205:. This was the peak of the Cartel's influence. Not only were they an effective distributor, but they were having an influence on the music itself, and the rise of "indie". As more of the mainstream retailers began to take product from the Cartel, this gave more exposure to independent labels' releases through these high-street shops. As many of them were the same shops who returned sales figures to the chart pollsters, indie releases featured more highly in the charts.
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established label. Recording, publishing and pressing a record was now accessible to small labels, but distributing them into the shops was still difficult. The market at this time was based on vinyl, both albums and singles being important. Most record shops were still independent, i.e. local, rather than national chains. This required a wholesale distribution network that had national reach to these individual shops.
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Regional distributors appeared, offering pressing and distribution deals to the small labels that would reach all of the shops in a region. Shops preferred to deal with only a handful of distributors and so the small distributors agreed to also distribute each other's stock, segregating the market by
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described the Cartel thus, "The Cartel is, as the name implies, a group of independent distributors across the country who work in conjunction with each other providing a solid network of distribution without stepping on each other's toes. We are distributed by the Cartel." By the time this was
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label. Tony K, who had a long career in music retail and publishing had started Red Rhino as a record shop in 1977, then made its first release as a label in 1979. By this time Rough Trade were already operating as a distributor which included supplying Red Rhino's shop. The Cartel regional
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The 1980s music scene in the UK saw a growth in small independent record labels or "indies", often formed by bands themselves, or by local record shops. The cost of technology and studio time was falling, making it possible to produce an album for a budget that didn't need the backing of an
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At the end of 1988, Red Rhino
Distribution Ltd. folded, going into voluntary liquidation in 1989, followed by Fast Forward in early 1990 and Rough Trade in 1991.
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to handle their distribution to record shops. Pooling their resources in this way allowed them to compete with the larger distribution operations of the
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the geography of the shops, rather than by the content or particular labels. This was the beginning of the idea behind the Cartel.
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The association of regional distributors included some of the most notable labels of the 1980s UK
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We short-circuited the need for anyone to sign to a major to get their records into the charts.
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149:(Norwich), Fast Forward (Edinburgh), Nine Mile (Leamington Spa),
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The architect of the Cartel was
Richard Scott of London's
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By 1984 the Cartel had enough success with bands like
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published though, the Cartel had already collapsed.
345:The Manual (How To Have a Number One The Easy Way)
485:Perfect Sound Forever, Rough Trade (Geoff Travis)
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201:and many others to move to a large warehouse in
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309:Rip it Up and Start Again: Postpunk, 1978-1984
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400:"Rough Trade 2 (Geoff Travis interview)"
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70:record distribution organisation in the
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385:"Record Companies & Distribution"
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169:(London) who supplied the nationwide
140:(always known as "Tony K") of York's
16:UK record distribution organisation
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97:, Backs, Fast Forward, Nine Mile,
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266:"(Record industry) Distribution"
145:distribution structure included
466:"Rough Trade: Rough and ready"
74:, set up by a number of small
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398:Jason Gross (November 1996).
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113:Indie labels and distribution
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76:independent record labels
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540:Indie rock record labels
307:Reynolds, Simon (2006).
286:. Black Dog Publishing.
165:(London), together with
126:Richard Scott and Tony K
387:. Cultural Foundation.
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404:Perfect Sound Forever
311:. Faber & Faber.
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474:. 10 September 2006.
220:Demise of the Cartel
501:. 17 December 1988.
498:New Musical Express
383:(20 October 2003).
282:Young, Rob (2006).
203:Kings Cross, London
80:major record labels
173:chain until 1986.
514:Missing or empty
419:External link in
171:Our Price Records
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48:Country of origin
42:Independent music
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362:. Archived from
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366:on 2007-02-05.
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167:Jungle Records
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454:. 9 May 2008.
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153:(Liverpool),
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364:the original
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214:Geoff Travis
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183:Depeche Mode
179:Joy Division
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68:co-operative
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19:Record label
284:Rough Trade
229:Jimmy Cauty
163:Rough Trade
161:(York) and
157:(Bristol),
132:Rough Trade
95:Rough Trade
243:References
199:Vice Squad
195:The Smiths
64:The Cartel
25:The Cartel
507:cite news
340:Cauty, J.
159:Red Rhino
142:Red Rhino
107:Red Rhino
87:post-punk
534:Category
412:cite web
342:(1989).
212:—
155:Revolver
103:Revolver
38:Hardcore
233:The KLF
93:scene:
52:England
381:Tony K
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290:
191:Pigbag
66:was a
151:Probe
147:Backs
99:Probe
91:indie
30:Genre
520:help
427:help
354:ISBN
313:ISBN
288:ISBN
227:and
105:and
89:and
34:Punk
231:of
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505:{{
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435:^
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