Rocket Girl Label
Encyclopedia
Rocket Girl is a London-based independent record label started up by Vinita Joshi in 1997. The label has an ecletic mix of alternative acts ranging from eletronica, alt-country, ambient and indie, and has released records by Robin Guthrie
, God Is an Astronaut
, Ulrich Schnauss
and others.
Before starting Rocket Girl, Vinita had previously been involved in running both Cheree and Che record labels, releasing records by The Telescopes
, The Tindersticks, Bark Psychosis
and Disco Inferno.
Che Records, an offshoot label founded by Vinita and Nick Allport, was responsible for releasing the music of Essex etherealists, Disco Inferno, with a roster which also included the Tindersticks
, Backwater, Füxa
, and Slipstream, as well as giving birth to a Top 40 hit single
by Urusei Yatsura
, 1997's "Hello Tiger", which reached #40 in the UK Singles Chart
.
In 1997 Vinita decided to set up her own label, and its first release was a single by the band Silver Apples, 'Hitherto'.
The label continued to grow with a diverse rooster and encouraged cross-pollination between its artists, most notably the 1998 7” single collaboration between Low (band)
/ Transient Waves / Piano Magic
(‘Sleep at the Bottom’), and 2000’s EP ‘Add N to Fu(x)a’. Hot on the heels of the Silver Apples / Windy & Carl 7”, 1998 also saw the release of Rocket Girl’s first full-length album – ‘A Tribute to Spacemen 3
’ – a celebration of the pioneers of drone, with offerings from (the then largely unknown) Mogwai
, Arab Strap
, Piano Magic, and Low, among others.
Spring 2001 heralded the release of the double CD ‘A Rocket Girl Compilation’.
As well as handling Jeepster Records’ mail catalogue (home of Belle & Sebastian
), Vinita also has a sub-publishing deal with Rykodisc, and has been involved with a number of record labels throughout the years, including Bella Union
, and One Little Indian.
In 2001, the label won one of four Young Music Professional Awards, and enjoyed television exposure being the focus of an entire episode of the BBC
series ‘Hit & Miss – An A-Z of the music industry’. The label has also been profiled in publications as far a field as Japan (Afterhours), USA (Magnet), Spain, France and many others.
Rocket Girl has also established a number of off-shoot labels – Indus Sonica, which reissued Piano Magic’s seminal debut ‘Popular Mechanics’, catering for connoisseurs of everything electronic; and Mandita, home to M.A.S.S – both of which remain under the Rocket Girl banner.
Today, Rocket Girl remains a true labour of love for Vinita.
While continuing to manage artists as well as labels (including ambient impresario Ulrich Schnauss
, as well as PASK, the label responsible for releasing Kevin Shields
and Patti Smith
’s 2008 aural homage to Robert Mapplethorpe
, ‘The Coral Sea’.
Late in 2010 the label signed the London based band Drugstore
, and has a number of new releases planned for 2011.
Robin Guthrie
Robin Guthrie is a musician best known as co-founder of the Cocteau Twins. During his career Guthrie has played guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums and other musical instruments, in addition to programming, sampling and sound processing...
, God Is an Astronaut
God Is an Astronaut
God Is an Astronaut are an instrumental/post-rock band from the Glen of the Downs, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.-History:After forming in 2002, God is an Astronaut took the inspiration for its name from a famous quote in the movie Nightbreed...
, Ulrich Schnauss
Ulrich Schnauss
-Biography:Ulrich Schnauss was born in the northern German seaport of Kiel in 1977. He became interested in a range of music: My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Tangerine Dream, Chapterhouse, and early bleep & breakbeat tracks...
and others.
Before starting Rocket Girl, Vinita had previously been involved in running both Cheree and Che record labels, releasing records by 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:...
, The Tindersticks, Bark Psychosis
Bark Psychosis
Bark Psychosis are an English post-rock band/musical project from east London formed in 1986. They were one of the bands that Simon Reynolds cited when coining "post-rock" as a musical style in 1994, and are thus considered one of the key bands defining the genre...
and Disco Inferno.
