Clay Records was an

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 ...

founded by Mike Stone in

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

and based in a record shop in

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

, England.

History

Clay's first signing was local Stoke punk band Discharge who released the ''Realities of War'' single in April 1980. Stone distributed the single out of the boot of his car but it still made it into the top 10 of the indie chart in the music magazine

Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

. The label went on to sign artists including Play Dead,

The Lurkers The Lurkers are a British punk rock band from Uxbridge, West London. They are notable for being the first group ever on Beggars Banquet Records for whom they released two albums, the first of which charted in the UK Albums Chart, while five si ...

Demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...

and G.B.H. Members of Clay went on to form

Jungle Records Jungle Records is a British independent record label formed in 1982, specialising in punk rock, post punk, gothic and alternative releases. From 1982 to 1986 they were also active as a record distributor and were associate members of the C ...

in 1984. In 1996, the label's distributor, Pinnacle Entertainment, went under, resulting in Mike Stone subsequently lost £25,000. This led him to close the label in 1996. In January 2000, the label's assets were sold off to

Trojan Records Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name ''Trojan'' comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck t ...

, who was subsequently acquired by

Sanctuary Records Group Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and is as of 2013 a subsidiary of BMG Rights Management solely for reissues. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest m ...

in 2001. Subsequently, Clay Records back catalogue is owned by Sanctuary/ BMG Rights Management.

Discography

Releases by Clay Records were:

7"/12" Releases

*CLAY 1 (1980) - Discharge: Realities of War 7-inch EP *CLAY 2 (1980) -

Plastic Idols Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...

: Adventure 7-inch *CLAY 3 (1980) - Discharge: Fight Back 7-inch EP *CLAY 4 (1980) -

: Liar 7-inch *CLAY 5 (1980) - Discharge: Decontrol 7-inch EP *CLAY 6 (1981) - Discharge: Never Again 7-inch EP *CLAY 7 (1981) - Dave EDGE: then world 7-inch *CLAY 8 (1982) - GBH: No Survivors 7-inch EP *CLAY 9 (1982) - Zanti Misfitz: Kidz Songs 7-inch *CLAY 10 (1982) - White Door: Way of the World 7-inch *CLAY 11 (1982) - GBH: Sick Boy 7-inch EP *CLAY 12 (1982) -

: This Dirty Town 7-inch *CLAY 13 (1982) - Zanti Misfitz: Love Ends at 8 7-inch *CLAY 14 (1982) - Discharge: State Violence State Control 7-inch *CLAY 15 (1982) - White Door: Kings of the Orient 7-inch/12" *CLAY 16 (1982) - GBH: Give Me Fire 7-inch *CLAY 17 (1982) - The Lurkers: Drag You Out 7-inch *CLAY 17P (1982) - The Lurkers: Drag you Out 7-inch pic disc *CLAY 18 (1982) - KILLJOYS: this is not love 7-inch *CLAY 19 (1982) - LOWLIFE: logic & lust 7-inch *CLAY 20 unreleased *CLAY 21 (1983) - The Lurkers: Frankenstein Again 7-inch *CLAY 22 (1983) - GBH: Catch 23 7-inch *CLAY 23 (1983) - White Door: Love Breakdown 7-inch/12" *CLAY 24 (1983) -

Abrasive Wheels Abrasive Wheels are a punk rock band of the late 1970s – early 1980s. They hailed from Leeds, England and were seldom out of the Independent charts between 1980 and 1984 when the band split. The band were Shonna Rzonca – vocals, Dave Ryan � ...

: Jailhouse Rock 7-inch *CLAY 25 (1983) - Demon: The Plague 7-inch *CLAY 26 (1983) - White Door: Windows 7-inch *CLAY 27 (1983) -

Sex Gang Children Sex Gang Children are an early gothic rock and post-punk band that formed in early 1982 in Brixton in London, England. Although the original group only released one official studio album, their singles and various other tracks have been pack ...

