View source for Earache Records

{{short description|British record label}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2010}}
{{Infobox record label
| name = Earache Records
| image = Earachelogo.png
| image_size = 200
| parent =
| founded = 1985
| founder = [[Digby Pearson]]
| status = Active
| defunct =
| distributor = [[Alternative Distribution Alliance|ADA]]
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]
* [[thrash metal]]
* [[death metal]]
* [[extreme metal]]
* [[experimental music|experimental]]
* [[hardcore punk]]
* [[hard rock]]
}}
| country = United Kingdom
| location = [[Nottingham]], England
| url = {{url|http://www.earache.com/}}
}}

'''Earache Records''' is a British [[independent record label]], [[music publisher (popular music)|music publisher]] and management company founded by [[Digby Pearson]] in 1985, based in [[Nottingham]], England, with offices in [[London]] and [[New York City|New York]]. The label helped to pioneer [[extreme metal]] by releasing early [[grindcore]] and [[death metal]] records between the late 1980s and mid-1990s. Its roster has since diversified into more mainstream guitar music, working with bands such as [[Rival Sons]], [[the Temperance Movement]], [[Blackberry Smoke]], [[Scarlet Rebels]] and [[The White Buffalo (musician)|the White Buffalo]]. The company also hosted the 'Earache Express' stage at [[Glastonbury Festival]] in 2017 and 'The Earache Factory' at [[Boomtown (festival)|Boomtown]] 2018. The label's logo is a homage to [[Thrasher (magazine)|''Thrasher'']] magazine, as Pearson was a [[skateboard]] culture enthusiast.

==History==
Earache was founded in 1985 by [[Digby Pearson]] who prior to launching the label proper had self-released 'Anglican Scrape Attic', a compilation of [[hardcore punk]] and early [[crossover thrash]] acts which included [[Hirax]], Lipcream and [[Concrete Sox]]. The first official Earache release on [[Phonograph record|vinyl]] in 1987 with catalogue number [[Moshing|MOSH]] 1, was [[The Accüsed]]'s ''The Return of Martha Splatterhead''. This was followed by a split LP by the crust/crossover band Concrete Sox and the proto-[[grindcore|grind]] band [[Heresy (band)|Heresy]]. The label's first major release of note was MOSH 3, [[Napalm Death]]'s ''[[Scum (Napalm Death album)|Scum]]''. Famously, [[John Peel]] was a champion of the band and supported them on [[BBC Radio 1]]. The record went on to reach number 7 in the UK indie chart.<ref name="Mundrian">{{cite book|last1=Mundrian|first1=Albert|title=Choosing Death: The Improbable History of death metal and Grindcore|date=2015|publisher=Decibel Books|isbn=978-1935950165}}</ref>{{rp|143–146}} Following this, Earache released music by many bands from the emerging [[grindcore]] and [[death metal]] scenes, such as [[Morbid Angel]], [[Carcass (band)|Carcass]], [[Entombed (band)|Entombed]], [[Bolt Thrower]] and [[Terrorizer]].

Although intrinsically linked with death metal, the label's catalogue is varied and also includes [[Wales|Welsh]] ragga-metal act [[Dub War]], Birmingham's [[industrial metal]] pioneers [[Godflesh]], Nottingham's [[Pitchshifter]], [[Hardcore (electronic dance music genre)|hardcore techno]] outfit [[Ultraviolence (band)|Ultraviolence]], [[Mick Harris]]'s industrial/experimental group [[Scorn (band)|Scorn]], [[John Zorn]]-led experimental group [[Naked City (band)|Naked City]] and [[doom metal|doom]] and [[sludge metal]] bands [[Sleep (band)|Sleep]] and [[Acid Bath]].

In the early 1990s [[Columbia Records]], seeking to break into metal, signed a deal with Earache. Columbia would license rights and market and distribute them in The Americas, with rights reverting to Earache upon completion of the deal term. It is widely accepted that Columbia failed to deliver the expected sales that they themselves had projected and thus they sought to prematurely terminate the agreement.<ref name="Mundrian"/>{{rp|219–236}} [[Barney Greenway]] of Napalm Death objected to the deal with Columbia (a subsidiary of [[Sony Music]]) on the basis that it was "selling out", although Napalm Death have since released music also distributed by Columbia parent Sony Music Entertainment. The rights to all Columbia-licensed titles have since reverted to Earache, who thereafter have been wholly independent, working with distributors as opposed to licensees.

The label has a number of subsidiary labels, including Wicked World Records, Elitist Records, Sub Bass Records and the short-lived Necrosis Records.

