Too Pure Records
| Too Pure | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Parent company | Beggars Group |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Richard Roberts and Paul Cox |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Distributor(s) | Beggars Group |
| Genre | Alternative rock |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Location | London |
| Official website | www.toopure.com |
Too Pure is a London-based independent record label formed in 1990 by Richard Roberts and Paul Cox. The label gained prominence after the release of PJ Harvey's debut album Dry in 1992, and subsequently found further success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with albums by indie rock artists such as Mclusky and Electrelane. The label was closed in 2008.
Too Pure started off as an experimental label and built its reputation by releasing primarily alternative/independent music which its founders felt was being ignored by major labels. At its inception Too Pure was largely preoccupied by the so-called Camden Lurch scene, through its 'Sausage Machine' night in North London (documented by its Now That's Disgusting Music (1990) compilation). The label discovered PJ Harvey but was struggling to hold on to the artist after the success of single "Sheela Na Gig", as an industry feeding frenzy brought in a host of major labels. Eventually Too Pure secured UK release rights as long as the album was licensed to Island Records for the rest of the world. Island picked up all futures of the band at the same time.
4AD founder Ivo Watts-Russell bought in to the company to help the founders fund the signing of PJ Harvey, who was discovered at the Sausage Machine gigs. This enabled the label to release the PJ Harvey debut album Dry and develop and sign more artists. The label was briefly distributed in the US by Rick Rubin's American Recordings through Warner Bros. Records from 1995 to 1997 in a deal done by former agent and American Recordings exec Marc Geiger, in conjunction with founder Richard Roberts. Nick West, an old friend of Richard Roberts and formerly of Fiction Records and Polygram, was brought in to run Too Pure US, out of American Recordings' offices in Burbank, CA. The label had some notable successes at college radio in the US, with both Laika and Long Fin Killie playing Loolapalooza. Laika toured with both Radiohead and Tricky. The contract was bought out by American Recordings parent company Warner Bros in April 1997, after American Recordings hit financial difficulties.
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