: Maurita Mayer 7-inch *CLAY 28 (1983) - Abrasive Wheels: Banner of Hope 7-inch *CLAY 29 (1983) - Discharge: The Price of Silence 7-inch *CLAY 30 (1983) - White Door: Jerusalem 7-inch *CLAY 31 (1984) - Play Dead: Break 7-inch/12" *CLAY 32 (1984) - The Lurkers: Let's Dance Again 7-inch *CLAY 33 (1984) - Abrasive Wheels: The Prisoner EP *CLAY 34 (1984) - Discharge: The More I See 7-inch/12" *CLAY 35 (1984) - Play Dead: Isobel 7-inch *CLAY 36 (1984) - GBH: Do What You Do 7-inch *CLAY 37 (1984) - White Door: Flame In My Heart 7-inch/12" *CLAY 39 (1984) - The Veil: Manikin 12-inch *CLAY 40 (1984) - Play Dead: Conspiracy 7-inch/12" *CLAY 41 (1985) - Demon: Wonderland 7-inch/12" *CLAY 42 (1985) - Play Dead: Sacrosanct 7-inch/12" *CLAY 43 (1985) - Discharge: Ignorance 7-inch/12" *CLAY 44 (1985) - Rebel Christening: Tribal Eye 12-inch *CLAY 45 (1985) - The Veil: Twist 7-inch

12" EP Releases

*PLATE 1 (1981) - Product: Style Wars 12-inch *PLATE 2 (1981) - Discharge: Why 12-inch *PLATE 3 (1981) - GBH: Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne 12-inch *PLATE 4 (1983) - Zanti Misfitz: Heroe's Are Go! 12-inch *PLATE 5 (1983) - Discharge: Warning 12-inch *PLATE 6 (1983) -

English Dogs English Dogs were a British hardcore punk band that began life in the early eighties. Two versions of the band exist, the punk and metal crossover band featuring original drummer Andrew "Pinch" Pinching and second-era members Graham "Gizz" But ...

: Mad Punx and English Dogs 12-inch *PLATE 7 (1984) - The Lurkers: The Final Vinyl 12-inch *PLATE 8 (1986) - Demon: Sampler 12-inch

LP Releases

*CLAY LP 1 (1979) -

Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...

: Grace LP *CLAY LP 2 (1981) -

: Grace Live LP *CLAY LP 3 (1982) - Discharge:

Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing ''Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing'' is the debut studio album by English hardcore punk band Discharge, released on 21 May 1982 by Clay Records. The album is characterized by a minimalistic approach of music and lyrics, a heavy, distorted, ...

LP *CLAY LP 4 (1982) - GBH:

City Baby Attacked by Rats ''City Baby Attacked by Rats'' is the debut album by the band Charged GBH. It was released in 1982 on Clay Records and was rereleased in 2002 by leading punk reissue label Captain Oi! with bonus tracks (A & B sides of singles "No Survivors" and ...

LP *CLAY LP 5 (1982) - GBH: Leather, Bristles, No Survivors and Sick Boys LP *CLAY LP 6 (1983) - Demon: The Plague LP *CLAY LP 7 (1983) - White Door: Windows LP *CLAY LP 8 (1983) - GBH:

City Babys Revenge ''City Baby's Revenge'' is the second studio album released by British hardcore punk band Charged GBH. The title is a response to the band's 1982 debut album, ''City Baby Attacked by Rats''. Release The album was released by Clay Records in ...

LP *CLAY LP 9 (1984) - Abrasive Wheels: Black Leather Girl LP *CLAY LP 10 (1984) - English Dogs: Invasion of the Porky Men LP *CLAY LP 11 (1984) - Play Dead: From the Promised Land LP *CLAY LP 12 (1984) - Discharge: Never Again LP *CLAY LP 14 (1984) - The Veil: Surrender *CLAY LP 15 (1985) - Demon: British Standard Approved LP *CLAY LP 16 (1985) - Play Dead: Into the Fire LP *CLAY LP 17 (1985) - They Only Come Out at Night Compilation LP *CLAY LP 18 (1985) - Demon: Heart of Our Times LP *CLAY LP 19 (1986) - Discharge:

Grave New World ''Grave New World'' is the fourth studio album by English band Strawbs, their fifth overall. It was the first album to be released after the departure of Rick Wakeman, who was replaced by Blue Weaver, late of Amen Corner. Background Tony ...

LP *CLAY LP 20 (1986) - Play Dead: The Singles 1982-1985 LP *CLAY LP 21 (1986) - GBH: The Clay Years: 1981-1984 LP *CLAY LP 22 (1987) - Demon: The Unexpected Guest LP *CLAY LP 23 (1987) - Demon: Breakout LP *CLAY LP 24 (1987) - Discharge: 1980-1986 LP *CLAY LP 25 (1988) - Demon: Night of the Demon LP *CLAY LP 26 (1988) -

Climax Blues Band Climax Blues Band (originally known as The Climax Chicago Blues Band) is a British blues rock band. The band was formed in Stafford, England, in 1967 by vocalist and harmonica player Colin Cooper (1939–2008), guitarist and vocalist Pete Hayco ...

: Drastic Steps LP *CLAY LP 105 (1990) - Driven To Death Compilation LP

References