Remember buying mix tapes at the flea market or from a boot sale? I remember driving to the Route 18 flea, or Englishtown and getting some pretty sweet mixtape scores. Here in 2011, they’re taking the concept to a new level, or should I say bringing it back to the grass roots. I thought this was pretty interesting, and since the mix king Mark Ronson was endorsing it by selling mixes to pump up his 80’s Hip Hop night, I thought you might like it as well:

“On 21st May, some of Europe’s leading independent labels will get together for a unique event in the heart of London’s Soho.

Independent Label Market is a follow up event to Record Store Day which is being held on the 16th April, and will further raise awareness of the exciting music produced by independent labels from the UK and beyond.

The event will take place on Berwick Street, where the heads of these labels will sell their wares directly to the customers, at that traditional goods exchange – a market stall. And for one label boss this won’t be their first time running a stall :

“I started making mixtapes and selling them. I had a stall in Camden market. That’s really what a record company is, apart from the fact it’s not legal. You sort the music, get the artwork done, do the manufacturing and then sell them. That was actually the most fun, visceral way of running a record label that I’ve ever been involved in, because you talk to every single person who buys something”

(Richard Russell, Founder of XL Records)

Armed with flasks of tea and punnets of 7”s, each label boss will man their own stall and spend the day meeting their public – and where better to launch this than on Berwick Street, where the first market appeared in 1778.

Berwick Street and the surrounding area has always been very well known for its independent record shops, especially through the 1990s into the early 21st century (including Vinyl Junkies, CD City, Sister Ray, Selectadisc, Reckless Records, Phonica, and Mr Bongo’s), however many have now closed due to the emergence of digital downloading.

Westminster Council are very supportive of Independent Label Market and it looks like it will be a fantastic boost to the trading community in the area.”

There will be a host of exclusive releases, artist appearances and much more from the following labels, who are confirmed for Independent Label Market: Berwick Street on the 21st May:

* Angular Records
* Bella Union
* Chess Club
* Domino
* Fortuna Pop!
* Heavenly
* House Anxiety
* Merok
* Moshi Moshi
* Mute
* Peacefrog
* R&S
* Rough Trade
* Roundtable
* Transparent
* Tri-Angle
* Wall Of Sound
* Weird World
* XL

The event is supported by AIM:

“AIM is excited to be part of the Independent Label Market taking place on 21st May. It’s a great opportunity for independent labels to meet the music fans who love their artists and buy their music – we hope the day will be a great success with many more to come.”
(Lara Baker, Marketing & Events Manager, AIM)

For more information, contact:
• Katie @ Bang On | katie@bangonpr.com | 020 7923 0981
• Joe @ Angular Records | angularrecords@googlemail.com

Keep Diggin’!