Gut Records
Encyclopedia
The Gut Group was an independent record label
, based in Maida Vale
in London
, in the United Kingdom
.
Formally introduced in 1991, Gut Recordings was founded by Guy Holmes, who had been Head of Promotions at Island Records
. Under his expertise, the fledgling company quickly became one of the UK's leading independent record labels with multi-million selling albums and singles from artists like Tom Jones
, Right Said Fred
, Aswad
, Jimmy Sommerville as well as, more recently, Uniting Nations
and The Crazy Frog
. The label released a diverse range of music from pop through to indie/rock and dance. The first single released, Right Said Fred's song, "I'm Too Sexy
", become a massive worldwide hit, reaching Number One in twenty-eight countries, including the United States, where it spent three weeks at Number One. The band was hailed as “The world's latest and greatest pop phenomenon,” by Melody Maker
magazine, and “The best pop group for years,” by The Face
magazine. The single went on to sell seven million copies, and their debut album Up, became a worldwide hit, reaching Number One in the UK, it made the Top Five in over twenty countries and selling in excess of four million copies worldwide. The group also earned the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for “Most Played Song” in 1992 and 1993.
The trio of labels continued to successfully release albums and singles worldwide, achieving millions of sales for artists including Sparks
, Hello Young Lovers
and Tears for Fears
in the European Union
. During August 2008, the company was sold to Phoenix Music International Ltd.
Founder and Chairman of Gut Records, Guy Holmes was chosen as CEO of Two Seas Records, a newly born record label founded by the Prince of Bahrain
, which was to release Michael Jackson
's comeback album, a stage show and his autobiography.
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, based in Maida Vale
Maida Vale
Maida Vale is a residential district in West London between St John's Wood and Kilburn. It is part of the City of Westminster. The area is mostly residential, and mainly affluent, consisting of many large late Victorian and Edwardian blocks of mansion flats...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Formally introduced in 1991, Gut Recordings was founded by Guy Holmes, who had been Head of Promotions at Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
. Under his expertise, the fledgling company quickly became one of the UK's leading independent record labels with multi-million selling albums and singles from artists like Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Right Said Fred
Right Said Fred
Right Said Fred is an English pop band, formed in 1989 by brothers Richard Fairbrass and Fred Fairbrass, later joined by their friend Rob Manzoli. The group is named after a song of the same name which was a hit for Bernard Cribbins in 1962...
, Aswad
Aswad
Aswad are a long-lasting British reggae group, noted for adding strong R&B and soul influences to the reggae sound. They have been performing since the mid 1970s, having released a total of twenty-one albums.-History:...
, Jimmy Sommerville as well as, more recently, Uniting Nations
Uniting Nations
Uniting Nations are a British dance act who formed in 2004. The act achieved chart success across Europe. It was composed of Paul Keenan and Daz Sampson with Jinian Wilde on vocals for "Out of Touch", "You and Me" & 11 of the 12 tracks on the One World album . Craig Powell was the frontman of the...
and The Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog, originally known as Adam King, is a computer-animated character created in 2003 by Erik Wernquist. Marketed by the ringtone provider Jamba!, the animation was originally created to accompany a sound effect produced by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997 while attempting to imitate the sound of a...
. The label released a diverse range of music from pop through to indie/rock and dance. The first single released, Right Said Fred's song, "I'm Too Sexy
I'm Too Sexy
"I'm Too Sexy" is a song by English trio Right Said Fred from their album Up. The single topped the American charts for three weeks in early 1992, after having peaked at number two in Britain less than six months earlier....
", become a massive worldwide hit, reaching Number One in twenty-eight countries, including the United States, where it spent three weeks at Number One. The band was hailed as “The world's latest and greatest pop phenomenon,” by Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
magazine, and “The best pop group for years,” by The Face
The Face (magazine)
The Face was a British music, fashion and culture monthly magazine started in May 1980 by Nick Logan.-1980s:Logan had previously created the teen pop magazine Smash Hits, and had been an editor at the New Musical Express in the 1970s before launching The Face in 1980.The magazine was influential in...
magazine. The single went on to sell seven million copies, and their debut album Up, became a worldwide hit, reaching Number One in the UK, it made the Top Five in over twenty countries and selling in excess of four million copies worldwide. The group also earned the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for “Most Played Song” in 1992 and 1993.
The trio of labels continued to successfully release albums and singles worldwide, achieving millions of sales for artists including Sparks
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
, Hello Young Lovers
Hello Young Lovers (album)
Hello Young Lovers is the twentieth album by Sparks. It is a concept album which addresses aspects of modern love.-Release:Hello Young Lovers was commercially more popular than any Sparks album since the nineteen-seventies, and it reached #66 on the UK Album Chart. The album did not chart in the US...
and Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. During August 2008, the company was sold to Phoenix Music International Ltd.
Founder and Chairman of Gut Records, Guy Holmes was chosen as CEO of Two Seas Records, a newly born record label founded by the Prince of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, which was to release Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's comeback album, a stage show and his autobiography.
Former labels under the Gut Group
- Bubblin' (for AswadAswadAswad are a long-lasting British reggae group, noted for adding strong R&B and soul influences to the reggae sound. They have been performing since the mid 1970s, having released a total of twenty-one albums.-History:...
releases) - Hug Records (for Stan - Suntan only)