Guest Column -The Devil has the Best Tuna

By Jade Wright on Nov 30, 07 11:30 AM

In the next of our series of guest columns we have a great piece from music blog The Devil has the Best Tuna about some really interesting Liverpool record labels. Read on and let me know what you think...

With the continued rise of the internet, social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook and the phenomeon that is YouTube, independent DIY record companies are springing up all over the country. As you would expect, Liverpool, with it's musical heritage and independent spirit is no exception.

As Liverpool gears up for a year long cultural festival, the grandchildren of one of the most influential indie labels of the past 30 years, Zoo Records , are at the forefront of another era of scouse indie rock perversity.

One of the best of the current scouse indie labels is Sea Records.

The label was launched two years ago by music obsessives Jim Robinson and Dominic Berry. Their initial aim was simply to bring the music of shambolically brilliant Liverpool band Ambulance to the ears of the wider world.

With a mission to be simply "different to everyone else" the label has hoovered up an exciting, eclectic and colourful crop of bands.

Any label that can find room for sonic terrorists Mugstar who performed one of the final John Peel sessions, NME recommended Wolf People , garage popsters The Static Waves , bontempi riot grrrl punksters Woman and Yorkshires' finest psych folk duo The Auditors is on the fast track to supremacy.

Sea Records are following in the fine tradition of northern indie labels like Zoo and Factory releasing records by bands they love for the sheer joy of music and doesn't that just warm the cockles of your heart?

For more information, and a general good read, see www.besttuna.blogspot.com/