For nearly three decades, the RPM Records arm of Cherry Red Records has exemplified the finest in archival reissues. Here at The Second Disc, we've covered dozens of RPM's often ambitious titles over the last ten years - most of which shed light on artists and albums that would likely otherwise have languished in the vaults. RPM's releases gave equal consideration to all artists, whether the famous (Gene Pitney, Chad and Jeremy, The Spencer Davis Group), the soon-to-be- famous (the pre-ABBA Hep Stars, the pre-solo Dusty Springfield in The Lana Sisters), or the wonderfully obscure (Wynder K. Frog, Birds of a Feather, The Valentines). The label brought the work of cult producers like Joe Meek and Mark Wirtz to light, definitively anthologized the girl pop scene, and mined the vaults of Apple Publishing for a series of acclaimed collections as well as issuing rarities from Apple artists like Mortimer and Lon and Derrek Van Eaton.
Today, after 29 years, RPM announced that it will be closing its doors after a whopping 612 releases. The first three arrived in November 1991: Sandie Shaw's Reviewing the Situation, The Q Tips' Live and Joe Meek & The Blue Men's I Hear A New World. RPM's final release, coming in May, will be Super Sonics, a box set of Junkshop Britpop.
RPM founder Mark Stratford explained his decision in the press release provided by Cherry Red: "So much has changed in our micro-pool of the record industry. The music business in general has changed, and so have reissues and collector compilations, as has how such music reaches people. RPM has been a physical label when that was meaningful. When we started, we presented material others weren't touching. I feel now that RPM had said all it had to say and so it was time for the concluding statement. We've had a decent run, but couldn't quite make 30 years for some kind of anniversary finish." He continued, "With Super Sonics, the final chapter does hold a bit of poetry. When RPM started, we looked back 25 years to the mid-1960s and with our final release we again look back 25 years - shockingly, to the mid-1990s."
A number of collaborations strengthened RPM over the years. Junkshop Glam's Phil King curated the five-album Repressed series, digging into '70s Pop Electronica. British Jazz was chronicled on Turtle Records, and RPM worked frequently with Bam Caruso founder Phil Smee and historian Kieron Tyler. The Shout! Records sub-imprint from soul music aficionado Clive Richardson released 82 titles of classic soul and R&B from artists like The O'Jays and Tommy Hunt.
Mark Stratford notes that "sales of physical formats have declined but, ironically, RPM releases from the past couple of decades have themselves become collectable. Velvet Tinmine, 2003's Junkshop Glam compilation which kicked it all off sells for up to £70. From 1997, Janie Jones' We're In Love With The World Of attracts £40. The Clare Torry collection Heaven in the Sky from 2006 fetches at least £30. Whatever happens, RPM lives on. For a label living 'by collectors for collectors', that's pretty satisfying." Note that, while Super Sonics will be the final RPM release, the imprint's back catalogue will remain in print from Cherry Red for as long as licenses last.
"I have been looking for a final chapter since making the decision to close the label a while ago," Stratford concludes. "Am I Dreaming [exploring the sixties girl pop scene] and All The Young Droogs [looking at the intersection of rock, glam, and bubblegum] were very specific statements which had to be made, and after that it was about finding the right moment to end. Super Sonics will be it. RPM's legacy is important to me because we achieved much and I would have hated to see it become diluted or just drift away. Better to have a defined bookend."
The spirit of RPM lives on in various labels including some within the Cherry Red Group such as Grapefruit Records and Esoteric Recordings, and the label's immense catalogue will doubtless continue to inspire crate-diggers to keep digging for that next treasure. But we'll miss RPM's expertly annotated, attractively designed, and smartly curated collections from across the pop and rock spectrum. Farewell, friends.
RIP, RPM. We'll miss you.
That's really a shame, but I couldn't get if he is finding the market for physical records (as in CDs) is dying or else... Being a fan of CDs over vinyl for practical and musical reasons, it is indeed a shame.
Hi Ricardo. I certainly think that Mark factored the diminished sales of physical media (and the rise of streaming) in his decision: “So much has changed in our micro-pool of the record industry. The music business in general has changed, and so have reissues and collector compilations, as has how such music reaches people. RPM has been a physical label when that was meaningful..."
Whoa.That's a tough pill to swallow.
I myself have several of their offerings
in my collection,and i've got to say that if
their name was on a reissue I knew that it
would be made with pride and professionalism.
With the recent admission that vinyl had
outsold the cd market for the first time in
decades should be taken as good news,
I guess it stands to reason that there is bad
news on the flipside.No pun intended.
Maybe the well has run dry for some.
I hope not.I'm old school.And I wouldn't
want it to be the beginning of a trend,either.
I raise a toast to the fine people at RPM
for the excellent work they have done.
Sad to read because they were excellent compilers - will miss them. Sadly, they don't seem to think they should share that info on https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product-category/rpm/ ?
