One Little Independent Records (formerly One Little Indian Records) is an English

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 and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...

. It was set up in 1985 by members of various

anarcho-punk Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is an ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, ha ...

bands, and managed by former

Flux of Pink Indians Flux of Pink Indians was an English punk rock band from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, active between 1980 and 1986. Biography The band formed in Hertfordshire, England in 1980 from the remaining members of The Epileptics (who during the ...

bassist Derek Birkett. In the 1990s it set up a number of subsidiary labels.

History

One Little Indian Records was founded in 1985 by members of various

bands, and managed by former

bassist Derek Birkett, with the name inspired by the "philosophies of the Indigenous People of the Americas". The label's first success came with A.R. Kane and

in 1986. Success continued with

Alabama 3 Alabama 3 are a British musical group founded in Brixton, Brixton, London, in 1995. Their track "Woke Up This Morning" was used for the opening credits of the TV series ''The Sopranos''. In the United States, the band is known as A3, to avoid ...

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

Chumbawamba Chumbawamba () was a British anarcho-punk band who formed in 1982 and disbanded in 2012. They are best known for their 1997 single "Tubthumping", which was nominated for Best British Single at the Brit Awards 1998. Other singles include "Amnes ...

Kitchens of Distinction Kitchens of Distinction (sometimes shortened colloquially to KoD) are an English rock band formed in Tooting, South London in 1986. The trio consist of lead singer and bassist Patrick Fitzgerald, guitarist Julian Swales and drummer Daniel Goodw ...

The Shamen The Shamen ( ) were a Scottish psychedelic band, formed in 1985 in Aberdeen, who became a chart-topping electronic dance music act on the UK Singles Chart by the early 1990s. The founding members were Colin Angus, Derek McKenzie and Keith Mc ...

Skunk Anansie Skunk Anansie are a British Rock music, rock band whose members include Skin (musician), Skin (vocals, guitar), Cass (bass, guitar), Ace (guitar) and Mark Richardson (musician), Mark Richardson (drums). Skunk Anansie formed in 1994, disbanded ...

Sneaker Pimps Sneaker Pimps are an English electronic music band, formed in Hartlepool in 1994. They are best known for their debut album, '' Becoming X'' (1996), and its singles " 6 Underground" and " Spin Spin Sugar". The band takes its name from an articl ...

, and

the Sugarcubes The Sugarcubes () were an Icelandic alternative rock band from Reykjavík formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. For most of their career, the band consisted of Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards), Einar Örn Benediktsson (vocals, trumpe ...

. Beginning in 1990, the label created several autonomous satellite imprints including Clean-up Records, Partisan Records and Fat Cat Records, all of which had success. Artists on the labels included Alabama 3 (A3),

Sigur Rós Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band that formed in 1994 in Reykjavík. It comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Jónsi, Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal soun ...

, and Sneaker Pimps. Elemental Records was added to the roster in 1995. The song titles of The Shamen's 1996 album '' Hempton Manor'' form an

acrostic An acrostic is a poem or other word composition in which the ''first'' letter (or syllable, or word) of each new line (or paragraph, or other recurring feature in the text) spells out a word, message or the alphabet. The term comes from the Fre ...

, spelling out "Fuck Birket" in an acrimonious reference to founder Birkett, who wanted the group to move back into more commercial territory. In 1997 and 2001, the company also acquired some of the old

Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis, who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove. It is currently run by co-managing directors Travis and Jeannette Lee and ...

and

Nude Records Nude Records is an independent record label, established in August 1991 in London. The label was set up and operated by Saul Galpern, who had previously worked with artists such as Simply Red, The Fall, Julian Cope, The Triffids, The Slits ...

labels, and the rights to several albums previously released by

spinART Records SpinART Records was a New York City-based independent record label that released recordings by The Apples in Stereo, Clem Snide, Black Francis, Frank Black, and Michael Penn. The label was started by Joel Morowitz and Jeff Price in 1991. SpinART ...

. In 2009,

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

, along with

Youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...

, released an album called ''

Electric Arguments ''Electric Arguments'' is the third studio album by The Fireman (music), the Fireman, released on 24 November 2008 on the duo's website. The album was first announced 29 September 2008 on Paul McCartney's website, making it the first Fireman relea ...

'' under the name of The Fireman through One Little Indian. In June 2020, in response to worldwide protests following the

murder of George Floyd On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black American man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer. Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk reported that he made a purchase using a c ...

, it was announced that the company's name would be changed from One Little Indian Records to One Little Independent Records with immediate effect, and that the company would donate money towards organisations which promote and assist Native American communities in North America. In a written statement, Birkett said:

The last few weeks have been a monumental learning curve ... Following the receipt of an eye-opening letter from a Crass fan that detailed precisely why the logo and label name are offensive, as well as the violent history of the terminology, I felt equally appalled and grateful to them for making me understand what must be changed.

Notable artists

* Árný Margrét * Ásgeir *

* Cody Chesnutt *

Daisy Chainsaw Daisy Chainsaw were an English rock music, rock band from London, England, formed in 1989. The band was founded by vocalist KatieJane Garside and guitarist Crispin Gray. Garside appeared on the band's early extended play, EPs and 1992 debut alb ...

Emilíana Torrini Emilíana Torrini (born 16 May 1977) is an Icelandic singer and songwriter. Her works include the 2009 single "Jungle Drum (song), Jungle Drum" and the 1999 album ''Love in the Time of Science''. She performed "Gollum's Song" for the 2002 film ' ...

* Foxtrott * Fufanu * Gabríel Ólafs * Galya Bisengalieva * God Damn * Jesse Malin *

Kathryn Williams Kathryn Williams (born 15 February 1974, Liverpool, England) is an English singer-songwriter who to date has released 14 studio albums, written and arranged for a multitude of artists, and was nominated for the 2000 Mercury Prize, Mercury Mus ...

Manu Delago Manu Delago (born 31 July 1984) is an Austrian musician and composer. Biography Delago was born in Innsbruck, Tyrol (state), Tyrol, and took music lessons as a child in accordion and piano. As a teenager he mainly played drums for various rock ...

* Marry Waterson * Olga Bell * Penelope Trappes *

Queenadreena Queenadreena were an English alternative rock band that formed in London, England in 1998 by vocalist KatieJane Garside and guitarist Crispin Gray, who had previously collaborated in the celebrated but short-lived band Daisy Chainsaw. Garsid ...

* Samaris * Sarasara *

The Sugarcubes The Sugarcubes () were an Icelandic alternative rock band from Reykjavík formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. For most of their career, the band consisted of Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards), Einar Örn Benediktsson (vocals, trumpe ...

* Tusks * Wild Palms

Reception

Amazing Radio has characterised the label as "consistently brilliant" and as having "a rich musical history".

References

External links

Official UK & EU website
{{Authority control Punk record labels British independent record labels Record labels established in 1985 1985 establishments in England Name changes due to the George Floyd protests

History

Notable artists

Reception

See also

References

External links