Situation Two (a.k.a. Situation 2) was a British

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 in 1981 by Peter Kent as an offshoot of the Beggars Banquet label. At the time, Beggars Banquet releases were often distributed by

WEA The Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as either being closely related to the Miami Tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami. Today, the descendants of the ...

; to appeal to the

indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...

audience and to get releases into the

UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Singles Chart and UK Independent Albums Chart are charts of the best-selling independent singles and albums, respectively, in the United Kingdom. Originally published in January 1980, and widely known as the indie chart, the rele ...

, Situation Two, as well as its sister label 4AD (which Kent had co-founded a year earlier with

Ivo Watts-Russell Ivo Watts-Russell (born 1954) is a British music producer and record label executive. He was joint-founder with Peter Kent of the indie record label 4AD. He has produced several records, although he prefers to use the term "musical director". Ea ...

, but soon left), were created. During its 11-year history, Situation Two came to prominence as the home for a varied number of indie favourites. These included

Madchester Madchester was a musical and cultural scene that developed in the English city of Manchester in the late 1980s, closely associated with the indie dance scene. Indie-dance (sometimes referred to as indie-rave) saw artists merging indie music ...

band the Charlatans, early incarnations of

the Cult The Cult are an English rock band formed in 1983 in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead singer Ian Astbury's ...

Bauhaus The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the Bauhaus (), was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., 200 ...

side project

Tones on Tail Tones on Tail was a British post-punk band formed in 1982, originally as a musical side project of Daniel Ash of the gothic rock group Bauhaus. Their music was described by one critic as "doom-and-dance-pop." History While still a member of B ...

, the solo work of former Bauhaus member

David J David John Haskins (born 24 April 1957, Northampton, Northamptonshire, England), better known as David J, is a British alternative rock musician, producer, and writer. He is the bassist for the gothic rock band Bauhaus and for Love and Rock ...

, and cult bands like the Associates,

Fields of the Nephilim Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in 1984. The band's name refers to a Biblical race of angel-human hybrids known as the Nephilim. Career Early years (1984–1991) Fields of the Nep ...

, Thee Hypnotics,

Gene Loves Jezebel Gene Loves Jezebel are a British rock band formed in the early 1980s by identical twin brothers Jay (born John) and Michael Aston. Gene Loves Jezebel's best-known songs include "Heartache", "Desire (Come and Get It)" (1986), "The Motion of L ...

, Play Dead,

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, also known very briefly as the Lorries, are an English rock band formed in Leeds in early 1981 by guitarist and songwriter Chris Reed, vocalist Mark Sweeney, bassist Steve Smith and drummer Mick Brown. After breaking up ...

and

Buffalo Tom Buffalo Tom is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986. Its principal members are guitarist Bill Janovitz, bassist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis. The band's name is derived from the band Buffalo Sp ...

. When Situation Two was dissolved in 1992, many of the roster's releases were then issued on the parent Beggars Banquet label, and several were later included on the 1999 Beggars compilation album ''

Pspyched! Beggars Banquet Records is a British independent record label. Beggars Banquet started as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin and is part of the Beggars Group of labels. History In 1977, spurred by the prevailing DI ...

''.

Discography

Albums

1981 *

Biting Tongues Biting Tongues were a post-punk band formed in Manchester, England in 1979, whose members went on to join Simply Red, Yargo, and 808 State. History The band was formed in 1979 by saxophonist Howard Walmsley, initially to record a soundtracks fo ...

- ''Don't Heal'' (SITU 1) * Associates - '' Fourth Drawer Down'' (SITU 2) * New Asia - ''Gates'' (SITU 3) 1982 *

Singers and Players Singers & Players were a reggae collective made up of vocalists and musicians associated with Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound Records. They recorded five albums between 1981 and 1988. Including artists such as Bim Sherman, Prince Far I and Mikey D ...

- ''Revenge of the Underdog'' (SITU 4) * The Last Man in Europe Corporation - ''Songs from the Ark'' (SITU 5) *

Lydia Lunch Lydia Lunch (born Lydia Anne Koch; June 2, 1959)Martin Charles Strong. ''The Great Indie Discography''. 2003, page 85 is an American singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker. Her career began during the 1970s New York City no ...

- '' 13.13'' (SITU 6) 1983 *

- ''Promise'' (SITU 7) *

- ''Etiquette of Violence'' (SITU 8) 1984 * The Eternal Triangle - ''Touch and Let Go'' (SITU 9) * Nyam Nyam - ''Hope of Heaven'' (SITU 10) * Various artists - ''A New Optimism'' (SITU 11) 1985 *

- ''Tones on Tail'' (SITU 12) * The Fall - ''Hip Priests and Kamerads'' (SITU 13) * Gene Loves Jezebel - ''Immigrant'' (SITU 14) *

The Bolshoi The Bolshoi were an English London-based music group prominent mostly in the mid to late 1980s. They are best known for the hits "Sunday Morning" and "A way" or "Away" (the name is interchangeable and has been noted as both on different albums ...

