| Phantom Records | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Dare Jennings Jules Normington |
| Genre | indie rock, indie pop, post-punk, detroit, power-pop, surf |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Location | Sydney, New South Wales |
Phantom Records was an Australian independent record label established by Dare Jennings (founder of Mambo (Clothing) and Jules Normington in 1979. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. An independent record label (or indie record label) is a Record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the Major record labels Mambo Graphics, or simply Mambo, is an Australian Surfwear company established in 1984 See also Musical groups established in 1979 Record labels established in 1979 1979 in music (UK Phantom Records was known not only for its guerrilla retail tactics, but as one of Australia's first great indie labels.
Phantom Records began life as a record shop in Pitt Street, Sydney, opened by Jennings on 17 October 1978. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Normington had been managing Radio Birdman and the Ripple Records import shop in Sydney. Radio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia Normington and Jennings followed the Birdman tour around Europe in early 1978 and during this time they talked of starting a record shop, which Jennings did on his return. Later that year, Normington was in Los Angeles and Jennings tracked him down and asked him to buy stock for the shop. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Normington hunted down sixties punk records, psychedelic records and secondhand rarities to send back to Sydney.
Jennings entreated Normington to come back and manage the shop. He returned July 9, 1979 and joined Normington as a partner. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Assisted by Steve Stavrakis (who later started Waterfront Records), Normington turned Phantom into a mecca for record buyers. Waterfront Records was an Independent record label based in Sydney, that released recordings by some of Australia 's most Influential bands Phantom flourished in the punk and postpunk years, specialising in "punk, soul, surf, psychedelic, sixties garage and nothing else".
In late 1979, Normington and Jennings had the idea for the Phantom label when they realised they were surrounded by talent who were as yet unsigned. Their girlfriends Penny Ward and Julie Mostyn were lead singers in bands: Shy Impostors were about to record and The Flaming Hands had already recorded tracks, as had their friends The Passengers. The Visitors had an album's worth of material recorded before their final gig in August 1979.
On April 30, 1980, the first two singles on the Phantom label—"Face with No Name" by The Passengers and "Cool in the Tube" by Surfside 6 were released. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Surfside 6 is an ABC Television Phantom Records went on to become an indie phenomenon, releasing the very first records of great Australian bands such as the Hoodoo Gurus, The Sunnyboys, Flaming Hands and The Cockroaches. Hoodoo Gurus (referred to as the Gurus by fans are an Australian Rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981 by the mainstay Dave Faulkner (songwriter Sydney band The Sunnyboys remain one of the most highly regarded and best-loved bands of the Australian ' Post-punk ' era The Cockroaches was an Australian rock / pop band which achieved reasonable success in the 1980s and 1990s Apart from the music, Phantom was known for its record covers sporting artwork by local artists like Reg Mombassa. Reg Mombassa is the pseudonym of Chris O'Doherty, a New Zealand born Artist and Musician. [1]. These were followed by a succession of pivotal singles and EPs, and the label became as important as the shop in its exposure of new alternative music.
The signings reflected the character of the shop, which was primarily Normington's taste and for several years this selection criteria led to one success after another. Crucially Phantom became an inspiration for others to start labels such as Waterfront Records and Citadel Records, catering to the burgeoning local scene and attracting bands from interstate. Waterfront Records was an Independent record label based in Sydney, that released recordings by some of Australia 's most Influential bands
The momentum slowed in the mid 80’s until 1987 when Phantom was re-energised by the success of The Hummingbirds, The Sparklers, The Shrinking Violets, The Mark of Cain, Even As We Speak and Vanilla Chainsaws. The Hummingbirds are an Indie pop or Jangle pop band from Sydney, Australia, formed in The Shrinking Violets was a band from Sydney Australia ( 1987 - 1990) This page is about the band from Australia see Mark of Cain for other uses Even As We Speak is an indie band from Sydney, Australia. The line up changed over the years and with founding members Matthew Love (guitar banjo vocals During this period Dare Jennings was concentrating more on his 100% Mambo clothing company and as he phased himself out of Phantom. After several years Sebastian Chase became a partner in Phantom Records. He had been a founding member of the major label "indy" offshoot rooArt Records, in the late eighties. rooArt was an Australian Independent record label in the 1990s founded by INXS 's then-manager Chris Murphy In 1991, Chase had left rooArt after a split with partner Chris Murphy and approached Phantom. Chris Murphy can be one of the following Chris Murphy (violinist, Violinist Chris Murphy (Canadian broadcaster, weather broadcaster Normington knew of him as The Hummingbirds had moved from Phantom to rooArt a couple years earlier. The Hummingbirds are an Indie pop or Jangle pop band from Sydney, Australia, formed in
Phantom was divided into three companies and Jules increasingly focused on the more successful of these, Phantom Collectibles. But ultimately Chase’s goals for the Phantom company diverged from Jules’ - to the detriment of the label. The shop closed its doors in 1998. In 1999, disenchanted with what Phantom had become, Jules formed Laughing Outlaw Records with writer Stuart Coupe. Phantom is now run solely by Sebastian Chase, who keeps it active with sporadic releases.
Contents |
Artists
Classic Period Phantom
- The Passengers
- Surfside 6
- Flaming Hands
- The Visitors
- Shy Impostors
- Le Hoodoo Gurus
- The Dagoes
- The Kelpies
- The Sunnyboys
- Machinations
- The Shrinking Violets
- The Hummingbirds
- Even As We Speak
- The Vanilla Chainsaws
- The Mark of Cain
- One Million Pieces
- Crow
- Def Fx
- The Godbotherers
Modern period Phantom
- Nitocris
- Jeff Duff
- The Whitlams
- Downtime
- Parkside Killers