Factory Records. Mute. Rough Trade. 4AD. These record labels defined UK independent music in the 1980s. Post-punk is about as useless of a description as new wave (and later, alternative), but each label showcased the era’s best music, and each one had a distinctive sound and feel. I’m going to talk about 4AD, whose influence on music in the 80s and 90s cannot be overstated. 4AD is generally defined by Ivo Watts-Russell, who along with Peter Kent, formed the label under Beggars Banquet in order to test-release promising new artists. They quickly gained their independence, and Kent left a year … Continue reading Record Label Spotlight: 4AD