The Brief -
Sarah Records:
a celebration of
a short-lived cult
record label
Sarah Records was a seminal independent record label based in Bristol during the late 80's running until 1995. The label's bands and values were grounded in indie pop sentiments - genuine, heartfelt, with strong feminist and
anti-capitalist ethics. My project will be a celebration of the cult label and it's place in music history.
Research Sources
This project was partly chosen as I'm a huge music fan and the label was one of my favourites as a teenager. Info on my research sources can be found here on my blog.
Sarah Records: Brief History
The label started life in a basement at the top of Bristol’s Blackboy Hill and later operated from a house in the south of the city overlooking Bedminster station. Run by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes, Sarah records was intrinsically linked with Bristol. More info can be found here.
Bands
Zines
Zines (self published magazines, usually produced by layering images and text, then photocopying them). They were popular initially during the punk movement as way of bands and fans sharing music interests.
There is a nice article about the resurgence of music zines here. Some music fans have become disenchanted with the anonymity of the internet. These days aspiring music journalists start with their own blog - it's free speech at its freeist with no set up cost and the chance to build up a network of industry contacts.
Indie pop music often with lo-fi production values / bedroom recording.
Letraset
From Wikipedia:
"In common usage, the name Letraset originally referred to sheets of transfer lettering which was originally manufactured as a wet process in 1959, with each character selected and cut from a sheet, placed face-down on a small silk screen frame and wetted with a paint brush to soften and release the gum arabic adhesive which held it. The frame was then turned over and the letter located over the artwork, and the character pressed into contact with the page, with the mounting base slid away as with model aircraft transfers.
Later, in 1961, the process was much simplified and a dry transferable lettering system was developed, and it was this that made Letraset a household name. The range of available typefaces became extensive, incorporating both classic and contemporary type designs of the period, and each style was usually available in a wide range of type weights and sizes. Letraset sheets were used extensively by professional and amateur graphic designers, architects and artists in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. For the first time amateurs could produce affordable and attractive artwork of professional appearance."
