Rham!

Rham Records was a British independent record label based in Wallasey, Merseyside, England, formed Barry Lancaster-Smith and Peter Leay in 1987. Rham was launched as an offshoot of indie/rock label Skysaw Records to release dance music predominantly from the north west of England, with early releases mostly from Manchester based artists.

Rham Records
Founded1987
Distributor(s)Pinnacle
Country of originEngland
LocationWallasey, Merseyside
Official websitehttp://rhamrecords.tumblr.com/

Initially envisaged as a hip hop and street soul label. The label was most notable for discovering and releasing in 1988 early UK acid house anthem and Hacienda club classic "Voodoo Ray" by A Guy Called Gerald. The single spent 18 weeks on the UK Singles Chart eventually reaching number 12,[1] and was awarded best selling independently released single of 1989 by Music Week and the British Phonographic Industry. Its eventual success was despite the collapse of the record's early distributor Red Rhino, which wiped out the label's finances.

"Voodoo Ray" was also licensed for release in many other world wide territories.[2] Warlock Records licensed the single from Rham for the U.S. - including a Paradise Ballroom remix by Frankie Knuckles.

Rham Records' de facto in house A&R and production team for many of its releases were Manchester ensemble Chapter And The Verse. Aniff Cousins[3] (now Aniff Akinola) and Colin Thorpe[4] also performed with A Guy Called Gerald on his Rham releases, and on the three song session recorded for the BBC Radio One's John Peel Show in 1989, which also achieved significant sales when released on Strange Fruit Records. They achieved a UK chart placing in 1989 as writers and producers of Kiss AMC "A Bit Of U2", sampling legally "New Year's Day" by U2. Chapter And The Verse subsequently released two albums influenced by soul, funk, jazz, hip hop & house, a melting pot of styles which preceded the acid jazz scene in the early 1990s.

In 1989, the remixed version of the second A Guy Called Gerald single for Rham featured two Youth remixes of "Hot Lemonade", and was an early example of psychedelic trance house, made prominent a short time later by electronic dance music artists such as The Orb.

Two albums were recorded and released on the label: Hot Lemonade by A Guy Called Gerald and Great Western Street by Chapter & The Verse (subsequently released for Rham! by Virgin Records).

The comic art Rham logo was designed by Aiden Hughes of BRUTE!, who also designed cover art for KMFDM at the time for the label Skysaw Records.

The original intended name for the label was Rockingham, inspired by the song "Hoots Mon" by Lord Rockingham's XI.[5]

"This is on the Rham label and basically it's another very good dance record. I like the mystery and anonymity that surrounds a lot of these records. Plus the fact that Rham are based in New Brighton. I spent a great deal of time there as a child and I think it's marvellous that there should be a record label there."

Greg Wilson on "Voodoo Ray" "‘Voodoo Ray’ is one of the quintessential Manchester records, as well as being one of the key releases of the entire Rave era. It’s hard to believe that it’s now two decades since this unique hybrid groove entered the chart back in 1989, eventually climbing as high as number 12. I say hybrid because, although it’s generally described as a House track, you can clearly hear Gerald’s Electro and Jazz-Funk influences – it’s very much a British take on things, which nods to what was happening in Chicago and Detroit at the time without attempting to copy it. This is why it’s such an enduring classic – sounding like nothing released before or since."

Discography

Singles
ArtistTitleCat No.FormatYear
Chapter And The VerseAll This And Heaven TooRS880112"1988
Chapter And The VerseAll This And Heaven Too (Remix)RX880112"1988
Grand GrooveLet's DanceRS880212"1988
Gary BuchananI Just Need Your Lovin'RS880312"1988
A Guy Called GeraldVoodoo Ray EPRS880412"1988
A Guy Called GeraldVoodoo Ray EPRCD8804CD single1988
A Guy Called GeraldVoodoo RayR88047"1988
A Guy Called GeraldVoodoo Ray (Remix)RX880412"1988
The BygravesLoving YouRS890512"1989
ElleGive It To MeRS890612"1989
Chapter And The VerseIf I Knew Then (What I Know Now)RS890712"1989
A Guy Called GeraldHot LemonadeRS890812"1989
A Guy Called GeraldHot Lemonade / Rhythm Of LifeRS8087"1989
A Guy Called GeraldHot Lemonade (Remixes)RX890812"1989
The BygravesDestinyRS900912"1990
DoggyPsycheRS901012"1990
SensomillaI BelieveRS901112"1990
DemonikLabyrinthRS901212"1990
IconSo Special / GeneratorRS911312"1991
EverythingFire, Water, AirRS911412"1991
Chapter And The VerseBlack WhipVRST 112"1991
Chapter And The VerseBlack Whip (The R&B Mix)VRSTX 112"1991
Chapter And The VerseIn Another World / StealthVRS 27"1991
Chapter And The VerseIn Another World / StealthVRST 212"1991

Albums
ArtistTitleCat No.Year
A Guy Called GeraldHot LemonadeRALP 11989
Chapter And The VerseGreat Western StreetVRAM 11991

References

[6] [7] [8]

  1. "A GUY CALLED GERALD | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  2. "A Guy Called Gerald Unofficial Web Page - Article: NME - 10 X BETTER: TOP 10 CHOSEN BY JOHN PEEL". Homepages.force9.net. 22 October 1988. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  3. "Aniff Akinola". Discogs.com. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  4. "Colin Thorpe". Discogs.com. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  5. Tom Ewing. "The best No 1 records: Lord Rockingham's XI – Hoots Mon | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  6. "Chapter And The Verse". Discogs.com. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  7. "A Guy Called Gerald Unofficial Web Page - Article: Cut - Voodoo economics". Homepages.force9.net. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  8. "A Guy Called Gerald Unofficial Web Page - Article: NME - Voodoo Guru". Homepages.force9.net. 15 April 1989. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
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