Saturday, May 9, 2009

Give It A Name!


First off, we need a name for the record label. 
Rob Gordon's was Top 5 records, PieFace Records got mentioned in The Mighty Boosh a lot.
They were fictional record labels though.
Here's what we have so far:
Readers Recommend Records
Dondle And Spill Records
The 'Spill Records
UnSpill Records
Hopeless Cause Records
Please leave suggestions in the comments, and when we have a few I can stick a poll up. 

120 comments:

snadfrod said...

I'd have to plump for Dondle and Spill out of those, it has a nice cadence.

Or how about simply RRR, or RRRecordings? To be said with a roll of the tounge? In fact, much like the band !!!, the label could have a name that is just a sound - a kind of low, guttural roll of the tongue, possibly a little solicitous. Or is it too early in the morning/my hangover to be talking like that?

snadfrod said...

"Yeah, I'm signed to RRR."
"Excuse me?"
"RRR."
"I don't understand."
"*RRR*"
"Are you flirting with me? Go away you disgusting man."

Etc.

Also, recently, I had one of my sporadic ideas for a great theatre company name (most of my ideas start and end with a great name):
The Revels Office, named after the old Lord Chamberlain's office that used to deal with licentiousness on stage in th 18th century. It kind of fits for music too, and I like it. Um, yeah.

nilpferd said...

Spilltones

.... said...

I'm hankering for some reference to our cult film..
HiFidelity Records

Blimpy said...

Triple R ?

Luke-sensei said...

there is already a label called RRR i'm afraid - they release all of that kind of noisy American weird stuff wot I like.

I like the simple suggestions so far, Spill Records and Spilltones would sound great. How about Dond Records for a simpler take on one already suggested?

DarceysDad said...

GuRRu Records.

sourpus said...

As old Joey Ramone used to say..."Nice one DD...Wonchewfreefooooorr!"

tincanman said...

I like the ring of Spilltone Records, or perhaps Spillnote Records. (This Spill's foryou!)

There's also Spilt Moosic Records.

But a question is who is the name meant to have meaning for? Us or the buyer(s)? And does it even matter? Apple sold a lot of records, but I doubt it was the picture of the fruit that did it.

So if it's an inside joke type name, might as well be a variation on dond or spill. If its for consumer confidence, we'd want to play on the endorsed by us angle.

Indiana Donds and the Listeners of the Last Vinyl? Too long? ok

steenbeck said...

Sorry to sound so cranky last night. Um, I like Spilltone or dondle and Spill, so far.

I agree with Japanther that we should think about the music! Blimpy, you seem to know a lot of folks that are in bands or musically inclined, do you have anyone in mind?

Shoey said...

If Spill is taken can we have Splosh Records - so Shane can keep his wine Spillage visuals?

steenbeck said...

And I had the funniest dream last night. Blimpy left a comment on here saying that he was at my friends' house just down the road. I went to check it out, and there was this fellow who claimed to be BLimpy. I said, "You have an American accent--you're not blimpy!" and he laughed and said he'd been reading the spill comments and knew all about us. ANd I said, but how did you know who I really am, in real life? He couldn't explain, and then the dream got very surreal and I don't remember the rest.

tincanman said...

how do you know you've woke up yet?

Blimpy said...

Hi steen - I'm at your pal's - just down the road - see you there later for some dinner?

Blimpy said...

Dondle Records is kinda growing on me....

Blimpy said...

Google tells me there's already a Spill Records out there.

tincanman said...

doesn't Dondle sound a little pervy?

Blimpy said...

Now Spilltone is growing on me...

Blimpy said...

@tinny - more than a little!

Blimpy said...

Readers Recommend Records should get us a GU review?

Dondletone?

Speng Records?

Blimpy said...

"Dondletone" returns no matches on Google, unsuprisingly...

tincanman said...

