MOLESWORTH
RECORDS
Independent label: Molesworth Records had an unusual genesis - the East Anglian
Examinations Board's CSE English language coursework requirements! Already
numerous students at Sawtry Village College (since renamed Sawtry Community
College) in Cambridgeshire had been involved in the school's New Leaf Records.
If a class of fourth-formers (14-15 years old) took on the role of a record
company, they could fulfil all the syllabus's language tasks (such as group
debate, advertising, letter writing, form filling...) in a creative manner. The
class chose the name Molesworth after Nigel Molesworth, and RAF
Molesworth in the college's catchment area. In 1984 RAF Molesworth was regularly
hitting the headlines over its use as a cruise nuclear missile base. Simon
Laxton designed the label's logo, based on the Willans and Searle original with
a hint of Giles. The Blue Mist, contemporaries in a different class, had already
released a single on New Leaf. The class picked them as their act, and devised
and signed a contract with them. They chose the best recording and manufacturing
deal they could find in the music press, raised sponsorship, booked the studio,
designed advertising and promotion, completed the various MCPS, PRS and PPL
forms, secured distribution and mailed out the singles with their own promo
packs. The exercise was a success. Most importantly, the students produced some
impressive coursework and several were upgraded to a higher qualification. The
project was written up as a booklet called "Pop Into Class" for use by other
centres. It was also adapted as a Music Industry Simulation for Media Studies.
Whereas New Leaf remained the College groups' label, Molesworth subsequently
became a record company for Cambridgeshire indie bands. HUNTS 06 was an
SRT custom pressing SRT cat number SRT90S2579. Distributed By Rough Trade
Records.
85
Blue Mist
Elijah
MOLESWORTH
HUNTS
1
86
Pleasureheads
Don'T Fake
It
MOLESWORTH
HUNTS
2
87
Nutmeg
And In England They'Re Going
Mental (12")
MOLESWORTH
HUNTS
3
88
Flowershop
Ten Foot
Tall
MOLESWORTH
HUNTS
4
88
Charlottes
Are You Happy
Now
MOLESWORTH
HUNTS
05
89
Nightjars
Acid In Your
Face
MOLESWORTH
HUNTS
06