Sarah Records

As an unashamed lover of indie pop it was only a matter of time before i would do a post about my love for Sarah records. Around the age of 16/17, way back in the late 80s, i was a lovetorn indie soul who would wander the streets looking depressed with a skateboard for company. Sarah records, along with shoegaze bands (i hate to use that term), were THE soundtrack to my maudling. I don't actually remember my first Sarah purchase but i'm fairly sure it was by the Field Mice (probably Sensitive). All i remember was the feeling the records gave me - a sense of belonging. I loved everything from the cheap folded covers in plastic sleeves, the poorly designed artwork, through to the postcards you got with each release which eventually formed a picture of some sullen dockyard in monochrome. And i still love it even though i sold all my Sarah stuff when i went rave at 18! Maybe i am getting old and nostalgic but i'm sure this is great pop music. Who cares this is my blog so over the next few weeks i'm going to post stuff by various Sarah artists. Below is a Wikipedia article that explains their history far better than i ever could.

Sarah Records was a UK independent record label active between 1987 and 1995,^[1] best known for its recordings of twee pop.

The label was formed in Bristol in 1987 by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes, and grew out of the fanzine scene at the time, Haynes having previously edited Are You Scared To Get Happy?,^[2] and Wadd Kvatch. Both these fanzines had given away flexidiscs - indeed, AYSTGH had been part of the Sha-la-la organisation, a record label set up solely to produce flexidiscs. Several Sarah releases were fanzines and flexi-discs, as it was felt this summed up the aesthetic of the label better than 12" singles and albums.^[2]

Sarah Records was usually seen as being grounded in the C86 janglyindie-pop sensibility, though the late Seventies DIY scene and independent yet stylish and imaginative labels such as Postcard Records, Factory and Creation, plus the mid-Eighties fanzine culture, were bigger influences. It ceased operation with the release of There and Back Again Lane, the hundredth release in the main catalogue sequence - a booklet telling the story of the label, along with a CD of representative tracks. Half-page adverts entitled "A Day For Destroying Things" in both NME and Melody Maker marked the release. "We don't do encores", the advert announced, and the label has stuck by this sentiment, with no further releases. Bands on the label included Heavenly, East River Pipe, The Orchids,Even As We Speak, Boyracer, Brighter, Blueboy, The Field Mice, Another Sunny Day and St. Christopher.

Haynes subsequently established Shinkansen Recordings, where many Sarah artists went on to record; he now edits a zine, Smoke, dedicated to writing and art inspired by London.