Spilltone sounds classy
like bluenote and motown and all those

i mean, no need for us to be classy, but a name that might get us a seat in a good restaurant can't hurt

You have no tables for tonight?
Not even for Tinny of Spilltone records?
Ah, I thought you might
See you at 8
put it on Blimpy's tab

TonNL said...

Why not make it a record-company with some sub-labels?

RRR (Readers Recommend Records) proudly presents Spilltone (for their rock & blues output), MegaDond (for the heavier stuff), PdF (Princesse de Frogue, for their quite vague french triphoppy stuff ;-) ) and finally BuckyBoy Records (where anything goes....), their Dutch offshoot.....

Shoey said...

Or Soundspill, or Spillsound.

Blimpy said...

Spillphonic?

Shoey said...

Or just keep the ' (apostrophe) & go by a symbol, like Prince.

Blimpy said...

Super Sonic Spillphonic?

tincanman said...

The record label formerly know as Spilltone?

Blimpy said...

I'm veering towards Spilltone again..

tincanman said...

Jokes aside it's the best of the bunch I think.
(semi-pun too with the wine spill logo - spilt on ... ok, maybe not)

Blimpy said...

Tinny - that works if you pronounce it in a wide glasgow accent!

ToffeeBoy said...

Spilltone rocks!

I've got a feeling that Big Point Mississippi were approached by BuckyBoy Records - but they weren't interested in making music - well not that sort of music...

SatanKidneyPie said...

Bloody hell, I have a few days away and you've gone and started a record label. Hope I'm not too late to say "count me in", but count me in.

I quite like Spilltone, but it reminds me of Poptone, which isn't a bad thing, just seems to lack originality. I was thinking Spilt Records, but of course there's already Spilt Milk, so how about Spilled Records?

SatanKidneyPie said...

Oooh, and of course we need to think about the catalogue numbers!

Mnemonic said...

Spindle Records? Vague associations with old stereograms and multi-stacking vinyl

tincanman said...

@ SKP
er, shouldn't we wait til we get past 1 before we worry too much about a catalogue.

Mnemomic's comment is interesting because one of the first things I thought when I saw someone's RRR comment was something very old and regal looking with a slogan like
Producing Quality Records in Her Majesty's Realm Since 2009.

nilpferd said...

For hip hop releases I'd suggest the sub-label Ill Vine records.

SatanKidneyPie said...

@Tin - you're right, I was just getting a bit exciting and ahead of myself! I was just thinking that we'll have to think of a cool catalogue coding for the labels, which I think Blimpy already alluded to that in his original post.

Blimpy said...

We will need a slogan too, but that can wait til we have a name

tincanman said...

This is starting to sound like a great Monty Python sketch. Name, slogan, catalogue, web site, PayPal ... record, what record?

SatanKidneyPie said...

It's kind of like Field of Dreams: if you create a fabulous record label, the bands will come to you...

tincanman said...

and play baseball?

cauliflower said...

how exciting! happy to do the necessary with £ and any designy/copy stuff that no-one else wants. Looking forward to #001 - whether welsh-folk-electronica, RRstaffers or swedish teenage pirate punks (my offer for the roster... mates' kids). As for the label, Spilldond Records or any of the suggested variations work for me.

steenbeck said...

Blimpy--If only!!

And I've always thought O-RAMA! added to any word gave it an extra shot of class Spill o rama, Dondle O Rama (sounds like a Russ Meyer film, no?

TonNL said...

Rec-o-Rama ?
where "Rec" stands for Recommended....

TonNL said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TonNL said...

Motto: "If it ain't Spill, it ain't worth a buck".... ;-)

ToffeeBoy said...

Or "Many a slip, twixt cup and lip"

Blimpy said...

I've put the poll up on the sidebar - get voting 'Spillers!

Blimpy said...

It's not too late to suggest more names though

ejaydee said...

I'm very late, but count me in too please! Even if you've nicked my idea that I hardly told anybody about.
I'm down with Spilltone, Dondle & 'Spill (cause that's what we'll do when we hewar an artist we like), 'Spillphonic.

nilpferd said...

perhaps Dondable records? I sort of feel the word should be in there somewhere.

