PIANO
RECORDS
Independent label: The Piano label was a
sub-label of Sheet Records and started in 1976 by David
Cunningham, initially to provide an outlet for Grey Scale, his first
album of experimental systems music. The initial success of this release led to
a continuing series of projects, some appearing as Piano releases, others (in
response to the challenge of storage and administration) appeared on other
labels with proper distribution. The music was focussed around what could
roughly be described as hybrids and minority music, releases on Piano tended to
have a relationship to the visual arts and performance. Out of the early years
came the first album by This Heat, two albums by Michael Nyman (including
Nyman's music for Peter Greenaway's film The Draughtsman's Contract) and the
music of Cunningham's loose grouping The Flying Lizards. Big labels change,
accountants sell them to multinationals, and there's alot of interesting stuff
around right now to which they seem unwilling and unable to respond in ways that
that are equitable to musicians and listeners. Piano has been relaunched, this
time with distribution through Voiceprint thanks to Rob Ayling's offer to
facilitate those parts of a record label which are tedious to the supposedly
creative mind and the realisation that the label has a decent initial catalogue
of old and new material by new and old but viable musicians. Piano Records
Former Address: 32 Alexander Street London W2. the home address for Stiff
Records. Distributed By Sheet Records.
81
Vampire Bats From
Lewisham
Mr. Clean
SHEET
BULL
1
82
Broughtons
Ancient
Homeland
SHEET
BULL
2
82
Michael Nyman
In Re Don
Giovanni
PIANO
BULL
3
82
Ant-On-E
The Mouth
PIANO
BULL
4
82
Deadbeats
Crazy Hound
Dog
PIANO
BULL
5