Parent company Island Records Status Defunct Founded 1983 | Founder U2 Parent organization Island Records Country of origin Republic of Ireland | |
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Genre Alternative rock, electronic, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock, reggae, rock, soul Location 92 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin Albums The Sun Is Often Out, The Cappuccino Songs, Mobile Home, Fireworks City, Homogenic | ||
Mother Records was a record label founded by the band U2 in 1983 and distributed by parent Island Records. As a supportive promotional platform, the label released several one-off single releases for The Hothouse Flowers, In Tua Nua and Cactus World News among others.
History
The label was registered on 19 October 1983, and subsequently launched on 1 August 1984 by U2. Its debut single was In Tua Nua's "Coming Thru"but the label is perhaps best known for the success of the Bono produced Cactus World News's "The Bridge". In 1990, the label was reorganised into an independent record company. Debut artists for the revamped label were The Golden Horde, An Emotional Fish and Engine Alley. The Golden Horde's album released on Mother Records The Golden Horde, was voted joint #1 record with U2's Achtung Baby in the prestigious Hot Press Music Awards of 1991. Engine Alley's debut album A Sonic Holiday, produced by Steve Lillywhite, followed in 1992. Also at this time, The Sugarcubes joined the Mother label roster.
After leaving The Sugarcubes, Björk stayed with Mother for her solo releases Debut, Post, Telegram, and Homogenic. Other artists to join the label's roster were Longpigs, Gil Scott-Heron, Alicia Bridges, Tanita Tikaram, Lena Fiagbe, Audioweb, and Adam Clayton's and Larry Mullen's "Theme From Mission: Impossible".
In 1997, the U2 PopMart Mix of M's "Pop Muzik" was released for Mother Records and was under license to Island Records on U2 releases.
The label ceased operations in 2000. Yet according to the Irish Companies Registration Office (CRO) it was dissolved only on 14 October 2011 and was registered at their former accountant's former office.