The Midnight Music label operated for about ten years from the early '80s to its untimely demise at the hands of its bankers in the early '90s ‹ the men in suits wanted it to make money (which it didn't), but all we wanted to make was music (which we did, lots of it). They killed the company but they couldn't kill the music, which lives on ‹ juiced by regular Anagram "best of" compilation releases of individual artists.

However, this collection paints a broader picture, with contributions from artists across the Midnight Music spectrum, eclectic but accessible and (save for a handful of notable omissions for contractual reasons) representative of what the label was about.

Appropriately, "Nocturnal" is introduced by Sad Lovers & Giants, the label's first signing. They came to our attention via two singles released on their own Last Movement label, "Clé" and "Colourless Dream"; "Things We Never Did" was the b-side of the latter. After two albums, the original SLAGs (the name was devised to give the acronym SLAG) disintegrated and guitarist Tristan Garel-Funk formed the Snake Corps, represented here by "Science Kills", their first single.

Another early signing was the Essence, from Rotterdam. The moody "Like Christ" is my favourite track of theirs, but "A Mirage" was probably the most successful, especially in Spain, where a Spanish version was also released.

Many of the label's bands toured extensively in Europe, especially in France, Spain and Holland, often sharing the same bill. When Sad Lovers & Giants and the Essence were scheduled for two weeks in France and were both in the studio a few months before, they couldn't resist the idea of re-working one of each of their songs together for a special single ‹ "Sleep" is included here.

When fellow-independent September Records ran into difficulties, it was absorbed into Midnight Music and the label acquired the talents of McCarthy and the Wolfhounds ‹ "Keep An Open Mind Or Else" and "Rent Act" are among their strongest tracks respectively.

At around the same time, Midnight Music opened an office in Paris, and began to license from other labels for releases in France, including albums by the Wedding Present, Billy Bragg and the Corn Dollies; the latter from the Medium Cool label, which became part of Midnight Music soon after. Along with the Corn Dollies, whose "Nothing Of You" was originally a Medium Cool single (on Midnight in France) came the Waltones and Brighton's Popguns. "Someone You Love" was the 'Guns' second single for Midnight and "Gesture" is taken from the later "Crazy" single. The Waltones changed their name to Candlestick Park (anyone know the significance of the name?), recorded a superb, as yet unreleased album, and the "All The Time In The World" single.

The Midnight French connection also brought the Sun And The Moon to the label. Originally intending only to license the "Alive, Not Dead" EP (which included "Adam's Song") for France, the deal was extended and worldwide rights were acquired with Mark Burgess starting work on a solo album.

Shortly before this, the indefatigable Blyth Power had come to the label, bringing their brand of very electric modern folk-rock with them, distinguished by Josef Porta's unique lyrics and vocal harmonies to die for. "Better To Bat" was a single culled from their very fine "Alnick & Tyne" album. Also in the folk-rock genre, but, growing out of the pub-rock tradition, a million miles away from the style of Blyth Power was earlier signing Hackney Five-0, whose "Catalogue" is modern tale of woe in the blues tradition.

Other earlier signings were Western Promise, Sheriff Jack, The Invisible and Sudden Afternoon. "Promised Land" was recorded by the original Western Promise line-up on their first release, the "Justice" EP and Sheriff Jack's "Everybody Twist" is the saner side of his very quirky output. The Invisible, a pure pop group featuring lush harmonies put together by Lester Square from the Monochrome Set, recorded just the "Dystopia" album which "Love St" was taken from. Sudden Afternoon, one-time favourites of DJ Andy Kershaw, managed an EP as well as the "Dancing Shadows" album and the "Acid Rain" single which was taken from it.

Two of the last artists to record for the label were Ever and Fuel, both of whom completed albums, although only the "Virginize" and "Songs In The Key of E" EPs (which included "Virgin Eyes" and "Honey Comes Softly" respectively) were released before the label's demise.

This music was recorded to be heard, not to languish in the vaults gathering dust ‹ hopefully there'll be more. Until thenŠ

El Trepador de Medianoche

NICK RALPH
Midnight Music

"this album was almost released in that i sent it to a million little labels throughout europe and i actually got signed to "midnight music records" who had on it people like robyn hitchcock.

i made the album cover, it was going to be a gatefold sleeve. it was
all ready to go in a pressing plant in belgium, when the guy who owned the record co. all of a sudden went bankrupt and disappeared off of the face of planet!
i'm still looking for him. i did find a nick ralph in england, but he
was a bishop, and we exchanged emails for a few days."

ANA VOOG
The Blue Up

"As for Jack O'Roses, I have no idea where the master is. I recorded it in England. and have lost track of Nick Ralph who produced it. It was his idea. He provided the studio and we whipped it up in two sessions. It was so cold in there we had to put gas burners in front of the echo plates before they'd reverberate! "

ROBERT HUNTER
Grateful Dead

NICK RALPH

"Wolfhounds are smart, but they're not that smart… at least, I haven't actually heard one speak 'human' yet!"