Fruits de Mer Records is a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...

based in

Walton-on-Thames Walton-on-Thames, known locally as Walton, is a market town on the bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, Thames in northwest Surrey, England. It is in the Borough of Elmbridge, about southwest of central London. Walton forms part ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, established by Keith Jones and Andy Bracken in 2008. It releases

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

psychedelic folk Psychedelic folk (sometimes acid folk or freak folk) is a loosely defined form of psychedelic music that originated in the 1960s. It retains the largely acoustic instrumentation of contemporary folk music, folk, but adds musical elements common ...

folk rock Folk rock is a fusion genre of rock music with heavy influences from pop, English and American folk music. It arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music re ...

space rock Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drummin ...

and

krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock that developed in Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It originated among artists who blended elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, and electron ...

music, with an international roster of artists spanning from the 1960s to the present. The record label principally releases music on

phonograph record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The g ...

format, but

compact disc The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. It employs the Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA) standard and was capable of hol ...

is commonly used for its Various Artists compilations, while compact cassettes have also been issued. Some of the outputs are

reissue In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions. Reasons for reissue New audio formats Reco ...

s of classic

album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

s or singles, while others are modern takes on psychedelia. The company has several imprints, including Regal Crabomophone, Strange Fish, Friends of the Fish, Head Cleaner and Tiny, which have their own series of catalogue numbers, but are treated like standard Fruits de Mer Records releases. The organization is also responsible for coordinating an annual

psychedelic music Psychedelic music (sometimes called psychedelia) is a wide range of popular music styles and genres influenced by 1960s psychedelia, a subculture of people who used psychedelic drugs such as Dmt, DMT, Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, mescaline, ...

festival since 2013, originally named the Summer Fruits de Mer All-Dayer. In 2014, the event was renamed Crabstock: The Fruits de Mer Records Festival of Psychedelia. The following year, the showcase became a three-day event and was renamed The Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia, which continues to take place annually at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales. The bands' performances at the festival are often recorded and released by the record label.

History

Prior to forming Fruits de Mer Records, Andy Bracken operated his own record company, Bracken Records, which existed from 2004 to 2010. He and Keith Jones got together in early 2008 to establish Fruits de Mer Records, which was operated as an

imprint label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and t ...

of Bracken Records, and remained as such until the closure of the

parent company A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the Security (finance), securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own Share ...

in late 2010. Fruits de Mer Records' early releases featured

cover versions In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song released ...

of classic songs interpreted by modern bands. In 2011, Bracken and Jones established the imprint Regal Crabomophone, with the intention of releasing original songs by modern bands. Outputs through Fruits de Mer Records bare catalog numbers starting with the word ''crustacean'', while those released through Regal Crabomophone bare catalog numbers starting with the word ''winkle''. Bracken left the partnership in 2012, shortly after relocating to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, United States. Jones has since assumed full ownership and continues to operate the record label with occasional help from his family and of close musical collaborators. In 2013, Jones established the imprint Strange Fish, with the intention of releasing bands and artists whose genres go beyond what Fruits de Mer Records and Regal Crabomophone normally released; mainly more experimental or hard-to-categorize artists. Outputs through Strange Fish bare catalog numbers starting with the words ''strange fish''. In June 2013, ''

Record Collector ''Record Collector'' is a British monthly music magazine focussing on rare and collectable records, and the bands who recorded them. It was founded in September 1979 and distributes worldwide. It is promoted as "the world’s leading authority o ...

'' magazine released the Various Artists compilation ''Plankton: A Fruits de Mer Collection'', as part of its Rare Vinyl Series, which includes a selection of material from the label's out-of-print releases. In 2014, Jones established the imprint Friends of the Fish. The purpose of this imprint has been expanded over the years, but generally includes limited-edition lathe cut vinyls, series of Various Artists compilation albums given out for free to Fruits de Mer Records Club members and at live events and festivals, and releases financed by bands that benefit from Fruits de Mer Records' distribution network and fan-base. Outputs through Friends of the Fish Fish bare catalog numbers starting with the words ''friends of the fish'' and generally also include the Fruits de Mer Records logo. Jones established the imprint Head Cleaner in 2015, with the intention of releasing

cassette tape The Compact Cassette, also commonly called a cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog audio, analog magnetic tape recording format for Sound recording and reproduction, audio recording and playback. Invented by L ...

