Chemikal Underground

Last updated

Chemikal Underground
ChemikalUnderground.png
Founded1994
Founder The Delgados
Genre Post-rock
Post punk revival
Country of origin Scotland
Location Glasgow
Official website http://www.chemikal.co.uk

Chemikal Underground is an independent record label set up in 1994 at Glasgow, Scotland, by rock band The Delgados. It was set up to release their first single, "Monica Webster" / "Brand New Car" and went on to break many new Scottish bands in the nineties.

Contents

When the second Chemikal Underground release by Bis, The Secret Vampire Soundtrack EP was successful, earning them a slot on Top of the Pops , the label was able to expand. To date, The Secret Vampire Soundtrack is the only Top 40 hit released on Chemikal Underground. Further success followed with the debut albums by Mogwai and Arab Strap. Other bands on the Chemikal Underground roster included Magoo, Aereogramme, Cha Cha Cohen, Sluts of Trust, Suckle, the Radar Brothers and more recently Mother and the Addicts and De Rosa, as well as Arab Strap member Malcolm Middleton's solo work. In 2000, they launched Fukd ID to release limited edition (1000 each of CD and 12") singles by bands not necessarily on their roster, such as Interpol (Fukd ID #3).

Artists

Artists' opinions

Chris Connick from De Rosa stated that:

Chemikal Underground were a huge influence on my musical tastes when I was growing up. It was really exciting to hear bands such as Mogwai, The Delgados and Arab Strap, all guys who grew up in the same place as myself, write such amazing music, get played on the radio etc, and do it all off their own back. I hugely admire the members of The Delgados for starting Chemikal and affecting Scottish musical culture in such a positive manner. In fact, it was probably The Delgados that made me want to be in a band, so to have them as your ”boss” is a uniquely warm feeling. To even be considered in the same category as any of the label’s bands is a total honour and I am very proud to be linked to Chemikal Underground’s esteemed heritage. [1]

While Rick Anthony, of The Phantom Band, noted that:

Chemikal Underground have been really pretty good to us so far and they have released some great records over the years - which makes you feel like they know what they are doing, and that they are in it for the right reasons. They all seem like good people as well, and they don’t meddle in the creative side of things at all. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Delgados</span> Scottish indie rock band

The Delgados are a Scottish indie rock band formed in Glasgow in 1994. The band is composed of Alun Woodward, Emma Pollock, Stewart Henderson, and Paul Savage (drums).

Arab Strap are a Scottish indie rock band whose core members are Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton. The band were signed to independent record label Chemikal Underground, split in 2006 and reformed in 2016. The band signed to Rock Action Records in 2020.

Sluts of Trust are a two-piece rock outfit from Glasgow, Scotland, originally comprising John McFarlane and Anthony O'Donnell (drums). O'Donnell was later replaced on drums by Roo Harris.

Brendan O'Hare is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician, primarily known for being the drummer in the rock band Teenage Fanclub from 1989 until early 1994, and a member of and collaborator with Mogwai.

<i>Hate</i> (The Delgados album) 2002 studio album by the Delgados

Hate is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band the Delgados. It was first released on 14 October 2002 by Mantra Records. Following the release of their third studio album The Great Eastern, the band performed music during an art show by Joe Coleman. It served as the catalyst for their next album, giving vocalist and guitarist Alun Woodward the urge to write more honest material. Recording was mainly held at CaVa Sound Studios in Glasgow, Scotland, with Dave Fridmann, Tony Doogan, and the band as producers. Additional recording was done at Chem19 Studios, also in Glasgow, and at Tarbox Road Studios in Cassadaga, New York. Described as an orchestral pop album, Hate continued the sound of The Great Eastern.

Aereogramme were a Scottish alternative rock band from Glasgow, formed in 1998, consisting of Craig B., Iain Cook, Campbell McNeil (bass) and Martin Scott (drums). Prior to their split in 2007, the band released four studio albums.

Paul Savage is a Scottish musician and record producer, best known for being the drummer in the Scottish indie rock group The Delgados.

