GREAT LABELS OF THE UNDERGROUND: ROUGH TRADE RECORDS
A couple days ago, I did a list of music form the SST label, the legendary west coast record label that had a huge hand in launching the American underground. Today, I thought I would give equal time to a legendary UK label, Rough Trade. If your a post-punk fan, then your aware of Rough Trade. But it also had a huge hand in the American underground scene as well, and was the home of one of my favorite 80’s act, Camper Van Beethoven, as well as one of the legends of Northeast Ohio, Pere Ubu. What I didn’t know, until I read more about them, was that despite the stellar talent in their stable, they actually went bankrupt in 1991, and after 9 years, came back just as strong.
Rough Trade started in 1978, and within a few years had the likes of Pere Ubu, Camper Van Beethoven, Blue Orchids, The Butthole Surfers, Galaxie 500, The Smiths, Scritti Politti, Beat Happening, the Feelies, and many more bands that today are considered mainstays of the 80’s post-punk and underground scenes. After coming back in 2000, they signed the likes of The Strokes, The Libertines, Babyshambles, Albert Hammond, Jr. and Arcade Fire. Not a bad lineup, if you ask me. So, enjoy the list! There are so many bands I left off here, I’ll definitely have to have a second volume.
- Aztec Camera – Somewhere In My Heart
- British Sea Power – Please Stand Up
- Butthole Surfers – American Woman
- Camper Van Beethoven – Wasted
- Dream Syndicate – That’s What You Always Say
- LiLiPUT – Split
- Mazzy Star – Hair and Skin
- Pulp – Underwear
- Stiff Little Fingers – Suspect Device
- The Bats – Afternoon In Bed
- The Fall – Hilary
- The Feelies – Paint it Black
- The Go-Betweens – Cattle and Cane
- The Strokes – New York City Cops
- They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse In Your Soul
March 21st, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Thanks mate, you’ve allowed me listen to some of the sounds from my distant past, and give some new stuff a turn.
One of the best places on the ‘net, well done.