Ron Johnson Records was an UK 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:...

 based in Long Eaton

Long Eaton

Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...

 operating between 1983

1983 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization...

 and 1988

1988 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....

. The label contributed five tracks to the NME

NME

The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...

's 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...

 compilation. Run by Dave Parsons, the label released records by artists such as Big Flame, The Shrubs, A Witness

A Witness

A Witness were an alternative rock band formed in 1982 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, by Rick Aitken , Vince Hunt and a drum machine, in 1986 replaced by Alan Brown...

, The Great Leap Forward

Great Leap Forward (band)

The Great Leap Forward was a band formed by former Big Flame member Alan Brown, when his previous band split up in 1987. Great Leap Forward was essentially a solo project, although various musicians were added for live performances. The sound was more melodic and danceable than his earlier band,...

, Stump

Stump (band)

Stump were an Anglo-Irish indie/experimental/rock group featuring former Microdisney members Mick Lynch and Rob McKahey , along with Kev Hopper and Chris Salmon . They formed in London in 1983...

, The Mackenzies

The Mackenzies

The Mackenzies were an indie band from Glasgow active around 1986/87, releasing two singles of jagged indie-funk on Ron Johnson Records and contributing the track Big Jim to the NME's C86 compilation. They also recorded two sessions for John Peel, the first of which was repeated seven times, such...

, Twang

Twang (band)

Twang were an indie band from Manchester/Preston, England, signed to Ron Johnson Records. Their first release was a flexi-disc, "What's The Rub" in 1985. Debut single proper, "Sharp" was released on the Stet label, and later released by Ron Johnson, reaching number 19 on the UK Indie Chart in...

 and The Ex. Despite the press attention and critical acclaim for the label's bands and releases, sales were insufficient to make the label profitable and financial difficulties brought it to an end in 1988.

Releases

• ZRON1: Splat! - "Yeah The Dum Dum" 7-inch EP (1983)
• ZRON2: Splat! - "Bloom" 12-inch EP (1984)
• ZRON3: Big Flame - Rigour 7-inch EP (1985) - UK Indie #22
• ZRON4: Big Flame - Tough! 7-inch EP (1985) - UK Indie #14
• ZRON5: A Witness
  A Witness
  A Witness were an alternative rock band formed in 1982 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, by Rick Aitken , Vince Hunt and a drum machine, in 1986 replaced by Alan Brown...
  
   - Loudhailer Songs 12-inch EP (1985) - UK Indie #9
• ZRON6: Stump
  Stump (band)
  Stump were an Anglo-Irish indie/experimental/rock group featuring former Microdisney members Mick Lynch and Rob McKahey , along with Kev Hopper and Chris Salmon . They formed in London in 1983...
  
   - Mud On A Colon 12-inch EP (1986) - UK Indie #39
• ZRON7: Big Flame - "Why Popstars Can't Dance" 7-inch (1986) - UK Indie #13
• RERON8: Big Flame - Two Kan Guru 10-inch EP (1986)
• ZRON9: The Mackenzies
  The Mackenzies
  The Mackenzies were an indie band from Glasgow active around 1986/87, releasing two singles of jagged indie-funk on Ron Johnson Records and contributing the track Big Jim to the NME's C86 compilation. They also recorded two sessions for John Peel, the first of which was repeated seven times, such...
  
   - "New Breed" 7-inch (1986) - UK Indie #15
• ZRON10: The Shrubs - Full Steam Into The Brainstorm mini-LP
  Mini-LP
  A Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...
  
   (1986)
• ZRON11: The Ex - 1936: The Spanish Revolution double 7-inch/book (1986) - UK Indie #6
• ZRON12: A Witness - I am John's Pancreas LP (1986) - UK Indie #18
• ZRON13: Big Flame - Cubist Pop Manifesto 7-inch EP (1986) - UK Indie #9
• ZRON14: Twang
  Twang (band)
  Twang were an indie band from Manchester/Preston, England, signed to Ron Johnson Records. Their first release was a flexi-disc, "What's The Rub" in 1985. Debut single proper, "Sharp" was released on the Stet label, and later released by Ron Johnson, reaching number 19 on the UK Indie Chart in...
  
   - "Sharp" 7-inch (1986) - UK Indie #19
• ZRON15: The Mackenzies - A Sensual Assault 12-inch EP (1987) - UK Indie #22
• EXRON16: Big Flame - Cubist Pop Manifesto 12-inch EP (1986)
• ZRON17: The Shrubs - Blackmailer 12-inch EP (1987)
• ZRON18: MKZ's - "Mealy Mix" 12-inch single (1988)
• ZRON19: The Noseflutes
  The Noseflutes
  The Noseflutes were an unorthodox, late-eighties band based in Birmingham. They released three EPs and three albums, recorded four sessions for Radio 1's John Peel, and received generally favourable reviews from the contemporary music press. Their second album, Zib Zob and His Kib Kob, rightly made...
  
   - The Ravers 12-inch EP (1986)
• ZRON20: The Great Leap Forward
  Great Leap Forward (band)
  The Great Leap Forward was a band formed by former Big Flame member Alan Brown, when his previous band split up in 1987. Great Leap Forward was essentially a solo project, although various musicians were added for live performances. The sound was more melodic and danceable than his earlier band,...
  
   - Controlling The Edges of Tone 12-inch EP (1987)
• ZRON21: Various Artists - The First After Epiphany LP (1987)
• ZRON22: Twang - Kick and Complain 12-inch EP (1987) - UK Indie #35
• ZRON23: The Shrubs - Take Me Aside For A Midnight Harangue LP (1987)
• ZRON24: Jackdaw With Crowbar
  Jackdaw with Crowbar
  Jackdaw with Crowbar are an English multi-media indie band from Leamington Spa. The band was formed in 1986 and signed to Ron Johnson Records.-History:...
  
   - Monarchy, Mayhem and Fishpaste 12-inch EP (1987)
• ZRON25: The Ex - Too Many Cowboys
  Too Many Cowboys
  Too Many Cowboys is the second double-album and first live album to be released by Dutch anarchist punk band The Ex. Released in 1987, Too Many Cowboys was the first of the Ex's records to be issued simultaneously in more than one country, having been released on the band's own Ex Records in the...
  
  double-LP (1987)
• ZRON26: A Witness - "Red Snake" 12-inch (1987)
• ZRON27: The Great Leap Forward - "A Peck On The Cheek" 12-inch (1987)
• ZRON28: The Noseflutes - Heartache Is Irresistible 12-inch EP (1987)
• ZRON29: Twang - "Snapback" 12-inch (1987)
• ZRON30: A Witness - One Foot In The Groove 12-inch EP (1988)
• ZRON31: Jackdaw With Crowbar - Sink, Sank, Sunk 12-inch EP (1988)
• ZRON32: Sewer Zombies - Reach Out And... LP (1988)
• ZRON33: Jackdaw With Crowbar - Hot Air LP (1988)
• ZRON34: The Great Leap Forward - "Who Works The Weather?" 12-inch (1988)

External links

• Fan site with good information on Ron Johnson Records