Too Pure

Too Pure was 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.

(Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links To Peel[]

Too Pure were one of Britain's leading indie record labels for over a decade from the early 1990s, with a roster that featured Peel session regulars and Festive Fifty mainstays from Hefner and French to Mouse On Mars, Mclusky and Voodoo Queens. Notable releases featured heavily by Peel included “Dry”, the debut LP by PJ Harvey, and the Long Fin Killie collaboration with Mark E. Smith “Heads Of Dead Surfers”, which the DJ selected for his 1995 Peelenium.

In 1992, the label was the first of four chosen for a series of dedicated 10”/CD Peel sessions compilations on Strange Fruit (followed by Amphetamine Reptile, Clawfist and Hut), with an all-star lineup of Maida Vale recordings by Th'Faith Healers, Stereolab and PJ Harvey. [1]

In the new century, singles and albums put out by Too Pure appeared regularly in the Peel's Record Box monthly picks that the DJ made for the BBC website.

Peelenium[]

Peelenium 1991: PJ Harvey: Dress
Peelenium 1995: Long Fin Killie & Mark E. Smith: Heads Of Dead Surfers

Sessions[]

List below of Peel sessions by Too Pure artists includes sessions when on other labels.

Electrelane: (2 sessions, 2003-04)
Th'Faith Healers: (5 sessions, 1991-94)
French: (2 sessions, 2003-04)
PJ Harvey: (9 sessions, 1991-2004)
Hefner: (10 sessions, 1998-2004)
Keys: (1 session, 2003)
Laika: (1 session, 2000)
Mclusky: (2 sessions, 2002-04)
Moonshake: (1 session, 1992)
Mouse On Mars: (4 sessions, 1994-2001)
Murry The Hump: (2 sessions, 1999-2000)
Pram: (3 sessions, 1999-2003)
Rothko: (1 session, 2000)
Seefeel: (1 session, 1994)
Stereolab: (6 sessions, 1991-2001)
Voodoo Queens: (3 sessions, 1993-94)
Young People: (1 session, 2003)

Festive Fifty[]

According to The Festive Fifty by Mark Whitby (1st edition, 2005, pg195), Too Pure had the 12th highest number of Festive Fifty entries of any label in Peel's lifetime, with 21, one behind Chemikal Underground (22), in a list led by Rough Trade (94) and Factory (58). Too Pure also scored the 11th most separate tracks in the F50 in the same time period, with 20.

The list below covers Festive Fifty entries on Too Pure; it does not include entries by Too Pure artists on other labels. Please add any missing entries.

Th'Faith Healers: 1991 Festive Fifty: Gorgeous Blue Flower In My Garden #44
French: 2003 Festive Fifty: Gabriel In The Airport #36 / Porn Shoes #27
PJ Harvey: 1991 Festive Fifty: Dress #2 // 1992 Festive Fifty: Sheela-Na-Gig #2 // 2000 Festive Fifty (all-time): Sheela-Na-Gig #49
Hefner: 1998 Festive Fifty: Pull Yourself Together #43 // 1999 Festive Fifty: The Hymn For The Cigarettes #2 / The Hymn For The Alcohol #3 / I Stole A Bride #22 / I Took Her Love For Granted #32 // 2000 Festive Fifty: The Greedy Ugly People #7 / The Day That Thatcher Dies #12 / Good Fruit #15 / Painting And Kissing #44 // 2001 Festive Fifty: Alan Bean #31
Keys: 2003 Festive Fifty: Strength Of Strings #41
Long Fin Killie (with Mark E. Smith): 1995 Festive Fifty: Heads Of Dead Surfers #10
Mclusky: 2002 Festive Fifty: Alan Is A Cowboy Killer #35 / To Hell With Good Intentions #40 // 2004 Festive Fifty: That Man Will Not Hang #26
Voodoo Queens: 1993 Festive Fifty: Supermodel Superficial #06