Recreational Records
Encyclopedia
Recreational Records was a British record label
set up in 1981
by the Bristol
record shop and distributor Revolver Records. Originally formed as an independent record label
with its own distribution as part of the Cartel
.
) was a long established record store based at The Triangle, Clifton, Bristol, and in the 1970s was a hangout of Mark Stewart
, Nick Sheppard
, and other local musicians. It also had a distribution arm, which allowed it to distribute its own records (under the Recreational label) and those of other Indie labels
(Monopause Records
, etc.) via its participation in the Cartel.
The Cartel
was a co-operative record distribution organisation in the United Kingdom, set up by a number of small independent record label
s to handle their distribution to record shops. By pooling their resources it allowed them to compete with the larger distribution operations of the major record labels, and also to gain access to the larger shop chains. The association of regional distributors included some of the most notable labels of the 1980s UK post-punk
and indie scene: Backs
(Norwich), Fast Forward (Edinburgh), Native
(Sheffield), Nine Mile (Leamington Spa), Probe
(Liverpool), Revolver (Bristol), Red Rhino
(York) and Rough Trade
(London).
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,...
set up in 1981
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
by the Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
record shop and distributor Revolver Records. Originally formed as an 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:...
with its own distribution as part of the Cartel
The Cartel (record distributor)
The Cartel, usually known as the Cartel without capitalisation but with the definite article, was a co-operative record distribution organisation in the United Kingdom, set up by a number of small independent record labels to handle their distribution to record shops...
.
Revolver Records and the Cartel
Revolver Records (not to be confused with Revolver MusicRevolver Music
Revolver Music, or Revolver Records, was created by Paul Birch in 1979 as a guitar music label. Its sister labels are FM Records and Heavy Metal Records....
) was a long established record store based at The Triangle, Clifton, Bristol, and in the 1970s was a hangout of Mark Stewart
Mark Stewart (musician)
Mark Stewart is a British musician and founding member of The Pop Group. A pioneer of industrial hip-hop, he has recorded for On-U Sound Records and Mute Records.-Career:...
, Nick Sheppard
Nick Sheppard
Nick Sheppard is a Bristol-born guitarist best known for being in the well-known punk band The Clash for a short time.-Biography:Nick Sheppard was educated at Bristol Grammar School, one of Bristol's leading public schools, and was in the same year as fellow musician Mark Stewart of The Pop Group...
, and other local musicians. It also had a distribution arm, which allowed it to distribute its own records (under the Recreational label) and those of other Indie labels
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:...
(Monopause Records
Bristol record labels
The city of Bristol, in England, has since the mid 1970’s had a particularly fertile music culture, resulting in not only a great many influential musicians and bands, but also its own sound; Bristol Sound or Trip Hop. Along with the music scene, a number of local record labels also developed, some...
, etc.) via its participation in the Cartel.
The Cartel
The Cartel (record distributor)
The Cartel, usually known as the Cartel without capitalisation but with the definite article, was a co-operative record distribution organisation in the United Kingdom, set up by a number of small independent record labels to handle their distribution to record shops...
was a co-operative record distribution organisation in the United Kingdom, set up by a number of small 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:...
s to handle their distribution to record shops. By pooling their resources it allowed them to compete with the larger distribution operations of the major record labels, and also to gain access to the larger shop chains. The association of regional distributors included some of the most notable labels of the 1980s UK post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
and indie scene: Backs
The Bible (band)
The Bible are an English rock band. The band released two critically acclaimed albums in the mid 1980s and are best known for the independent chart hits "Graceland" and "Mahalia"...
(Norwich), Fast Forward (Edinburgh), Native
Native Records
Native Records is a small independent record label formed in Sheffield, England.The label was founded by Kevin Donoghue in 1985, after he left RCA Records and during his time at the Music Factory studio, Rotherham , where he was a sound engineer.In January 1989, Native signed Nine Inch Nails but...
(Sheffield), Nine Mile (Leamington Spa), Probe
Probe Records (shop)
Probe Records is a small independent record shop, founded in 1971, that was once, most famously, on the corner of Button Street in Liverpool, Before this it had "branches" in the basement of Silly Billies clothes shop and on Clarence Street , off Brownlow Hill. There was also a daily visit at...
(Liverpool), Revolver (Bristol), Red Rhino
Red Rhino Records
Red Rhino Records, also known as Red Rhino, was a British record label which was developed by the independent record shop and wholesaler of the same name, all formed and run by "Tony K"...
(York) and Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
(London).
Artists
- Animal Magic: Were “a brassy Bristol sextet led by vocalist Howard Purse, they swiftly developed from a punk to a hardcore dancefloor sensibility.”
- Electric GuitarsElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
: Their first single was on Fried Egg RecordsFried Egg RecordsFried Egg Records was a record label set up in 1979 by Andy Leighton, administrator of the Bristol based Crystal Theatre. Its first release was by the Theatres anarchic “house band” Shoes For Industry...
and they had tracks on the first Bristol Recorder, before their Recreational single. They later went on to join Stiff RecordsStiff RecordsStiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
and release a further two singles.
