Plurex Records: Singles and EP's (1977-1980)

Plurex was a record label based in Amsterdam which existed from 1977 to 1983. 

Richard writes: "In 1977 everything became No Future. And as Johnny Rotten explained, there is no future unless you make it yourself. D.I.Y. That simple and elegant credo was overtaken by the newspapers who forced Punk upon us. Everywhere from even the smallest countries bands, fanzines, art, experiments grew. 

"In Amsterdam, Sam Tjioe and Wally Van Middendorp started Plurex: a label to release their own independent music and release other like-minded acts. The diversity of the acts grew as more acts released music on the label."

Around the same time that Plurex began, Hanje Joustra started the label No Fun.  I Don't Care (The No Fun And Plurex Singles) is a compilation released in 2015, with a wonderful cover image by Joost Swarte (see above). In 2024, From Punk To Ultra: The Plurex Story was released on LP and CD.  Some of the early Plurex releases are available on Bandcamp from the Smikkelbaard label.  Minny Pops' albums (including their 2019 comeback LP, Stockholm 1974) are also on Bandcamp via the Blowpipe label.  

Richard's compilation is unique in that it contains all of the singles and EP's released by Plurex from 1977 to 1980. "All early singles and epees are here collected and ordered according to catalogue numbers. A few catalogue numbers were used for albums, and Plurex 0015 is unissued." Otherwise the collection is complete from PLUREX 0001 through 0019.

Having compiled singles discographies from several record labels of the same era, I find Plurex similar in spirit to Rough Trade and Subterranean.  These labels were started to release early independent punk singles, and they quickly embraced a wide range of adventurous music. Many thanks to Richard for sharing the early Plurex catalog.  With the exception of Minny Pops, all of these artists were new to me.