-format albums. Outputs through Head Cleaner bare catalog numbers starting with the words ''head cleaner''. On 20 April 2016, radio disc jockey Gideon Coe dedicated an entire three-hour

BBC Radio 6 Music BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It primarily plays a wide range of alternative music, from established and emerging artists and bands. In 2002 it was the first national music radio station t ...

program to Fruits de Mer Records. In March 2018, music journalist Dave Thompson published the book ''The Incomplete Angler - Ten Years of Fruits de Mer'', which chronicles the first ten years of the record label's history, along with an extensive discography of the company's output. The book was released in two editions: the Standard Edition and the Members Club Edition, which comes packaged in a special pouch with additional stickers, flyers, a poster, and vinyl singles. In celebration of its ten-year anniversary, the record label released the Various Artists compilations ''Goldfish: Fruits de Mer Records 10 Years on Vinyl'' and ''The Three Seasons: The Spring, Summer and Autumn of Love''. In 2018, Jones launched the imprint Tiny, specifically to release 5” lathe-cut singles. In June 2023, ''Prog Magazine'' included an exclusive 17-song Various Artists compilation of Fruits de Mer Records artists with its 141th issue.

Festivals

Summer Fruits de Mer All-Dayer (2013)

Fruits de Mer Records' first organized showcase concert was named Summer Fruits de Mer All-Dayer, and took place at The Borderline in Central London on 10 August 2013. The event was sponsored by ''

'' magazine and featured England's

Pretty Things Pretty Things were an English Rock music, rock band formed in September 1963 in Sidcup, Kent, taking their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing", and active in their first incarnation until 1971. They released five studio albums, i ...

as headliners, along with Wales' Sendelica, the Netherlands' Jack Ellister, Spain's Stay, and The Luck of Eden Hall from the United States.

Crabstock: The Fruits de Mer Records Festival of Psychedelia (2014)

The success of the Summer Fruits de Mer All-Dayer lead to the creation of four spin-off, multi-city events: Crabstock: The Fruits de Mer Records Festival of Psychedelia, in 2014. Each single-day event was held in a different city, on a different date, and with different performing bands. Two events were held in the United States under the name Crabstock USA. The first was held at The Bowery Electric in New York City on 10 April 2014 and featured The Seventh Ring of Saturn, Sky Picnic and King Penguin. The second was held at The Outer Space in Hamden, Connecticut on 11 April 2014 and featured The Seventh Ring of Saturn, Sky Picnic and The Luck of Eden Hall. The main event, Crabstock, was held at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales on 26 April 2014. The showcase featured Sendelica, Earthling Society, Crystal Jacqueline, James McKeown, Jack Ellister and Wally Stagg. Sendelica's performance was recorded and released as Fruits de Mer Records' imprint Friends of the Fish's first release. The final event was held on 3 May 2014 at Club Darkside in Helsinki, Finland under the name Crabstock on Ice. The artists that performed at the event include Sendelica, Octopus Syng, Us and Them, The Legendary Flower Punk, Jack Ellister and DJ Astro.

The Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia (2015–present)

The 13th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia (2015)

Following two years of single-day events, Fruits de Mer Records partnered with Sendelica to launch the three-day showcase, The 13th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia (named in honor of progressive rock band Spirit's album '' Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus''). The event was held from 7 to 9 August 2015 at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales, and featured performances by The Bevis Frond, Earthling Society, Astralasia, Sendelica (and Sendelica Acoustica), Soft Hearted Scientists, Schnauser, The Luck of Eden Hall, Magic Bus, The Honey Pot, Spurious Transients, Jack Ellister, Steve Kelly, The Telephones, Paradise 9 and DJ Wally Stagg.

The 14th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival of Psychedelia (2016)

The 14th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival of Psychedelia was held from 5 to 7 August 2016 at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales, and featured performances by Vibravoid, Twink and The Fairies, Sendelica, Ax Genrich and Sunhair, Soft Hearted Scientists, The Telephones, Vert:x, Consterdine, Ted Selke, Gregory Curvey, Andrew McCulloch, Jack Ellister, Deviant Amps, The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies and DJ Wally Stagg.

The 15th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia (2017)

The 15th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia was held from 4 to 6 August 2017 at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales, and featured performances by The Bevis Frond, Sendelica, Anton Barbeau,

Fuchsia ''Fuchsia'' ( ) is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees. Almost 110 species of ''Fuchsia'' are recognized; the vast majority are native to South America, but a few occur north through Central America to Mex ...

, Earthling Society, The Cary Grace Band, Babal, The Telephones, The Spookers, Deviant Amps, Chariots, Red Sun, Mark McDowell and Friends and DJ Wally Stagg.