.... said...

HMS

His Master's Spill

Lots of possibilities to do graeat visuals with the wee dug and the grammowphone.

Still liking 'Spilltone Records too

cauliflower said...

Hmmm. I'm making another bid for "Spilldond Records".
"Spilldond" was first coined in March 2008 by Steenbeck, swiftly followed by ejaydee.
of those in the voting list, "Dondle and Spill" is closest - but we don't "dondle"... we "dond" (on the whole) and I remember the debate about "dond" vs "dondle" - I believe "dond" won the day.

Chris said...

I'd be happy to get involved in the actual music, if a way of bringing players together over t'internet could be found, but I'm not really of much help in the business-creation thing.
A few years ago I created some travel CDs with the idea of selling them on the web. Had 500 made, got all the business accounts & processes set up and then completely failed in the marketing. I sold one to myself to test the payment process... and that was it. Obviously there are more people involved here and so the chances of word spreading are greater, but don't underestimate the power of apathy when trying to get someone to part with money!


I've held back on this for such a long time but I must now mention a line from a Grateful Dead song that is quite appropriate for this label's slogan. From Saint Stephen, the line is:

"One man gathers what another man spills."

A Grateful Dead quote for a 21st century record label? That would be subversive!

saneshane said...

spillDOND discs

'cos everyone must get a SDD' is a side effect of the rock n roll game!

or

Spill Communication.

or

Spillaphonic

the adding of the A gives us the opportunity to say:
from the Fife spillaphonic
from the Jersey spillaphonic
from the Tokyo spillaphonic
from the Berlin spillaphonic
etc..etc..

EJD I did wonder if you would mention anything about your idea.. how far did you get?

I've now got to remember my indie label post - it might come in useful!

Blimpy said...

"Spill Communication" - arf!!

Shoey said...

Perhaps we could use Dond for the catalogue number?

ToffeeBoy said...

@ Shoey - Donds!!!!

DOND1, DOND2 etc for the singles
DONDLE1, DONDLE2 etc for the LPs

(Note the deliberate plurals)

Blimpy said...

@shoey et toffee - More donds!

(plurals!! cripes!)

Blimpy said...

"spilltone records" is a googlewhack. excellent!

Blimpy said...

'Spilltone Records - "Highly Recommended since 2009"

Brian Speng said...

I would be honoured

saneshane said...

spilltone might be a googlewack but the marketing department would possibly have this to say:

ask some music fans what they think..
spilltone : sounds alright.
bit like poptones. alan McGee. is it something to do with him then? does it sound like poptones stuff then?

oh bit derivative as a name then. not much imagination. Does that mean there's not much imagination on the record... who gives a... I'll listen to something else then.

no offense to the original idea of it as a name.. but if you want to stand out.. STAND OUT.. don't paraphrase another label.

Blimpy said...

good points Shane

nilpferd said...

FWIW, I'd never heard of Poptones until Satankidney mentioned it above.. but if the label is well known among musos, we probably should avoid sounding too similar.
How about Back to the drawing board records..

tincanman said...

drats, I so hate it when Shane is right

tincanman said...

although I'm not sure how important the record label name is to sales of the first record, now that I think about it a bit further.

Motown is famous ... now. But when it started, no one bought a record because it was Motown. Once the songs made Motown's name, of course, people could safely buy a Motown record without knowing the artist.

A&M Records was huge, and it was just two guys initials, doesn't stand out or suggest amything about the quality or content of the catalogue.

Having said all that, Spilltone does sound a bit over our station. In Canada the biggest house moving company is one that started with a couple of regular guys doing weekend moonlighting in their van. The name of the company? Two Small Men With Big Hearts Moving Co. It now has franchises all over Canada and some of the U.S.

Blimptone said...

Spilltone is proving very popular in the poll!

Shoey said...

But there was this other little known label called 2Tone - Shane is right - it's derivative.

saneshane said...

sorry Blimpy, Thatcher and G W Bush got lots of votes. Doesn't make it right!!!!

