NSDTCM:LABEL:XL RECORDINGS
SOURCE PHOTO:www.pbsfm.org.au

XL Recordings is an independent record label which was launched by Tim Palmer, Nick Halkes and Richard Russell with Beggars Banquet Records in 1989 to release its rave and dance music.

Beginnings

Originally the label was an offshoot of Beggars' more commercial dance label called Citybeat which was known for records by acts such as Freeez , Starlight, Dream Frequency and the Ultramagnetic MCs. However with the success of acts such as The Prodigy and SL2, XL superseded Citybeat in the company's line up.

Palmer, who also owned the dance music store Groove Records on Londons Greek Street, initially employed Halkes and Russell (who as artists and DJ's were known as Kicks Like a MuleGreenwich Village, where he had met Palmer who was visiting the store.

During the early nineties, XL Recordings releases were dance orientated ranging from Belgium techno (T99- "Anasthasia") to Breakbeat hardcore (SL2 - "On A Ragga Tip") to Drum and BassEMI-owned commercial dance label Positiva, and subsequently his own independent commercial dance label Incentive. In 1994 Palmer left XL and retired from the music business, leaving Russell in sole charge of XL.

Russell broadened the musical horizons of the label whilst maintaining a credo of working with artists he saw as original and inventive [1]

In 2003 the label won the Music Week A&R award. [2]

Russell has been consistently named as one of the most influential figures in the UK music business [3] and was recently named by the Evening Standard as one of London's most influential people [4]

Roster

Since the late 1990s expanded into other genres such as freak-folk, alternative rock and hip-hop. They are now the home to an eclectic range of artists such as:

• Adele
• Basement Jaxx
• be your own PET
• Cajun Dance Party
• Devendra Banhart
• Dizzee Rascal
• Jack Peñate
• Kicks Like a Mule
• Kid Harpoon
• Lemon Jelly
• M.I.A
• Peaches
• The Prodigy
• Radiohead
• Ratatat
• RJD2
• Sigur Rós
• Tapes 'n Tapes
• Thom Yorke
• To My Boy
• Vampire Weekend
• Various
• The White Stripes

Recently

RJD2, who left Def Jux to join XL and will record future albums with XL. [5]

XL Recordings have also released classic albums from overseas artists such as Gotan Project and The Avalanches

Thom Yorke, of Radiohead fame, released his first solo record, The Eraser, on the label in July of 2006.

While not reaching Number One in any specific country (#2 in the US, #3 in the UK and #2 in Canada), it was Number One for worldwide sales during its initial week of release.

In October 2007, Radiohead completed negotiations to sign with XL for a proper studio release of their seventh studio album, In Rainbows.

SOURCE:WIKIPEDIA.ORG