The 16th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia (2018)

The 16th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus: A Festival of Psychedelia was held from 3 to 5 August 2018 at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales, and featured performances by Nik Turner's New Space Ritual,

, Sendelica, Stay, Schnauser, The Fertility Cult, Elfin Bow, Nathan Hall and The Sinister Locals, 7shades, Opel, Alain Pire Experience, The Fellowship of Hallucinatory Voyagers, Ash Magna, Consterdine, I Am Voyager I and The Cold Needles.

The 17th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival (2019)

The 17th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival was held from 7 to 9 August 2019 at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales, and featured performances by The Bevis Frond, The Groundhogs, Sendelica, The Chemistry Set, 3D Tanx, Mark McDowell, Sarah Birch, Alain Pire Experience, Moon Goose, Spurious Transients, The Lost Tuesday Society, Elfin Bow, The Fellowship of Hallucinatory Voyagers, I Am Voyager I, Paul Sax and DJ Wally Staggs.

The 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival (2022)

The 18th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival was originally scheduled to take place between 7 and 9 August 2020 but it was postponed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. During the hiatus, The Cellar Bar, where the festival had taken place since 2014, underwent financial difficulties and faced being permanently closed, so Fruits de Mer Records compiled a benefit Various Artists compilation titled ''We Are The Cellar Bar Restoration Society''. The event was rescheduled for 6–8 August 2021, but was again postponed due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. The event was successfully held from 5 to 7 August 2022 at The Cellar Bar and Art Gallery in Cardigan, Wales, and featured performances by

Man A man is an adult male human. Before adulthood, a male child or adolescent is referred to as a boy. Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromosome from the f ...

, The Groundhogs,

, Sendelica, Elfin Bow, The Telephones, Spurious Transients, Taras Bulba, Z-Machine, Sonic Trip Project, Sarah Birch, Hanford Flyover, Moon Goose and DJ Benway.

Artists

This is a partial list of artists who record for Fruits de Mer Records, or one of its imprint labels. * Astralasia * Anton Barbeau * Beau * Beautify Junkyards * The Bevis Frond *

Chad & Jeremy Chad & Jeremy were a British musical duo consisting of Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, who began working in 1962 and had their first hit song in the UK with " Yesterday's Gone" (1963). That song became a hit in the United States in the following ...

* The Chemistry Set *

Rob Clarke Robert G. Clarke (born March 2, 1967) is a politician and career Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer. He was the Conservative Party of Canada's candidate in Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River for the March 17, 2008 federal by-election ...

* Computerchemist * Anla Courtis * Electric Moon * Electric Orange * The Electric Prunes * Eroc * Earthling Society *

Ex Norwegian Ex Norwegian is an American indie rock band from Miami Beach, Florida, formed in 2008. Origin Ex Norwegian originated in Miami Beach in the summer of 2008 and officially launched at that year's CMJ Festival in New York City after the success o ...

* Nick Franglen * Mark Fry *

* Cary Grace * The Grand Astoria * Ilona V * The Jet Age * Julie's Haircut * LoveyDove * Nick Nicely * Alison O'Donnell *

Craig Padilla Craig Padilla is an American ambient musician and film score composer, actor, and video producer from Redding,Craig Padi ...

* Henry Padovani * Brendan Pollard * The Pretty Things * Inna Pivars & The Histriones * The Re-Stoned * Paul Roland * Schizo Fun Addict * Sendelica *

Damo Suzuki , known as Damo Suzuki (ダモ鈴木), was a Japanese musician best known as the vocalist for the German Krautrock group Can (band), Can between 1970 and 1973. Born in 1950 in Kobe, Japan, he moved to Europe in the late 1960s where he was spotte ...

Tír na nÓg In Irish mythology, Tír na nÓg ( , ; ) or Tír na hÓige ('Land of Youth') is one of the names for the Celtic Otherworld, or perhaps for a part of it. Tír na nÓg is best known from the tale of Oisín ("''uh''-''sheen''") and Niamh ("''neev ...

Touch The somatosensory system, or somatic sensory system is a subset of the sensory nervous system. The main functions of the somatosensory system are the perception of external stimuli, the perception of internal stimuli, and the regulation of bo ...

Nik Turner Nicholas Robert Turner (26 August 1940 – 10 November 2022) was an English musician best known as a member of space rock pioneers Hawkwind. Turner played saxophone and flute, as well as being a vocalist and composer. While with Hawkwind, Tur ...

* Vibravoid * Vision Eternel * Dan West *

The Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...

References

External links

* * * * {{Authority control 2008 establishments in England British companies established in 2008 British independent record labels Companies based in Surrey English record labels Fruits de Mer Records Psychedelic rock record labels Psychedelic folk record labels Record labels established in 2008 Space rock