Northern Star Records
Encyclopedia
Northern Star Records is a UK based record label
founded by Scott Causer and Andy Oliver in 2005. The label launched in March 2006 with their first release, the double CD compilation Psychedelica Vol. 1. The release soon gained cult status
and was praised by Billboard
for bringing the genre
into the mainstream, as the label was increasing viewed as being the leading pioneers of the third wave of psychedelia.
Psychedelica Vol: 1 featured high profile bands such as The Electric Prunes
, The Brian Jonestown Massacre
, Silver Apples, The Fuzztones
and The Telescopes
and introduced the world to The Black Angels, The Dolly Rocker Movement
, The Lovetones
, The Stevenson Ranch Davidians and The Electric Mainline.
Psychedelica Vol: 2 followed in March 2007 and featured a whole host of brand new bands including The Quarter After, The People’s Revolutionary Choir, Mainline (now The Brothers Movement), The Asteroid #4, Sunsplit, Voices, Hopewell, Air Cav and The Soft Hearted Scientists.
2008 was a landmark year for the label. In February Andy Oliver left to pursue his own interests which left Scott Causer take the label forward and in a new direction. A raucous show at London Notting Hills Arts Club featuring Northern Star mainstays The Nova Saints, Say and Satsangi and the first ever UK gig of Italian band The Zen Circus hinted at the future direction of the label and kept the flame burning.
Psychedelica Three did not emerge till November 2008 but when it did it arrived with a bang. The album largely featured underground acts but did include cameo appearances from the likes of Kim and Kelley Deal (from The Pixies and The Breeders) and Brian Ritchie (from The Violent Femmes) on The Zen Circus’ contribution. The album also featured The Electric Soft Parade, a remix by Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom and an exclusive from longtime John Foxx collaborator Louis Gordon. The album was a massive success and brought bands such as The Lea Shores
, The Nova Saints
, The High Dials, Youngteam, The December Sound, God Is An Astronaut, Sennen, Their Hearts Were Full of Spring and Hush The Many (Heed The Few) to further prominence. A packed out launch show featuring The Arrows of Love, The Nova Saints, Aspen Woods and Youngteam played out at Notting Hill Arts Club’s RoTa to a rapturous audience.
Tracks from the Psychedelica series have been aired on numerous radio shows around the world and have been played by prominent DJs such as Bob Harris, Tom Robinson, Adam Walton and Huw Stephens on their BBC shows. The albums have also been subject of great critical acclaim garnering almost universal rave reviews from the likes of NME, Drowned In Sound, The Sunday Times, The Independent, Mojo, The Word, Uncut, Reverb, Clash Magazine, Billboard, Slurp, Rumore and many more.
The label’s promise to break through into the mainstream took several steps forward with 2009’s ‘Revolution In Sound’ which brought a whole new audience to Northern Star. The album featured what was claimed to be some of the most exciting independent bands on the planet. The album saw Northern Star mainstays The Nova Saints, The December Sound, The Voices, The Electric Mainline and Youngteam appear alongside a whole new set of bands new to Northern Star such as The Manhattan Love Suicides, Laboratory Noise, Delicasession, Kontakte and Punk TV. The promotion of Revolution In Sound saw a riotious show at Sound of Confusion in Birmingham featuring Mint Ive, Kontakte and The Nova Saints followed by the London launch with Insect Guide and Laboratory Noise.
An announcement was made in May 2010 that The Nova Saints had signed to Northern Star and that the release of the latest instalment of the Psychedelica series –Psychedelica 4 was imminent which is to feature a diverse selection of psych luminaries such as Singapore Sling, The See See, Hopewell, The Medicine, Arrows of Love, Nelson Bragg from The Brian Wilson Band, Daniel Land & the Modern Painters, Spotlight Kid, Eat Lights Become Lights, 93MillionMilesFromThe Sun and Joensuu 1685.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded by Scott Causer and Andy Oliver in 2005. The label launched in March 2006 with their first release, the double CD compilation Psychedelica Vol. 1. The release soon gained cult status
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
and was praised by Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
for bringing the genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
into the mainstream, as the label was increasing viewed as being the leading pioneers of the third wave of psychedelia.
Psychedelica Vol: 1 featured high profile bands such as The Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes are an American rock band who first achieved international attention as an experimental psychedelic group in the late 1960s. Their song "Kyrie Eleison" was featured on the soundtrack of Easy Rider...
, The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American eclectic musical group led by Anton Newcombe, whose music spans multiple genres including psychedelia, electronica, folk music, blues, experimental music, and many others....
