There’s been a major restructuring over at independent umbrella label Beggars Group. Why should you care, when you could be busy watching Prince cover Radiohead at Coachella or Will Oldham drive go-karts and trampoline while high on magic mushrooms?
Because, until recently, Beggars Group was home to Matador, Rough Trade, XL, Too Pure, 4AD and Beggars Banquet – all important and great imprints. If that ‘until recently’ sent shivers of foreboding up your spine, your spidey-sense is on it: Too Pure and Beggars Banquet are to be effectively closed down by Beggars Group, who will pool their resources to help expand 4AD.
All of the artists on those two ‘mothballed’ labels – including Stereolab, Future of the Left and Scout Niblett** (Too Pure) and St Vincent and The National (Beggars Banquet) – will move onto 4AD.
Anyone currently subscribed to the Too Pure singles club need not worry for their goods – the series will run at least to the end of this annual set, another six releases of which are yet to be issued.