Labelled With Love

The 1990s will be posthumously viewed as the decade when the indie label, once the totem pole of fan credibility, became just another machination of global major label dominance. Labels that changed the way we listened to music became sucked into the mass-marketed vortex, and when Oasis scaled the dizzying heights of superstardom it set the precedent for chart-orientated indie pin-ups Stereophonics and Travis.

Meanwhile a little Glaswegian group called The Delgados formed their own cottage-sized label in 1995 from their own kitchen. Initially they merely wanted to get their own material out in the open, but before long they were the toast of the indie glittterati, complete with Single of the Week mentions to beat the best of them. Kandy Pop by first signings bis became a surprise chart smash. But the flash in the pan that was bis would prove to be small fry compared to the work and success of Arab Strap (named after a popular sex toy) and Mogwai (named after those odd creatures in Gremlins), who were both to become the creative, critical and commercial success stories of the fledgling label. Both came from Falkirk and Lanarkshire respectively, large conurbations between Glasgow and Edinburgh characterised by mass unemployment, street-gangs and a huge rate of Buckfast consumption. Mogwai released a series of acclaimed EPs before signing to Chemikal Underground, all limited to no more than 500 and now worth a small fortune. Arab Strap released a collection of ramshackle hymns to growing up in Falkirk appropriately entitled The Week Never Starts Around Here and their popular live centrepiece 'The Girls Of Summer' became used on a Guinness advert. They played their first Irish show at the UCD Fresher's Ball in 1997 to mass indifference. Meanwhile Mogwai had released their debut release for the label the 4 Satin EP with the clausthrophobic beats of Superheroes of BMX, haunting 'Now You're Taken' with vocals by Arab Strap's Aidan Moffat and the bruising sixteen minute long noise-fest 'Stereodee'. Mogwai Young Team, named after gang graffiti in Lanarkshire, was released late in 1997, gaining ectastic reviews and high placings in the end of year polls.
1998 saw both acts tour extensively with Dublin shows in Whelan's and the Mean Fiddler. In April the first ever bona-fide classic Philophobia came out and became a word of mouth sensation. It was the relationship album to beat all relationship albums, narrating the cruelties of rejection with stark language reminiscent of James Kelman or Irvine Welsh at his bleakest.
And in 1999 it all went a bit mental. Arab Strap were signed by Go Beat! And Mogwai were on the cover of the NME. Irish Chemikal Underground shows were now in the Olympia and HQ rather than a half-empty Mean Fiddler or Whelan's. Mogwai became a festival favourite, headlining the second stage at Glastonbury. Come On Die Young, also monikered in honour of Lanarkshire gang graffiti, became one of the year's most acclaimed and revered ablums produced by David Deserter's Songs Fridmann.
In March this year Chemikal Underground marked five unbelievably successful years with a knees up in the Garage complex in Glasgow. Arab Strap, Mogwai and The Delgados played short sets alongside latest Chemikal proteges Suckle and Aerogramme. In the last fortnight, Mogwai have announced their departure from the label while Arab Strap celebrated their return with a re-signing ceremony in Glasgow's Tennant's Brewery. The Delgados have just released arguably the finest release on the label, to date, the swoonsome The Great Eastern LP.
Chemikal Undergound enter the 21st Century celebrating five years of being the best independent label in the business.