Che Records, an offshoot label founded by Vinita and Nick Allport, was responsible for releasing the music of Essex etherealists, Disco Inferno, with a roster which also included the Tindersticks
Tindersticks
Tindersticks are an Indie rock band from Nottingham, England formed in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples took on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006, but more permanently the following year...
, Backwater, Füxa
Füxa
Füxa was a space rock duo, consisting of Detroit musicians Ryan Anderson and Randall Nieman . Füxa was created in 1994 and their music has been described as psychedelic and experimental...
, and Slipstream, as well as giving birth to a Top 40 hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
by Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura (band)
Urusei Yatsura were a Glaswegian Alternative rock, Indie rock rock indie band.-History:Founding members Fergus Lawrie and Graham Kemp met in the summer of 1993, whilst attending the University of Glasgow. They recruited Elaine Graham as bassist, and the line-up was completed with the subsequent...
, 1997's "Hello Tiger", which reached #40 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
In 1997 Vinita decided to set up her own label, and its first release was a single by the band Silver Apples, 'Hitherto'.
The label continued to grow with a diverse rooster and encouraged cross-pollination between its artists, most notably the 1998 7” single collaboration between Low (band)
Low (band)
Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....
/ Transient Waves / Piano Magic
Piano Magic
Piano Magic is a musical collective formed in the summer of 1996 by Glen Johnson, Dominic Chennell, and Dick Rance in London, England. Their sound has been described as ambient pop, post-rock, indietronica, coldwave, dark wave and ghostrock...
(‘Sleep at the Bottom’), and 2000’s EP ‘Add N to Fu(x)a’. Hot on the heels of the Silver Apples / Windy & Carl 7”, 1998 also saw the release of Rocket Girl’s first full-length album – ‘A Tribute to Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
’ – a celebration of the pioneers of drone, with offerings from (the then largely unknown) Mogwai
Mogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
, Arab Strap
Arab Strap (band)
Arab Strap were an indie rock band from Scotland that consisted of core members Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton. The band were signed to independent record label Chemikal Underground, and split in 2006...
, Piano Magic, and Low, among others.
Spring 2001 heralded the release of the double CD ‘A Rocket Girl Compilation’.
As well as handling Jeepster Records’ mail catalogue (home of Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
), Vinita also has a sub-publishing deal with Rykodisc, and has been involved with a number of record labels throughout the years, including Bella Union
Bella Union
Bella Union is an independent record label that was started up by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie in 1997.After releasing records with 4AD for a large part of their career, Cocteau Twins decided to take a step towards independence and started up the Bella Union record label, through which they...
, and One Little Indian.
In 2001, the label won one of four Young Music Professional Awards, and enjoyed television exposure being the focus of an entire episode of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series ‘Hit & Miss – An A-Z of the music industry’. The label has also been profiled in publications as far a field as Japan (Afterhours), USA (Magnet), Spain, France and many others.
Rocket Girl has also established a number of off-shoot labels – Indus Sonica, which reissued Piano Magic’s seminal debut ‘Popular Mechanics’, catering for connoisseurs of everything electronic; and Mandita, home to M.A.S.S – both of which remain under the Rocket Girl banner.
Today, Rocket Girl remains a true labour of love for Vinita.
While continuing to manage artists as well as labels (including ambient impresario Ulrich Schnauss
Ulrich Schnauss
-Biography:Ulrich Schnauss was born in the northern German seaport of Kiel in 1977. He became interested in a range of music: My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Tangerine Dream, Chapterhouse, and early bleep & breakbeat tracks...
, as well as PASK, the label responsible for releasing Kevin Shields
Kevin Shields
Kevin Patrick Shields is an American-born, Irish vocalist, guitarist, and producer of alternative rock band My Bloody Valentine....
and Patti Smith
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
’s 2008 aural homage to Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white portraits, photos of flowers and nude men...
, ‘The Coral Sea’.
Late in 2010 the label signed the London based band Drugstore
Drugstore (band)
Drugstore are a London-based alternative and dream pop band led by Brazilian singer-songwriter and bassist Isabel Monteiro , who relocated to England in 1990s, with Dave Hunter on guitar and Mike Chylinski on drums...
, and has a number of new releases planned for 2011.
Artists
|