- ''Giants'' (SITUM 15) *

Hank Wangford Samuel Hutt, known by the stage name Hank Wangford (born 15 November 1940), is an English country and western songwriter. "Hank is a good smoke screen. He can do things I can't do. He's my clown," says Dr. Hutt, who has been struggling to bal ...

Band - ''Rodeo Radio'' (SITU 16) * Various artists - ''Gunfire and Pianos'' (SITU 17) (in association with ''

ZigZag A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular. In geometry, this pattern is described as ...

'' magazine) 1987 *

- ''

Dawnrazor ''Dawnrazor'' is the debut studio album by English gothic rock band Fields of the Nephilim. It was released in May 1987, through record label Situation Two. Background The introductory track contains a sample of the Ennio Morricone theme "Man ...

'' (SITUM 18) * The Folk Devils - ''Goodnight Irony'' (SITUP 19) 1988 *

- '' Nothing Wrong'' (SITU 20) * King Blank - ''The Real Dirt'' (SITU 21) * Fields of the Nephilim - '' The Nephilim'' (SITU 22) 1989 *

The Fuzztones The Fuzztones are an American garage rock revival band formed in 1982. History Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi Protrudi in New York City, the band has gone through several member changes but is currently active in Europe. Dismissed by some cri ...

- ''In Heat'' (SITU 23) * Ian Lowery Group - ''King Blank to...'' (SITU 24) *

- ''

Blow Blow commonly refers to: *Cocaine *Exhalation * Strike (attack) Blow, Blew, Blowing, or Blown may also refer to: People * Blew (surname) * Blow (surname) Arts and entertainment Music *The Blow, an American electro-pop band Albums * ''Blow ...

'' (SITU 25) * Thee Hypnotics - ''Live'r than God'' (SITUM 26) 1990 *

Loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, an ...

- ''

A Gilded Eternity ''A Gilded Eternity'' is the third studio album by the rock band Loop. Released in 1990 on Situation Two, it was a commercial success, topping the UK Indie Charts (as their previous album ''Fade Out Fade out, Fade-out or Fadeout may refer to: ...

'' (SITU 27) * Thee Hypnotics - ''Come Down Heavy'' (SITU 28) *

The Darkside The Darkside (or Darkside) were an indie rock band formed in 1989 by former members of Spacemen 3. After releasing two studio albums they split up in 1993. History The band formed in Rugby in 1989 and was led by Pete Bain (aka Bassman), who h ...

- ''All That Noise'' (SITU 29) * The Charlatans - ''

Some Friendly ''Some Friendly'' is the debut studio album of British rock band The Charlatans that was released on 8 October 1990 through Beggars Banquet Records imprint Situation Two. After forming in 1988, the band went through line-up changes before sett ...

'' (SITU 30) *

- ''

Birdbrain Birdbrain or bird brain may refer to: * Birdbrain, the brain of a bird, in particular the ** Avian pallium *** Bird intelligence, intelligence and its measurement as it applies to birds Metaphorically * Stupid person, a person lacking intelligence ...

'' (SITU 31) 1991 * Carnival Art - ''Thrumdrone'' (SITU 32) * The Dylans - ''The Dylans'' (SITU 33) * Thee Hypnotics - ''Soul, Glitter and Sin'' (SITU 35) 1992 * The Darkside - ''Melomania'' (SITU 34) * Buffalo Tom - ''

Let Me Come Over ''Let Me Come Over'' is the third album by American alternative rock band Buffalo Tom. It was released on March 10, 1992, by RCA Records, Situation Two and Beggars Banquet Records. The cover art is taken from an issue of National Geographic and ...

'' (SITU 36) * The Charlatans - '' Between 10th and 11th'' (SITU 37) *

Terminal Power Company Terminal Power Company was a British alternative music band. History Formed in 1989 in Birmingham, England, by Paul Aspel and John Roome, designed specifically to be a "cyberpunk band", the band cited many diverse visual influences on their m ...

- ''

Run Silent, Run Deep ''Run Silent, Run Deep'' is a novel by Commander (later Captain) Edward L. Beach Jr. published in 1955 by Henry Holt & Co. The story describes World War II submarine warfare in the Pacific Ocean, and deals with themes of vengeance, endurance, c ...

