 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2015) |
| Bad Vugum | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1987 |
| Genre | indie rock, noise rock, experimental rock, electronica, hardcore punk, thrash metal |
| Country of origin | Finland |
| Location | Oulu: 1987-2001, Helsinki: 2002- |
Bad Vugum is an independent record label originally based in Oulu, Finland. It was founded in 1987 by some of the members of the hardcore punk groups Kansanturvamusiikkikomissio and Radiopuhelimet for releasing the latter's music.[1] The label's name comes from an epithet invented by Captain Beefheart, heard uttered during his song "Sue Egypt".[2]
By the early 1990s it had grown into one of Finland's relatively higher-profile indie labels,[3][4] with releases frequently getting positive reviews in American music fanzines such as Forced Exposure and Flipside. Many releases were also championed by the BBC radio DJ John Peel, who went on to invite such Bad Vugum bands as Deep Turtle, Circle and Aavikko to record Peel Sessions[5][circular reference] for his radio show as the first ever Finnish acts to do so. John Peel also invited Mieskuoro Huutajat to perform at the Meltdown Festival when he curated it in 1998.
Some bands were also featured on notable American indie labels: Alternative Tentacles released Hygiene,[6] a compilation EP of Radiopuhelimet's early material, Drag City commissioned Liimanarina's debut album Spermarket,[7] and several Bad Vugum acts were compiled for two If It Ain't The Snow, It's The Mosquitos[8][9] double EPs on Sympathy For The Record Industry.
In 2002 one of the original founders, Kari Heikonen, bought out his two co-owners' shares and moved the company to Helsinki. Bad Vugum has continued to re-release and license out some of the old music, but all new music has been released under the BV2 Produktions sublabel. Some of these include acts as diverse as Cleaning Women, Hotguitars, Chainsmoker, Sekunda, Astro Can Caravan, Räjäyttäjät, and Dirty Projectors who licensed an abridged version of their album The Getty Address called Highlights from the Getty Address[10] for the Finnish market. BV2 also published the Finnish edition of Daniel Clowes' acclaimed graphic novel Ghost World.[11]
- ^ History Radiopuhelimet Official Homepage. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ de Clair, Dali (January 11, 1980). "Talking Pictures". Melody Maker.
- ^ "Chunklet". Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
- ^ "Staff Pick!". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
- ^ List of Peel sessions
- ^ "Alternative Tentacles - Store". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
- ^ "Liimanarina - Spermarket | Drag City".
- ^ "SFTRI 156 Various Artists - "If It Ain't the Snow... It's the Mosquitoes" DBL. 7"".
- ^ "SFTRI 303 Various Artists - "If It Ain't the Snow... It's the Mosquitoes..The Sequel" DBL. 7"".
- ^ "Dirty Projectors – Highlights from the Getty Address (2006, CD)". Discogs.
- ^ "Daniel Clowes: Ghost World". 5 June 2003.