Andrew Eldritch - original punk hero ?
Posted: 25 Jun 2015, 22:07
I was reading this excellent old interview with Si on the Metal Hammer website https://metalhammer.teamrock.com/featur ... tfish-boys in which he talks about his career (including as Nurse), and the funding model Red Rhino used for the early Violets singles.
Anyway, that got me reflecting on Von's success as a DIY businessman, in the true spirit of punk - setting up the record label and distribution deal, achieving indie chart success etc - without the need of outside assistance or a Svengali figure. The original punks (Clash, Pistols, Banshees, Stranglers, Buzzcocks et al) all signed up with majors instantly, the second wave tended to sign for regional indies (Rough Trade, Factory, Zoo, Fast Product, Postcard, Small Wonder) or small national labels (Beggars/4AD, Fiction, Virgin etc).
Even famous cottage industries such as Crass put out their first release on Small Wonder.
Is there another example of a successful band which over several years remained entirely independent (ignoring the second single CNT cash-flow hiatus), putting out their own singles, doing all the artwork themselves, etc in that true punk DIY spirit ?
Anyway, that got me reflecting on Von's success as a DIY businessman, in the true spirit of punk - setting up the record label and distribution deal, achieving indie chart success etc - without the need of outside assistance or a Svengali figure. The original punks (Clash, Pistols, Banshees, Stranglers, Buzzcocks et al) all signed up with majors instantly, the second wave tended to sign for regional indies (Rough Trade, Factory, Zoo, Fast Product, Postcard, Small Wonder) or small national labels (Beggars/4AD, Fiction, Virgin etc).
Even famous cottage industries such as Crass put out their first release on Small Wonder.
Is there another example of a successful band which over several years remained entirely independent (ignoring the second single CNT cash-flow hiatus), putting out their own singles, doing all the artwork themselves, etc in that true punk DIY spirit ?