Ze 30: Ze Records 1979 - 2009
"Strut present the story of one of the most influential and revered labels emerging from New York in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, Ze Records.
After the late ‘70s punk and new wave explosion in New York, Ze became a by-word for the anything-goes culture clashes that typified the Big Apple during the early ‘80s. Formed by French art student Michel Esteban and British journalist Michael Zilkha, Ze quickly created its own unique independent universe, signing artists as varied as Alan Vega’s electronic post-punk pioneers Suicide, trash disco queen Cristina and maverick producer August Darnell a.k.a. Kid Creole.
With Esteban’s sharp graphic eye leading the label’s visual identity, Ze hit the New York zeitgeist head on and became supremely hip – in 1982, The Face magazine nominated it “the most fashionable label in the world.”
With this new compilation, Strut takes a snapshot of the many weird and wonderful fusions that surfaced on its famous NYC cab-influenced yellow and black label. Highlights include one of the earliest outings by Was (Not Was), ‘Tell Me That I’m Dreaming’, a disbelieving commentary on Reaganomics, Bob Blank’s short-lived disco supergroup Aural Exciters and a Larry Levan mix of Kid Creole’s biting parable about corruption in the Caribbean, ‘There’s Something Wrong In Paradise’.
Prepared in conjunction with Ze Records founder Michel Esteban, the CD and vinyl packages feature a full history of Ze including interviews with Esteban and a number of original Ze artists along with rare and previously unpublished photos."
Coming out soon on www.strut-records.com
3 comments:
The best of the Ze stuff was on the two Mutant Disco albums. It was a very patchy label at best..it's Xmas album was crap. But then, they gave us James White and The Contortions so it can't be all bad
Xmas Rapping by The Waitresses was cute though, Simon. Blondie crossed with the Delta Five. Those early Was Not Was singles, the Christina version of Is That All There Is?, Gichy Dan's Cowboys and Gangsters, Kid Creole and Coati Mundi. All labels are patchy. Granted those Mutant Disco records were the best though. And wasn't the great Lizzy Mercier Descloux on Ze too.
Lizzy Mercier Descloux's 2 albums on Ze are essential - hope they represent on this new compilation
Post a Comment