Related pages: Zines
Here are some independent labels, artists and related sites I’ve met up with online in the past couple of years, mainly UK based.
I started this list before MySpace and Facebook when it was harder to find fellow DIYers but it’s still well worth a browse, and always inspirational.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
|---|
| Indie site | What they’re up to… | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Anticulture Records | Gutworm, The Inbreds, Happyface… it’s not horticulture |
| Chick Atkinson | Indie-folk CD, mostly guitar and vocals with the odd bongo thrown in | |
| Audio Android | Critically acclaimed music producer, sonic designer, all around audio junky Darren Leigh Purkiss | |
| Avon | Ken Peel’s debut album Salary Man is on Iris Light Records | |
| B | Alex Bach | An interesting indie story, now with music on iTunes and CD Baby |
| Glyn Bailey | Gigs and 2 excellent CDs Toys From Balsa and Songs From The Old Illawalla | |
| Barking Spiders | A new mix of management, label and promotion services by indie artists | |
| David Beard Music | Derbyshire based film music production company supplying music and sound design | |
| Beatcave | Another multi-talented geezer, and another Scot too | |
| Martin Bird | Production music and sound design for film, documentry and TV—composer and music producer | |
| Chris Blackwell | If you are having trouble getting your music career off the ground… look away now | |
| The Blue Mask | Music soundtracks for film, TV, websites, adverts, video games, presentations | |
| Buddha’s Last T Party | Ambient folk, casual blues & celtic knots with CDs on CD Baby | |
| Burak | Burak’s latest release Where Can I Go is available now at CD Baby | |
| C | Carlospresents | Plays guitar in The Merry Men and his own web site is sometimes up here |
| ccalam | One of my favourite DIY artists, an excellent CD… and of course on MySpace | |
| The Cedars | The soundtrack to a wild, liquor-fuelled hoe-down! | |
| Chime Cottage Music | Lush synthesizers, screaming guitars… mixture of both with a plethora of electronic extras | |
| Coaching With Soul | Sally Rivers’ vocal training | |
| Curfew | DIY CDs and distribution, electronic orchestration with vocals | |
| Cusack | Think… Elliott Smith, the Lemonheads and the Velvet Underground… | |
| D | Dark House Multimedia | Boutique recording for singer-songwriters, voice artists, small band setups (Bristol) |
| Madoc Davies | Composer and musician, 3 CDs and downloads available online | |
| Matt Downing | Original music, production work for other artists, theatrical sound design | |
| Dubsounds | If you make it yourself, using electronic hardware or software, we would like to hear from you! | |
| Owen Duff | Self-recorded album through a small independent record label coming soon… MySpace | |
| E | Earthstar * | Creative projects coordinating, collaborating, producing and performing |
| F | Fence Records | Scottish indie with a good bunch of artists |
| Fin Music | A long-established online indie label with a well-crafted site | |
| Fisher | Kathy Fisher and Ron Wasserman were signed to UMG but are now very successful independent artists | |
| Dave Fiuczynski | The Headless Torsos play jazz rock fusion, Dave is a superb performer, arranger and composer | |
| Floron | An album of upbeat-driving tracks and dark-brooding melodies from CD Baby (mixed by Tim) | |
| Flying Mountain Records | Drongo (lofi-funk, raga frenzies and urban mantras) and others | |
| Charlie Foulkes | Her debut solo CD University of Life is available as a free download | |
| F-Shine Records | Richard IV Presents, Axel and the Farmers, Ben and the Pimps | |
| G | Gentle Robot | The EP features the mellow fan fave Why as well as the straight ahead rocker, Obstacle. |
| Glideascope | EP, a blend of classical, triphop and world music influences | |
| Chris Grant | Singer/songwriter, guitar, keys (live work inc. O2 Academy) looking for support vocalists & musicians | |
| Paul Gray | Excellent bass player, New Deal for Musicians activist, and DIYer | |
| H | Hairthieves | An eclectic mix of ambient jazz pop rock indie punk soundtracks |
| The Hamsters | “Into our 24th Year and performed more than 4000 Concerts” legendary Essex rockers | |
| Heather Dale | Heather tours full-time (100+ concerts/year in North America and Europe) with fellow musician Ben Deschamps | |
| Sara Hickman | Dropped by Elektra, her fans helped her buy back her album and she has been on her own Sleeveless since | |
| Hollow Sun | Hollow Sun specialises in authentic recreations of vintage electrical and electronic musical instruments | |
| I | ||
| J | Jon James Hall | A mix of music, art and film… and a free CD |
| K | Kasha | His style is poetic, emotional and his words tell stories of his surroundings, life, love and fantasy |
| Fiona Keenan | Percussive fingerpicked guitar playing, fearless stage presence and prolific songwriting | |
| Nik Kershaw | Now releasing his excellent CD and iTunes catalogue on his own Short House Records label | |
| L | Listen With Sarah | CDs with inspiration from neptune, and the ancient art of computer whispering |
| Lovejoy | ”…one of the freshest sounds I've heard in sometime; progressive rock meets Motown…” | |
