{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music --> | name = World Serpent | image_name = World serpent distribution ouroboros.png | image_size = 200px | image_bg = | parent = | founded = 1990 | founder = David Gibson<br/>Alan Trench<br/>Alison Webster | status = inactive | distributor = World Trade | genre = Experimental | country = United Kingdom | location =London | url = }}
'''World Serpent Distribution''' was a British record label and music distribution house formed in the 1990s by David Gibson, Alan Trench and Alison Webster.<ref name="African Paper">{{cite web |last1=Göttert |first1=M |last2=Schneider |first2=U |last3=Seckel |first3=N |title=Basically I make music that I like to listen to. An Interview with Alan Trench |url=https://africanpaper.com/2020/02/29/basically-i-make-music-that-i-like-to-listen-to-an-interview-with-alan-trench/ |website=africanpaper.com |publisher=African Paper |access-date=1 March 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=World Serpent Profile|url=http://www.discogs.com/label/World%20Serpent|website=Discogs.com|access-date=29 July 2012}}</ref> Douglas Pearce of Death In June coined the company name in 1991,<ref name=WSDNAME>{{Cite web|url=http://www.deathinjune.org/modules/mediawiki/index.php/Interview:2003-Yahoo_Groups_3|title=Death in June France - v3.0 - MediaWiki - Interview:2003-Yahoo Groups 3|date=27 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210547/http://www.deathinjune.org/modules/mediawiki/index.php/Interview:2003-Yahoo_Groups_3|access-date=1 September 2020|archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> ''World Serpent'' being another name for Jörmungandr.<ref>{{cite web|title=World Serpent|url=http://www.last.fm/label/World+Serpent|website=Last.fm|access-date=29 July 2012}}</ref>
==Early history== World Serpent was well known for distributing music by many post-industrial, apocalyptic folk, neofolk, avant-garde and otherwise esoteric or experimental artists, including Death In June, Current 93, Sol Invictus, Coil, Nurse With Wound, Boyd Rice, Ralph Gean, Zone<ref>{{cite web |title=Zone biography |url=https://potentia-zone.com |website=potentia-zone.com |access-date=18 February 2026}}</ref>, Elijah's Mantle<ref>{{cite web |title=ANGELS OF PERVERSITY by Elijah's Mantle |url=https://www.elijahsmantlemusic.com/albums/angels-perversity |website=elijahsmantlemusic.com |access-date=18 February 2026}}</ref>, Orchis<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tibos |first1=Ivan |title=Album Reviews: Orchis |url=https://concreteweb.be/reviews/orchis |website=concreteweb.be |publisher=Concrete Web |access-date=18 February 2026}}</ref>, and Ozymandias.<ref>{{cite web|title=World Serpent Distribution|url=http://www.necronomi.com/elists/wsd/|website=Necronomi.com|access-date=29 July 2012}}</ref> Many of these artists also ended up collaborating with or being influenced by one another, causing the ''World Serpent'' name to become synonymous with many of the artists and labels distributed through the company during the early 1990s{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}.
Due to early CDs being manufactured at Philips-Dupont Optical's UK pressing plant, World Serpent releases from the late 1980s and early 1990s were significantly affected by Compact Disc bronzing.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brainwashed.com: disc rot|url=https://www.brainwashed.com/common/htdocs/discrot.html|website=brainwashed.com|access-date=11 November 2023}}</ref>
==Bankruptcy== Following a long period of rumours, Boyd Rice left World Serpent Distribution. He was followed shortly thereafter by Douglas Pearce, Richard Leviathan and Albin Julius. Subsequently, fewer and fewer releases began to be distributed by World Serpent, leading to much fan speculation. In October 2002, a claim filed by Pearce in 2000 was successfully settled out of court, resulting in Pearce receiving unpaid royalties from the Court Funds Office. Pearce also gave back his shares in the company he had helped form, but was no longer interested in or affiliated to. Founder Alan Trench left World Serpent Distribution at the end of 2003. It was confirmed in August 2004 that World Serpent Distribution was no longer operating and had gone bankrupt.<ref name=FILTHFORGE>{{Cite web|url=http://www.filthforge.org/articles/wsd_nomore.htm|title=World Serpent No More|date=26 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726054336/http://www.filthforge.org/articles/wsd_nomore.htm|access-date=1 September 2020|archive-date=26 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=2840_0_2_0_C/|title=World Serpent to stop - torrent, free MP3 download, lyrics|date=27 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210100/http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=2840_0_2_0_C/|access-date=1 September 2020|archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> Many artists distributed through World Serpent, such as Chris and Cosey, had not been informed by the company and may still be owed past dues.<ref>{{cite web|title=the end of brainwashed.com and world serpent|url=http://www.brainwashed.com/wsd/|website=Brainwashed.com|access-date=29 July 2012}}</ref>
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20020121205131/http://worldserpent.com/ Archived company website.]
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:British record labels Category:Record labels disestablished in 2004 Category:Industrial record labels Category:Experimental music record labels