The Essential… 4AD

4AD was founded in 1980 by Ivo Watts-Russell, back when he was managing several London branches of the Beggars Banquet record store chain. Beggars were starting their own label, and Watts-Russell and his similarly enthusiastic, know-it-all colleague Peter Kent were given their own sub-label, Axis, to keep them busy.

Soon Axis had been rechristened 4AD (1980 FORWARD / 1980 FWD / 1984 AD / 4AD goes the curious etymology), and was functioning as a separate business entity, operated by Watts-Russell alone (Kent had left to concentrate on his own solo label venture, Situation Two). Over the ensuing decade and a half Watts-Russell would establish the 4AD as one of the most exciting and original British independents going, signing numerous keys acts of the era – including Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance and The Birthday Party. The guide to “essential” 4AD records that you’re about to read focusses on the first 10 years of the label’s life, before Watts-Russell began to look increasingly to America for interesting charges, and before he sold the company back to the Beggars Group in ’97 (under whose care it continues to prosper today, providing a home for artists as diverse as Ariel Pink, Zomby and Gang Gang Dance).

The last couple of years has seen a surge of renewed interest in 4AD’s classic era, with a number of contemporary artists paying tribute. In some cases, the debt is obvious – Zola Jesus’s gothic torch-songs explicitly channel the Cocteaus and Dead Can Dance – while in others it’s more unpredictable, be it Raime playing Rema-Rema in their DJ mixes, or Rockwell chopping up This Mortal Coil’s ‘Song To The Siren’ for his avant-d’n'b anthem ‘Aria’. Over the next 10 pages we salute the ornate and filigreed house that Ivo built.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 12:26 pm and is filed under Features, Lists, Top Slider and tagged with , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

  • Jake

    woulda thrown in bauhaus and red house painters but ’tis a good list nonetheless.

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Phorty Phive

    4AD was a brilliant label in it’s time – The Birthday Party, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Xmal Deutschland, Bauhaus, AR Kane, His Name Is Alive – incredible, & predominantly of European origin.
    However, their current roster, Deerhunter aside, is a total embarrassment (& largely American – any connection?). The last GREAT album 4AD released as Scott Walker’s The Drift, more than 5 years ago. Please, don’t even mention Gang Gang Dance or Ariel Pink’s lame efforts in the same paragraph as Scott’s masterpiece. And, seriously, just don’t mention Zomby at all. Anywhere. Ever again. OK? (Thanks.)

  • Josh

    Would have to agree completely. It’s a shame that some of the older artists (especially His Name Is Alive) are forgotten while newer artists have more popularity and probably will be remembered by more people in the future.

    While I have enjoyed some releases in the past six or seven years (Bon Iver’s debut, Beirut’s earlier albums, St. Vincent and tune-yards’ recent releases, and Deerhunter/Atlas Sound releases (bar the most recent AS album)), they certainly have nothing on the glory days of 4AD. And other bands that have tried to go for the typical 4AD sound haven’t left much of an impression (specifically Blonde Redhead).  The Drift, as you mentioned, is probably the last truly great album for the label (but hey, I haven’t heard everything so don’t quote me on that :P ).

    While I definitely prefer 4AD during the 80s, they still released incredible albums during the 90s from Cocteau Twins, RHP, Thievery Corporation, Lush, etc.  Hopefully, this next decade ends up being much better than the last.  I still have faith in ‘em. Oh and yea, I really don’t like Zomby either.

  • Jose Maria Mart Lo

    Great feature…the pixis deserves his place on this list but im not a fan of them…i think they  are not on par with the sonic complexity and beauty of the early 4AD gropus.Id put Bahaus Bela lugosi is dead instead.

  • Bcr313

    Mick Allen of Rema Rema/Mass also “found stability” alongside Cox as co-founder/lead vocalist/bassist of TWP.

  • Gummo

    4ad started to suck ’round the time they kicked HNIA off the label, for releasing a “modern soul” album. Have you heard it recently, it sounds amazing (it’s called Someday My Blues Will Cover The Earth)? 

