{{Short description|Defunct British record label founded by the band UB40}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music --> | name = DEP International Ltd. | image = 160px | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = DEP International logo | parent = Universal Music Group | founded = {{start date|1980}} <!-- {{Start date|YYYY}} --> | founder = UB40 | defunct = {{end date|2008|4}} <!-- {{End date|YYYY}} --> | status = | distributor = Virgin Records<Br>A&M Records | genre = | country = United Kingdom | location = Digbeth, Birmingham | url = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> }}
'''Dep International''' was a British record label founded in 1980 by members of British group UB40.<ref>{{cite news |title=UB40 fight record label DEP International bankruptcy |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-14061835 |publisher=BBC News |date=7 July 2011}}</ref> It specialised in reggae and dub music. The label went into administration in October 2006 and into insolvent liquidation in April 2008.<ref name=Bnkrupt>{{cite web|last=Authi|first=Jasbir|title=UB40 in court battle against being declared bankrupt|url=http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2011/07/08/ub40-in-court-battle-against-being-declared-bankrupt-65233-29014932/|work=Birmingham Post|accessdate=2 August 2011|date=8 July 2011|archive-date=13 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913124140/http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2011/07/08/ub40-in-court-battle-against-being-declared-bankrupt-65233-29014932/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Bankrupt>{{cite web |title=UB40 bankrupt hearing |url=http://www.newstoday.co.uk/1964/2011/07/ub40-bankrupt-hearing/ |publisher=newstoday.co.uk |accessdate=2 August 2011 |date=10 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713061147/http://www.newstoday.co.uk/1964/2011/07/ub40-bankrupt-hearing/ |archivedate=13 July 2011 }}</ref> It was based in DEP International Studios in Digbeth, Birmingham.
==History== DEP International was formed in 1980 by members of UB40 to keep control over their record output and to release tracks by other artists. A worldwide distribution deal was struck with Virgin Records in 1982.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Davis |first1=Sharon |title=80s Chart-Toppers: Every Chart-Topper Tells a Story |date=6 January 2012 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-1-78057-411-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v_IyT35pJCgC&dq=%22DEP+International%22+%22Virgin+Records%22+in+1982&pg=PT229}}</ref> It was the first label to release a dub album; Present Arms in Dub, which appeared in the British pop charts. They also had the first commercial application of a British method of mass-producing holograms with the limited-edition version of UB44 having a hologram covering the record sleeve.<ref name=AtDiscogs>{{cite web|title=DEP International|url=http://www.discogs.com/label/DEP+International|publisher=Discogs|accessdate=2 August 2011}}</ref> Although the label was wound-up in 2007, in 2011 five founder members of the group and directors of the label, had bankruptcy proceedings started against them relating to debts of the record label.<ref>{{cite news |title=UB40 declared bankrupt |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/ub40-5-1286559 |work=NME |date=17 October 2011}}</ref> The five named were Robin Campbell, Brian Travers, Terence Wilson, Norman Hassan and James Brown.<ref name=Bankruptcy1>{{cite news|title=UB40 fight record label DEP International bankruptcy|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-14061835|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2 August 2011|date=7 July 2011}}</ref> thumbnail|DEP Andover St. Birmingham April 2005
==References== {{reflist}}
{{UB40}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:British record labels Category:1980 establishments in England Category:2008 disestablishments in England Category:Record labels established in 1980 Category:Reggae record labels Category:Record labels disestablished in 2008 Category:Virgin Records