Postcard Records
Encyclopedia
Postcard Records is a Glasgow
-based independent record label
founded by Alan Horne in 1979, as a vehicle for Orange Juice
and Josef K
releases. The label's motto was "The Sound of Young Scotland", a parody/tribute to the Motown motto; its logo featured a cartoon cat beating a drum. Although short-lived, Postcard was to prove a key influence on the C81 and the later C86
indie-pop movements.
The label's first release was Orange Juice's, Falling and Laughing, which was jointly financed by Horne and band members Edwyn Collins
and bassist David McClymont, and was released in the spring of 1980. The label went on to sign such bands as Aztec Camera
and The Go-Betweens
, before becoming bankrupt in 1981. Horne resuscitated Postcard in 1992, and it continues to release records.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
-based independent record label
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:...
founded by Alan Horne in 1979, as a vehicle for Orange Juice
Orange Juice
Orange Juice was a Scottish post-punk band founded in the middle class Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band...
and Josef K
Josef K (band)
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial...
releases. The label's motto was "The Sound of Young Scotland", a parody/tribute to the Motown motto; its logo featured a cartoon cat beating a drum. Although short-lived, Postcard was to prove a key influence on the C81 and the later C86
C86 (music)
C86 is a cassette compilation released by the British music magazine NME in 1986, featuring new bands licensed from independent labels of the time. As a phrase, C86 quickly evolved into shorthand for a guitar-based musical genre characterised by "jangly" guitars and fey melodies, although other...
indie-pop movements.
The label's first release was Orange Juice's, Falling and Laughing, which was jointly financed by Horne and band members Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
and bassist David McClymont, and was released in the spring of 1980. The label went on to sign such bands as Aztec Camera
Aztec Camera
Aztec Camera were a Scottish New Wave band from the Glasgow suburb of East Kilbride, formed in 1980 and centered around teenage singer-songwriter, Roddy Frame. Their album Love was among the nominations for Best British Album at the 1989 BRIT Awards....
and The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
, before becoming bankrupt in 1981. Horne resuscitated Postcard in 1992, and it continues to release records.
Discography
| Year | Artist | Title | Type | UK Indie Chart UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered... Position |
Catalogue ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 1980 | Orange Juice Orange Juice Orange Juice was a Scottish post-punk band founded in the middle class Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band... |
"Falling and Laughing Falling and Laughing "Falling and Laughing" was the debut single by Scottish post-punk band Orange Juice. It was the first single released by the independent rock label Postcard Records, owned by Alan Horne. "Falling and Laughing" marked a new shift of the post-punk sound in general, by using themes that were not... " |
Single | #48 | 80 1 |
| September | 1980 | Orange Juice | "Blue Boy" | Single | #15 | 80 2 |
| September | 1980 | Josef K Josef K (band) Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial... |
"Radio Drill Time" | Single | #15 | 80 3 |
| November | 1980 | The Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,... |
"I Need Two Heads" | Single | – | 80 4 |
| December | 1980 | Josef K | "It's Kinda Funny" | Single | #12 | 80 5 |
| December | 1980 | Orange Juice | "Simply Thrilled Honey" | Single | #5 | 80 6 |
| March | 1981 | Orange Juice | "Poor Old Soul" | Single | #5 | 81 2 |
| April | 1981 | Aztec Camera Aztec Camera Aztec Camera were a Scottish New Wave band from the Glasgow suburb of East Kilbride, formed in 1980 and centered around teenage singer-songwriter, Roddy Frame. Their album Love was among the nominations for Best British Album at the 1989 BRIT Awards.... |
"Just Like Gold" | Single | #10 | 81 3 |
| 1981 | Josef K | "Sorry For Laughing" | Single | – | 81 4 | |
| May | 1981 | Josef K | "Chance Meeting" | Single | #5 | 81 5 |
| 1981 | Orange Juice | "Wan Light" (assigned serial number but never issued) | Single | – | 81 6 | |
| July | 1981 | Josef K | "The Only Fun In Town" | Album | #3 | 81 7 |
| August | 1981 | Aztec Camera | "Mattress Of Wire" | Single | #8 | 81 8 |