Obscure or under-rated labels

[leggo rocker]

We all know about Studio One but what about some other, more obscure labels? WHat have you found, what labels do you check for?

I'll start the ball rolling with the Art and Craft label out of England. Only one LP, as far as I know, Johnny Clarke's excellent 'Can't Get Enough'.

[cover=2627,3030]

But check out their awesome 12 inch 45 catalogue. Brilliant stuff!

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/acdlp.htm

[Version Control]

Best label always White!

For the labels I check for, there are a few I'd impulse buy on the strength of the label alone without hearing the record itself eg Phase One, Moodisc, Black & White, Fe-Me-Time.

And when looking for original UK 12", I've been happy to find a few in these series:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/war12.htm

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/leaves12.htm

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/judis12.htm

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/eji12.htm

None of these are the most obscure in the world, but at least there were sufficient numbers issued to make it worthwhile searching them out. There are far too many labels where the catalogue number is XXX 001 and you just know it didn't last long enough for a second release

[leggo rocker]

You have to be very careful with 'label love'. If you fall for a particular label, and you have vinylitus, you'd better hope they were one of the labels that crashed and burned after a few issues otherwise it's gonna hit your pockets hard!

Warrior label is a case in point, as is Phase 1. Both labels got me and I started to collect anything on them. Only to quickly realise it was gonna bankrupt me. Not as quicckly as collecting first press Upsetter 12s though...

[Version Control]

Bored, Bored, Bored... No, not with you Leggo! I'm sat here waiting for Postie to arrive with this month's purchases. I daren't even jump in the bath yet in case I miss him. So, looking at some obscure (I guess?) JA & US labels that have found their way into my 7" boxes recently:

Achilles (Tappa Zukie - Liberation Struggle)
Admiral (Melodians - Things You Say)
Aiken (Roman Stewart - Peace In The Valley)
Aries (Jah Stitch - Combination Three)
Black Skin (I Stings - They Never Love)
Chappy (Laurel Aitken - 'The' Price)
Eagle Kin (Norman Dixon - Doors Are Open)
Greedy Puppy (Ringo - Balarena)
Munchie (Raphael Tomlinson - This Situation)
Ossie's Motion (Junior Blair - I Want Someone)
Power Disc (Michael 'Dread' Campbell - Barber Saloon)
Soul Proff (KC White - No No No)
Student (Brent Dowe - It Was Love)
Tesan (Ricardo Hudson - Stop Vandalism)
Tuff Beat (Jah Berry - Sufferation & Starvation)
World Wide Success (Leroy Smart - She Love It In The Morning)

[r_publik]

rythem track 80's era:)