Cooking Vinyl

{{Infobox record label

| name = Cooking Vinyl

| image = BusinessCard White-Outline-1.png

| parent =

| founded = 1986

| defunct =

| founder = Martin Goldschmidt
Pete Lawrence

| distributor = The Orchard (UK, US and Canada)
CV Australia (Australia)

| genre =

| country = United Kingdom

| location = London, England (HQ)
Melbourne, Australia
New York, United States

| url = [http://www.cookingvinyl.com/ Cooking Vinyl]
[http://cookingvinylmusic.com/ Cooking Vinyl Publishing]

[https://www.motusmusic.com/ Motus Music]

| image_bg =

}}

Cooking Vinyl is a British independent record label, based in Acton, London, England.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/cooking-vinyl-reveals-30th-anniversary-plans/065780|title=Cooking Vinyl Reveals 30th Anniversary Plans |publisher=Music Week|date=12 May 2011|access-date=9 May 2014}} It was founded in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt and his business partner Pete Lawrence.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/label-profiles-four-independents-under-the-spotlight-8712226.html|title=Label profiles: Four independents under the spotlight|date=23 May 2006|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=6 November 2018}} Goldschmidt remains the current owner and chairman, while Rob Collins is managing director.

History

=1986–1992=

Cooking Vinyl was set up in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt and distribution manager Pete Lawrence, who initially ran the business as a part-time venture out of a spare room in Goldschmidt's council house in Stockwell, South London.{{cite web|url=https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2016/10/martin-goldschmidt-industry-profile-w-larry-leblanc-interview.html|title=Cooking Vinyl's Martin Goldschmidt On 30 Years of Indie Music|website=HypeBot.com|date=7 October 2016|access-date=6 November 2018}}

In 1986 Cooking Vinyl recorded an impromptu live performance around a campfire at a folk festival by the singer Michelle Shocked, on a Sony Walkman with fading batteries.{{cite web|url=http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/03/big-chills-pete-lawrence-and-unbound-crowdfund-alfresco-festival-with-book-release.html|title=New Take On Music Crowdfunding From Cooking Vinyl's Pete Lawrence & Book Publisher Unbound|website=Hypebot.com|date=29 March 2012|access-date=7 April 2014}} One of its first releases, Cooking Vinyl released the recording as The Campfire Tapes, and it sold 250,000 copies worldwide.

In 1989, the company was close to bankruptcy when their distributors, Rough Trade, went into receivership. Pete Lawrence sold his stake in the business to Martin Goldschmidt who continued the business while servicing the debt of the company of a period of five years.{{cite web |title=Cooking Vinyl's Martin Goldschmidt On 30 Years of Indie Music |url=https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2016/10/martin-goldschmidt-industry-profile-w-larry-leblanc-interview.html |website=Hypebot.com |date=7 October 2016 |access-date=6 November 2018}}

=1993–1999=

Besides traditional royalty agreements, Cooking Vinyl developed 'artist services' deals in the 1990s, where the artist retains ownership of the copyright of their recorded material.{{cite web|url=http://www.themusicnetwork.com/hot-seat-martin-goldschmidt-founder-cooking-vinyl/|title=Hot Seat: Martin Goldschmidt – Founder, Cooking Vinyl|publisher=The Music Network|date=6 December 2013|access-date=7 April 2014}} The first of these contracts was done in 1993 for the reissue of Billy Bragg's Back To Basics compilation.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/festival-of-business/9075644/Why-music-is-still-good-business.html|title=Why music is still good business|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|date=11 February 2012|access-date=7 April 2014}}

Since then, Bragg has re-engaged with Cooking Vinyl a total of six times, most recently in 2013 for the release of studio album Tooth And Nail.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/billy-bragg-re-signs-with-cooking-vinyl/053181|title=Billy Bragg re-signs with Cooking Vinyl|publisher=Music Week|date=16 January 2013|access-date=7 April 2014}}

Cooking Vinyl has provided similar services for Alison Moyet, Black Spiders, Gary Numan, James Skelly & The Intenders, Madness, Pigeon Detectives, Reverend and The Makers, Ron Sexsmith, and The View.{{citation |title=Label Services Report|date=18 April 2013|publisher=Music Week|page=13}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rockol.com/uk/news-499691/cooking-vinyl-cuts-deals-with-ub40s-ali-campbell-seth-lakeman|title=Cooking Vinyl's Martin Goldschmidt On Universal-EMI Deal, Marilyn Manson, the Rise of Indies|publisher=Billboard|date=16 May 2013|access-date=16 May 2014}}

=2000–2010=

In 2009, Cooking Vinyl partnered on the release of The Prodigy's fifth studio album Invaders Must Die, which went on to sell 1.2 million units worldwide and was the biggest-selling independent record of the year in Europe.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/indies/1097203/cooking-vinyls-martin-goldschmidt-on-universal-emi-deal-marilyn|title=Cooking Vinyl cuts deals with UB40's Ali Campbell, Seth Lakeman|website=Rockol.com|date=3 May 2012|access-date=7 April 2014}}