| Lykwyd Chykyn | A mix between the Flaming Lips, Depeche Mode, and Carly Simon | |
| M | Al Marconi | ‘Smooth New World Flamenco’ production, composition, gigs and CDs |
| Marillion | Back in the studio writing album 17 with no sign of stalling, Marillion play festivals around Europe in 2010 | |
| Andy Martin | Sex appeal to the ears from a versatile master songwriter | |
| Natalie Merchant | Another ex-Elektra artist, Merchant (10,000 Maniacs) now looks after her own business | |
| The Merry Men | Gigging and recording band | |
| MKM Digital | Non profit making co-operative music label, distributing funds and help to art in music | |
| Moe Foe | Live electronic dance for the 21st century | |
| Pete Molinari | His music and live performance is ‘A triumph of content over form’. He is the real thing | |
| The Moot | A pop, rock, soul, blues, folk, country, funk band… mail order CDs | |
| N | Nat JM | Deconstructed pop, shambolic electro and punk to dance to… new EP |
| Norman Records | Slapping the thighs of melody | |
| Nathan Boddy | Nathan of Winding Road Records… more grooves than the most groovy thing on Earth | |
| O | The Openwater | Another one of my musical favourites... all played by humans, more please |
| Own Little World | Gigging and recording London guitar band trio… buy the CD | |
| P | Papa Mofoman | A variety of tracks and studio info from the fantastick… and MySpace |
| The Physicists | “Nasty, angry, punk, alternative, grunge…” they say—I say good hard rock | |
| The Photographers | Experimental gothic rock related in some way to Bunshop | |
| Plastic Fuzz | Plastic Fuzz is a collective group of musicians who make music for leisure purposes | |
| One Stop Shop | clients: MTV, UKTI, Innovision, LDA, AIM, Acklam road, Sonic Egg, Mr Organic. | |
| Q | Queep Organic Music | Global independent and unsigned music community |
| R | Tim Rainey | Studio owner, engineer, musician, photographer… several CDs available from his site |
| Alasdair Reid | Aladair Reid composes music for TV, advertising and other professional media | |
| Righteous Babe | Independent legend Ani DiFranco’s record label is more active than ever | |
| Paul Johnson Rogers | Audio branding and research for film, broadcast, stage and concert | |
| Royalty-Free.tv | Royalty free music, production music for TV | |
| S | The Sad Song Co | Nigel Powell of The Unbelievable Truth - current solo project and intermittent pages |
| Brett Sawmy | Drum tuition (Cardiff), collaborations, recording sessions, rich music biography | |
| Chris Salt | Accomplished production and library music composer for Riffs | |
| Andrew Shearer | At The Water’s Edge (with guitarist Andrew Holdcroft) CD and downloads on ReverbNation and iTunes, etc. | |
| Sheffield Phonographic Corporation | A dozen bands including Balor Knights, Champion Kickboxer and Chuck | |
| Shipyard Label | Records from Shipyard studios including Martin Heslop himself | |
| Michelle Shocked | In the early 1990s, she famously escaped major-label indentured servitude, now running her own Mighty Sounds | |
| Situation Normal | Grass-roots alternative to the commercialised mainstream music industry | |
| Slow | Bristol band Slow relaxed and thoughtful, on their own label Old Crow Music | |
| Songstuff | Community site started by Scottish singer/songwriter and performer John Moxey | |
| Son Of Buff | Legendary two-man power trio gigging around Essex and recording | |
| Sounds and Images | Simon Fielder: music for picture, synthesizer and didgeridoo, CD or MP3 | |
| Sounds Unique | Kevin Osborne’s label for a variety of projects including a how-to-DIY blog. | |
| Ian Stewart | traditional and psychedelic folk, with ambient, Celtic, New Age and classical chamber music | |
| Stretch Records | Guitar band The Dastards EP CD now available. Everybody loves a Dastard! | |
| Strangelight Records | Duncan Patterson’s label for Antimatter, now with other artists | |
| Strawberry Emu | Pop, Rock, R&B, Country and Soul song-based vocal material for other artists | |
| T | TCR | The Control Room, contemporary music for dance |
| Paul Thompson | UK-based composer writing and publishing for Film, TV, Studio Logos and Commercials | |
| U | UK Sound & Lighting | UK sound and lighting community |
| Un! Recordings | It started as a zine, then cassettes, CDs and now downloads on iTunes | |
| Urban Myth Club | The Urban Myth Club have appeared mysteriously but are spreading spontaneously | |
| Urban Voice | Community DIY… young artist development programme | |
| V | Vanity Records | The indie label for Mr Love & Justice with 3 CDs on CD Baby. |
| W | Warren Suicide | Enigmatic artist site with unusually good Flash |
| Winding Road Records | Schmoov!, Nathan Boddy, X-houz, and Brix N Mortar (and a cool site) | |
| Wired Records | Run in partnership by REMIX and Gloucester City Council | |
| X | Xylophone Yacht Zombies | …come together rarely to perform material mostly created in the early eighties by Mad Acid Enterprise |
| Y | ||
| Z | Zingg Records | Online purveyors of perfect pop and fine independent music of all styles |
If you’d like to replace my write-up with your own (a dozen words or so) please email.
Related pages: Zines