Go! Discs

{{Short description|British record label}} {{Multiple issues| {{Notability|1=Companies|date=November 2024}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2025}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Use British English|date=November 2012}} {{Infobox record label  | parent = Independent (1983–1996, 1999–present) [[Universal Music Group]] (1996–present; back catalogue) | name = Go! Discs | founded = 1983; 1999 (relaunch) | defunct = 1996 | founder = Andy Macdonald, Lesley Symons | distributor = [[Chrysalis Records]] (1983–1996) [[Mercury Records|Mercury Records UK]] (back catalogue, 1996–2013) [[Virgin EMI Records]] (back catalogue, 2013–2020) [[EMI Records]] (back catalogue, 2020–present) | status = Dormant | genre = Various | country = United Kingdom | location = [[Hammersmith, London|Hammersmith]], London | url =  }}

'''Go! Discs''' was a London-based record label, launched in 1983 from offices in Wendell Road, [[Shepherd's Bush]], by Andy Macdonald and Lesley Symons. The pair founded the label after Macdonald left his job as press officer at [[Stiff Records]], and Symons provided the seed funding. The first signing to the label was [[Billy Bragg]] and early releases also came from Sheffield band The Box and Hull band [[The Housemartins]]. Records by the latter's spin-off group [[The Beautiful South]] were subsequently issued. Key staff contributors, following a move to [[Hammersmith]], included comedian [[Phill Jupitus]] and [[Chas Smash|Cathal Smyth]] (Madness' Chas Smash). '''Go! Beat''' Records was launched as a subsidiary for artists like [[Beats International]], [[Gabrielle (singer)|Gabrielle]] and [[Portishead (band)|Portishead]]. In 1992, [[Paul Weller]] signed for the main Go! Discs label.

In 1996, Macdonald resigned when [[PolyGram]] acquired a majority stake in the label,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingham |first=Tim |date=2020-02-27 |title=‘Essentially, music is an emotional language that connects people.’ |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/andy-macdonald-independiente-essentially-music-is-an-emotional-language-that-connects-people/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=[[Music Business Worldwide]] |language=en-US |quote=Having sold Go! Discs to PolyGram in 1996, Macdonald resigned from the label to start another venture, Independiente, where he would enjoy the biggest successes of his career.}}</ref> which folded not too long afterward. However, Go! Discs' dance offshoot Go! Beat Records continued and became a unit in the PolyGram group. In 1999, Go! Discs was revived, but it is now in dormancy along with Go! Beat.

The Go! Discs catalogue now operates under [[EMI Records]], a division of the [[Universal Music Group]]. It was rebranded from [[Virgin EMI Records]] in June 2020.

==Andy Macdonald and Independiente== After the purchase of Go! Discs by PolyGram, Andy Macdonald started [[Independiente Records]] and continued his involvement with the recording career of [[Paul Weller]]. Independiente is also the home of [[Travis (band)|Travis]], [[Roddy Frame]], [[Embrace (English band)|Embrace]], [[So Solid Crew]], [[Howling Bells]] and Malian desert blues band [[Tinariwen]].

==Artists== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} * Anna * Apollo Landing * [[The Bathers (band)|The Bathers]] * The Bic * [[The Beautiful South]] * [[Billy Bragg]] * [[The Blue Ox Babes]] * [[Boothill Foot Tappers]] * The Butterfield 8 * [[David Holmes (musician)|David Holmes]] * [[Drugstore (band)|Drugstore]] * Father Father * [[The Frank and Walters]] * [[The Housemartins]] * [[The La's]] * [[Madness (band)|Madness]] * [[More Fire Crew]] ([[Lethal Bizzle]], Ozzie B & Neeko) * [[Paul Weller (singer)|Paul Weller]] * [[More Fire Crew|Platinum 45]] * [[Portishead (band)|Portishead]] * The Southernaires * [[The Stairs]] * [[Trashcan Sinatras]] {{div col end}}

==See also== * [[List of record labels]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Go! Discs]] [[Category:Record labels established in 1983]] [[Category:Record labels disestablished in 1996]] [[Category:1983 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Re-established companies]] [[Category:Record labels based in London]] [[Category:British independent record labels]] [[Category:Pop record labels]] [[Category:Rock record labels]] [[Category:Electronic music record labels]]