The English city of Bristol has, since the mid-1970s, had a fertile music culture, resulting in not only influential musicians and bands, but also its own sound, Bristol sound or trip hop. Along with the music, a number of local record labels also developed, some receiving national and international attention, others with a smaller audience appeal. In the 1970s, there was a DIY culture of record production and the independent record label came to prominence. One of the most successful at that time was Virgin Records started in 1972. Chiswick Records, Stiff Records, Rough Trade Records and Factory Records followed. By the later part of the decade, Virgin had become a part of the music business establishment, and new independent record labels began appearing in virtually every British town and city: Bristol was no exception.
One of the first Bristol punk bands, The Cortinas released its first single on Miles Copeland's Step Forward Records in 1977, eventually moving on to CBS before disbanding. Copeland also released, in 1977, The Pigs' "Youthanasia EP" on his newly formed New Bristol Records. The explosion in punk/new wave bands forming in the area did not attract interest from the major London-based record labels, so local labels sprung up to release recordings from these groups. Amongst the first, and initially more successful, were Heartbeat Records, Fried Egg Records, Recreational Records and Riot City Records (a Heartbeat subsidiary). Others with more modest success were Wavelength Records (although its subsidiary Bristol Recorder, did achieve some popularity), Circle Records and Sheep Worrying. Some bands set up their own labels: Black Roots (Nubian Records) and Essential Bop (Monopause Records). Yet other labels, although not based in Bristol, had a strong representation of bands from the area: Y Records, Rialto Records and Naïve Records.
After the initial burst of activity in the post-punk/new wave era, most of the labels folded (although Heartbeat, or one of its subsidiaries, still brings out the occasional release). Riot City came under the influence of EMI after it signed Vice Squad, and last released a record in 1988. Meanwhile, The Blue Aeroplanes released their first LP on Party Records in 1984, and there was some short-lived output from Children of the Revolution Records (COR), until a new generation of record labels was spawned from the trip hop movement. Exceptions to this were the rock label Sugar Shack Records, the indie pop of Sarah Records and the C86 sounds of The Subway Organization.
There are still a number of record labels operating in Bristol, but it is ironic that one of the most prolific is Bristol Archive Records, which specializes in unreleased tracks and re-releasing recordings (mainly for download) from the punk/new wave era of Bristol record labels, 1977–1981, and later.
Listed below are a number of Bristol (and surrounding areas, including North Somerset, Bath & North East Somerset, Western Wiltshire, and South Gloucestershire) record labels that, due to their short lifespan, few releases or poor distribution, may have received limited national or international attention:.
0–9 3tone Records: Launched in 2016 by live productions partners Dean Roberts and Christoffer Borud, having previously worked with notable artists such as John Newman, Amy Winehouse, Jason Derulo, Echo and the Bunnymen and Queens of the Stone Age. 3D Records: The own label of the Bath band Neon formed by Rob Fisher and Pete Byrne in 1979. It issued their first single "Making Waves/Me I See in You" in October 1980. The duo later found success with EMI as Naked Eyes.
A Amon Ra Records: Classical label of parent Saydisc, based in Badminton, Gloucestershire. “Amon Ra pioneered the recording of authentic performances on original instruments from the late 1970s and has built up a catalogue and reputation for quality and innovation in this field.” Classics Online
B Barrow Road Records: Barrow Road Records was established in 2012 to release Patchy's debut album "Barrow Road". The name is taken from the road on which the offices are situated on and the road sign also features as the album cover for the band's release. Bicycle Records: Record label formed by Jane Taylor a Bristol-based guitarist, pianist, songwriter and vocalist. It is distributed by Pinnacle. Taylor won the UK and International Songwriting Competition in 2003 with her song "Blowing This Candle Out". Breakfast Records: An independent publishing label established in 2016 specialising in releasing punk, indie and folk records. Bristol Archive Records: Subsidiary of Sugar Shack Records, set up in 2008 and specializing in unreleased tracks and re-releasing recordings (mainly for download) by Bristol bands such as Creature Beat, from 1976 onwards. According to Mike Darby, the label owner, “Bristol Archive Records was officially launched this year 2008 as a vehicle to talk about and remember Bristol's forgotten stars, those people that should have, could have or probably had no chance of fame and Global domination, but had a go, made some great music, went to the gigs, helped make the records, bought the records or just had great fun growing up in this ace city of ours.” Bristol Beat: Released a cassette tape of Bristol Bands playing live at the Stonehouse. Bristol Recorder: Innovative subsidiary label of Wavelength Records, that produced three issues of a combination LP/magazine, before folding. Bristol Recorder 1 included live tracks from Electric Guitars, Circus Circus, Various Artists and Joe Public. Recorder 2 had live tracks from Peter Gabriel (including "Ain't That Peculiar"), Fish Food, The Radicals, The X-Certs and The Welders (otherwise known as The Korgis). Recorder 3 had tracks from P.B. Davies (of Crystal Theatre/Shoes For Industry), Essential Bop, Robert Fripp, Ekome Dance Company, and Thompson Twins.
