Invisible Hands Music
Encyclopedia
Invisible Hands Music is an independent record label
based in London's Camden Town
neighbourhood. The label was founded by musician Charles Kennedy. The company name first appeared on cassettes sold at gigs by Kennedy's first band Night World in 1987. The first CD release was Fretwork Southeast, a compilation album
of local bands from Southwest London in 1993. After three more CDs in the series, and an eponymous debut album by Kennedy's next musical project, The Aries Project, the label moved into signing artists starting with Wishbone Ash
, and singer-songwriter
, Rob Reynolds
. Other releases in the 1990s, distributed by Pinnacle in the UK, included electro compilations such as Speed Garage Invasion and Drum n Bass Invasion.
After a gap of five years, the label restarted operations in its current offices in January 2003, releasing products such as a box set of new music by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
, a box set of previously-released music by Wishbone Ash, and a compilation of covers
of David Bowie
songs. Hazel O'Connor
joined the label with a reissue series of her 1990s albums. Recent releases included music by guitarist Stevie Salas
, Silver Sun
(two studio albums), Hugh Cornwell
(one studio album and a live set) and Thomas Dolby
(live CD / DVD
box set).
In 2008, Invisible Hands Music made the news by signing the (partially) reformed lineup of The Jam
, and making the new Hugh Cornwell
album, Hooverdam, available as a free download.
ALBUMS
N/A The Aries Project Echo Park / Ionisphere Blue / Up / Underpass
SINGLES
VIDEO (promo only)
RELATED ALBUMS
COMPILATIONS
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 London's Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
neighbourhood. The label was founded by musician Charles Kennedy. The company name first appeared on cassettes sold at gigs by Kennedy's first band Night World in 1987. The first CD release was Fretwork Southeast, a 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...
of local bands from Southwest London in 1993. After three more CDs in the series, and an eponymous debut album by Kennedy's next musical project, The Aries Project, the label moved into signing artists starting with Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
, and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, Rob Reynolds
Rob Reynolds (musician)
Rob Reynolds is a singer/songwriter and recording artist. He plays acoustic/electric guitar, lap steel, dobro steel, harmonica, bass and keyboards.-Early life:...
. Other releases in the 1990s, distributed by Pinnacle in the UK, included electro compilations such as Speed Garage Invasion and Drum n Bass Invasion.
After a gap of five years, the label restarted operations in its current offices in January 2003, releasing products such as a box set of new music by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, a box set of previously-released music by Wishbone Ash, and a compilation of covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
songs. Hazel O'Connor
Hazel O'Connor
Hazel O'Connor is an English singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of a soldier from Galway who settled in England after World War II to work in a car plant...
joined the label with a reissue series of her 1990s albums. Recent releases included music by guitarist Stevie Salas
Stevie Salas
Stevie Salas is a guitarist known for his work on George Clinton's albums, his collaborations with Koshi Inaba of B'z, and Hardware. He was in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, providing the fingerwork for George Carlin's guitar solo....
, Silver Sun
Silver Sun
Silver Sun may refer to:*Silversun , an Australian TV series*Silver Sun , an English rock/pop band*Silversun Pickups, an American indie rock band...
(two studio albums), Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...
(one studio album and a live set) and Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
(live CD / DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
box set).
In 2008, Invisible Hands Music made the news by signing the (partially) reformed lineup of The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
, and making the new Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...
album, Hooverdam, available as a free download.
Catalogue
all titles on CD unless stated otherwiseALBUMS
- IH1 Night World Invisible Hands (cassette)
- IH2 Night World The Bears At The End of The Garden (cassette)
- IH3 Night World Grand Designs (cassette)
- IH4 Night World Charge of the Night Brigade (cassette)
- IHCD5 Various Fretwork Southeast
- IHCD6 The Aries Project The Aries Project
- IHCD7 Various Fretwork Southeast 2: The Crossing
- IHCD8 Rob ReynoldsRob Reynolds (musician)Rob Reynolds is a singer/songwriter and recording artist. He plays acoustic/electric guitar, lap steel, dobro steel, harmonica, bass and keyboards.-Early life:...
Waiting For The Tide - IHCD9 Various Fretwork 3: Upshot
- IHCD10 Various Fretwork 4: Electronic
- IHCD11 Night World Atmospheres
- IHCD12 Wishbone AshWishbone AshWishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
Trance Visionary - IHCD14 Various Drum & Bass Invasion
- IHCD15 Various Speed Garage Invasion
- IHCD16 Various Diamond Gods: Interpretations of Bowie
- IHCD17 Rob Reynolds Samsara Never Sleeps
- IHCD18 Hazel O'Connor Beyond The Breaking Glass
- IHCD19 Hazel O'ConnorHazel O'ConnorHazel O'Connor is an English singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of a soldier from Galway who settled in England after World War II to work in a car plant...
Live in Berlin - IHCD20 Hazel O'Connor 5 In The Morning
- IHCD21 Hazel O'Connor Acoustically Yours
- IHCD22 Rob Reynolds Sightseeing
- IHCD23 Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
Reworks: Brain Salad Perjury (3 CD box set) - IHCD24 Wishbone Ash Wonderful Stash (3 CD box set)
- IHCD25 Ade Payne My Town
- IHCD26 Clear Coming Round
- IHCD27 Whysome Not Even Close To What It Was Meant To Be (IR01)
- IHCD28 UK SubsUK SubsThe U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. They were also one of the first street punk bands.-Career:The U.K...
Staffordshire Bull - IHCD29 The VibratorsThe Vibrators- Early career:The Vibrators were founded by Ian 'Knox' Carnochan, bassist Pat Collier, guitarist John Ellis, and drummer John 'Eddie' Edwards. They first came to public notice at the 100 Club when they backed Chris Spedding in 1976. On Spedding's recommendation, Mickie Most signed them to his...