- Ivory Coasters Afro beat/Highlife band that at one time included Prince Nico Mbarga. They also released the 12” single 'Roscoe/Kinzengi Nzengi/1Z4IC’, on Politone (PT001) in 1981.
- Mouth: After their single on Recreational, this funk band went on to release records on the YY RecordsY Records was an independent record label set up in 1980 by Dick O’Dell in the United Kingdom, and distributed by Rough Trade.-History:Artists included The Slits, Shriekback and a number of groups that were associated with the Bristol Indie Bands from the late 1970s: The Pop Group, Glaxo Babies,...
label, including the track ‘Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea’, on the 1982 ‘Birth Of The Y’ compilation LP.
- Scream And Dance: Tribal funk band. ‘In Rhythm’ was remixed by DJ Marcelle/Another Nice Mess and released on a German double LP, ‘Meets Her Soulmates At Faust Studio Deejay Laboratory’ in 2008.
- Talisman: A multi-racial Reggae Band who provided the labels very first single and UK Indie ChartUK Indie ChartThe 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...
hit (#17). Dole Age also became Single of the Week and the Record Sleeve of the Year in the NME. In 1982 as well as playing the Glastonbury FestivalGlastonbury FestivalThe Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
, they were the opening act for The Rolling StonesRolling Stones European Tour 1982The Rolling Stones' European Tour 1982 was a concert tour of Europe to promote the album Tattoo You. It was in effect the European continuation of their long and successful 1981 US tour, and promoted by Bill Graham...
concert at Ashton Gate, Bristol.
- The X-Certs: Started off as a Punk Band in 1978 and recorded several tracks for Heartbeat Records, had two tracks on Bristol Recorder 2, and were including reggae by the time of their 1981 Recreational single. This was to be their last recording as they split up in early 1981.
Releases
The Recreational catalogue listed singles with the Sport prefix (some had 7” and 12” versions), apart from The X-Certs 7” single Together/Untogether, which is listed as Play 1.Singles
| Cat No. | Artist | Title | Date | Configuration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLAY 1 | The X-Certs | Together/Untogether | 1981 | 7” | |
| SPORT 1 | Talisman | Dole Age/Free Speech | 1981 | 7” | |
| SPORT 12 | Talisman | Dole Age/Free Speech | 1981 | 12” | |
| SPORT 2 | Talisman | Run Come Girl/Wicked Dem | 1981 | 7” | |
| SPORT 22 | Talisman | Run Come Girl/Wicked Dem | 1981 | 12” | |
| SPORT 3 | Mouth | Ooh, Ah, Yeah!/Ooh? | 1981 | 7” | |
| SPORT 4 | Electric Guitars | Work/Don’t Wake The Baby | 1981 | 7” | |
| SPORT 52 | Animal Magic | Get It Right/Grip/Crow Black/Go Funky-Doo-Lally | 1982 | 12” | |
| SPORT 6 | Ivory Coasters | Mungaka Makossa/Chavakali Charlie | 1982 | 7” | |
| SPORT 62 | Ivory Coasters | Mungaka Makossa/Chavakali Charlie/The Bongo That Ate Pik Botha | 1982 | 12” | |
| SPORT 7 | Scream And Dance | In Rhythm/Giacometti | 1982 | 7” | |
| SPORT 72 | Scream And Dance | In Rhythm/In Pink & Black/Giacometti/Giacometti (wicked mix) | 1982 | 12” | |
| SPORT 8 | Animal Magic | Standard Man/Trash That Blad! | 1982 | 7” |
Reissues on other labels
Bristol Archive Records are currently providing Recreational back catalogue tracks for download, through the usual outlets (Amazon, iTunes, etc.).See also
- List of Bands from Bristol
- Culture of BristolCulture of BristolBristol is a city in South West England. As the largest city in the region it is a centre for the arts and sport. The region has a distinct West Country dialect.-Events:...
- List of Record Labels from Bristol
- Bristol Record LabelsBristol record labelsThe city of Bristol, in England, has since the mid 1970’s had a particularly fertile music culture, resulting in not only a great many influential musicians and bands, but also its own sound; Bristol Sound or Trip Hop. Along with the music scene, a number of local record labels also developed, some...
- Bristol Archive Records
- Electric GuitarsElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
- the CartelThe Cartel (record distributor)The Cartel, usually known as the Cartel without capitalisation but with the definite article, was a co-operative record distribution organisation in the United Kingdom, set up by a number of small independent record labels to handle their distribution to record shops...
- List of record labels
External links
- Recreational Records at Discogs.com
- Recreational Discography in Japanese at Disc Shop Zero
- Listen to Electric Guitars at last.fm
- Electric Guitars on YouTube
- [ Electric Guitars at Allmusic]
- Electric Guitars discography at Discogs.com
- Listen to Talisman at last.fm
- Talisman Dole Age at Glastonbury on YouTube
- Talisman biography at Bristol Archive Records
- Listen to The X-Certs at last.fm
- The X-Certs website
- The X-Certs biography at Bristol Archive Records