, Silver Apples, The Fuzztones
The Fuzztones
The Fuzztones are a garage rock revival band formed in 1980. Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi Protrudi The Fuzztones are a garage rock revival band formed in 1980. Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi Protrudi The Fuzztones are a garage rock revival band formed in 1980. Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi...
and The Telescopes
The Telescopes
The Telescopes were formed in 1987 by Stephen Lawrie and could best be described as a noise/space rock band - the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3 being influences and contemporaries.-History:...
and introduced the world to The Black Angels, The Dolly Rocker Movement
The Dolly Rocker Movement
The Dolly Rocker Movement is a neo-psychedelic rock band formerly based in Sydney, Australia, but now based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2002 by singer and guitarist Daniel Poulter, the Australian line-up includes Poulter, Ricky Drabsch , Martin Walters and Christopher Rudge...
, The Lovetones
The Lovetones
The Lovetones are an Australian psychedelic rock band with members:*Matthew J. Tow *Matthew Sigley *Serge Luca *Chris Cobb...
, The Stevenson Ranch Davidians and The Electric Mainline.
Psychedelica Vol: 2 followed in March 2007 and featured a whole host of brand new bands including The Quarter After, The People’s Revolutionary Choir, Mainline (now The Brothers Movement), The Asteroid #4, Sunsplit, Voices, Hopewell, Air Cav and The Soft Hearted Scientists.
2008 was a landmark year for the label. In February Andy Oliver left to pursue his own interests which left Scott Causer take the label forward and in a new direction. A raucous show at London Notting Hills Arts Club featuring Northern Star mainstays The Nova Saints, Say and Satsangi and the first ever UK gig of Italian band The Zen Circus hinted at the future direction of the label and kept the flame burning.
Psychedelica Three did not emerge till November 2008 but when it did it arrived with a bang. The album largely featured underground acts but did include cameo appearances from the likes of Kim and Kelley Deal (from The Pixies and The Breeders) and Brian Ritchie (from The Violent Femmes) on The Zen Circus’ contribution. The album also featured The Electric Soft Parade, a remix by Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom and an exclusive from longtime John Foxx collaborator Louis Gordon. The album was a massive success and brought bands such as The Lea Shores
The Lea Shores
-History:The Lea Shores formed in 2005. Their name was taken from a song written by David Crosby for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, called "The Lee Shore", which is a nautical term for a sheltered shoreline...
, The Nova Saints
The Nova Saints
The Nova Saints are a Bristol-based band whose musical style is most commonly referred to as 'shoegazing' and 'psychedelic'.The band are currently recording their debut album, scheduled for a 2011 release.-Spencer :...
, The High Dials, Youngteam, The December Sound, God Is An Astronaut, Sennen, Their Hearts Were Full of Spring and Hush The Many (Heed The Few) to further prominence. A packed out launch show featuring The Arrows of Love, The Nova Saints, Aspen Woods and Youngteam played out at Notting Hill Arts Club’s RoTa to a rapturous audience.
Tracks from the Psychedelica series have been aired on numerous radio shows around the world and have been played by prominent DJs such as Bob Harris, Tom Robinson, Adam Walton and Huw Stephens on their BBC shows. The albums have also been subject of great critical acclaim garnering almost universal rave reviews from the likes of NME, Drowned In Sound, The Sunday Times, The Independent, Mojo, The Word, Uncut, Reverb, Clash Magazine, Billboard, Slurp, Rumore and many more.
The label’s promise to break through into the mainstream took several steps forward with 2009’s ‘Revolution In Sound’ which brought a whole new audience to Northern Star. The album featured what was claimed to be some of the most exciting independent bands on the planet. The album saw Northern Star mainstays The Nova Saints, The December Sound, The Voices, The Electric Mainline and Youngteam appear alongside a whole new set of bands new to Northern Star such as The Manhattan Love Suicides, Laboratory Noise, Delicasession, Kontakte and Punk TV. The promotion of Revolution In Sound saw a riotious show at Sound of Confusion in Birmingham featuring Mint Ive, Kontakte and The Nova Saints followed by the London launch with Insect Guide and Laboratory Noise.
An announcement was made in May 2010 that The Nova Saints had signed to Northern Star and that the release of the latest instalment of the Psychedelica series –Psychedelica 4 was imminent which is to feature a diverse selection of psych luminaries such as Singapore Sling, The See See, Hopewell, The Medicine, Arrows of Love, Nelson Bragg from The Brian Wilson Band, Daniel Land & the Modern Painters, Spotlight Kid, Eat Lights Become Lights, 93MillionMilesFromThe Sun and Joensuu 1685.