Adam Anonymous looks at the 'spaced-out' Ceredigion label in the last
Spotlight feature.

www.oggum.co.uk
Forget look-at-me Myspacers or schmoozing 'independent' industry players,
because some of the most interesting, trend-defying music still originates
from tiny self-starter labels.  Wales's very own self-proclaimed snoozey
avant hobbyists Oggum Records are among the best examples of that theory,
quietly releasing spaced out yet tuned in transmissions from deepest
Ceredigion since, in typically unworried fashion, "1997-ish".
"We were inspired originally by fanzines like Organ and Ptolemaic
Terrascope, and the DIY ethic they were writing about," Oggum architect Dr
Daf Roberts reveals.  One four-track recorder purchase later and his band
Alphane Moon was born.

"We started making links with like-minded labels, and through the goodwill
of the Terrascope made a connection with New York label Spiffing.
"Spiffing planned our first tape as a CD; eventually they released a 7-inch,
A Circle of Four. Spiffing did a lovely job of it: handmade curtain sleeves,
silkscreen printed cover, 50 see-through green vinyl. This EP sparked the
interest of Norbert Schiller's Plate Lunch label, and Norbert released our
second tape.  We were inspired to start Oggum because of the slowness
waiting for these CD releases to happen; we imagined we could get things
going quicker.  We also thought it would be good fun to release music we
like in our own way."

Oggum maintained those early aesthetics, beginning a lovingly crafted back
catalogue with Yew Dark On Daze by Alphane Moon / Our Glassie Azoth, each
7-inch on coloured vinyl with homemade sleeves.  As with many micro-budgeted
labels, cash has been reasonably tight, however.

"The very first 7-inch was self-funded," explains Dr Roberts.  "We
consequently got a lottery grant for some releases leading up to the Yr Agog
compilation.  Since then we've used the income from releases - including
releases of our music on other labels - to finance things.  It's very
shoestring."

"We tend to like doing things on our own," he replies, when asked if Oggum
feel part of the Welsh music industry. "We have a very relaxed schedule, and
certainly don't feel part of any industry, although I can see benefits in
working in a more focused way, and it could be useful to have more support.
Distribution is very hard for odd music!"

The late, great John Peel latched onto the label through Electroscope's
7-inch, a record Dr Roberts cites as his favourite Oggum project so far.
"They were lovely to work with and it was the first one Peel played. He went
on to support Nimbus 2000 and heavily plugged our Yr Agog CD. Good lad."
Dr Roberts' closing wish for the future is to "just follow our own
interests", which says everything you need to know about Oggum. Gloriously
unconcerned by what's fashionable, this is a label for people for whom music
is truly a way of life.

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