Grand Central Records was an

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 the Northern Quarter of

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

, England. It was started in 1995 by DJ Mark Rae (who, along with Steve Christian makes up the duo

Rae & Christian Rae & Christian are an English production duo, consisting of Mark Rae and Steve Christian. They are also founders of the Grand Central Records label. History In 1995, Mark Rae fulfilled a long-term dream by founding Grand Central Records in M ...

). Rae started out working as manager of the Fat City Records' store (which later also became a record label licensing material). The two labels maintained a close relationship, co-hosting club nights including ''Friends and Family, Counter Culture'' and developing related radio shows and merchandising. Grand Central also had a digital sub-label, GC3 which developed in the early to mid 2000's. The label invested in various music artists and performers developing and promoting both physical music releases and subsidising live tours, for artists predominantly from the UK and the North West of England. Several high profile collaborations with international artists such as Bobby Womack, The Jungle Brothers, Sharleen Spiteiri from Texas and others meant the label achieved profile way beyond its size. Embracing emerging digital culture, Grand Central established early company websites and an online merchandising shop, using this as a creative shop window for its artists and developing the visual and music personality of the collective. As of May 2006, Grand Central Records ceased operating as a record label and the official website was closed down. The label was allegedly investigated by the MCPS with regard to unpaid royalties and the resultant bill was allegedly so large that it forced the label into liquidation.

Artists

Aim AIM or Aim may refer to: Computing * AIM alliance, an Apple-IBM-Motorola alliance * AIM (software), AOL Instant Messenger * Fortyfive, a Japanese software development company previously known as AIM Military * Abrams Integrated Management, an ...

*ARP * Boca 45 * Broadway Project *Dual Control * Fingathing *Funky Fresh Few *Ill Gotten Gains *Jon Kennedy *

Kate Rogers Kate Rogers is a Canadian singer from Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Biography Rogers was raised in rural Ontario and studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto for seven years. Her early career as a recording artist included voc ...

*Kohei Mihara *Mark Rae *

Niko Niko may refer to: People The given name is sometimes a short form of Nikola, Nikolas, Nikolaos or others. * Nikō (1253–1314), Japanese Buddhist disciple of Nichiren * Niko (musician), American musician active from 2002 * NiKo (born 1997 ...

*Only Child *

* Riton * Rob Smith * Tony D

After Grand Central

left Grand Central Records in early 2005 and formed his own record label,

ATIC Records ''ATIC Records'' is an independent record label formed by British musician, DJ and producer, Aim (Andy Turner) and Niko (Nicole Vergel de Dios). They left Grand Central Records in early 2005 and started ATIC Records in June 2006. As there h ...

, in June 2006 and released his label debut '' Flight 602'' later the same year.

has also signed to ATIC Records, along with

Gripper A ''gripper'' is something that grips things or makes it easier to grip things. It may refer to: * grippers, tools for building hand strength * a Robot end effector, the "hand" of a robot * a person working in a grip (job) In the United States, ...

and

Paperboy A paperboy is someoneoften an older child or adolescentwho distributes printed newspapers to homes or offices on a regular route, usually by bicycle or automobile. In Western nations during the heyday of print newspapers during the early 20th cen ...

. * Boca 45 released his second album, ''Vertigo Sounds'', on German record label

Unique Records Unique primarily refers to: *Uniqueness, a state or condition wherein something is unlike anything else *In mathematics and logic, a unique object is the only object with a certain property, see Uniqueness quantification Unique may also refer to ...

in 2006. * Fingathing released an EP, ''Apocalypso'' in 2006 from their own website. Subsequent releases have been on MP3 only, via the "Artists First" internet label. DJ Sneaky has since recorded solo, releasing a digital 4-track EP, with an album to follow, entitled ''Feel Like a King... Pluck a String''. *Jon Kennedy released a 12" single, ''Demons'' in 2007 on his new label, The Jon Kennedy Federation. *Mark Rae initially started a new recording partnership with Rhys Adams in 2005, under the name ARP (Adams.Rae.Productions). In 2007, the pair started a new record label, Yes King Recordings and a new band, Yes King. Veba appeared amongst the vocalists on the Yes King album, ''Rock This World'' (2008). Future solo releases from Mark Rae and from

are also expected to be released on the new label. *The Nudge followed Aim to ATIC Records, and now records under the name Crowhead. * Riton has released several 12" singles on different European labels, and has also released an eponymous album under the recording name Eine Kleine Nacht Musik. * Rob Smith released two 12" singles, ''Give Love'' (2006) and ''Loveage'' (2007) on Functional Breaks.

Grand Central Records compilation albums

References

External links

* {{Authority control Electronic music record labels British independent record labels Record labels established in 1995 Defunct companies based in Manchester Music in Manchester British hip-hop record labels

Artists

After Grand Central

Grand Central Records compilation albums

See also

References

External links