Here at Backseat Mafia, we’re totally cross genre. It’s how we like it. So you’re just as likely to see Deep House followed by Death Metal followed by neo-jazz or something. BUt we do have our favourites, and over the years, Sarah Records has always found its place on Backseat Mafia.
Formed by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes, Sarah Records, ran out of Bristol back rooms in true DIY style, running mail order adverts in music magazines and fanzines, and causing indie pop fans the country over to run for pens and paper when read out by John Peel.
Setting out in 1987 to release 100 singles, or equivalents – within the hundred they achieved were the odd fanzine, a board games and such things, they managed it by 1995 – Sarah 100 being a compilation album accompanied by a half page advert in NME and Melody Maker that they were throwing a party, and shutting down.
Starting with the magnificent indie pop anthem by Pristine Christine, they survived the scorn of the music press, who lumped all of their releases in with their disparaging ‘Twee’ label (something increasingly celebrated these days) when in fact amongst them were jangle pop, shoegaze, noise pop, post-punk even here and there, and more. Strong sellers like The Field Mice and Heavenly pulled the label through, and pendants out there will note that there were a handful of albums and a clutch of compilation albums that were also released.
We’ve taken a track from every physical release (that we can find), and one from SARAH100, the compilation There and Back Again Lane, and moulded them into nearly 6 hours of some of the finest pop music you’ve never heard. Or should hear again.
Obviously, we’d appreciate a listen, a like, a follow of our account maybe. But more than that, a share so this little archive of lost (or at the very least underappreciated) pop music gets the airing it deserves. For those wanting to know more, we interviewed Clare back in 2013 – have a read here
If you want to write about indie pop new or old – or labels, playlists or pretty much anything else, contact us via the contact page.