'' (SITU 38) *

Main Main may refer to: Geography * Main River (disambiguation) **Most commonly the Main (river) in Germany * Main, Iran, a village in Fars Province *"Spanish Main", the Caribbean coasts of mainland Spanish territories in the 16th and 17th centuries ...

- ''Hydra - Calm'' (SITL 39 CD) *

The Hair and Skin Trading Company The Hair and Skin Trading Company is a British drone / avant-noise group formed in 1991 by ex- Loop members Neil Mackay (vocals/bass) and John Wills (drums). Joined by Nigel Webb (Guitars) and Richard Johnston on samples (who left as a band memb ...

- '' Jo in Nine G Hell'' (SITU 40)

Singles and EPs

1981 * Associates - "Tell Me Easter's on Friday" (SIT 1) * New Asia - "Central Proposition" (SIT 2) *

Drowning Craze Drowning Craze was a London-based post-punk band, active from 1980 to 1982. History Forming in 1980, Drowning Craze began as an instrumental trio of bassist Simon Raymonde, guitarist Paul Cummins and drummer Simon Godfrey. Their influences inc ...

- "Storage Case" (SIT 3) * Associates - "Q Quarters" (SIT 4) *

Divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine< ...

- "Born to Be Cheap" (SIT 5) * Home Service - "Only Men Fall in Love" (SIT 6) * Associates - "Kitchen Persons" (SIT 7) * Multivizion - "Work to Live Don't Live to Work" (SIT 8) * London Underground - "Train of Thought" (SIT 9) * Associates - "Message Oblique Speech" (SIT 10) * Associates - "White Car in Germany" (SIT 11) * John Marlon - "Sister Soul" (SIT 12) * Drowning Craze - "Trance" (SIT 13) *

The Blackouts The Blackouts were a punk rock band formed in Seattle in 1979 by singer/guitarist Erich Werner, bassist Mike Davidson, and drummer Bill Rieflin, who were all former members of a local punk band, The Telepaths. They were joined by Roland Barker, f ...

- "Exchange of Goods" (SIT 14) * Orbidoig - "Nocturnal Operation" (SIT 15) 1982 * Drowning Craze - "Heat" (SIT 16) *

Ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...

- "Cold Life" (SIT 17) * Gene Loves Jezebel - "Shaving My Neck" (SIT 18) *

Southern Death Cult Southern Death Cult were a British post-punk/ gothic rock band in the early 1980s. They are now primarily known for having given their lead singer and parts of the name to the multi-platinum hard rock band the Cult. Despite the similarities in ...

- "Moya" (SIT 19) 1983 * Gene Loves Jezebel - "Screaming (For Emmalene)" (SIT 20) * Tones on Tail - "Burning Skies" (SIT 21) *

Icicle Works The Icicle Works (also known as Icicle Works in the United States) are an English alternative rock band and were named after the 1960 short story "The Day the Icicle Works Closed" by science fiction author Frederik Pohl. They had a top 20 UK hi ...

- "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)" (SIT 22) *

Death Cult The Cult are an English rock band formed in 1983 in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead singer Ian Astbury's ...

- ''Death Cult'' EP (SIT 23) * Gene Loves Jezebel - "Bruises" (SIT 24) * The Sinister Ducks - "March of the Sinister Ducks" (SIT 25) *

- "Joe Orton's Wedding" (SIT 26) * Under Two Flags - "False History" (SIT 27) * Play Dead - "Shine" (SIT 28) * Death Cult - "

Gods Zoo "Gods Zoo" is a single by the English post-punk/gothic rock band Death Cult (who later shortened their name to the Cult), released on 23 October 1983 by Situation Two. The song is often, erroneously, spelled "God's Zoo" (with an apostrophe in the ...

" (SIT 29) 1984 * The Eternal Triangle - "Only in the Night" (SIT 30) * Gene Loves Jezebel - "Influenza (Relapse)" (SIT 31) * Under Two Flags - "Masks" (SIT 32) *

The Cult The Cult are an English rock band formed in 1983 in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead singer Ian Astbury's ...

- "

Spiritwalker "Spiritwalker" is a single by the English rock band The Cult and was released in 11 May 1984. "Spiritwalker" is the lead single from the ''Dreamtime'' album, although it was released nearly five months before the album was released. Song orig ...