  • Treewind

    Kicked him off the label for releasing a modern soul album? How does that explain them releasing a follow-up in ‘Last Night’ a year later then? 

    I agree ‘Someday’ is a great record but I don’t think 4AD can be knocked for not supporting HNIA – they released 7 albums together!

  • http://www.facebook.com/blackdecahedron Daniel Dodecahedron

    haha you dumbass

  • OPR8R

    ^ the definition of a music hoarder. you’re not really listening, you’re just consuming because you have unlimited access.

  • Tbgoodwillie

    Actually, Lynch origianally hired Badalamenti to knock off the TMC cover of REMA REMA’s Fond Affections post-rebuff.

  • T Peberdy

    Not a bad effort of summarising the best years of 4ad. But describing Clan of Xymox as forgettable (having made 2 of the labels best albums!!!) and completely missing X Mal Deutscland, Modern English & Bauhaus? How sad it was to see the start of the demise of the best label ever with the signing of the American altenative? groups (Pixies and Throwing Muses, I’m not saying they are rubbish, but they weren’t a patch on what had gone before them). If you’re interested in the great bands who were on 4ad, it’s also worth checking out the American label Projekt who have had loads of outstanding groups on their label http://www.projekt.com/ A very similar label to the days of when 4ad released many of the best ever records. Personally I rate Treasure as the best Cocteaus Twins album, actually the best album ever, full stop.

  • http://Nojumper.com/ CrowleyHead

    I don’t see AR Kane anywhere other than comments. Fact, you be fucking up.

  • Matthew McKinnon

    I really enjoyed reading that. It’s nice to see that first DCD album, and ‘Sleeps With The Fishes’ [which I've loved since 1988!] and Rema-Rema. Please buy them, more people.

    I’d say that the EPs compilation is a better starting point for the Cocteau Twins, and that the Dif Juz ‘HuReMics’ compilation is better [less 'polite']. 

    Still, cheers. That was nice.

  • Martyn Young

    I’d certainly disagree with your description of Dif Juz’s music as ‘unrelenting politeness’ which is fairly lazy really unless you’ve heard the rest of their albeit limited output, for instance the ‘From The Trees’ EP on said label. You also failed to mention anything by the great Wolfgang Press, and put up ‘Filigree And Shadow’ by This Mortal Coil, which is inferior in scope to the first TMC LP, featuring as it does, the milestone ‘Song To The Siren’.  You could have also mentioned the Colourbox LP ‘proper’ with tracks like ‘Manic 2′ and ‘Edit The Dragon’ which were probably more froward looking than the M.A.R.R.S project although which was, I admit, highly influential.

  • http://twitter.com/pepecamil Pepe Garcia Camil

    Have to disagree with some here. Yes, after HNIA were kicked out, 4AD went totally into hibernation with pointless releases (Cuba?) but the past 2, 3 years they have awakened with truly great artists… independent if they are american or not. The good music is still there. Is it as avant-garde as it was in the 80′s… deffo not,

  • Matthew McKinnon

    Totally agree re: The Wolfgang Press – I’d have to put their ‘Legendary WGP And Other Tall Stories’ compilation in, for sure. 

    Disagree on TMC – I think the first album is more varied and has a raw beauty, but ‘Song To The Siren’ unfairly overshadows everything else Ivo did, and ‘Filigree…’ is a better reflection of his contributions. ‘A Heart Of Glass’ is stunning.Colourbox album was a cracker – I still listen to it and revel in it’s enduring unfashionableness, then and now – but not really representative of the label, so much?BTW: are you Martyn Young from Colourbox, then? 

  • Frederik Blieck

    I totally agree that the current is an embarrassment to the legacy of the label. Allthough I’m still following music closely I can’t find anything worth ifollowing on the roster. The people at 4AD better take some new inspiration from labels that actually matter : Captured tracks, Forest Family, Mexican Summer, etc. 

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