Cat No. Artist Title Date Configuration BR 001 Various Bristol Recorder 1 1980 LP/Magazine BR 002 Various Bristol Recorder 2 1981 LP/Magazine BR 003 Various Bristol Recorder 3 1981 LP/Magazine
C Circus Records: Commercial label (distributed by Pinnacle) that produced six singles and a compilation LP in 1981, before closing. The LP, The Circus Comes To Town (TENT 0001), included tracks from Rimshots, Black Roots, Treatment, Alarm Clox, Gold, Riz Wah Wah, Steve Booton & Pat Jones, The Dangerous Brothers, Forty Blue Fingers, Info-Mania, Kevin McFadden, and The Bite.
Cat No. Artist Title Date Configuration CIRC 0001 Bohana Mouse Band F/Seven C's 1981 12” single CIRC 0002 The Source Like a Child/? 1981 7” single CIRC 0003 The Stingrays Never do/Satellites 1981 7” single CIRC 0004 Bendall's Box Nightmares/Games Today 1981 7” single CIRC 0005 Sky High Ghettos of your own kind/Part 2 1981 7” single CIRC 0006 Slim Bridges And The Wildflowers Rocking Goose/Mole At The Circus 1981 7” single TENT 0001 Various The Circus Comes To Town 1981 LP Clean Cut Records: See Bronnt Industries Kapital. Children of the Revolution Records: More often known as COR, was a label specializing in punk, hardcore and thrash. Cup of Tea Records: See Monk & Canatella. Circus City: Established in 2013 Circus City operate as a fully established record label and publishing company.
D Death or Glory (Promotions) Label launched in 2011. Releases to date- Criminal Mind "Debut Album", Radio Nasties "EP's 1 + 2" (Ltd editions of 250, Vinyl Only) Blatoidea "Infected" Album (released by a conglomerate of labels), and Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons "Dirty Rock 'n' Roll" (Vinyl only Ltd edition of 300). Disciple Records: British-American Bass music, Dubstep, and Riddim record label. Disorder Records: The hardcore noise band Disorder launched their own label in 1981 with Heartbeat Records boss Simon Edwards, after Riot City Records declined to sign them. Over a period of 3 years they released three 7-inch EP's and one 12-inch EP, before moving on to local anarchist label Children of the Revolution Records. A final 12-inch EP, The Singles Collection, was released in 1984.
F Flightcase Recordings: Founded in 2008, Flightcase is a small independent label currently looking after the catalogue and new releases of the Bristol dance/DnB troupe and producer Dr Meaker. The first long player release was the album A Lesson From The Speaker. The label has gained exposure via Radio 1, 1xtra, 6Music and XFM, as well as print articles in Clash, Venue, Knowledge, Word magazine and others. Flightcase is distributed by Absolute Marketing and Distribution (AMD) and is run from the Easton area of Bristol. FMR - Forbidden Musical Rites: See Website. Float Records: See Bronnt Industries Kapital. Fried Egg Records: Founded in 1979 by Andy Leighton, administrator of the Bristol-based Crystal Theatre. The initial release was a single by the Theatres band Shoes For Industry, and in its short lifespan it did produce records by several other notable Bristol groups: Art Objects (later to metamorphose into The Blue Aeroplanes), Electric Guitars (later signed, then dumped, by Stiff Records), The Fans (apparently still gigging in Japan), The Stingrays (now gigging out of Wales) and Various Artists (who were also part of Art Objects). FSA Records: Set up in 1992 by Heartbeat Productions for the recently formed Bristol band Flying Saucer Attack. Their first single in 1992 had several limited editions, each with part home made sleeves of differing designs. The first album in 1993 was self-titled, but is sometimes referred to as "Rural Psychedelia". After their third single in 1994 the band joined Domino Records, however, in 1999 they returned to FSA Records issuing the LP "Mirror", before finally disbanding. Full Cycle Recordings: Set up in 1993 and run by Daniel Kausman (DJ Die), Paul Southey (DJ Suv), Keith Thompson (DJ Krust) and Ryan Williams (Roni Size) since 1993, they specialize in drum and bass.
G Glasstone Records: See Evita. Green Goat Productions: Taking its name from the Green Goat Café (an old family business) the label currently produces material by Steve Bush (ex-Essential Bop) and Fran Fey. Its first CD Row of Ashes was released in 2008. Green Goat website Ghetto Funk Records GhostOfRecords
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-inch 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.