Featured Label(s)

Irregular
Irregular Records are a small independent record label in Brighton, Sussex, publishing records which (if you are into categorising) are mainly folk, political or chanson.
Irregular Records – A Brief History by Robb Johnson
At the start of the 1980s I was playing in a band called Grubstreet. We decided to approach record companies with some demo cassettes. This proved to be a deeply depressing experience. I particularly recall one A&R haircut called Wally Brill at A&M Records; listening to someone who plainly imagined that the aforementioned haircut was a substitute for intelligence arrogantly dismiss my work convinced me that this whole process was a complete waste of time and energy.
My friend Brooce The Moose pointed out that it was actually possible to manufacture records independently: not just singles like punk rock had done, but albums too. This also meant you had complete artistic control, which seemed – and to be honest still seems – more important than music biz commercial success.
There are the problems of distribution, promotion and finance (the first LP was funded by loans from friends and relatives, and the sale of a rather nice, if unnecessarily blue, custom-made Stratocaster) but although rarely ever showing anything remotely approaching a profit, Irregular has managed to be more or less self-financing – income from the last album pays for the next one. After a few uneasy relationships with various distributors, Irregular Records are now distributed by Proper Music Distribution.
Generally Irregular Records get filed under “Folk”, which is usually vying with “Jazz” or “Easy Listening” for the title of smallest and most obscure section in the shop, which doesn’t help matters either, but theoretically all you have to do is head into your nearest HMV etc. and persuade the haircuts that work there to find it and order it on their computers – be prepared for a plethora of excuses as to why this isn’t possible, or why once having reluctantly found an Irregular album on their computer, it is absolutely impossible for them to order it. We ought to institute an award for the most audacious or mendacious way of saying “Ican’tbearsedwhydon’tyoujustbuyRobbie Williamslikeeveryoneelse?”
Initially Irregular Records was intended as a means to release my own recordings, the first of which appeared, and sort of just sat there mouldering in boxes in my dad’s garage, in 1985. However, in 1987 the second album “Skewed, Slewed, Stewed & Awkward” did a little better, and eventually I seem to have sold or given away all 500 copies. In 1991 Irregular released its first CD, and by the end of the 90s Irregular was releasing albums by people who, for one reason or another, thought it was a good idea to operate under the Irregular flag of convenience. We also started the UNLaBELLED label, with the intention of supporting and encouraging artists who are in the process of establishing a wider, national reputation.
There is not much of an Irregular business plan: I make CDs, and if Irregular can be of help to artists whose work I like, then so much the better. I think that Irregular may well be one of the longest-surviving independents that has remained truly independent.
Irregular Records has mainly released work by artists whose primary interest is in literate song, though we also like a bit of world music fusion stuff too.
Robb Johnson, Managing Dogsbody
Browse By
Genres
Featured Artists
- Megson
- John Mayall
- Larkin Poe
- Kitty Macfarlane
- Seth Lakeman
- Karine Polwart
- Richard Thompson
- Eddi Reader
- Cécile McLorin Salvant
- Jackie Oates
- Ahab
- Aidan O'Rourke
- Allison Moorer
- Amy Lavere
- Anathema
- Annie Keating
- Aoife O'Donovan
- Asian Dub Foundation
- B.B. King
- Baaba Maal
- Bachman
- Bap Kennedy
- Bella Hardy
- Bellowhead
- Ben Glover
- Benji Kirkpatrick
- Beverley Martyn
- Bill Wyman
- Blair Dunlop
- Bobby Bare
- British Sea Power
- Bruce Cockburn
- Buzz Cason
- C Duncan
- Cara Dillon
- Cheetah Chrome
- Chris Stout & Catriona McKay
- Chris Wood
- Chuck Mead
- Ciaran Lavery
- Clannad
- Courtney Barnett
- Cowboy Junkies
- Dan Walsh
- David Bowie
- David Gray
- David Wax Museum
- Del Barber
- Don Felder
- Dr. John