I don't think a name has to be all that as tin points out above.. they become iconic.
But to start out derivative set a bad president.. I worked on a magazine like that, the longer it went on the more embarrassed I was about the name.. who on earth had been in that meeting was all I could think.
Going with something, that you'll have to answer questions about all the time is another consideration - if it became interesting to others- think bands (gay dad, fuck buttons, selfish cunt off the top of my head) funny at 17 when you start out.. so boring in every interview since.

Newspaper gets interested in the project...
"so you run spilltones, what made you name it after 2Tone or was it the Alan McGee label then?"

as for Dondle and spill... so you're named after a mate giving you a hand job, was that happening when you -u hum- came up with the idea?

just thoughts, that can be ignored if you wish..

tincanman said...

Readers Recommend Records is starting to sound better, as much as I like the way Spilltone swirls off the tongue.

Might not be anything wrong with calling something what it is

saneshane said...

Readers Recommends Records becomes forever associated with the Guardian and this isn't all 500 odd people who do that.
The Spill has been inspired by that but developed its own personality.. a separate identity.. and I think a label would be another off shoot of that.

not helping much am I?

steenbeck said...

I agree that it should be more Spill related than RR related--particularly as BLimpy hardly ever RRs anymore. Has anyone googled SPillphonic?

Chris said...

Shane: after your recent experiences, I'm surprised you can put a coherent sentence together, let alone be as sharp as you are. I do hope life is a little less harsh for you at the moment.


At the risk of bringing in another West Coast reference, what about 'Spillmore Records'. Echoes of the historic, eclectic Fillmore, plus the idea of something extra from The Spill?

steenbeck said...

Spill-o-phonic? Spill-o-phone?

Chris said...

No Google response to 'Spillmore'... but I'm now into 'Spillmore Music'. It's an instruction for life, too.

And remember:

"One man gathers what another man Spills."

steenbeck said...

I've just been looking at the records over on Funky 16 Corners for inspiration. Lots of good names--Bo Sound records, Scram Records. And they're so beautiful, too.

Spillster?

steenbeck said...

Spilltonic? Because the spill is a tonic, innit? (I just looked it up and it means something invigorating, as well as the musical connection.)

saneshane said...

Thanks Chris
(The sister in laws wedding was great, so took my my off the bad stuff for a bit)

steen.. I look through http://www.cargorecords.co.uk/
or .de
and click on Labels.. loads of little set ups that are just so much fun.. mostly with logos, so it gives you an idea of what works.

tincanman said...

@ shane
Yes you are a namby pamby poo poo head spoilsport ... but thanks 'cause better to get it right from the start. Start as you mean to go and all that.

I agree Spill-related is more appropriate than RR related.

Spill4U Records?

(I'm trying to be hip and cool and fat, if you homeys are down wif dat)

SpillPhat Records

SpillSongs
(without the 'records' even. Then we can do concerts and t-shirts and tea cozies too)

Is anyone ever sure when I'm serious? Does anyone care? Thought not. I'll get me toque.

ejaydee said...

Has anybody suggested 'Spill Records, tout simplement?

Blimpy said...

Spill Records is already taken, I'm afraid!

Over The 'Spill Records

Up 'Spill Down Dale Records

Cheap 'Spill Records

One Dollar 'Spill Records

I think I maybe put the poll up too soon, didn't I?

tincanman said...

Jack and Jill went up the Spill
to fetch a pair of records
Jill came down with some 70s disco shit on cassette
But Jack found this nifty indie track on Spilltone vinyl

Shoey said...

You just can't wait to stick a poll up, can you?

I'm guessing 300+ posts on the thread to pick the music - if we can get past this of course.

snadfrod said...

I think i agree re. Spilltone, it just has that slight bit too much similarity to it.

Spilharmonic would do it for me and hasn't been mentioned yet, I don't think.

