Setanta Records
Encyclopedia
Setanta Records is a UK Independent record label
. The label was at the forefront of the indie Irish music scene in the late eighties and nineties as it
championed young Irish groups.
, London
squat by former bicycle courier Keith Cullen
.
Setanta's first success came when Dublin band Into Paradise
received glowing reviews from the British music press for their Setanta debut entitled "Under The Water". Major label interest followed and Into Paradise
subsequently signed to Ensign Records
retaining Cullen as band manager.
Shortly thereafter, Cullen signed the quirky Cork trio The Frank and Walters
, who wore orange shirts and purple flares. As with Into Paradise
, early critical acclaim led the band to sign to Go! Discs retaining Cullen as band manager. The Frank and Walters
achieved minor commercial success when their song "After All" peaked at Number 11 on the British singles chart.
Major commercial success followed Cullen's signing of The Divine Comedy
whose first three albums "Liberation", "Promenade", and "Casanova" were very well received in the UK and Europe. The Divine Comedy
also provided the soundtrack for the immensely popular Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted
.
Despite label boss Cullen 'not rating' the song, Setanta also had major chart success with the Edwyn Collins
(former leader of Scotland's Orange Juice
on Postcard Records
) hit "A Girl Like You
" which went on to become a worldwide hit.
However the label stalled in the late nineties when it turned down The Magnetic Fields
album 69 Love Songs
which ended up being a huge critical and commercial success.
In 2007 Setanta signed London band The Tacticians. Their debut album "Some Kind of Urban Fulfilment" was released on Setanta Records in August 2007.
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:...
. The label was at the forefront of the indie Irish music scene in the late eighties and nineties as it
championed young Irish groups.
History
Setanta Records was started in a CamberwellCamberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
squat by former bicycle courier Keith Cullen
Keith Cullen (author)
Keith Cullen , is the founder of Setanta Records, an artist manager and the author of the novel God Save The Village Green.-History:...
.
Setanta's first success came when Dublin band Into Paradise
Into Paradise
Into Paradise were a indie rock group from Dublin, Ireland, whose influences included Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen. They formed in 1986 as Backwards into Paradise, and released their debut EP, Blue Light, in 1989 on the independent record label, Setanta...
received glowing reviews from the British music press for their Setanta debut entitled "Under The Water". Major label interest followed and Into Paradise
Into Paradise
Into Paradise were a indie rock group from Dublin, Ireland, whose influences included Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen. They formed in 1986 as Backwards into Paradise, and released their debut EP, Blue Light, in 1989 on the independent record label, Setanta...
subsequently signed to Ensign Records
Ensign Records
Ensign Records was started in 1976 by Nigel Grainge, as an independent Phonogram subsidiary.-History:Grainge had been the head of A&R at Phonogram in London for the previous two years and directly signed Thin Lizzy, 10cc, The Steve Miller Band, and a worldwide license for the successful All...
retaining Cullen as band manager.
Shortly thereafter, Cullen signed the quirky Cork trio The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters are an alternative rock band from Cork city in Ireland. The band was founded in 1990 by Paul Linehan , his brother Niall Linehan , who was replaced by Kevin Pedreschi in 2004, and Ashley Keating . They took the band name in honour of two eccentric Cork characters...
, who wore orange shirts and purple flares. As with Into Paradise
Into Paradise
Into Paradise were a indie rock group from Dublin, Ireland, whose influences included Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen. They formed in 1986 as Backwards into Paradise, and released their debut EP, Blue Light, in 1989 on the independent record label, Setanta...
, early critical acclaim led the band to sign to Go! Discs retaining Cullen as band manager. The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters are an alternative rock band from Cork city in Ireland. The band was founded in 1990 by Paul Linehan , his brother Niall Linehan , who was replaced by Kevin Pedreschi in 2004, and Ashley Keating . They took the band name in honour of two eccentric Cork characters...
achieved minor commercial success when their song "After All" peaked at Number 11 on the British singles chart.
Major commercial success followed Cullen's signing of The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy (band)
The Divine Comedy are a chamber pop band from Ireland, fronted by Neil Hannon. Formed in 1989, Hannon has been the only constant member of the group, playing, in some instances, all of the non-orchestral instrumentation bar drums. To date, ten studio albums have been released under the Divine...
whose first three albums "Liberation", "Promenade", and "Casanova" were very well received in the UK and Europe. The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy (band)
The Divine Comedy are a chamber pop band from Ireland, fronted by Neil Hannon. Formed in 1989, Hannon has been the only constant member of the group, playing, in some instances, all of the non-orchestral instrumentation bar drums. To date, ten studio albums have been released under the Divine...
also provided the soundtrack for the immensely popular Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted
Father Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
.
Despite label boss Cullen 'not rating' the song, Setanta also had major chart success with the 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...
