The Viper Label
Encyclopedia
The Viper Label is an independent record label
from Liverpool
, England
and was founded in 1999 by Paul Hemmings
and Mike Badger
who were key figures in the Liverpool music scene; both ex members of the La's
and The Onset
. Hemmings also played with Ian Broudie
in The Lightning Seeds. Both are most famous for writing the theme music
to BBC One
's daytime television program
me, Doctors, and were nominated for a BAFTA.
The label has issued archive releases of The La's
, The Stairs
(including the band's second album), Captain Beefheart
, numerous compilation album
s, and albums by Stairs frontman Edgar Jones, and former Cast
bassist, Peter Wilkinson
.
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:...
from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and was founded in 1999 by Paul Hemmings
Paul Hemmings
Paul Hemmings is a Liverpool based musician and photographer. He played with The La's, Mike Badger and The Onset and Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds...
and Mike Badger
Mike Badger
Michael Clifford "Mike" Badger is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist and sculptor from Liverpool, England. He was co-founder of The La's and went on to form alternative country/roots rockabilly band The Onset in 1988 and The Kachinas in 1996...
who were key figures in the Liverpool music scene; both ex members of the La's
The La's
The La's were an English rock band from Liverpool, originally active from the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lee Mavers, the group is most famous for their hit single "There She Goes". The band was formed by Mike Badger in 1984 and Mavers joined soon after...
and The Onset
The Onset
The Onset were formed in 1987 by Mike Badger after he left his former band The La's. Mike teamed up with local Liverpool legend Danny Dean on guitar, Hamish Cameron on Piano and Colin Becket on Drums. The first demo "Let's Go Home" can be found on the 2006 compilation CD, Lo Fi Electric...
. Hemmings also played with Ian Broudie
Ian Broudie
Ian Broudie is a British singer-songwriter, musician and record producer from Liverpool, England. After emerging from the post punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to form the short-lived groups Original Mirrors and Care in the early 1980s as well...
in The Lightning Seeds. Both are most famous for writing the theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
to BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's daytime television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
me, Doctors, and were nominated for a BAFTA.
The label has issued archive releases of The La's
The La's
The La's were an English rock band from Liverpool, originally active from the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lee Mavers, the group is most famous for their hit single "There She Goes". The band was formed by Mike Badger in 1984 and Mavers joined soon after...
, The Stairs
The Stairs
The Stairs were an English rock band formed in Liverpool around 1990 by vocalist and bassist Edgar Summertyme, guitarist Ged Lynn and drummer Paul Maguire...
(including the band's second album), Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
, numerous compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s, and albums by Stairs frontman Edgar Jones, and former Cast
Cast (band)
Cast are an English rock band from Liverpool, formed in 1992 by John Power and Peter Wilkinson after Power left The La's and Wilkinson's former band Shack had split...
bassist, Peter Wilkinson
Peter Wilkinson (musician)
Peter Wilkinson in an English musician.-Biography:He is best known as the bass player with Cast, whom he co-founded with frontman John Power in 1992 and was a member of until the band disbanded in 2002, and Shack...
.