Description
Independence Days: The Story of UK Independent Record Labels. Drawing on more than 160 interviews with many of the most significant figures of the era, Independence Days documents the
UK independent record label boom from the late 1970s onwards.
While many leading punk bands were co-opted by major labels,
a new generation of independent spirits took the baton and revolutionised the course of popular music during a decade of artistic innovation and risk-taking
Even by the standards of Alex Oggs previous work (The Hip Hop Years, No More Heroes), this is an exhaustive undertaking, providing a detailed overview of the history of independent labels in the UK, including Chiswick, Stiff, Rough Trade, Beggars Banquet, 4AD, Factory, Mute, Crass, Cherry Red and a myriad of smaller and boutique labels.
Interviewees include Geoff Travis, Bill Drummond, Miles Copeland, Daniel Miller, Ivo Watts-Russell, Iain McNay, Dave Robinson, Ted Carroll, Roger Armstrong, Penny Rimbaud, Richard Boon, Martin Mills, Richard Scott, Mike Alway, Mike Stone, Bob Last, Terri Hooley, Bill Gilliam, Charlie Gillett,
Seymour Stein, Geoff Davies and many more.
From the budget DIY of Buzzcocks and the Desperate Bicycles to the chart dominance of Depeche Mode, New Order and the Smiths, all the key moments and the thoughts of its participants are documented through painstaking research, analysis and eyewitness accounts.
Independence Days: The Story of UK Independent Record Labels
Alex Ogg – Author:
Alex Ogg is a London-based author whose work includes The Hip Hop Years, Rap Lyrics from The Sugarhill Gang to Eminem, The Men Behind Def Jam, and Radiohead: Standing At The Edge. He is the former editor of Spiral Scratch magazine, and has written dozens of liner notes for punk bands including the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Penetration, Adverts, Skids, Ruts, Sham 69 and many others.
Recommended Book: Children of the Revolution
