Mute Records

Mute Records

Biography

Mute Records was founded in 1978 by experimental film maker and musician Daniel Miller, who was influenced by the DIY punk ethic to produce and release his own music. He recorded the tracks ‘TVOD’ and ‘Warm Leatherette’ and released them as catalogue number MUTE 1 as The Normal. On the back of this minimal and seminal electronic single, Mute was approached by similarly-minded acts and would soon sign the likes of Fad Gadget, DAF and Robert Rental. However, the whole impetus of the label changed with the signing of the more pop-savvy Depeche Mode, who delivered Mute’s first Top 10 single with

read more ...

Mute Records was founded in 1978 by experimental film maker and musician Daniel Miller, who was influenced by the DIY punk ethic to produce and release his own music. He recorded the tracks ‘TVOD’ and ‘Warm Leatherette’ and released them as catalogue number MUTE 1 as The Normal. On the back of this minimal and seminal electronic single, Mute was approached by similarly-minded acts and would soon sign the likes of Fad Gadget, DAF and Robert Rental. However, the whole impetus of the label changed with the signing of the more pop-savvy Depeche Mode, who delivered Mute’s first Top 10 single with ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’, the first in a long line of worldwide hits. The label’s next big commercial success came when Depeche Mode’s principal songwriter Vince Clarke left the band and formed Yazoo with Alison Moyet, although Miller still exercised his leftfield tendencies with releases by Bruce Gilbert & Graham Lewis and promoting catalogue albums by Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire, both of whom had been a major influence on the Mute ethos. He also picked up the Birthday Party from 4AD, although the band broke up after a single EP release and Miller signed a deal with singer Nick Cave and his new band the Bad Seeds. As with many Mute signings, this would prove to be the beginning of a longstanding and fruitful relationship. Throughout the late Eighties and Nineties, Depeche Mode and Cave would prove to be mainstays of the label’s success and were joined by Vince Clarke’s latest venture, electronic pop duo Erasure, whilst Laibach, Crime & The City Solution, Diamanda Galas and Einstürzende Neubauten also enjoyed critical acclaim. Moby delivered the album Play which would prove to be one of Mute’s biggest successes as multiple tracks were utilised in advertisements and films. Mute also ran a number of imprints including Blast First (Big Black, Sonic Youth, Afghan Whigs & the Butthole Surfers), Novamute (Richie Hawtin, Luke Slater & Plastikman) and Rhythm King (Bomb The Bass, The Beatmasters, Cookie Crew and Betty Boo). The 2000’s saw the signing of Goldfrapp, before Miller sold Mute to EMI, although he remained in charge of global operations and soon after released the entire Residents catalogue under licence from Ralph Records. In 2010 he revived Mute as a independent imprint, although the catalogue largely remained with EMI and was eventually purchased by BMG who continue to administer it on a worldwide basis. Includes: Nick cave, Yazoo, Erasure, Goldfrapp, Suicide, Fad Gadget, Silicon Teens & DAF

Social Media

News