==Modern era==
As with many labels, Earache has transitioned over time from its initial "extreme" output and now focuses primarily on modern, accomplished guitar projects. [[Rival Sons]] were the most notable of the modern crop of artists, before signing with [[Atlantic Records]] in 2018. Newer signings include Australia's [[Massive (band)|Massive]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bravewords.com/news/australias-massive-sign-with-earache-records|title=Australia's MASSIVE Sign With Earache Records|last=bravewords.com|website=bravewords.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-28}}</ref> Nottingham's [[Haggard Cat]] and Lancaster's [[Massive Wagons]].<ref name="barneyresp">{{cite news|url= https://loudwire.com/napalm-death-barney-greenway-responds-earache-records-founder/|title= NAPALM DEATH'S BARNEY GREENWAY RESPONDS TO HARSH WORDS FROM EARACHE RECORDS FOUNDER|date= October 30, 2012|work= Loudwire}}</ref>
More recent grindcore and death metal signings include Wormrot<ref>{{cite web|url=http://askearache.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-did-earache-sign-wormrot.html|title=ASK EARACHE: How did Earache sign Wormrot?|date=31 January 2010|publisher=Askearache.blogspot.com|access-date=3 March 2013}}</ref> and [[Deicide (band)|Deicide]].

Earache also signed the first independent label direct deal with [[iTunes]] shortly after the service launched.

Earache currently holds two [[Guinness World Records]]. The first is that of the World's Shortest Song, currently held by [[Napalm Death]] with "You Suffer" at 1.316 seconds long. The second record is the world's shortest full music video, a record held by [[Brutal Truth]] with their track "Collateral Damage".

In 2015 [[Digby Pearson]] received the [[Association of Independent Music]] Pioneer award.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/digby-pearson-interview-how-margaret-thatcher-helped-me-bring-napalm-death-to-the-world-10488157.html|title=Digby Pearson explains how Thatcher helped him bring Napalm Death to the world|work=The Independent|access-date=7 September 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2018 tech sitcom ''[[Silicon Valley (TV series)|Silicon Valley]]'' featured "You Suffer" repeatedly in one episode. In response the label created a [[Twitter]] bot (@NapalmDeathBot) which sends an hourly tweet with the price of [[bitcoin]]. They also inserted "You suffer" into the [[blockchain]], a first for a label.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/43458-silicon-valley-napalm-death-bitcoin-you-suffer-gilfoyle|title=Gilfoyle's Horrifying Bitcoin Alert in 'Silicon Valley' Is Real Grindcore|work=Inverse|access-date=7 September 2018|language=en}}</ref>

In August 2018 Earache signed trap/rap artist ALIREZA301. Alireza is a metal influenced rapper from [[Maryland]] who performs a style of trap/rap which in parts heavily incorporates guitars.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.earache.com/artists/alireza/|title=Alireza – Earache|work=Earache|access-date=7 September 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

Earache's newer rock signings have achieved Top 15 positions in the UK charts, including: a #6 album with [[The Temperance Movement (band)|The Temperance Movement]]'s ''[[A Deeper Cut]]'' (2018), a #8 album with [[Blackberry Smoke]]'s ''[[Find a Light]]'' (2018), a #9 album with [[Massive Wagons]]' ''[[House of Noise]]'' (2020), a #13 album with [[Rival Sons]]' ''[[Hollow Bones]]'' (2016) and a #14 album with [[Those Damn Crows]]' ''Point Of No Return'' (2020).<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 23, 2016|title=Rival Sons|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/7634/rival-sons/|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=[[Official Charts Company]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=October 27, 2018|title=Blackberry Smoke|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/23487/blackberry-smoke/|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=[[Official Charts Company]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=March 1, 2020|title=Temperance Movement|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/27778/temperance-movement/|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=[[Official Charts Company]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 30, 2020|title=Massive Wagons|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/54067/massive-wagons/|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=[[Official Charts Company]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=February 20, 2020|title=Those Damn Crows|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/54437/those-damn-crows/|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=[[Official Charts Company]]}}</ref>

To begin the new decade, Earache Records announced a compilation vinyl titled "The New wave of Rock N Roll" featuring a host of new acts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://metalplanetmusic.com/2019/12/earache-records-announces-compilation-new-album-new-wave-of-rock-n-roll/|title=Earache Records announces compilation new album – New Wave Of Rock N Roll|last=Authoradmin|date=2019-12-30|website=Metal Planet Music|access-date=2020-01-28}}</ref>

==Earache Live==
In 2017 Earache were invited to host the first ever stage for heavy music at [[Glastonbury Festival]]. 'The Earache Express' was a recycled London underground tube carriage located in the 'Shangri La' area of the site. The stage featured performances from [[Napalm Death]], [[The Dead Kennedys]], [[Ho99o9]], [[Hacktivist (band)|Hacktivist]], [[Glen Matlock]] of [[The Sex Pistols]], [[Steve Ignorant]] of [[Crass]] and [[Wormrot]] amongst others.