" (SIT 33) * The Eternal Triangle - "Nothing But a Friend" (SIT 34) * Gene Loves Jezebel - "Shame" (SIT 35) 1985 * Gene Loves Jezebel - "Cow" (SIT 36) * Nyam Nyam - "The Architect" (SIT 37) * The Bolshoi - "Sob Story" (SIT 38) * Lulu Kiss Me Dead - "The Ultimate Solution" (SIT 39) * The Bolshoi - "Happy Boy" (SIT 40) * Gene Loves Jezebel - "Desire" (SIT 41) * Naffi-Locksman - "We Are Willing" (DOVE 2 - Ark/Situation Two) *

It's Immaterial It's Immaterial are an English indie pop band from Liverpool, England, formed in 1980. They are best known for their 1986 single " Driving Away from Home (Jim's Tune)", which reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. Career It's Immaterial ...

- ''Fish Waltz'' EP (DOVE 3 - Ark/Situation Two) 1986 * Fields of the Nephilim - "Power" (SIT 42) * Multicoloured Shades - "Teen Sex Transfusion" (SIT 43) *

The Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens were an Australian indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1977. The band was co-founded and led by singer-songwriters and guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who were its only constant members throughout ...

- "The Able Label Singles" (SIT 44T) (12" release only) * Icicle Works - "Up Here in the North of England" (SIT 45T) (12" release only) 1987 * Fields of the Nephilim - "Preacher Man" (SIT 46) * The Folk Devils - "The Best Protection" (SIT 47) * Fields of the Nephilim - "Blue Water (Electrostatic)" (SIT 48) * Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - "Open Up" (SIT 49) 1988 * Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - "Nothing Wrong" (SIT 50) * King Blank - "Mouth Off" (SIT 51) * Fields of the Nephilim - "Moonchild (First Seal)" (SIT 52) * King Blank - "Blind Box" (SIT 53) * Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - "Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)" (SIT 54) * King Blank - "Uptight" (SIT 55) * Death Cult - ''Death Cult'' EP (CD reissue) (SIT 2329) 1989 * Thee Hypnotics - "Justice in Freedom" (SIT 56) * Fields of the Nephilim - "Psychonaut" (SIT 57) * The Fuzztones - "Hurt on Hold" (SIT 58) * The Ian Lowery Group - "Need" (SIT 59) * Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - "Temptation" (SIT 60) * The Fuzztones - "Nine Months Later" (SIT 61) * Thee Hypnotics - "Soul Trader" (SIT 62) * Goat - "Can't Get By" (SIT 63) * Loop - "Arc-Lite (Sonar)" (SIT 64) 1990 * God - "Breach Birth" (SIT 65) * The Darkside - "High Rise Love" (SIT 66) * Thee Hypnotics - "Half Man Half Boy" (SIT 67) * Passion Flower Hotel - "Singing in Circles" (SIT 68) * The Fuzztones - "Action Speaks Louder than Words" (SIT 69) * The Charlatans - "The Only One I Know" (SIT 70) * Buffalo Tom - "Birdbrain" (SIT 71) * The Darkside - "Waiting for the Angels" (SIT 72) * Thee Hypnotics - "Floatin' in My Hoodoo Dream" (SIT 73) * The Charlatans - "Then" (SIT 74) 1991 * The Dylans - "Godlike" (SIT 75) * The Charlatans - "Over Rising" (SIT 76) * Buffalo Tom - "Fortune Teller" (SIT 77) * The Dylans - "Lemon Afternoon" (SIT 78) * Carnival Art - "Blue Food & Black Sparks" (SIT 79) * Terminal Power Company - "Wired" (SIT 80) * The Dylans - "Planet Love" (SIT 81) * Thee Hypnotics - "Shakedown" (SIT 82) * Main - "Hydra - Flametracer" (SIT 83) * The Charlatans - "Me in Time" (SIT 84) * Carnival Art - "Wrestling Swamis" (SIT 85) 1992 * Buffalo Tom - "Velvet Roof" (SIT 86) * The Hair and Skin Trading Company - "Ground Zero" (SIT 87) * The Charlatans - "Weirdo" (SIT 88) * Main - "Calm - There Is Only Light" (SIT 89) * The Dylans - "Mary Quant in Blue" (SIT 90) * The Spectrum Zero - "(Will It Hurt) If I Touch the Sun" (SIT 91) * Terminal Power Company - "The Hunger, The Heat" (SIT 92) * Carnival Art - "Ray's Jesus" (SIT 93) * Thee Hypnotics - "Coast to Coast" (SIT 94) * The Darkside - ''Mayhem to Meditate'' EP (SIT 95) * Buffalo Tom - "Taillights Fade" (SIT 96) * The Charlatans - "Tremolo Song" (SIT 97) * Terminal Power Company - "Salvation" (SIT 98)

External links

Official Site
(now defunct as of 2011) {{Authority control Beggars Group British independent record labels Indie rock record labels Record labels established in 1981 Record labels disestablished in 1992

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

See also

External links