Probably my favourite record label of all time, el records is dreadfully hard to describe. A clichéd attempt is that it is ‘what should have been in the top 20 when Patrick McGoohan was doing his damnedest to escape from Portmerion in The Prisoner TV show’. Bear in mind that this came out in the late 80s and early 90s and you will understand how wonderfully out of time it sounded in those years prior to the reevaluation of ‘lounge’ and ‘easy listening’.
Defiantly ‘indie’ but perfectly pop, yearning for hits but left-field and ‘arty’, obviously intelligent but never too serious. (Just look at the band names. They had me hooked before I heard a note.) It was massive in Japan, acclaimed in certain parts of the UK press but was totally ignored by most of the record buying public who seemed to think it was being ‘too clever’ or ‘ironic’. Also it was my first introduction to the fabulous Momus
And the artwork, Oh the artwork was fantastic which is always a clincher for me. In particular the pictures of Julia Gilbert (Anthony Adverse) in fencing gear but that was pure lust rather than artistic merit.
Mike Alway – the founder and the labels very heart and soul can pop round my house for a glass or two any day. Check out the el story on the Cherry Red website where much of their work is reissued and available to buy.
el records
ANTHONY ADVERSE – OVERTURE
BAD DREAM FANCY DRESS – CURRY CRAZY
THE UNDERNEATH – HAVE I THE RIGHT
BID – LOVE
KING OF LUXEMBOURG – PENNY WAS A TOMBOY
GOL GAPPAS – ALBERT PARKER
MOMUS – PAPER WRAPS ROCK
BAD DREAM FANCY DRESS – DISCOTHEQUE
RAJ QUARTET – WHOOPS! WHAT A PALALVER
ALWAYS - THAMES VALLEY LEATHER CLUB
FLORENTINES – LOSE THAT LONG FACE
GREAT CHEFS OF EUROPE –JUDE X
ROSEMARY’S CHILDREN – (AT THE END) OF THE CORRIDOR
SIMON FISHER-TURNER – HOW BLUE WAS THE SKY
WOULD BE GOODS – HANGING GARDENS OF REIGATE
MOMUS – THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA
KLAXON 5 – NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IGNORANCE OF THE RICH
SIMON FISHER TURNER – TIMEOUT AND MIND
ALWAYS - LOVE AND DEATH IN METROLAND
MAYFAIR CHARM SCHOOL – MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE)
ANTHONY ADVERSE – GOODBYE AGAIN
Finally learnt how to link!
Link is here
3 comments:
Herb, thanks for the add! You've got some great mixes on here.
You should check out Blogger's Delite - Lazy'sa great guy and has some awesome mixes and comps.
This one is a real winner for me...
http://bloggersdelite.blogspot.com/2009/03/sound-crash.html
Thanks for the link, friend - great album I've never heard of! Great blog too!
Saw Ari Up at Holidays In The Sun in Morecombe a few years ago - gotta love the Slits :-)
Rich
El were superbly consistent from both a musical and an image standpoint. Do you have any of the Anthony Adverse CDs?
Gary
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