GWR Records was an independent record label active in the UK from 1986 through to 1991.
By 1984, Gerry Bron's Bronze Records was in financial difficulty leading to a hiatus in recording activity for Motörhead. Eventually, Motörhead managers Douglas Smith and Dave Simmons bought the band out of its contract and Bron subsequently sold the Bronze Records rights onto Legacy Records owner Ray Richards.
Richards then contacted Smith with a proposal for a joint venture to release new product by Motörhead, leading to the formation of GWR Records (named after Smith's business address of 15 Great Western Road). In addition to Motörhead, the label mainly released product by acts associated with Smith, such as Girlschool, Fastway, Hawkwind, Tank, Atomgods and Anti-Nowhere League, and bands from the thrash metal scene.
By 1992, Smith had been ousted as a managing director of the company and the label's catalogue was absorbed into Castle Communications, which later became part of Sanctuary Records Group.
Albums GWS1 – Hawkwind – Live Chronicles – 1986 GWRGBS1 – Various Artists – Bristol Custom Bike Show – 1986 GWLP1 – Motörhead – Orgasmatron – 1986 GWLP2 – Girlschool – Nightmare at Maple Cross – 1986 GWLP3 – Jon Mikl Thor – Recruits – Wild In the Streets – 1986 GWLP4 – Motörhead – Overkill – re-issue 1986 GWLP5 – Motörhead – Bomber – re-issue 1986 GWLP6 – Motörhead – Ace of Spades – re-issue 1986 GWLP7 – Motörhead – No Sleep 'til Hammersmith – re-issue 1986 GWLP8 – Wendy O. Williams – Maggots: The Record – licensed 1987 GWLP9 – Cro-Mags – The Age of Quarrel – licensed 1987 GWLP10 – Sword – Metalized – licensed 1987 GWLP11 – GWLP12 – Anti-Nowhere League – Perfect Crime – 1987 GWLP13 – Tritonz – The Edge Of Hell – 1987 GWLP14 – Motörhead – Rock 'n' Roll – 1987 GWLP15 – Living Death - Protected from Reality - licensed 1987 GWLP16 – Holy Moses - Queen of Siam - licensed 1987 GWLP17 – Mekong Delta – Mekong Delta – licensed 1987 GWLP18 – GWLP19 – Holy Moses - Finished with the Dogs - licensed 1987 GWLP20 – Last Descendants – One Nation Under God – licensed 1988 GWLP21 – Girlschool – Take a Bite – 1988 GWLP22 – Fastway – On Target – 1988 GWLP23 – Tank – Tank – 1988 GWLP24 – King Kurt – The Last Will & Testicle – 1988 GWLP25 – Mekong Delta – The Music of Erich Zann – licensed 1988 GWLP26 – Hawkwind – The Xenon Codex – 1988 GWLP27 – Lloyd Langton Group – Time Space and LLG – 1988 GWLP28 – Batfish – Batfish Brew – 1988 GWLP29 – Texas Instruments – Texas Instruments – 1988 GWLP30 – Atomgods – WOW! – 1988 GWLP31 – Motörhead – No Sleep at All – 1988 GWLP32 – Andrea Black - Andrea Black - 1988 GWLP33 – Deathwish – Demon Preacher – 1988 GWLP34 – GWLP35 – Killer Dwarfs - Killer Dwarfs - licensed 1988 GWLP36 – Miss Daisy – Pizza Connection – 1989 GWLP37 – Elvis Hitler – Disgraceland – 1989 GWLP38 – The Pandoras - Rock Hard – licensed 1989 GWLP39 – The Vandals - Slippery When Ill - licensed 1989 GWLP41 – Mass – Take You Home – licensed 1989 GWLP42 – Num Skull – Ritually Abused – licensed 1989 GWLP43 – Social Distortion – Prison Bound – 1989 GWLP44 – Wasted Youth – Black Daze – licensed 1989 GWLP45 – Sword – Sweet Dreams – licensed 1989 GWLP46 – Pajama Slave Dancers - Blood, Sweat and Beers - licensed 1989 GWLP47 – Sacriliege BC – Too Cool to Pray – licensed 1989 GWLP48 – SGM – Aggression – licensed 1989 GWLP49 – 7 Seconds - Ourselves - licensed 1989 GWLP50 – Personal Effects – Mana Fiesta – licensed 1989 GWLP51 – GWLP52 – T.S.O.L. - Beneath the Shadows - reissue 1989 GWLP53 – Ronnie Montrose – The Speed of Sound – 1989 GWLP101 – Motörhead – The Birthday Party - 1990 GWLP102 – Helix – Back for Another Taste – 1990 GWLP103 – Hawkwind – Space Bandits – 1990 GWLP104 – Hawkwind – Palace Springs – 1991 GWLP??? – Atomgod – History Re-Written – 1991
Singles GWR1 – Girlschool – "I'm the Leader of the Gang" / "Never Too Late" – 1986 GWR2 – Motörhead – "Deaf Forever" / "On the Road" (live) / 12" only: "Steal Your Face" (live) – 1986 GWR3 – Jon Mikl Thor – "Wild in the Streets" – 1986 GWR4 – Würzel – "Bess" / "Midnight in London" / "People Say I'm Crazy" / "E.S.P." – 1987 GWR5 – GWR6 – Motörhead – "Eat the Rich" / "Cradle to the Grave" / 12" only: "Just 'Cos You Got the Power" – 1987 GWR7 – Batfish Boys – "Bomb Song" – 1987 GWR8 – Fastway – "A Fine Line" – 1988 GWR9 – The Kurts – "Bye Bye Baby" / "Prussian Stomp" – 1988 GWR10 – GWR11 – GWR12 – Tokyo – "Listen to Your Heartbeat" / "Satisfaction Guaranteed" / "Sixteen" – 1988 GWR13 – GWR14 – GWR15 – Motörhead – "Ace of Spades" (live) / "Dogs" (live) / "Traitor" (live) (Withdrawn) – 1988
See also List of record labels
References
External links