Fiction Records

Fiction Records
Parent company Universal Music Group
Founded 1978 - 1995 (relaunched in 2004)
Genre Post-punk, alternative rock
Country of origin United Kingdom
Official website fictionrecords.co.uk

Fiction Records is a British major label record and music publishing company founded by Chris Parry in 1978 that is best known for being the home of The Cure for over 20 years. Fiction became a standalone label (still owned by Universal, but no longer affiliated to Polydor Ltd) in January 2014. Fiction repertoire is now released internationally through Caroline International (ex-North America).[1][1]

History

Fiction was founded by music producer, Xfm London co founder and longtime Cure manager Chris Parry as an independent record label and music publisher (the publishing company was known as Fiction Songs Ltd.). Both the label and publishing company were based in London at 97 Charlotte Street and maintained a satellite office in New York City at 850 7th Ave. Fiction was also home to UK dance label Desire originally founded in 1983 but re-launched in 1988 as a house music subdivision of Fiction Records (to which UK producer/toaster Rebel MC was signed to) as well as Non Fiction Records, a vinyl only record label for Fiction artists for their specialty and limited edition releases. Fiction was best known for their Cure releases and achieved its first #1 record in 1992 with The Cure's "Wish" album, which reached the top of the UK charts and the record's single "Friday I'm In Love" reached #1 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart. Additionally Fiction Records was home to other artists who were also signed to the publishing company as well as the label and Fiction released a number of critically acclaimed albums including Eat's "Sell Me A God" (Fiction/Polydor) in 1989, The God Machine's "Scenes From A Second Story" (Fiction/Polydor) in 1993 and Die Warzau's "Engine" (Fiction/Wax Trax!) in 1995. Other artists that were part of the Fiction discography and publishing catalog during this time included Billy Mackenzie & The Associates, Candyland, The Purple Hearts, Cult Hero and The Passions.

Starting in 1995, Fiction Records started to go dormant as a label, apart from the occasional Cure release, and focused exclusively on being a publishing company. Prior to this in 1994, Fiction Songs had partnered with BMG Music to form a joint venture publishing company and moved their New York offices to the Bertelsmann Building at 1540 Broadway in Times Square (Fiction's main headquarters in London remained at 97 Charlotte Street). BMG eventually acquired the entirety of the Fiction Songs publishing company and catalog in 2001. Besides being the publisher for the Cure and other Fiction Records artists, Fiction Songs was also over the years the publishing home to hip hop/electronic artist Stereo MC's, producer and songwriter Cameron McVey (Neneh Cherry/Massive Attack), the Jungle Brothers, Primitive Radio Gods, and NY Loose. It's worth noting that in 1992, the Fiction London address at Charlotte Street served as the first home to XFM London, an alternative rock radio station co founded by Chris Parry and Sammy Jacob. A benefit concert called Great Xpectations was held in support of the station soon after its initial launch and took place on June 13, 1993 at Finsbury Park in London. A live album of the concert titled "Great Xpectations Live" was released on July 1993 on Fiction Records and included performances by The Cure, Damon Albarn & Graham Coxon, Belly and The Catherine Wheel.

In January 2004 Joe Munns, Paul Smernicki and Beastman decided to revive Fiction Records to "give Polydor a bit more of a guitar stronghold", as their roster then consisted mostly of pop acts. The first release on the "new" Fiction was the Snow Patrol single "Run",[1] which entered the UK chart at #5. The subsequent Snow Patrol album Final Straw has since gone on to sell over 2 million copies worldwide.

The current Fiction stable includes Crystal Castles, Tame Impala, Death From Above 1979, The Maccabees, Spector, HEALTH, Mini Mansions, Fryars, Kate Boy, Meanwhile, Palace, The Amazons and Kaiser Chiefs.

Fiction has also released records by The Naked And Famous, Kate Nash, Athlete, White Lies, Yuksek, Stephen Fretwell, Ian Brown, Jacknife Lee, Delays, Alberta Cross, Guillemots and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Interview with Jim Chancellor, A&R Fiction/Universal UK". HitQuarters. 26 October 2005. Retrieved 2009-10-20.

External links

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