{"product_id":"multi-artistes_the-rubens-roomel-recordsin-camera_2025_lba","title":"THE RUBENS ROOM\/EL RECORDS\/IN CAMERA","description":"Of all the independent record labels of the 1980s, El Records was the most singular and exciting. It only existed for a few years and yet, paradoxically, it was hugely influential. For the writer Jonathan Coe, one of the label's many devotees, it was 'Britain's great musical secret'. This 'best of' LP compilation, curated by supreme tastemaker Mike Alway himself, will remind you of the world of él greatness. It was created in 1984 by Alway, an A\u0026R for Cherry Red, by signing exceptional artists like Everything But the Girl, The Monochrome Set and Felt. Alway briefly co-ran Blanco Y Negro but was quickly constrained by the conservatism of the commercial music industry and left to set up his own label. It was once described as “the most quintessentially English record label there ever was”. Alway’s “hands-on” approach saw him taking complete control of the philosophy of the label’s releases and even song titles in the manner of pop impresarios of the past. Alway became curatorial, selecting, shaping, and overseeing the material released on él. He employed songwriters adept at classical pop techniques such as Nicholas Currie (AKA Momus) and Philippe Auclair (AKA Louis Philippe) who issued their own records whilst also writing, arranging and playing for other él artists. It had a unique musical flavour, eschewing rock for 1960s bubblegum, chamber pop, European chanson, Latin rhythms and film music (see particularly the work of Marden Hill). The label was defiantly un-macho and key artists such as Could Be Goods, Anthony Adverse and Bad Dream Fancy Dress viewed the modern world through the female gaze. Alway saw it as a celebration of elegance and beauty: “a pop world beyond leather jackets and jeans”.","brand":"Multi-artistes","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55311676735832,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0898\/4943\/0360\/files\/4015698503982.jpg?v=1761332703","url":"https:\/\/vinyles.com\/en-us\/products\/multi-artistes_the-rubens-roomel-recordsin-camera_2025_lba","provider":"Vinyles.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}