Having been well received by [[Glastonbury Festival]], [[Boomtown (festival)|Boomtown]] (who are affiliated to Glastonbury) invited Earache to curate a stage at their 2018 event which took place in [[Winchester]] during August 2018. The stage (named The Earache Factory) was designed around the concept of a disused factory within a run-down part of a futuristic town. It featured artists such as [[Soulfly]], [[Dead Kennedys]] and [[Enter Shikari]] not to mention a headline set by British upstarts [[Idles (band)|Idles]].

In 2019 Earache will be hosting an evening at [[Camp Bestival]] in Dorset bringing along [[Napalm Death]], [[Lawnmower Deth]], [[Diamond Head (English band)|Diamond Head]], [[Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons]] and Nosebleed.

==Criticism==
Over the years, the relationship between the label and some of its former artists have become fraught, and Pearson has made a number of disparaging blog posts about, among others, [[JS Clayden]] from [[Pitchshifter]] and [[Barney Greenway]] of [[Napalm Death]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://askearache.blogspot.com/2012/10/who-are-nicest-worst-rock-stars-earache.html|title=ASK EARACHE: Who are the nicest & worst ' Rock Stars' Earache has worked with?|date=20 October 2012}}</ref> Greenway responded that Pearson "expects everybody to be subservient",<ref name="barneyresp"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/napalm-death-frontman-slams-earache-founder-he-doesn-t-like-people-to-stand-up-to-him/|title=NAPALM DEATH Frontman Slams EARACHE Founder: 'He Doesn't Like People To Stand Up To Him'|date=30 October 2012|website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET}}</ref> while Clayden called Pearson "petty and vindictive"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/whats-on/pitchshifters-toura-mark-20-years-their-classic-wwwpitchshiftercoma-album-hits-wedgewood-rooms-southsea-218506|title=Pitchshifter's tour "to mark 20 years of their classic www.pitchshifter.com" album hits The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea|website=www.portsmouth.co.uk}}</ref> and criticized the label for not allowing [[Fan (person)|fans]] to [[Streaming media|stream]] or purchase Pitchshifter's albums that were released on Earache.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://regenmag.com/interviews/interview-pitchshifter-instinctual-and-emotional/|title=InterView: Pitchshifter - Instinctual and Emotional|first=Liam White|last=says|date=15 February 2020}}</ref> In the documentary ''Slave to the Grind'', [[Scott Carlson]] from [[Repulsion (band)|Repulsion]] accused Earache of not paying the band, adding "I'm sure they sold way more records than they told us they did."<ref name="sttg">{{Citation | title = Slave to the Grind | publisher = Death by Digital| year = 2019 | url = https://reelhouse.org/deathbydigital/slave-to-the-grind/slave-to-the-grind }}</ref> Former [[Iron Monkey (band)|Iron Monkey]] drummer Justin Greaves accused Earache of refusing to support the band financially in an emergency when during a European tour, singer Johnny Morrow fell sick and needed to return to the UK, which the band couldn't afford to cover.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-strange-tale-of-cult-sludge-metal-band-iron-monkey/|title=The Strange Tale of Cult Sludge-Metal Band Iron Monkey|first=Harry|last=Sword|date=7 October 2014}}</ref>