Had a lovely idea of Tangent Records, as a ref to both the tangenital nature of the spill and the word tangenital itself, but that alreasy exists.

Or how about The Revels Office? I REALLY like it, in a completely tangenital way. Cough.

tincanman said...

Spilharmonic sounds like something my granddad listened to.
Lemon Tree
Oh so pretty

tincanman said...

Maybe we could do something with the first letters of all our names

Nope, damn it, zimbabwe is already taken

cauliflower said...

Another bid for "Spilldond Records"?

On the other hand, I remember from business seminars that when you find yourself hung up on the stationery without having a clue what the product might be, you're already doomed. Good thing this is a game for fun, not for profit...

Blimpy said...

Spillharmonic is bloody ace! Genius even, Snadfrod!

debbym said...

I realise I'm arriving late at this party... I really like the SOUND of Spilltone... I have to confess to never wasting thought on Alan McG whenever possible... Could we have a wordplay on 'Spillzone/'Spill'sOwn? (I am an advocate of the opening apostrophe)

tincanman said...

Spondiferous Records?
Over has a goodness and splendidness sort of sound, mashes (see how hip I am?) Spill and dond with a hint (souscance?) of the word different.

----
debbym, sorry but if we do Spillzone Blimpy will leave us after we get famous and do it best while we do nothing at all.

Blim said...

I think another poll will have to go up!

Chris said...

As a nod to fifties cool, as an acknowledgement of the pet-of-choice for folks around here and as a personal tribute to my 20 year-old who I just 'put out of her misery' a couple of hours ago, can I suggest to anyone still reading:
SpillCat Records.

There's also a feline HMV-like image that could go along with that.

Mnemonic said...

Cat update: Zissou has been missing for 48 hours; she has never previously been out of sight of the back door. Any suggestions for what I can do to increase the chances of finding her?

Abahachi said...

Many commiserations, Chris. Clearly not a good day for cat-lovers; our eldest went AWOL yesterday (he hasn't missed teatime for at least five years), giving us a sleepless night with visions of what dreadful things might have happened, and I was busy at 7 this morning putting notes through neighbours' doors to ask them to check garages, sheds etc. when the little bastard strolled up.

Abahachi said...

@Mnemonic: oh hell, you too. We know the usual haunts of our lot, so do a great deal of wandering round calling them, plus ask neighbours to check anywhere they might have got shut in by mistake. If it's been that long I would also check with local vet and pet shop, as the two obvious places people would take a stray or injured cat or leave a note up.

Our worst episode was about six years ago, when Basil (our eldest; see above) disappeared on Easter Saturday. Absolutely no sign anywhere, no one had seen anything - until on Monday afternoon someone saw a Siamese at the window of the Methodist chapel four doors down from us. He must have wandered in when the place was open and got locked in one of their storerooms - and presumably howled all through the Easter services. They must have sung extra loudly, to drown out the wailings of the devil. We then had great fun trying to find anyone with a key to the chapel, given that it was a bank holiday.

Mnemonic said...

Chis, commiserations. I'm so upset about Zissou I didn't actually take in all of your comment at once.

Abahachi, she's microchipped so I hope a pet shop or vet would check for that first.

Adding to the horror, while I left the back door open for hours on end hoping she would reappear, I was invaded by a ferocious, feral tom, who looks similar but fluffier. He panicked, couldn't find his way out, shat on several carpets (from fear so I can't be angry about it) and he was in the flat for over 24 hours before I managed to get him back to the kitchen with food. However, in his panic when I went into the rom to open the back door for him, sent a tin of aluminium paint flying, which split and has resurfaced a section of my kitchen floor, aluminium studded with cat crunchies, the new textured look for the modern kitchen. Still, at least that should be an insurance job.

DarceysDad said...

Dunno why, but I figure CatSpill sounds better than SpillCat ...

Commiserations, Shiv. When Arthur died (17yo; the cat we took from our friend Dave when he was killed) I was gutted, but at least he chose a sunny corner comfy chair to pass away on ...