This is sad news for an avid music fan and CD collecto here in the U.S.. I have many CDs that were released by RPM through the years (as well as other CDs on associated Cherry red labels such as Rev-Ola, Now Sounds, Grapefruit, Esoteric, El, Cherry Tree, etc.). It is sad to see RPM closing up shop. RPM has released many awesome reissues through the years (and the same for the aforementioned Cherry Red labels) . They were one of the best reissue labels around. The big bummer is that many of the CDs that RPM and these labels have released through the years were here today and gone tomorrow-either going out-of-print or the fact that the company didn't reprint (reissue) many of their releases making many of the CDs hard to find and end selling for exorbitant prices from online sellers. In my case the situation was finding or discovering a particular CD I wanted, only to learn it was out-of-print. Luckily, I have had success and found many of the RPM CDs that I have missed out on. There are some CDs on RPM I want that I eventually hope to find and add to my collection. I hope that Cherry Red and their labels like Grapefruit, Esoteric, Now Sounds, etc. will continue to release CDs of great music that deserves to be recognized, preserved, and heard. Not everyone buys digital music downloads. It's nice to have a CD , read the liner notes and enjoy the music.
You use the term "Junkshop Britpop" like it's a thing, and a thing readers will know. It isn't. A Google search will return only three usages of the word in the entire internet, and two of those clearly come from RPM's press release. I repeat: three.
So, please define the term for this curious reader.
Why the irate tone? We're happy to answer any questions. 🙂
RPM has previously released a collection of "Junkshop Glam" which was described by Goldmine as such:
"Briefly, however, 'Junkshop Glam' encompasses any record released, primarily in the UK, but also across Europe and elsewhere, that adhered to at least an approximation of the blueprint laid down by the movement’s British cheerleaders, but which never received the attention it deserved. Or, more accurately, which sank like a stone, to live out the remainder of its natural life, indeed, in those boxes of singles that most junk store owners once begged passing customers to take away for free."
In other words, junk shop = junk store. The upcoming anthology continues (and concludes!) that series and will feature Britpop instead of glam, but with that same "Junkshop" ethos: records that once received no respect but now have become interesting and/or collectible.
A quick Google search also brought up this playlist of 69 songs under the Junkshop Britpop title, though I'm uncertain whether any of them will appear on the upcoming set:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgWhEXN09F8nBjR9sFhd8zwblhY6aLnNE
Hope this is helpful.
In order to coin a phrase, one has to start somewhere. Simple sociolinguistics.
I’ve started to worry about the Now Sounds imprint..... no releases in 2019 iirc.
I've been thinking the same thing.
Bob Stanley is doing his thing over at Ace nowadays, alongside Pete Wiggs ...
Croydon Municipal, Now Sounds and Rev-Ola are "sleeping" until they're reactivated.
Wouldn't mind seeing Cherry Red rereleasing some out of print Cocteau or Rev-Ola titles ...
... and I'd really LOVE it if èl were to embrace a layout policy that's more LEGIBLE 🙂
Fortunately, you are mistaken about Rev-Ola. It is not sleeping. It continues under Joe Foster, its founder. CR had a runoff right to use the label under licence, now expired.
Why indeed! Thanks! https://www.revola.co.uk/
I beleive NS is still on hiatus - my favourite reissue label by a mile. Steve Stanley has done this recently https://www.highmoonrecords.com/shop/curt-boettcher and has commented on forums that he has more Now Sounds releases to come https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/curt-boettcher-friends-looking-for-the-sun-new-lp-cd-on-high-moon-records-sunshine-psych-pop.881846/
Thank you Mark.
Appreciate all you
did. Good releases
and good packaging
Etc. Done with care
and thought. And you were not afraid to stick your head out. Thank you very much. Peter Eden
That's sad. The upcoming "Honeycombs" set from RPM has me hoping there were other, similar titles in the offing.
Very sad news to hear that RPM is coming to an end. I so looked forward to all the new releases over years. Each release was packed full of golden gems and silver nuggets.
Thank you
Noel Fitzsimons
I just seen this on another website. Very sad news to hear that RPM is coming to an end. I so looked forward to all the new releases over years. Each release was packed full of golden gems and silver nuggets.
Thank you
Noel Fitzsimons
I am a die hard RPM records lover unfortunately,I just read they will close shop soon.The world was warned so many times that Technology ----Downloading will soon destroy the music industry-----NO one listened instead they allowed inferior versions and poor bootleg copies of songs to be streamed for free.No wonder artists like Stevie Wonder,The B-52s,Phil Collins,David gates of bread,Air Supply and many more refuse to record new material.It is Illegal to copy one's work and not pay for it.People dont get it "Music is not Free" it is an expensive industry that motivates Singers and Artists alike and these guys put all their blood,sweat and tears to create stuff that makes the world happy and entertained.My message to RPM records is Please make a comeback soon! and we are all grateful and love you All!!! Thanks a Million! Mike F. Canada