- Edgelarks (Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin)
- Eliza Carthy
- Embrace
- Emily Smith
- Eska
- Esperanza Spalding
- Eve Selis
- Ewan MacColl
- Fabian Holland
- Fairport Convention
- Faustus
- Fay Hield
- Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party
- Fiona Bevan
- Fisherman's Friends
- Flats And Sharps
- Focus
- Frank Sinatra
- Frazey Ford
- Gavin Bryars
- Gazpacho
- Gilmore & Roberts
- Gregory Porter
- Gretchen Peters
- Half Man Half Biscuit
- Hannah Read
- Hayseed Dixie
- Heidi Talbot
- Henry Priestman
- Holly Williams
- Ian Hunter
- Infinite Sunday
- J.D. Wilkes & The Dirt Daubers
- Jake Shimabukuro
- James McCartney
- Jason Isbell
- Jeff Healey
- Jim Causley
- Jim Lauderdale
- JJ Grey & Mofro
- Jo Harman
- Joan Baez
- John McCusker
- Johnny Winter
- Jon Boden
- Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker
- Joss Stone
- Julian Sas
- Julie Fowlis
- June Tabor
- Karine Polwart With Pippa Murphy
- Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman
- Kathryn Tickell & The Side
- Katie Armiger
- Katy Carr
- Keith Jarrett
- Kris Drever
- Kris Kristofferson
- Labi Siffre
- Lau
- Levellers
- Leveret
- Linda Thompson
- Lisa Knapp
- Los Lobos
- Loudon Wainwright III
- Lucinda Williams
- Lucy Ward
- Luke Jackson
- Lynched
- Malted Milk & Toni Green
- Martha Tilston
- Martin Harley
- Martin Simpson
- Martyn Joseph
- Mary Chapin Carpenter
- Mary Gauthier
- Mawkin
- Michael Kiwanuka
- Miracle Mile
- Molly Warburton
- Moulettes
- Nanci Griffith
- Nancy Kerr
- Neil Cowley Trio
- Neil Finn
- Neil McSweeney
- Nic Jones
- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- Nick Lowe
- Nicole Atkins
- Norma Waterson & Eliza Carthy With The Gift Band
- O'Hooley & Tidow
- Ondatropica
- Orbital
- Oysterband
- Ozric Tentacles
- Paper Aeroplanes
- Patrick Sweany
- Paul Brady
- Paul Burch
- Paul Carrack
- Peatbog Faeries
- Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin
- Poltergeist
- Porcupine Tree
- Portico Quartet
- Rachael McShane & The Cartographers
- Ralph McTell
- Randy Bachman
- Robb Johnson
- Roller Trio
- Ruth Theodore
- Sam Brothers
- Sam Carter
- Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys
- Sam Lee
- Sean Taylor
- Shelby Lynne
- Siobhan Miller
- Show Of Hands
- Small Town Jones
- Songs Of Separation
- Sonny Landreth
- Southern Tenant Folk Union
- Spiers & Boden
- SPIRO
- Steeleye Span
- Steve Cradock
- Steven Wilson
- Stick In The Wheel
- Suzanne Vega
- Tangerine Dream
- Teddy Thompson, Kelly Jones
- The Albion Band
- The Albion Christmas Band
- The Ghost Wolves
- The Hot 8 Brass Band
- The Magic Band
- The Tea Party
- The Transports
- The Waifs
- The Wailin' Jennys
- The Waterboys
- The Willows
- The Young'uns
- Tom Russell
- Trapper Schoepp
- Vashti Bunyan
- Wishbone Ash
- Little Simz
Featured Labels
- ECM Touchstone
- Smithsonian Folkways
- Dixiefrog
- BGO Records
- Topic
- Navigator Records
- Proper Box
- ECM
- Documents
- Proper Records
- Abstract Logix
- Alcopop
- Alligator
- Analog Africa
- Angel Air
- Attack Attack
- Australian Eloquence
- Beautiful Jo
- Charly
- Cherry Red
- Communion
- Compass
- Complete Blues
- Cooking Vinyl
- Corazong
- Crammed Discs
- DELMARK RECORDS
- Demon Records
- DOL
- Dome Records
- ECC Records
- ECM New Series
- Edsel
- Fargo
- Far Out Recordings
- Fellside
- Fledg'ling
- Folkwit Records
- GB Records
- Green Linnet
- Greentrax
- Hands On Music
- Hep
- Highpoint Recordings
- Honest Jon's Records
- Hudson Records
- Hux Records
- Hypertension
- IML
- Irregular
- Jasmine Records
- Jazz for Babies
- Jazzhouse
- Just Music
- Kscope
- Lake
- Leola
- Magic Bullet
- Manifesto
- MaxJazz
- Megaforce
- Memory Lane
- Motema
- Mulligan Records
- Naim Edge
- Naim Jazz
- Nettwerk Records
- Oh Boy
- Park Records
- Peaceville
- Plowboy Records
- Probe Plus Records
- Proper Associates
- Proper Films
- Putumayo Kids
- Raven
- Real Gone Music
- Recall
- Record Store Day
- Reveal Records
- Rooksmere Records
- R.U.F.
- RUF
- Ruf Records
- Seamless Records
- Soundway
- Sepia
- SteepleChase
- Stoney Lane Records
- Stony Plain
- Skint
- STL Technologies
- True North Records
- Tru Thoughts
- Weatherbox
- Whirlwind Recordings
- World Circuit
- World Music Network
- Xtra Mile Recordings
- Yep Roc