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UPDATE: As the change is now in force for some users, I have switched the navigation to the simplified one for the new system. Please check Navigation in the Help section if you can't find things. I also initially made small adjustments to the front page layout, but have now reverted to the old look until all users are on the new system.

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John Peel Wiki
in: Record Labels

Chemikal Underground

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Chemikal Underground is an independent record label set up in 1994 at Glasgow, Scotland by rock band The Delgados. It was set up to release their first single, "Monica Webster" / "Brand New Car" and went on to break many new Scottish bands in the nineties.

When the second Chemikal Underground release by Bis, 'The Secret Vampire Soundtrack' EP was successful, earning them a slot on Top Of The Pops, the label was able to expand. To date, 'The Secret Vampire Soundtrack' is the only Top 40 hit released on Chemikal Underground. Further success followed with the debut albums by Mogwai and Arab Strap. Other bands on the Chemikal Underground roster included Magoo, Aereogramme, Cha Cha Cohen, Sluts Of Trust, Suckle, the Radar Brothers and more recently Mother And The Addicts and De Rosa, as well as Arab Strap member Malcolm Middleton's solo work. In 2000, they launched “Fukd ID” to release limited edition (1000 each of CD and 12") singles by bands not necessarily on their roster, such as Interpol (Fukd ID #3).

(Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links to Peel[]

On 14 March 2000, the "John Peel's Cheap Day Return" special featured a Chemikal Underground 5th birthday party gig recorded two days earlier at The Garage, Glasgow, with short sets by seven of the label’s bands, introduced by Peel, including interviews with musicians and audience members.

Peel was a keen supporter of Chemikal Underground from the start, with debut release, the ‘Monica Webster’ single by The Delgados, first played on 14 January 1995. The label founders remained Peel show mainstays, recording eight sessions in nine years and claiming the 1998 Festive Fifty #1 with ‘Pull The Wires From The Wall’ (also a Peelenium 1997 selection).

Beyond the Delgados, the label quickly emerged as a central player on the vibrant Scottish indie scene that was an important part of the Peel show’s final decade, with early releases by stalwarts such as Arab Strap, Bis and Mogwai. Non-Scottish acts on its roster included Norwich session band Magoo and Wedding Present offshoot Cha Cha Cohen.

Sessions[]

Chemikal Underground artists who recorded Peel sessions. List includes sessions when the artists were not on Chemikal Underground.

Live[]

Festive Fifty[]

According to The Festive Fifty by Mark Whitby (1st edition, 2005, pg195), Chemikal Underground had the 11th most Festive Fifty entries of any label in Peel's lifetime, with 22, and the 10th most entries by separate tracks, with 21.

The list below covers Festive Fifty entries on Chemikal Underground; it does not include entries by Chemikal Underground artists on other labels.

Post-Peel

Links[]

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