Some Bizzare Records is an independent record label that was founded in 1981 by Stevo Pearce, full name Stephen John Pearce. It emerged during the flourishing period of the British new wave and post-punk music scenes. The label gained recognition for its eclectic roster and unconventional approach to music.
Some Bizzare Records is renowned for releasing innovative and avant-garde music that pushed the boundaries of traditional genres. The label was instrumental in promoting the emerging electronic and industrial music genres, featuring artists who later became influential figures in the music industry.
Stevo was born in 1962 and his pre Some Bizzare career involved him DJing at the Chelsea Drugstore in London on Monday evenings. He had been banned some playing at several other clubs due to his at the time peculiar musical style, which involved playing up to six records at a time and mixing a recording of Mickey Mouse into a Cabaret Voltaire song.
All this artistic exploration led to Stevo releasing Some Bizzare’s most notable release, which was the influential compilation album titled "Some Bizzare Album," released in 1981, which also marked the launch of the label. It featured tracks from various unsigned artists associated with Some Bizzare, including debut recordings from Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, The The, and Blancmange. This album helped introduce these artists to a wider audience and contributed to the label's reputation as a hub for groundbreaking music.
Some Bizzare also released albums by unique and experimental artists such as Foetus (fronted by J.G. Thirlwell), Psychic TV (led by Genesis P-Orridge), and Test Dept, among others. Some Bizzare Records embraced the DIY (do-it-yourself) ethos and championed artists who challenged mainstream conventions, often incorporating elements of electronic music, industrial sounds, and provocative themes.
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Probably their most controversial and fascinating signing was Genesis P-Orridge, born Neil Andrew Megson in 1950. They were an English musician, performance artist, and cultural provocateur. P-Orridge was known for their radical and pioneering work across various artistic disciplines, including music, visual arts, and philosophy. They were a central figure in the British underground and counterculture scenes from the 1960s onward, leaving a lasting impact on avant-garde and industrial music.
Their collective ‘COUM Transmissions’ evolved into the highly influential band Throbbing Gristle in the mid-1970s, which became one of the pioneers of industrial music. Following the disbandment of Throbbing Gristle in 1981, P-Orridge formed Psychic TV, who were signed to Some Bizzare.
Stevo released another compilation album in 2001 and continued signing new artists right up to 2007, with many of these newest signings having been discovered on Myspace and then featured on another Some Bizzare compilation released in 2008. These newer signings tended towards dance music and ethereal electronic sounds.
Although Some Bizzare has never formally shut down, it is now essentially defunct with no recent releases and the website having been offline for a number of years. The catalogue of releases is now sold by independent label One Little Indian, and Stevo’s location is unknown.
While Some Bizzare Records experienced moderate commercial success, it left a lasting impact on the alternative music scene and became a significant reference point for the development of electronic, industrial, and experimental music genres. Although Some Bizzare's activity has diminished over the years, its legacy continues to resonate with music enthusiasts and those interested in the history of underground and alternative music.
