Falling A Records
Encyclopedia
Falling A Records is a Essex, England based independent record label
formed in the late 1970s, and heavily involved with the D.I.Y cassette movement of the early 1980s. It owned a shop in Clacton-on-Sea
which sold new and second hand records, distributed fanzine
s such as New Crimes, Vague, Vox, Flipside
, Juniper beri-beri, Blam!, and D.I.Y magazines/comics
including the very first copies of Viz
. It also distributed leaflets for various causes such as "anti-apartheid" and "anti-vivisection
", music and politics being very much interlinked at the time.
It had a roster of several bands on its own label, such as the insane picnic
(sic) and Spasmodic Caress
, as well as cassettes and some vinyl it distributed for other D.I.Y cassette labels including Cause for Concern
, Subway, Adventures in Reality, Music for Midgets, Third Mind and Colortapes. Many notable bands were distributed by Falling A, including The Cleaners from Venus featuring Martin Newell
, the Modern Art
, Attrition
, The Pastels
, The Membranes
and the legendary Wavis O'Shave also known as Foffo Spearjig. Some exclusive material was recorded for Falling A by The Cleaners from Venus and Foffo Spearjig among others.
In 1985 the cassette culture
was threatening the fabric of the established music industry and Falling A's profile was such that it received the largest write up in the annual Music Week directory of UK record labels, even more words than EMI
.
The label is still in existence as of April 2009. It is currently reissuing back catalogue on CD while releasing new music and creating a vast archival resource from all the memorabilia, ephemera and past product in its vaults.
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:...
formed in the late 1970s, and heavily involved with the D.I.Y cassette movement of the early 1980s. It owned a shop in Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
which sold new and second hand records, distributed fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
s such as New Crimes, Vague, Vox, Flipside
Flipside (fanzine)
Flipside was a punk rock fanzine published in Los Angeles, California from 1977 to 2000.As one of the first and longest running US punk rock fanzines, this publication extensively chronicled the world of independent and underground music during this era. Known for its highly opinionated cast of...
, Juniper beri-beri, Blam!, and D.I.Y magazines/comics
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
including the very first copies of Viz
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
. It also distributed leaflets for various causes such as "anti-apartheid" and "anti-vivisection
Vivisection
Vivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...
", music and politics being very much interlinked at the time.
It had a roster of several bands on its own label, such as the insane picnic
The insane picnic
In the early 1980s, English band The Insane Picnic were one of the pioneering D.I.Y. cassette bands, composed of members Peter Ashby, Barry Douglas Lamb and Owen Turley. They recorded several releases for the English independent record label Falling A Records...
(sic) and Spasmodic Caress
Spasmodic Caress
Spasmodic Caress were an English post punk/New Wave band that played many gigs along the East coast and in Ipswich, Colchester and London between 1979 and 1984. They recorded a track for the 4AD Records 12" compilation Presage in 1980 and also released an album on Falling A Records...
, as well as cassettes and some vinyl it distributed for other D.I.Y cassette labels including Cause for Concern
Cause for Concern
Cause for Concern was an important DIY cassette label of the 1980s. It was founded by Larry Peterson and focused on Industrial music. Throbbing Gristle was among the many artists released on this label....
, Subway, Adventures in Reality, Music for Midgets, Third Mind and Colortapes. Many notable bands were distributed by Falling A, including The Cleaners from Venus featuring Martin Newell
Martin Newell
Martin Newell may refer to:*Martin Newell , British computer scientist, creator of the Utah teapot*Martin Newell , British rock musician, poet and author, known as "the Wild Man of Wivenhoe"...
, the Modern Art
The Modern Art
The Modern Art was a psychedelic rock band formed by Gary Ramon in the 1980s. It had a loose lineup that never played gigs but did see the release of two studio albums and a number of self-produced cassettes. Ramon disbanded the group out of a desire "to make a more live-sounding group that could...
, Attrition
Attrition (band)
Attrition are an electronic music band, formed in Coventry, England in 1980 by Martin Bowes and Julia Niblock. The band emerged from the experimental post-punk scene of the early 1980s and, along with other groups such as Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, and In the Nursery, greatly...
, The Pastels
The Pastels
The Pastels are a group from Glasgow, Scotland, UK.Their early records for labels like Whaam!, Creation, Rough Trade, and Glass Records, had a raw and immediate sound, melodic and amateur, which seemed at odds with the time...
, The Membranes
The Membranes
The Membranes were a post-punk band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1977, the initial line-up being John Robb , Mark Tilton , Martin Critchley and Martin Kelly . Critchley soon left, with Robb and Tilton taking on vocals, and Kelly moving to keyboards, with "Coofy Sid" taking over on drums...
and the legendary Wavis O'Shave also known as Foffo Spearjig. Some exclusive material was recorded for Falling A by The Cleaners from Venus and Foffo Spearjig among others.
In 1985 the cassette culture
Cassette culture
Cassette culture, or the cassette underground , refers to the practices surrounding amateur production and distribution of recorded music that emerged in the late 1970s via home-made audio cassettes...
was threatening the fabric of the established music industry and Falling A's profile was such that it received the largest write up in the annual Music Week directory of UK record labels, even more words than EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
.
The label is still in existence as of April 2009. It is currently reissuing back catalogue on CD while releasing new music and creating a vast archival resource from all the memorabilia, ephemera and past product in its vaults.
See also
- List of record labels
- List of independent UK record labels
- Cassette cultureCassette cultureCassette culture, or the cassette underground , refers to the practices surrounding amateur production and distribution of recorded music that emerged in the late 1970s via home-made audio cassettes...
- Six Armed Man