Food Records was a British
rock record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
set up in 1984 by
David Balfe
David Balfe (born 1958 in Carlisle, Cumberland) is a musician and record company executive, most notable for playing keyboards with the Teardrop Explodes, founding the Zoo and Food independent record labels, signing Blur and for being the subj ...
(formally of
Zoo Records
Zoo Records was a British independent record label formed by Bill Drummond and David Balfe in 1978. Zoo was launched to release the work of the perennially struggling Liverpool band Big in Japan (the label's first release being the '' From ...
), who later took on
Andy Ross as his partner. Originally formed as an
independent record label with distribution going through
Rough Trade Distribution, Food also licensed acts through
WEA Records, before becoming closely associated with the
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
group's
Parlophone
Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
label.
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
invested in the label and then in 1994 EMI gained complete control and folded it into Parlophone in 2000. Ross died in 2022 aged 66.
Artists
Food was sold to EMI by David Balfe in 1994. Andy Ross continued running Food as a sub-label of EMI, where it was the record label of
Blur,
Strangelove,
Idlewild,
Jesus Jones
Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2021. Their track " Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently global ...
,
Dubstar
Dubstar are an English indie-dance duo,Note: An American indie hip hop artist has released some tracks and video via the Internet under the name "Dubstar", but is not connected to the band in any way. performing songs with hints of Britpop, dre ...
,
The Supernaturals,
Octopus and
Grass Show.
''The Food Christmas EP''
In December 1989, Food Records released ''The Food Christmas EP'' (FOOD 23) that featured Food artists covering each other's songs.
Crazyhead covered Diesel Park West's "Like Princes Do",
Jesus Jones
Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2021. Their track " Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently global ...
covered Crazyhead's "I Don't Want That Kind Of Love" and
Diesel Park West
Diesel Park West are an English alternative rock band from Leicester, England. Formed in 1980, they have released nine official albums, plus six singles that have appeared in the UK Singles Chart.
Current line-up
*John Butler (vocals, guitar)
...
covered Jesus Jones' "Info-Freako". The EP was released on CD, 7" vinyl, 12" and a limited gatefold sleeve 12" vinyl.
The EP charted at #63 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
;Track listing (7" and 12")
#"I Don't Want That Kind Of Love" (Reverb) – 4:10 performed by
Jesus Jones
Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2021. Their track " Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently global ...
#"Like Princes Do" (John Butler) – 3:25 performed by
Crazyhead
#"Info Freako" (Mike Edwards) – 3:52 performed by
Diesel Park West
Diesel Park West are an English alternative rock band from Leicester, England. Formed in 1980, they have released nine official albums, plus six singles that have appeared in the UK Singles Chart.
Current line-up
*John Butler (vocals, guitar)
...
#*CD versions reverse the track order to begin with "Info Freako".
;Credits
*Mike Edwards - producer ("I Don't Want That Kind Of Love")
*Rick Wilson - producer ("Like Princes Do" and "Info Freako")
*John Butler - producer ("Info Freako")
See also
*
List of record labels
File:Alvinoreyguitarboogie.jpg
File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg
File:Bingola1011b.jpg
Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, b ...
References
{{Authority control
Defunct record labels of the United Kingdom
1984 establishments in the United Kingdom
2000 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
Record labels established in 1984
Record labels disestablished in 2000
British independent record labels
EMI
Parlophone subsidiaries
Indie rock record labels
Pop record labels