Live: Near The Seedy Mill Golf Club - IHCD30 Cheap & Nasty Cool Talk Injection
- IHCD31 Hazel O'Connor A Singular Collection: The Best of Hazel O'Connor
- IHCD32 Cormac De Barra Barco
- IHCD33 Mick KarnMick KarnAndonis Michaelides , better known as Mick Karn, was an English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, who came to fame as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982....
More Better Different - IHCD34 Forest Giants In Sequence
- IHCD35 Silver SunSilver SunSilver Sun may refer to:*Silversun , an Australian TV series*Silver Sun , an English rock/pop band*Silversun Pickups, an American indie rock band...
Disappear HereDisappear Here (Silver Sun album)Disappear Here was the third full studio album by the British band Silver Sun. The release came seven years after their second album Neo Wave and was their first release on the Invisible Hands label. The album was unusual in that lead vocalist James Broad recorded the album single-handedly,... - IHCD36 Rob Reynolds Live in Den Haag
- IHCD37 Hazel O'Connor Hidden Heart
- IHCD38 Hugh CornwellHugh CornwellHugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...
Beyond Elysian FieldsBeyond Elysian FieldsBeyond Elysian Fields is Hugh Cornwell's 2004 album, produced by Tony Visconti and released by Invisible Hands Music in 2004 in the UK, with a worldwide release in 2005.-Critical reception:... - IHCD39 Stevie Salas The Sun & The Earth: The Essential Stevie Salas Vol. 1
- IHCD40 Various Northern Line: The British At NXNE
- IHCD41 Rob Reynolds The Curious World
- IHCD42 Silver Sun Dad's Weird DreamDad's Weird DreamDad's Weird Dream was the fourth studio album from British band Silver Sun The album was first released in Japan, where the band has steadily built a large fan base...
- IHCD43 Hugh Cornwell Dirty Dozen
- IHCD44 Hugh Cornwell People, Places, Pieces (3 CD box set)
- IHCD45 Various Lost & Found
- IHCD49 Birds of Wales Fall of the 49 EP
- IHCD50 Various Contemporary Formation
- IHCD51 Thomas DolbyThomas DolbyThomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
The Sole Inhabitant (CD and DVD box set) - IHCD52 Hugh Cornwell Hooverdam (CD and DVD box set; vinyl)
- IHCD53 From The Jam A First Class Return (DVD box set)
N/A The Aries Project Echo Park / Ionisphere Blue / Up / Underpass
SINGLES
- IHSCD4 The Aries Project Shelter, Medina, Stateless
- IHSCD5 Rob Reynolds Stormy Weather
- IHSCD6 Rob Reynolds Take It Easy
- IHST7 Wishbone Ash Heritage (12" vinyl)
- IHCDS10 Clear Johnny Marr Was A Mistake
- IHCDS11 Rob Reynolds Sweet Mother
- IHCDS12 OK Cola Everybody Wants To Be A DJ*
- IHS14 Forest Giants Postcards (7" vinyl)
- IHCDS15 Clear Over And Over
- IHCDS16 Rob Reynolds Heaven Knows
- IHCDS17 The Kates EP (CD and 12" vinyl)
- IHCDS19 Hazel O'Connor One More Try
- IHCDS20 The Kates Suicide Valentine
- IHCDS21 Junk TV Oh England
- IHCDS22 Rob Reynolds Sweet Mother
- IHCDS23 Silver Sun Bubblegum
- IHCDS25 Rob Reynolds Heaven Knows
- IHCDS26 Hazel O'Connor Perfect Days
- IHCDS27 Silver Sun Immediate
- IHCDS28 Hugh Cornwell Under Her Spell
- IHCDS29 Hazel O'Connor I'll See You Again/ Hidden
- IHCDFREEME1 Rob Reynolds Free Me
VIDEO (promo only)
- VHS Rob Reynolds Stormy Weather
- VHS Rob Reynolds Take It Easy
- VHS Rob Reynolds Sweet Mother
- VHS Clear Johnny Marr Was A Mistake
- VHS Hazel O'Connor One More Try
- VHS Mick Karn The Jump
- DVD Various IHM Artists
- DVD Hugh Cornwell Live In London
RELATED ALBUMS
- Hugh Cornwell Live: Live It & Breathe It (HISCD004)
- David Fisher Firehorse
- Manana Fast Days EP
COMPILATIONS
- Exposed (In Yer Face Records IYF-01CD) includes Night World Remote
- Future Sounds Of Underground Garage (Intrinsic Records TOYCD008) includes Night World Grass Roots and DJ Aries In Awe Of Stratus Girl
- United Flava Of Drum n Bass: The Junglist Jazz Selection (Intrinsic Records TOYCD1006) includes Fledgling feat DJ Tyrone and The Aries Project Baby Jane
- Definitive Underground Drum n Bass (Ration-L RALVP002CD) includes The Aries Project New Foundations (Fledgling's Incision Mix)
- Seminal Excursions In Underground Garage: 40 Crucial Cuts (Ration-L RALVP007CD) includes DJ Aries feat Mikey Davenport Sitting All Alone
- The British At Midem 2004 includes Rob Reynolds Sweet Mother
- The British At Midem 2005 includes Rob Reynolds Sweet Mother
- The British At Midem 2007 includes Silver Sun Fallen
- The British At Popkomm 2005 includes Rob Reynolds Sweet Mother
- The British At Popkomm 2007 includes Thomas Dolby I Live In A Suitcase
- AIM For China 2004
- AIM For America 2006 includes Silver Sun, Rob Reynolds, Hugh Cornwell
- BPI UK Indie Synch Sampler November 2005 includes Rob Reynolds Change My World