The SL Records story...so far.
SL records was born in 1997 when three student radio DJs Ed Pybus, Merlin Kemp and Bridget Lovegrove wanted to release a compilation of their favourite local bands. This proved to be a successful venture attracting a favourable reaction from NME and the now de-funked Melody Maker.
One band in particular stood out on the compilation, Khaya. SL signed the band releasing their first single “Summer/Winter Song” which attracted the attention of Jo Whiley, Steve Lamacq and John Peel who all championed the single. Khaya seemed to embody the ethos of the label – vibrant, melodic, daring, slightly silly, modern rock. The band where made up off a true cross section of the community classical musicians, welders and loose canons.
Their live shows were explosive and unpredictable sometimes they descended into chaos sometimes they rocked like fantasia on acid but sadly Khaya burnt themselves out after only a small handful of album and single releases. However the core members of Khaya feature in many of SL's later signings including the swamp rock of The 55s, the refined elegant stylings of desc and Tom Wait's-esc Paul Vickers and The Leg.
The label's second signing, ballboy, is still to this day their most successful. Formed by school teacher Gordon McIntyre and armed with the intention of writing some songs that sounded a bit like belle and sebastiton, this seemly divisive move worked. Ballboy perfected a very palatable breed of indie rock with long meandering song titles (for example - “Where Do The Night's Of Sleep Go To When They Do Not Come To Me”). The melancholic ballboy style seduced John Peel - ballboy recorded 5 peel sessions, appeared in his Festive Fifty 11 times and were invited to play at his Christmas party at peel acres, before the DJs untimely death.
In fact Peel proved to be an endless fan and supporter of the whole of the SL roster, inviting bands on the label to record a grand total of 13 sessions, and SL tracks made 16 appearances in the Festive Fifty over the years. Ed Pybus signed several of the labels staple acts after hearing them on the peel show, such as the Wedding Present-esc Decoration and Motherwell pysch heads The Aphrodisiacs.
The passing of Peel was admittedly a great loss to SL but the label continued to sign interesting and exotic acts such as American one man band and instrument inventor Mr Thomas Truax and Birmingham's finest psychedelic rock pioneers Misty's Big Adventure, not forgetting the ghostly pop marvels The Starlets and the ramshackle delights of Withered Hand.
SL recently ventured into stoner rock territory with the signing of Lords of Bastard who have been championed by Zane Lowe and Kerrang! magazine. And the label released the fifth studio album from wonk rock veterans Dawn of the Replicants, as well cutting a deal with Warner's and compiling ten years of DotR's singles and videos on the double c.d/d.v.d “Bust the Trunk”.
A new outlet in recent years for the label has been MTV2, which has broadcast many of of SL record's pop videos, plus SL acts feature on the playlists of Radio One's introducing shows throughout the UK and get regular support from BBC's 6 music.
SL Records is part of the life blood needed to create a vital, device and productive UK music scene and to this day SL is still a bastion of true independence.
Felix Flickerwitch September 2008
And there's some interviews with Ed from SL Records here, here and here. We refuse to take any responsibility for the acuracy of them.