Au Go Go Records is the name of a

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

based

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

. It was founded by

Bruce Milne Bruce Milne (born 1957) is an Australian radio presenter and music journalist. He co-founded Au-Go-Go Records and the cassette magazine ''Fast Forward'', and was owner of The Tote Hotel. Career Milne began his career in the 1970s hosting musi ...

and Philip Morland from a house in Brunswick Street,

Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name: **FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) ** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

and was later operated by Greta Moon. The label started releasing bands on the

punk and new wave scene. Its first release was in 1979 with the EP ''Overnight'' by Two Way Garden. The label's first 25 releases included debut recordings of some seminal Australian acts such as Crackajacks, Marching Girls, Clint Small, Scapa Flow, Little Murders, the Zorros, Dorian Gray and Plays With Marionettes (later The Wreckery, featuring Hugo Race). Philip Morland left and Greta Moon joined in 1982. By 1982 the label had started to increase its profile due to the local and overseas success of bands like

The Moodists The Moodists were an Australian post-punk band. They were formed in late 1980 by Dave Graney on lead vocals, Clare Moore on drums and Steve Miller on guitar, all from punk group the Sputniks. They added bass guitarist Chris Walsh in early 1981 ...

(featuring

Dave Graney Dave Graney is an Australian rock musician, singer-songwriter and author from Melbourne. Since 1978, Graney has collaborated with drummer-multi instrumentalist Clare Moore. The pair have fronted or been involved with numerous bands including Th ...

and

Mick Turner Mick Turner (born 1960) is an Australian musician and artist. He is the founding mainstay guitarist for Dirty Three and has had art exhibitions around Australia and internationally. Previously he was a member of the Sick Things, the Moodists (1 ...

later of

Dirty Three Dirty Three is an Australian instrumental rock band, consisting of Warren Ellis (violin and bass guitar), Mick Turner (electric and bass guitars) and Jim White (drums), which formed in 1992. Their 1996 album ''Horse Stories'' was voted by ''Ro ...

). Notable releases included

the Scientists The Scientists is a post-punk band from Perth, Western Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as the Exterminators and then the Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/ ...

' "Swampland" (actually the b-side of the single "This Is My Happy Hour") and

God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...

's "

My Pal "My Pal" is a 1988 single from Australian band God. Details Formed in Melbourne in 1986, the members of God were all 15 or 16 at the time Bruce Milne of Au Go Go Records signed the band and released "My Pal" as their debut single in January 1 ...

", one of the label's most popular releases, as well as titles by

Ollie Olsen Ollie Olsen is an Australian multi-instrumentalist, composer and sound designer. He has performed, recorded and produced rock, electronic and experimental music since the mid-1970s. His post punk groups included Whirlywirld (1978–80), Orches ...

's band No,

Harem Scarem Harem Scarem is a Canadian hard rock/melodic hard rock band from Toronto, Ontario. Harem Scarem initially (the early 1990s) achieved popularity in their native Canada and Japan. The band was active from 1987 to 2008, and again from 2013 after ...

, various compilations such as the ''Asleep At The Wheel'' collection of (mostly unsigned)

bands, and the well-received ''Hard To Beat'', a double album tribute to

the Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...

, featuring many Australian acts. In April 1989, the label released the debut single by the

Candy Harlots Candy Harlots were an Australian band from Sydney, active between 1987 and 1995. They also released material as Helter Skelter and The Harlots. According to rock music historian Ian McFarlane they were, "an unashamedly macho, decadent lot, wi ...

, entitled ''Red Hot Rocket'', with the initial 500 copies pressed on red vinyl and wrapped in a pair of women's knickers printed with the band name. The label also branched out into international releases, issuing albums (under license) by overseas bands such as

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...

Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. Orig ...

Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984, originally simply called Dinosaur until legal issues forced a change in name. The band was founded by J Mascis (guitar, vocals, primary songwriter), Lou Barlow ( ...

Big Black Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Nake ...

and

The 5.6.7.8's The 5.6.7.8's are a Japanese rock band from Tokyo. They first started performing as a quartet in Tokyo, and recruited guest performers during their Australian tour. They became a trio in 1992, before touring Australia. Members The 5.6.7.8's fo ...

. Au Go Go was also instrumental in helping these bands tour Australia. in 1989 Bruce Milne started an offshoot label, Giant Claw Records, to issue 7" singles. The Au-Go-Go record label continued throughout the 1990s, issuing early releases from such Australian acts as

Spiderbait Spiderbait is an Australian alternative rock band from Finley, New South Wales, formed in 1991 by bass guitarist and singer Janet English, drummer and singer Kram (musician), Kram, and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version o ...

, The Meanies and

Magic Dirt Magic Dirt are an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner (musician), Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially for ...

, the latter becoming one of the label's top attractions. Magic Dirt left Au Go Go in 1999, and the label never fully recovered. Many of Au Go Go's releases are now out of print and are fast becoming collector's items.

Au Go Go Records shop

In 1987, with the success of their mail-order and distribution services, Au Go Go opened a record shop at a retail space in Little Collins St in Melbourne's CBD, also taking over the lease of Gaslight's suburban Malvern store. Later the business moved to its best-know location of 349 Little Bourke St on the corner of Somerset Place, then in June 2000 to a smaller space in Somerset Place. The retail aspect closed in late 2003 and elements of the business were absorbed into the operations of Shock Records. The Au Go Go website was last updated Tue Feb 3 2009. In the 2000s Bruce Milne was involved in running Melbourne pub/rock venue

The Tote Hotel The Tote is a hotel, pub, bar, and live music venue located in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia. The venue hosts many independent local, Australian and international acts, and carries a reputation for showcasing new and emerging independent m ...

in Collingwood, as well as a new label,

In-Fidelity Recordings In-Fidelity Recordings is a record label founded in September 2002 by Bruce Milne and Steven Stavrakis. Bruce Milne established the Au Go Go label and Stavrakis was co-founder of Waterfront Records and Fellaheen. Between them they have worke ...

. He continues to be a sought-after DJ and radio presenter, co-hosting Melbourne Music Bus Tours which is associated with the Arts Centre Melbourne's Australian Music Vault.

References

External links

Infidelity Records

(

Everett True Everett True (born Jeremy Andrew Thackray on 21 April 1961) is an English music journalist and musician. He became interested in rock music after hearing The Residents, and formed a band with school friends. He has written and recorded as The ...

, ''Tangents'') {{Authority control Australian independent record labels Record labels established in 1979 Garage rock record labels Indie rock record labels Alternative rock record labels

Au Go Go Records shop

See also

References

External links