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| Forbidden Records | |
|---|---|
| Name | Forbidden Records |
| Status | Defunct |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Marcus Hale |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Location | London |
| Genres | Experimental, Industrial, Post-punk, Ambient |
Forbidden Records was an independent record label and cultural imprint active primarily between 1979 and 1994, known for releasing experimental, industrial, and post-punk music tied to underground scenes in London, Manchester, Berlin, and New York. Its catalog encompassed obscure singles, limited-run LPs, and compilations that circulated among collectors, zines, and alternative radio, fostering networks that intersected with punk, electronic, and avant-garde circles. The label's controversial packaging, provocative artwork, and selective publicity strategies generated both devoted followings and legal scrutiny from authorities, mainstream press, and corporate entities.
Founded in late 1979 by music promoter Marcus Hale and co-director Anya Voss, Forbidden Records emerged out of the same countercultural networks that produced venues such as The Roxy (club), Roundhouse, and CBGB. Early activity coincided with seminal events including the Kraftwerk surge in electronic music, the aftermath of the Sex Pistols controversy, and the rise of scenes around Factory Records and Mute Records. The label's first releases were mail-order singles distributed through fanzines associated with NME, The Face (magazine), and Maximumrocknroll. Through the 1980s Forbidden Records staged cassette swaps with collectives in Berlin, New York City, and Manchester, organized showcases at venues tied to Rough Trade, and collaborated with artists linked to Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire.
By the mid-1980s the label had broadened to include limited-run LPs pressed at plants previously used by Island Records and Factory Records suppliers, while maintaining underground distribution via independent shops such as Rough Trade (store) and distributors like Cargo Records. The company weathered internal disputes when co-founders disagreed over licensing deals proposed by executives with ties to EMI and Warner Music Group. Financial strains led to a hiatus after 1994; archives and master tapes later surfaced in estate sales and private collections related to archives held by institutions such as British Library and university special collections.
Forbidden Records' catalog mixed full-length albums, 7" singles, and compilation LPs. Notable early releases included a 1980 7" by a collective featuring collaborators who later worked with Throbbing Gristle and a 1982 LP that critics compared to works released by Mute Records and Factory Records. The label curated thematic compilations similar in scope to offerings from Rough Trade and compilations circulated by NME and Melody Maker. Limited-edition pressings—often hand-numbered and accompanied by art influenced by designers who contributed to Sleeveface-style projects—became collector's items exchanged at fairs alongside vinyl from Stiff Records and Wax Trax! Records.
A landmark release was an experimental 1986 double LP that featured contributors who had performed at festivals co-promoted with Glastonbury Festival affiliates and experimental nights in London. Several singles attained underground radio play on stations like BBC Radio 1 specialty shows and New York college stations that also spun tracks by Sonic Youth and Swans. Reissues and anthologies in the 2000s included tracks attributed to artists later signed by Mute Records and 4AD, sparking renewed interest among collectors of post-punk and industrial music.
Controversy dogged Forbidden Records, with lawsuits and police inquiries arising from provocative packaging and alleged obscenity claims. One high-profile dispute mirrored earlier conflicts involving The Sex Pistols and record retailers, provoking debates in publications such as NME and broadcasters including BBC Radio 1. Copyright and sampling disputes involved parties who later litigated cases before courts where representatives from EMI and Warner Music Group appeared as industry witnesses. Certain releases were seized during raids coordinated with licensing authorities that also targeted distributors of material by Throbbing Gristle and comparable experimental labels.
Censorship campaigns initiated by advocacy groups prompted store refusals to stock some titles, echoing earlier boycotts concerning releases from Crass and Dead Kennedys. The label pursued litigation with pro bono counsel connected to arts organizations and defenders of free expression who had intervened in disputes surrounding exhibitions at institutions such as Tate Modern and festivals curated by Arts Council England-funded bodies.
Forbidden Records influenced underground networks across London, Manchester, Berlin, and New York City, intersecting with artists and promoters associated with Factory Records, Mute Records, Rough Trade, and independent radio presenters. Critics in magazines like The Wire and Melody Maker alternately praised and derided the label's releases; academic researchers later cited Forbidden Records in studies of post-punk and industrial scenes at universities that maintain collections including the British Library Sound Archive and campus special collections. The label's aesthetic—combining provocative artwork reminiscent of pieces displayed at galleries such as Whitechapel Gallery and graphic approaches used by Factory Records designers—shaped poster art, zine culture, and visual identities adopted by later imprints.
Collectors and DJs curated Forbidden titles into sets alongside records by Sonic Youth, Joy Division, Bauhaus (band), and Cabaret Voltaire, reinforcing cross-pollination between scenes. Retrospectives and radio documentaries on stations like BBC Radio 6 Music and college radio programs revisited the label's role in underground networks.
Artists who released on the label included experimental musicians, post-punk bands, and industrial collectives with connections to figures who collaborated with Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, Sonic Youth, and Marc Almond. Personnel at the label included promoters and A&R contacts who previously worked with venues and organizations such as The Roxy (club), Rough Trade, and independent distributors like Cargo Records. Guest designers and photographers who contributed sleeve art had exhibited work at galleries such as Whitechapel Gallery and collaborated with music magazines including NME and The Face (magazine).
Several alumni later joined or founded labels that achieved wider recognition, including Mute Records, 4AD, and Wax Trax! Records, while others pursued academic or curatorial careers at institutions such as British Library and university departments that study popular music.
Distribution relied on independent retailers and mail-order networks connected to Rough Trade (store), Record Collector (magazine) listings, and street-level dealers who also carried releases from Factory Records and Stiff Records. Limited pressings and unique packaging made Forbidden items prized among collectors, appearing in auctions and private sales alongside artifacts from Sex Pistols memorabilia and industrial ephemera. Archival efforts by collectors, radio archivists, and institutions such as British Library and university special collections have preserved parts of the catalog, influencing reissues and scholarship. The label's legacy persists in the aesthetics and DIY strategies adopted by contemporary micro-labels and in academic work tracing lineage from post-punk and industrial scenes to modern electronic and experimental practices.
Category:British record labels Category:Defunct record labels