<i>The Week Never Starts Round Here</i> 1996 studio album by Arab Strap

The Week Never Starts Round Here is the debut studio album by Scottish indie rock band Arab Strap. It was released on 25 November 1996 on Chemikal Underground. The album was reissued in 2010, with a bonus CD which includes the band's first session for John Peel, from March 1997 with guest appearances from Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch and Chris Geddes, and their first ever live gig, at King Tut's in Glasgow in October 1996, as recorded live for Peel's show.

<i>Kicking a Dead Pig: Mogwai Songs Remixed</i> 1998 remix album by Mogwai

Kicking a Dead Pig is a remix album from Scottish band Mogwai consisting of remixes of previously released tracks by various artists, including Alec Empire, My Bloody Valentine, and Max Tundra.

<i>The Last Romance</i> 2005 studio album by Arab Strap

The Last Romance is the sixth studio album by Scottish indie rock band Arab Strap, released on 17 October 2005 on Chemikal Underground.

<i>Monday at the Hug & Pint</i> 2003 studio album by Arab Strap

Monday at the Hug & Pint is the fifth studio album by Scottish indie rock band Arab Strap. It was released in Europe on 21 April 2003 by Chemikal Underground and in the United States a day later by Matador Records. The album features appearances from Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes and Barry Burns of Mogwai, among others.

<i>The Red Thread</i> (Arab Strap album) 2001 studio album by Arab Strap

The Red Thread is the fourth studio album by Scottish indie rock band Arab Strap, released on 26 February 2001 by Chemikal Underground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">De Rosa (band)</span> Scottish rock band

De Rosa are a Scottish rock band from Bellshill. It consists of Martin Henry, Chris Connick (guitar), James Woodside (bass), Neil Woodside (drums) and Andrew Bush (piano/keyboards). The band have released three studio albums—Mend, Prevention, and Weem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aidan Moffat</span> Scottish musician

Aidan John Moffat is a Scottish vocalist and musician, and member of the band Arab Strap.

<i>Into the Woods</i> (Malcolm Middleton album) 2005 studio album by Malcolm Middleton

Into The Woods is the second studio album by Scottish singer-songwriter, Malcolm Middleton, released on 13 June 2005 on Chemikal Underground.

Fukd ID is the name of an imprint on the Chemikal Underground record label, established to allow them to release a wider range of musical styles from artists who might not necessarily be signed to the label. Notable releases include the first EP from the band Interpol.

Martin John Henry is a songwriter from Bellshill in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Henry is noted for his success as the frontman of the rock band De Rosa, who released several albums, singles and other recordings on Glasgow’s influential independent label Chemikal Underground. De Rosa's music has been critically lauded and championed by John Peel and Steve Lamacq. Sound-Scotland recently praised Henry as "...one of Scotland's finest songwriters" Henry has written, recorded and played with many of Scotland’s finest musicians, including Barry Burns (Mogwai), Robert Johnston, King Creosote and Malcolm Middleton. As a solo artist, Henry contributed a track to MOJO Magazine’s ‘Abbey Road Now!’ CD in October 2009 and has played numerous shows including SOUNDS Festival, Tigerfest and Glasgow’s Merchant City Festival.

Andy Miller is a Scottish record producer based in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Miller is noted for his production on albums by Mogwai, Life Without Buildings, Arab Strap, The Delgados, Scout Niblett, Songs: Ohia, Sons And Daughters, De Rosa and Desert Hearts.

<i>Prevention</i> (album) 2009 studio album by De Rosa

Prevention is the second studio album by Scottish indie rock band De Rosa, released on 2 March 2009 on both Chemikal Underground and Gargleblast Records. Regarding the album, guitarist Chris Connick stated that the album features "ten tracks of misery and place, from Lanarkshire," and noted that it "differ[ed] sonically from Mend quite a bit. The songs are more layered, and we used a lot more electronics and beats on this album. There’s also more emphasis on the album's coherence as a whole, and I think it plays better as a collection of songs than Mend did."

John Clark is a Scottish record producer, sound engineer and songwriter. He started out his career as a member of the band Bis, and has worked in the recording studio with Fangs, Franz Ferdinand, Stevie Jackson, Linus Loves and Mylo.

References

  1. Lindsay, Andrew. "Interview: Chris Connick (De Rosa)". stereokill.net. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
  2. Lindsay, Andrew. "Interview: Rick Anthony (The Phantom Band)". stereokill.net. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2012.