... so although I share your panic, Mnemonic, I'm afraid I'm clueless as to what more you can do. Here's hoping. You will need to scrub the smell of feral tom away though, or Zissou may be too afraid to cross the threshold.

And as we're on the subject, our update: 13yo Buxton is now dribbling permanently and uncontrollably - the kids have been banned from the kitchen without slippers on - can't pick up dried food and is definitely not eating much soft stuff either, so I figure his next visit to the vet may turn out to be a one-way trip.

;o(

tincanman said...

Spondocious
Spondle
Spondman
Spondle & Hum
Spontificate Records
Sponderosa (Hoss, hoss, come quick. Little Joe's takenup S&M and Pa is fit to be tied)

Chris (aka Shiv?) said...

Cheers, folks, for the wishes. I didn't really want to splurge bad karma everywhere but there were several people (AliMunday, in particular) who offered words of advice when Min approached death's door three months ago.

I got quite disturbed at the idea of getting someone (i.e. the vet) to murder her but I ended up being settled that it was the right thing to do given the state she was in. It was a little traumatic at first as he couldn't find a vein that would hold up, because she was so old, but once something went in, she quickly went to sleep etc.

debbym said...

Oh, Mr. Tin, I am just not as into boy bands as you are - I'd never have made that connection on my own.

Really sorry to hear the sad feline news; Mnemonic, is there any news of Zissou yet?

tincanman said...

@ debby
Boy bands came with the house here.

So where are we on the label name?

Blimpey? Shane? Anyone?

saneshane said...

got Guests here from Zimbabwe.. so busy tonight...think a re-read tomorrow and a re-assessment in a new post is called for don't you?

AliMunday said...

Chris - I'm really sorry about Min. All you can do is console yourself that she had a happy life with you.

Mnemonic - I hope Zissou is just locked in somewhere and will be back safe and sound.

Mnemonic said...

No news of Zissou. My downstairs neighbour and I have scoured the surrounding streets and gone into some very dodgy empty flats. She's braver than I am and climbed some scaffolding to check on the roof. Still no sign...

Mnemonic said...

DsD, so sorry about your imminent vet visit too. What's causing all the cat disasters? Is it a black moon?

The McFlahs said...

Oh gosh, we're very sad to hear about all the pets, we're thinking of you and them.

steenbeck said...

I'm so sorry about all the sad cat news, Chris, and DsD.
And Mnemonic, just thought I'd tell the story of my cat Steve...He had three legs (lost one to cancer) and he used to get into fights all the time, so he was always scarred and scruffy--but I think people thought he was a stray, and felt sorry for him, and would take him into their home. We found him many times in someone else's house, cozy as can be. On more than one occasion he was many doors down being fed tasty chicken by an elderly woman. Honestly, after the first time, she must have known he had a home! So maybe put up signs, so nobody thinks Zissou is a stray and takes him in.

steenbeck said...

And just looking at Blimpmaster General's new comment prompter...How about...

SpillGroove Records.

Or, thinking of an old one, how bout...

'Spill it! records.

I do like spillharmonic, as well, though.

Blimpy said...

poll 2.0 is up!

saneshane said...

Spillharmonic Orchestration

"The S.H.O must go on"


(the O being the red wineglass ring)

Shoey said...

We're still on this?

S.I.R (Spillage Idiot Records).

"Yes S.I.R. may I have another?"

Blimpy said...

tee hee - that's a good one!

ejaydee said...

Wait, 'Spill Behaviour?
Actually, was this a cheap ploy to beat the comments record?

Blimpy said...

Big 'Spilly Style Records?

Blimpy said...

DondoDiscs?

Blimpy said...

118 Comments Records?

Shoey said...

Sorry about all the cat news BTW. Keeping a close eye on mine in case she picks this week to get so high on catnip that she drowns in the pool.

tincanman said...

Spilly Bob Thornton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJWS6qyy7bw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdavenetics.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fmy-parking-ticket-and-billy-bob%2F&feature=player_embedded