In 2012, Amanda Palmer, an advocate of the DIY approach,{{cite web|url=http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/palmer-to-work-with-cooking-vinyl-on-kickstarted-album-release/|title=Palmer to work with Cooking Vinyl on kickstarted album release|publisher=Complete Music Update|date=21 June 2012|access-date=9 May 2014}} announced that she was partnering with Cooking Vinyl in a distribution and label services deal for the European release of her studio album Theatre Is Evil. The album was funded through a high-profile Kickstarter campaign that raised over $1.2 million in 30 days.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/indies/1093012/amanda-palmer-partners-with-uk-indie-cooking-vinyl-for-european|title=Amanda Palmer Partners With U.K. Indie Cooking Vinyl For European Album Release|publisher=Billboard|date=21 June 2012|access-date=9 May 2014}}

Also released in 2012 was Marilyn Manson's Born Villain under a joint-venture partnership between Manson's own label Hell, etc. and Cooking Vinyl.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/951479/marilyn-manson-plots-2011-comeback-with-indie-label|title=Marilyn Manson Plots 2011 Comeback with Indie Label|publisher=Billboard|date=8 November 2010|access-date=9 May 2014}} The album was a global success charting at No. 5 in Germany, No. 10 in the US, and topping Billboard's Hard Rock and Independent albums charts. In the UK, Manson reached No. 14{{cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/cooking-vinyl-toasts-global-marilyn-manson-success/048941|title=Cooking Vinyl toasts global Marilyn Manson success|publisher=Music Week|date=18 May 2012|access-date=9 May 2014}} in the UK Albums Chart and No. 1 in the UK Rock Albums Chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/rock-and-metal-albums-chart/20120506/112/|title=2012 Top 40 Rock & Metal Albums Archive 12th May 2012|publisher=Official Charts Company|date=12 May 2012|access-date=9 May 2014}}

=2011–2020=

2014 saw the return of Embrace and their self-titled album, which debuted in the UK Albums Chart at No. 5.{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15415/embrace/|title=EMBRACE {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=13 January 2017}} In the same year, New York rockers The Pretty Reckless reached No. 8,{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/6259/pretty-reckless/|title=PRETTY RECKLESS {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=13 January 2017}} with their second studio album.

In 2015, the Prodigy released their album The Day Is My Enemy, which reached number 1 on the chart,{{Cite news|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-prodigy-score-sixth-number-1-album-with-the-day-in-my-enemy__8852/|title=The Prodigy score sixth Number 1 album|access-date=29 November 2016}} and was certified gold in the UK.

In 2016, Passenger claimed the UK No. 1 album{{Cite news|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/passenger-pips-bruce-springsteen-to-score-his-first-number-1-album-this-is-so-unbelievably-exciting-__16499/|title=Passenger scores first UK Number 1 album: "This is so unbelievably exciting!!"|access-date=29 November 2016}} with Young As The Morning, Old As The Sea. This year also saw singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt sign a global artist services deal with Cooking Vinyl.{{cite web |title=Nina Nesbitt signs to Cooking Vinyl |url=http://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/nina-nesbitt-signs-to-cooking-vinyl/066668 |website=Music Week }}

In 2018, Lucy Spraggan, former contestant on The X Factor, signed to both Cooking Vinyl Records and Publishing on a long-term global artist services deal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/0a441d27-91bd-4391-87bd-7169cf2b64fc|title=Lucy Spraggan - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=7 November 2018}}

Cooking Vinyl has long relationships with many of its artists. The Pixies' Charles Thompson was signed in 2000 and has had 17 releases to date with the label as Frank Black and Black Francis.

Since 1994, former Doll By Doll man Jackie Leven has had 23 releases, five of them in 2009.

Other artists that have released through the label in the 2010s include Counting Crows, Ryan Adams, Suzanne Vega, The Cult, The Charlatans, The Cranberries, Richard Ashcroft (CV licensed the Righteous Phonographic released album These People, with Ashcroft going on to be signed by BMG),{{Cite web|url=https://richardashcroft.com/portfolio_page/these-people/|title = Richard Ashcroft | the Official Website}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/8938/richard-ashcroft/|title=Richard Ashcroft | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website=Official Charts|date=15 April 2000 }}{{Cite web | url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20211105/7502/ | title=Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company | website=Official Charts }} The Subways, Echo and the Bunnymen, Gary Numan, The Enemy, Groove Armada, The Proclaimers, Seth Lakeman, UB40 and The Dropkick Murphys.

