Warner Music Group divests more indie labels; Fire to reissue Lemonheads and more

Warner Music Group continues to divest itself of more of its independent labels.

In return for indie associations Impala and Merlin allowing it to acquire Parlophone in 2013 without regulatory blocks, Warner agreed to return $200 million worth of recorded music assets back to the independent community.

In the latest move, London-based Fire Records has acquired the complete Atlantic Records Lemonheads catalogue.

It already controlled some early Lemonheads recordings. But now it will start a reissues campaign of the band’s output from its golden period, including the 1982 hit ’It’s A Shame About Ray’ (the name of which the Lemonheads’ Evan Dando saw in a Sydney newspaper).

Fire also purchased the first eight albums by quintessential British blues rock band The Groundhogs, much loved by the likes of Mark E Smith and Pavement.

Founded in the mid-80s by Johnny Waller and Clive Solomon, Fire released early records from Pulp, Teenage Fanclub, Spacemen 3 and Blue Aeroplanes.

In the early 1990s, it became the UK home to Neutral Milk Hotel, The Lemonheads, Built to Spill and Urge Overkill.

More recently, its roster included Guided By Voices, Giant Sand and Pere Ubu.

The Lemonheads and Groundhogs records will be issued digitally through FUGA to 260 providers around the world.

The industry-leading technology and services company for rightsholders other clients include Domino, Epitaph, Tommy Boy, DJ Premier and Ian Schwartzman’s label imprint TTT and, this week, Ignition Records (Primal Scream, Courteeners, The Coral).

The sell-off to Fire comes in the wake of France’s Because Group has bought some of the catalogues that were part of the London brand.

These include Bananarama, Happy Mondays, Jimmy Sommerville, Bronski Beat, Goldie, East 17, Fine Young Cannibals, Orbital, Shakespears Sister and 50 other catalogues.

As part of the move, the name will change to London Music Stream, and will operate independently from Because Music UK, regaining its identity as a prolific indie label.

Because is one of the leading independent music groups in Europe with artists such as Christine and the Queens, Metronomy, Major Lazer, Justice, Django Django and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Earlier in the year, Because acquired the catalogues of ten prestigious French artists including Mano Negra, Rita Mitsouko, Camille and Les Negresses Vertes, also as part of the Warner divestment process.

Because founder Emmanuel de Buretel says: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with a talented group of artists whom I have long admired, and whose music remains relevant today.

“It is a great honour to be in a position to build on the legacy of the amazing creative vision established by Roger Ames and Tracy Bennett more than 25 years ago, and take London to a new level.

“The catalogue includes some incredible hit songs which we intend to revitalise in the digital age.

“The ambition for this company is first to optimise the catalogue of the London artists on a worldwide basis using the resources of Because Music, and then to take the label back to its glory days with fresh ideas and talented people, all while using new opportunities on offer in terms of music, creativity, technology and data.”