Chemikal Underground is 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 ...

set up in

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

by rock band

The Delgados The Delgados are a Scottish indie rock band formed in Glasgow in 1994. The band is composed of Alun Woodward (vocals, guitar), Emma Pollock (vocals, guitar), Stewart Henderson (bass guitar), and Paul Savage (drums). Biography The band was fo ...

. It was set up to release their first single, "Monica Webster" / "Brand New Car" and went on to break many new Scottish bands in the nineties. When the second Chemikal Underground release by Bis, ''The Secret Vampire Soundtrack EP'' was successful, earning them a slot on ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

'', the label was able to expand. To date, ''The Secret Vampire Soundtrack'' is the only Top 40 hit released on Chemikal Underground. Further success followed with the debut albums by

Mogwai Mogwai () are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mogw ...

and

Arab Strap Arab Strap are a Scottish indie rock band whose core members are Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton. The band were signed to independent record label Chemikal Underground, split in 2006 and reformed in 2016. The band signed to Rock Action Rec ...

. Other bands on the Chemikal Underground roster included Magoo,

Aereogramme Aereogramme were a Scottish alternative rock band from Glasgow, formed in 1998, consisting of Craig B. (vocals, guitar), Iain Cook (guitar, programming), Campbell McNeil (bass) and Martin Scott (drums). Prior to their split in 2007, the band ...

Cha Cha Cohen Cha Cha Cohen was a band formed in 1994 by three members of The Wedding Present — Keith Gregory, Paul Dorrington and Simon Smith. After recruiting singer Jacqui Cohen (AKA Jaqi Dulany) from The Dustdevils they released a single, "Spar ...

Sluts of Trust Sluts of Trust are a two-piece rock outfit from Glasgow, Scotland, originally comprising John McFarlane (guitar, vocals) and Anthony O'Donnell (drums). O'Donnell was later replaced on drums by Roo Harris. History Early career Sluts of Trust w ...

, Suckle, the Radar Brothers and more recently

Mother and the Addicts Mother and The Addicts were a Glasgow-based band signed to Chemikal Underground Records, who formed in 2003. They have released two albums. History Originally inspired by bands like Dr. Feelgood and The Modern Lovers, their later material gives ...

and De Rosa, as well as Arab Strap member

Malcolm Middleton Malcolm Bruce Middleton (born 31 December 1973) is a Scottish musician and member of indie band Arab Strap. He has also released seven solo studio albums and three albums performing under the pseudonym Human Don't Be Angry. Early life Middle ...

's solo work. In 2000, they launched

Fukd ID Fukd ID is the name of an imprint on the Chemikal Underground record label, established to allow them to release a wider range of musical styles from artists who might not necessarily be signed to the label. Notable releases include the first E ...

to release limited edition (1000 each of CD and 12") singles by bands not necessarily on their roster, such as

Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...

( Fukd ID #3).

Artists

Adrian Crowley Adrian Crowley is a singer, composer, songwriter, lyricist from Galway, based in Dublin and was born in Sliema, Malta. Crowley has released eight albums to date, with his debut ''A Strange Kind'' arriving in 1999. He followed this with ''When ...

Aidan Moffat Aidan John Moffat (born 10 April 1973) is a Scottish vocalist and musician, and member of the band Arab Strap. Early life Moffat was born and raised in Falkirk, Scotland. The first album he bought was ''Elvis Sings for Kids'' by Elvis Presley ...

*Aloha Hawaii *Angil & the Hidden Tracks *

*Backwater * Bis *

Conquering Animal Sound Conquering Animal Sound is a Glasgow-based electronic duo consisting of Anneke Kampman (vocals/music) and James Scott (music). The band's debut album ''Kammerspiel'' was released in February 2011 on Gizeh Records, and their sophomore "On Floatin ...

* De Rosa *

Emma Pollock Emma Pollock (born 20 December 1972) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, musician, and a founding member of the bands the Delgados and the Burns Unit. She is also one of the founders of The Fruit Tree Foundation project and a regular contributor ...

The Fruit Tree Foundation The Fruit Tree Foundation was a Scottish musical project founded by Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones and former Delgados vocalist and guitarist Emma Pollock in 2010. Created in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation, the project's overall ...

* Holy Mountain *

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (1984) ''Elm'', Cambridge University Press.) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Ce ...

* Magoo *

*Mount Wilson Repeater *

The Phantom Band The Phantom Band are a Scottish indie rock band based in Glasgow, consisting of Duncan Marquiss (guitar), Gerry Hart (bass), Andy Wake (keyboards), Rick Anthony (vocals and guitar), Iain Stewart (drums) and Greg Sinclair (guitars). They are of ...

* The Radar Brothers * Rick Redbeard *

RM Hubbert RM Hubbert (Robert McArthur Hubbert, born 12 May 1974 in Glasgow, Scotland), commonly known as Hubby, is a Scottish guitarist and singer. Best known for his solo work as RM Hubbert and as a member of Scottish post rock band El Hombre Trajeado, ...

*Sister Vanilla *

*Suckle *

The Unwinding Hours The Unwinding Hours were a Scottish alternative rock band formed in 2008 by former Aereogramme members Craig B. and Iain Cook. The band released their self-titled debut album on 15 February 2010 and ''Afterlives'' in 2012, as well as several ...

* Yatsura *

Zoey Van Goey Zoey Van Goey were an indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland, made up of Matt Brennan, Michael John McCarthy, Kim Moore and Adam Scott. Brennan, McCarthy and Moore, hailing from Canada, Ireland and England respectively, formed the initial trio ...

Artists' opinions

Chris Connick from De Rosa stated that:

Chemikal Underground were a huge influence on my musical tastes when I was growing up. It was really exciting to hear bands such as
Mogwai Mogwai () are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mogw ...
,
The Delgados The Delgados are a Scottish indie rock band formed in Glasgow in 1994. The band is composed of Alun Woodward (vocals, guitar), Emma Pollock (vocals, guitar), Stewart Henderson (bass guitar), and Paul Savage (drums). Biography The band was fo ...
and
Arab Strap Arab Strap are a Scottish indie rock band whose core members are Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton. The band were signed to independent record label Chemikal Underground, split in 2006 and reformed in 2016. The band signed to Rock Action Rec ...
, all guys who grew up in the same place as myself, write such amazing music, get played on the radio etc, and do it all off their own back. I hugely admire the members of The Delgados for starting Chemikal and affecting Scottish musical culture in such a positive manner. In fact, it was probably The Delgados that made me want to be in a band, so to have them as your ”boss” is a uniquely warm feeling. To even be considered in the same category as any of the label’s bands is a total honour and I am very proud to be linked to Chemikal Underground’s esteemed heritage.

While Rick Anthony, of

, noted that:

Chemikal Underground have been really pretty good to us so far and they have released some great records over the years - which makes you feel like they know what they are doing, and that they are in it for the right reasons. They all seem like good people as well, and they don’t meddle in the creative side of things at all.

References

External links

Official site
{{Authority control British independent record labels Record labels established in 1994 Alternative rock record labels

Artists

Artists' opinions

See also

References

External links