=2021–present=

In December 2021, Clare Grogan announced that the first Altered Images album in over 38 years would be released in August 2022 on Cooking Vinyl and called Mascara Streakz.{{Cite web|url=https://retropopmagazine.com/altered-images-new-album-38-years-clare-grogan/|title = Altered Images readying first album in 38 years|website=Retropopmagazine.com|date = 2 October 2021}}{{Cite web | url=https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/altered-images-mascara-streakz/ | title=Altered Images / Mascara Streakz |website=Superdeluxeedition.com| date=16 December 2021 }} The album has been recorded {{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/altered-images-return-with-cooking-vinyl-deal/084244|title=Altered Images return with Cooking Vinyl deal|website=Musicweek.com|access-date=26 April 2023}} with Bobby Bluebell from The Bluebells and Bernard Butler, formally of Suede and McAlmont & Butler.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/music/clare-grogan-announces-altered-images-25115997|title=Clare Grogan announces Altered Images reunion as new album gets set for release|website=Dailyrecord.co.uk|date=October 2021}}

As of December 2021, other artists signed to Cooking Vinyl include Alison Moyet, Eliza & The Delusionals, Lissie, Nina Nesbitt, The Orb, Will Young, Passenger, The Waterboys, BABYMETAL, Fickle Friends, Lucy Spraggan, Rumer, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Darkness,{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/12440/darkness/|title = The Darkness | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website = OfficialCharts.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/motorheart/|title = Motorheart | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website = OfficialCharts.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20211126/7502/|title = Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company|website = OfficialCharts.com}} The Psychedelic Furs, Billy Bragg, Del Amitri, Kiefer Sutherland, Reverend And The Makers, Suzanne Vega, The Fratellis, The Rifles, and Willy Mason{{Cite web|url=https://www.cookingvinyl.com/artists|title=ARTISTS|website=Cookingvinyl.com|access-date=26 April 2023}}

Sister companies

Essential Music & Marketing

In 2003, Vital Distribution's managing director Mike Chadwick teamed up with Cooking Vinyl's Martin Goldschmidt to launch Essential Music & Marketing, an independent distributor and service provider.{{cite web|url=http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/qa-mike-chadwick-essential-music-marketing/|title=Q&A: Mike Chadwick, Essential Music & Marketing|publisher=Complete Music Update|date=14 May 2013|access-date=9 May 2014}}

RED Distribution, the Sony Music UK artist and label services division, announced the acquisition of Essential Music and Marketing in March 2016. As part of this deal, a new company was launched, Red Essential, which is based at The Cooking Vinyl Group's West London offices. The company is now located in Farringdon.{{Cite news|url=http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-acquires-essential-music-marketing-launches-red-essential/|title=Sony acquires Essential Music & Marketing, launches Red Essential - Music Business Worldwide|date=2 March 2016|newspaper=Music Business Worldwide|language=en-US|access-date=13 January 2017}}

CV America

Cooking Vinyl America was originally launched in 2012. In 2016, Howie Gabriel was named President.{{Cite news|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/cooking-vinyl-america-names-howie-gabriel-president-as-it-expands-in-us/|title=Cooking Vinyl America names Howie Gabriel President as it expands in US - Music Business Worldwide|date=10 March 2016|work=Music Business Worldwide|access-date=8 November 2018|language=en-US}} The US operation provides strategic services to the CV Group, including artist/label acquisition, marketing, distribution and business strategy. Cooking Vinyl America is based in New York City.

Cooking Vinyl Australia

Cooking Vinyl Australia was formed in September 2013. The stand-alone company is based in Melbourne and helmed by former Shock Records executives, Leigh Gruppetta and Stu Harvey, the label signs both local and international artists and represents the Cooking Vinyl Records roster in Australia and New Zealand under license.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/global/5687079/uk-indie-cooking-vinyl-launches-in-australia|title=U.K. Indie Cooking Vinyl Launches in Australia|publisher=Billboard|date=6 September 2014|access-date=9 May 2014}} In February 2018, Sony Music Australia acquired a portion of Cooking Vinyl Australia.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-music-buys-chunk-cooking-vinyl-australia-significant-investment/|title=Sony Music buys chunk of Cooking Vinyl Australia with 'significant investment'|website=Musicbusinessworldwide.com|date=13 February 2018}}

Cooking Vinyl Publishing

Cooking Vinyl Publishing was formed in 2008{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/cooking-vinyl-reignites-publishing-arm/043570|title=Cooking Vinyl reignites publishing arm {{!}} News {{!}} Music Week|website=Musicweek.com|language=en|access-date=8 November 2018}} and is headed by former manager and Warner/Chappell exec Ryan Farley,{{Cite news|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/ryan-farley-named-managing-director-of-cooking-vinyl-publishing/|title=Ryan Farley named Managing Director of Cooking Vinyl Publishing - Music Business Worldwide|date=6 September 2018|work=Music Business Worldwide|access-date=8 November 2018|language=en-US}} who joined in August 2018. The company has a diverse roster with current writers including Tom Speight, C Duncan, Vitto Meirelles, Isobel Campbell, Lucy Spraggan, 485C, 65 Days of Static and Palestinian acts DAM, 47 Soul and Le Trio Joubran.

The company's catalogue includes songs by artists such as Reverend & The Makers, The Rifles, Amber Run, Roll Deep, Meursalt, Tal National, Audio Bullys, Exit Calm and The Virgin Marys. It also has co-publishing partnerships with Brighton-based Fat Cat Records and UK jazz label Edition Music.

Motus Music

In March 2019, The Cooking Vinyl Group announced they had acquired a 50% share in production music start up Motus Music.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/cooking-vinyl-invests-in-production-music-and-sync-specialist-motus-music/|title=Cooking Vinyl invests in production music and sync specialist Motus Music|date=5 March 2019|website=Music Business Worldwide|language=en-US|access-date=23 April 2019}}