(former leader of Scotland's 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...
on Postcard Records
Postcard Records
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...
) hit "A Girl Like You
A Girl Like You (Edwyn Collins song)
"A Girl Like You" is a 1994 single by Scottish singer-songwriter Edwyn Collins from his album Gorgeous George. It tells the tale of the singer's experience meeting an extraordinary girl.The song samples the drums track of Len Barry's 1965 hit "1-2-3"....
" which went on to become a worldwide hit.
However the label stalled in the late nineties when it turned down The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields is the principal creative outlet of singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt...
album 69 Love Songs
69 Love Songs
69 Love Songs is a three-volume concept album by The Magnetic Fields released in 1999. As its title indicates, the album is composed of 69 love songs, all written by Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt.-Conception and live performance:...
which ended up being a huge critical and commercial success.
In 2007 Setanta signed London band The Tacticians. Their debut album "Some Kind of Urban Fulfilment" was released on Setanta Records in August 2007.
Selected Artists
- A HouseA HouseA House was an Irish band from the 1980s to the 1990s, recognized for the clever, "often bitter or irony laden lyrics of [frontman] Dave Couse ... bolstered by the [band's] seemingly effortless musicality". The single "Endless Art" is one of their best known charting successes. A House were managed...
- Adrian BorlandAdrian BorlandAdrian Borland was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer, bestknown as the lead singer of post-punk band The Sound...
- CatchersCatchersCatchers was an Irish indie pop band formed in 1993 and led by singer-songwriter Dale Grundle. The band consisted of Dale Grundle , Alice Lemon , Peter Kelly , Ger FitzGerald , Craig Carpenter and Jonathan Lord...
- The ChaletsThe ChaletsThe Chalets were a five-piece band from Dublin, Ireland, active from 2001 to 2008.-Members:* Chris Judge – lead bass* Caoimhe "Pony" Derwin – singer* Dylan Roche – bongos* Enda Loughman – guitar* Paula "Peepee" Cullen – singer, songwriter, lead g-tar...
- Evan DandoEvan DandoEvan Griffith Dando is an American musician, most famous for fronting the alternative rock band The Lemonheads. He is the only original member left in the current Lemonheads line-up, having served as lead singer since the band's original formation in 1986...
- The Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy (band)The Divine Comedy are a chamber pop band from Ireland, fronted by Neil Hannon. Formed in 1989, Hannon has been the only constant member of the group, playing, in some instances, all of the non-orchestral instrumentation bar drums. To date, ten studio albums have been released under the Divine...
- Edwyn CollinsEdwyn CollinsEdwyn 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...
- The Frank and WaltersThe Frank and WaltersThe Frank and Walters are an alternative rock band from Cork city in Ireland. The band was founded in 1990 by Paul Linehan , his brother Niall Linehan , who was replaced by Kevin Pedreschi in 2004, and Ashley Keating . They took the band name in honour of two eccentric Cork characters...
- Richard HawleyRichard HawleyRichard Hawley is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer. After his first band Treebound Story broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band Longpigs in the 1990s. He later joined the band Pulp, led by his friend Jarvis Cocker...
- HemHem (band)Hem is an indie folk-rock band from New York City, United States. Band members include Sally Ellyson , Dan Messé , Gary Maurer , Steve Curtis , George Rush , Mark Brotter , Bob Hoffnar , and Heather Zimmerman .-Band history:In 1999,...
- Into ParadiseInto ParadiseInto Paradise were a indie rock group from Dublin, Ireland, whose influences included Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen. They formed in 1986 as Backwards into Paradise, and released their debut EP, Blue Light, in 1989 on the independent record label, Setanta...
- Mason JenningsMason JenningsMason Jennings is an American pop-folk singer-songwriter. He is well known for his simple yet catchy melodies, intimate lyrics, literary and historical themes, and distinctive voice...
- The Prayer BoatThe Prayer BoatThe Prayer Boat are an Irish folk/indie band formed in 1987 in Blessington, Co. Wicklow. Their name is derived from a Hindu religious festival which takes place every year on the banks of the river Ganges where thousands of people burn incense and candles on small reed boats and float them down...
- Josh RitterJosh RitterJosh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...
- They do it with mirrorsThey Do It with MirrorsThey Do It With Mirrors is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1952 under the title of Murder with Mirrors and in UK by the Collins Crime Club on November 17 in the same year under Christie's original title. The US edition...
- VerbenaVerbena (band)Verbena was a rock band from Birmingham, Alabama, founded in the early 1990s by Scott Bondy, and Daniel Duquette Johnston who would become mainstays for the entirety of the bands career, despite undergoing several line-up changes...
- The Glee ClubThe Glee ClubThis article is about the band The Glee Club. For the chain of comedy clubs, see The Glee Club .The Glee Club was an Irish rock band active in the early 1990s....