Armageddon was a three-headed label: its founders were Richard Bishop, Peter Dyer, and David Loader. Dyer apparently spent a lot of time in Atlanta: his US label Press Records once shared an address with Danny Beard's DB Recs label (as well as Beard's venerable Wax & Facts record store).
This is why Armageddon's roster included a number of Atlanta and Athens musicians (Kevin Dunn, Method Actors, Pylon, and the Swimming Pool Q's). Some Armageddon releases appeared in the US on the Press and DB labels.
When the three founders parted ways, Richard Bishop* started Aftermath Records* and briefly continued Armageddon's numbering scheme with 12" EP's by Paul Roland (fka Midnight Rags). David Loader started the labels Quiet and Shout.
Watteau Music, the publishing arm of Armageddon, also released a single by Rhythm Method (a pleasant ska version of Paul Anka's "Diana"). An LP by Rhythm Method was slated to be ARM 13, but was not released.
Prior to the aftermath of Armageddon, another dozen singles appeared, featuring everyone from Adrian Munsey and his orchestra to the brothers Bruce and Guy Woolley; Amsterdam's Schlaflose Nächte; and -- unlikeliest of all -- Geordie's take on "Nutbush City Limits" (recorded after Brian Johnson left Geordie for AC/DC). You'll have to find that last single yourself, if you really want to hear it.
It was when Mythkoz recently posted The Optimists' rousing Oi version of McCartney's "Mull Of Kintyre" that I was inspired to collect the rest of the Armageddon 7" discography. A tip o'the tam o'shanter once again to Old, Weak, But Always A Wanker!
* - not that one.
Armageddon Records' debut single was intended to be "Zip Zip" b/w "Unpleasant Stain" by Maureen And The Meatpackers. An acetate of these pre-Soft Boys recordings exists, and was assigned catalog number AS 001.
Among the very first actual Armageddon releases were The Soft Boys' masterpiece Underwater Moonlight and the monumental Half Japanese box set 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts.
An astonishing assortment of 7", 10" and 12" records was issued by Armageddon between 1980 and 1982, including Thomas Dolby's debut single, Blurt's phenomenal live album In Berlin, and solo recordings by Robyn Hitchcock and Kimberley Rew (plus the debut of Rew's band Katrina And The Waves.) Not to mention one of rock's first guitar/drum duos, The Method Actors (who emerged from Athens GA around the same time that The Furors appeared in New Haven).
A few interesting bits of trivia: Adrian Sherwood produced The Last Words, an Australian punk band that briefly relocated to London. Thomas Dolby's single was co-produced by Andy Partridge. Knox played on Alex Chilton's Live In London album, and Alex returned the favor by guesting on Knox's version of "Alligator Man".
Some copies of the Robyn Hitchcock single included a flexidisc with two more songs. If the blog Albums That Should Exist didn't exist, I couldn't share those songs with you. (Thank you, Paul, for your incredible work!)
Herein please find Armageddon AEP 001 and singles AS 002 through 009. Stay tuned for the next volume of the Instant Armageddon Singles Collection!
