1

  Blue Guitar (Chrysalis sublabel), 1

  Bluebells, 1, 2

  Bluetones, 1

  Blur, 1, 2, 3

  Blur, 1

  Parklife, 1

  BMG, 1

  BMX Bandits, 1

  Boards of Canada

  Music Has the Right to Children, 1

  Bodines, 1

  Bogshed, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Bolshy (fanzine), 1

  Bolton, Institute of Technology, 1, 2

  Bomb the Bass, ‘Beat Dis’, 1

  Bon Jovi, 1

  Bonzo Dog Doo–Dah Band, 1, 2

  Boo Radleys, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Giant Steps, 1

  ‘Lazarus’, 1

  Boon, Richard, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

  and Bolshy (fanzine), 1;

  and Rough Trade, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6;

  and Saville, 1;

  and The Smiths, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6;

  and Spiral Scratch EP, 1;

  and Wilson, 1

  Booth, Stanley, 1

  Boulton, Rebecca, 1, 2, 3

  Bourdain, Guy, 1

  Bourgie Bourgie, 1

  ‘Careless’, 1

  Bovell, Dennis, 1

  Bowen, Mark (Wichita), 1, 2, 3, 4

  Bowie, Angie, 1

  Bowie, David, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

  Diamond Dogs (US tour), 1;

  ‘Berlin trilogy’ with Eno, 1

  ‘Heroes’, 1

  Boy Hairdressers, 1

  Boy’s Own, 1

  Boyd, Dave (Hut), 1

  BPI, 1

  Bradfield, James, 1

  Bragg, Melvyn, 1

  Branca, Glenn, 1

  Branson, Richard, 1, 2, 3

  Braun, Eva, 1

  Brautigan, Richard, 1

  Brave New World, 1

  Breeders, 1

  Brel, Jacques, 1

  Brideshead Revisited, 1

  Bridget St John, 1

  Bright Eyes, 1

  Brill Building (NY), 1, 2, 3

  Brilliant, 1

  Brilleaux, Lee, 1

  Brit Awards, KLF at, 1

  Britannia Hotel (Manchester), 1

  British Electric Foundation, 1

  Music of Quality and Distinction, 1

  Britpop, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

  Brit Awards, 1

  Brixton Academy, 1, 2

  Brixton Ace, 1

  Broadcast, 1

  Brody, Neville, 1, 2

  Broken Glass, 1, 2

  Bronski Beat, 1

  Broudie, Ian, 1

  Buckley, Tim, 1, 2

  Budgie (Peter Clarke), 1

  Burn, Russell, 1

  Burns, Pete, 1

  Burns, Robert, 1

  Burroughs, William, 1

  Bush Tetras, 1

  Butcher, Bilinda, 1;

  see also My Bloody Valentine

  Butt, Bill, 1

  Butthole Surfers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6;

  Capitol contract, 1;

  on tour 1

  Hairway to Steven, 1

  Locust Abortion Technician, 1

  Buzz Bin (MTV), 1

  Buzzcocks, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

  formation, 1;

  sign to United Artists, 1

  Spiral Scratch EP, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

  Byrds, 1, 2, 3

  Byres Road, Glasgow, 1

  Byrne, David, 1

  C81 (NME compilation), 1

  C86 (NME compilation), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

  Cabaret Voltaire, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

  Cadallaca, 1 />
  Cage, Nicolas, 1

  Cale, John, 1, 2

  Callahan, Bill, 1

  Calloman, Cally, 1, 2, 3, 4

  Camden, London, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6;

  Camden Falcon, 1, 2;

  Lurch scene, 1, 2

  Cameo, 1

  Cameron, Duncan, 1, 2

  Camley Street, Islington (Rough Trade warehouse), 1, 2

  Campbell, Ken, 1

  Camper Van Beethoven, 1

  Can, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

  cannabis, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

  Canning, Cerne, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

  and ‘the Week of Wonders’, 1

  Capote, Truman, 1

  Captain Beefheart, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

  Cargo Studios, 1

  Carpenter, John, 1

  Carr, Martin, 1

  Carroll, Cath, 1, 2, 3, 4;

  see also Miaow!

  Carroll, Kay, 1

  Carroll, Lewis, 1

  Carroll, Pat, 1

  Cartel, The, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

  Carter, Chris, 1

  Casey, Jayne, 1

  Cast, 1

  Cat Call (record label), 1

  Catalogue, The, 1, 2, 3