==Notable artists==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Adema]] (2005–2006)
* [[Akercocke]]
* [[Anaal Nathrakh]]
* [[Anata (band)|Anata]]
* [[Annihilator (band)|Annihilator]]  (for Europe)
* [[Arsis]]
* [[At the Gates]]
* [[Anal Cunt]] (1994-2000)
* [[Beecher (band)|Beecher]]
* [[The Berzerker]]
* [[Biomechanical (band)|Biomechanical]]
* [[Biters (band)|Biters]]
* [[Blackberry Smoke]] (European Deal)
* [[Black Star Riders]]
* [[Blood Red Throne]]
* [[Bolt Thrower (band)|Bolt Thrower]] (1989–1997)
* [[Bonded by Blood (band)|Bonded By Blood]]
* [[The Browning]]
* [[Bring Me the Horizon]]
* [[Brutal Truth]]
* [[Buckcherry]]
* [[Cadaver (band)|Cadaver]]
* [[Candiria]] 
* [[Carcass (band)|Carcass]] (1987–1996)
* [[Carnage (band)|Carnage]]
* [[Carnival in Coal]]
* [[Capharnaum (band)|Capharnaum]]
* [[Cathedral (band)|Cathedral]]
* [[Cauldron (band)|Cauldron]]
* [[Cerebral Bore]]
* [[The Chasm (band)|The Chasm]]
* [[Circle of Dead Children]]
* [[Clutch (band)|Clutch]]
* [[Coalesce (band)|Coalesce]]
* [[Concrete Sox]]
* [[Confessor (band)|Confessor]]
* [[Cult of Luna]] (2003–2009)
* [[Decapitated (band)|Decapitated]]
* [[December Wolves]]
* [[Deicide (band)|Deicide]] (2002–2008)
* [[DJ Hyper]]
* [[Dub War]]
* [[Electric Callboy]] 
* [[Enforcer (band)|Enforcer]]
* [[Entombed (band)|Entombed]] (1989–1996)
* [[Ephel Duath (band)|Ephel Duath]]
* [[Evile]]
* [[Ewigkeit]]
* [[Extreme Noise Terror]]
* [[Forest Stream]]
* [[Frantic Bleep]]
* [[Fudge Tunnel]]
* [[Gama Bomb]]
* [[Godflesh]] (1989–2000)
* [[Goodbye June]]
* [[Hate Eternal]]
* [[Haggard Cat]]
* [[The Haunted (Swedish band)|The Haunted]]
* [[Hellbastard]]
* [[Heresy (band)|Heresy]]
* [[Hour of 13]]
* [[The Soulless|Ignominious Incarceration]]
* [[Insision]]
* [[Iron Monkey (band)|Iron Monkey]]
* [[Janus Stark (band)|Janus Stark]]
* [[Johnny Violent]]
* [[Kagoule]]
* [[Lawnmower Deth]]
* [[Linea 77]]
* [[Love and Death (band)|Love and Death]]
* [[Massacre (metal band)|Massacre]]
* [[Massive (band)|Massive]]
* [[Massive Wagons]]
* [[Misery Loves Co.]]
* [[Misfits (band)|Misfits]]
* [[Morbid Angel]] (1988–2004)
* [[Mortiis]]
* [[Municipal Waste (band)|Municipal Waste]]
* [[Naked City (band)|Naked City]]
* [[Napalm Death]] (1986–1999)
* [[Neuraxis (band)|Neuraxis]]
* [[Nocturnus]] (1989–1993)
* [[Oceano (band)|Oceano]] (2008–2016)
* [[OLD (band)|OLD]]
* [[Ol Drake]]
* [[Order of Ennead]]
* [[Painkiller (band)|Painkiller]]
* [[Pitchshifter (band)|Pitchshifter]] (1992–1996)
* [[Pulkas]] 
* [[Rival Sons]] (2009–2018)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bravewords.com/news/rival-sons-sign-to-low-country-sound-atlantic-records-tour-dates-announced-around-shaky-knees-festival-performance |title=RIVAL SONS SIGN TO LOW COUNTRY SOUND / ATLANTIC RECORDS; TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED AROUND SHAKY KNEES FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE |publisher=Bravewords |date=2018-02-18 |access-date=2018-02-18}}</ref>
* [[Savage Messiah (band)|Savage Messiah]]
* [[Scarlet Rebels]]
* [[Severe Torture]]
* [[Scorn (band)|Scorn]]
* [[Society 1]]
* [[Sore Throat (grindcore band)|Sore Throat]]
* [[Short Sharp Shock (band)|Short Sharp Shock]]
* [[Skindred]]
* [[Sleep (band)|Sleep]]
* [[Tallah]]
* [[Terrorizer]]
* [[The Dust Coda]]
* [[The Glorious Sons]] (Europe and Japan) 
* [[The Soulless]]
* [[The Temperance Movement (band)|The Temperance Movement]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Temperance-Movement/dp/B00DUPU5BQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1375536365&sr=1-1&keywords=the+temperance+movement|title=The Temperance Movement|publisher=[[Amazon.com|Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=3 August 2013}}</ref>
* [[Those Damn Crows]]
* [[Travis Meadows]]
* [[Ultraviolence (band)|Ultraviolence]]
* [[Vader (band)|Vader]]
* [[Vektor (band)|Vektor]]
* [[Violator (band)|Violator]]
* [[Wakrat]]
* [[Woods of Ypres]]
* [[The White Buffalo (band)|The White Buffalo]] (European Deal)
* [[White Wizzard]]
* [[With Passion]]
* [[Wormrot]]
* [[Danny Worsnop]]
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[:Category:Earache Records albums|Category:Earache Records albums]]
* [[List of record labels]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.earache.com}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061011145018/http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/articles/chats/1-291_earache_records.aspx Chronicles of Chaos interview with Digby Pearson]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Record labels established in 1985]]
[[Category:1985 establishments in England]]
[[Category:English record labels]]
[[Category:Companies based in Nottingham]]
[[Category:British independent record labels]]
[[Category:Black metal record labels]]
[[Category:Death metal record labels]]
[[Category:Doom metal record labels]]
[[Category:Thrash metal record labels]]
[[Category:Grindcore record labels]]
[[Category:Heavy metal record labels]]
[[Category:Hardcore record labels]]
[[Category:Rock record labels]]
[[Category:Experimental music record labels]]
[[Category:Industrial record labels]]