>> Hospital
bio: Hospital Records is the brainchild of Chris Goss and Tony Colman. The label was started in early 1996 from their West London studio / HQ primarily as a vehicle for their own music.
Tony and Chris have been working toogether since 1993. A brief pre-history: Tony's last band was the London street-soul/jazzfunk combo IZIT, which funked it's way round the world's live clubs + decks from 1988 to 1995. Chris used to work in Soho's Soul Jazz record shop. Tony started the label Tongue and Groove in 1992, and Chris joined the label in 1993 as label manager, following a freelance sleeve-design job. Chris and Tony didn't make any music together until 1994, when they produced the eccentric 'Caterpillar', accredited to Mustardspoon. They closed T+G in 95 and formed two labels, Hospital and Galactic Disco Music. GDM was a London house/funk label and home of Future Homosapiens, Orkestra Galactica and Funky Nasa - all monikers for Tony + Chris's prolific house output between the years 1996 and 1998. However, when Hospital took off in 1998, GDM was put on hold.
Hospital's early drum and bass output earned the label an undeground fanbase, but it was London Elektricity's "Song In The Key of Knife", released in Spring 1998 that really captured the imagination of the whole scene. As London Elektricity, Tony and Chris' first long player "Pull The Plug" released in the summer of 99, received much critical acclaim and is still widely regarded as a classic album, far removed from the overlong and pretentious drum and bass albums of the time.
In 2000 the label shifted up a gear. Tony and Chris compiled and released the first in a series of freestyle compilations, Out Patients, signalling the fact that Hospital was no longer "just" a drum and bass label. This was followed by the debut album from their prodigal son, Tim Land aka Landslide, whose 'Drum+Bossa' set attracted a whole new audience from the jazz, breakbeat and 2-step scenes. That summer saw the signing of Danny Byrd, whose vocal r+b stylings found immediate favour with Fabio. The year finished with another signing, a certain welsh producer (at the time unknown to the d&b world) Link Barrett, aka High Contrast.
Since 2002 Chris has withdrawn from the studio in order to meet the demands of running one of the countries most successful independent labels, leaving Tony to carry the mantle of London Elektricity. Hospital has gone on to become a byword for quality soulful breakbeat thanks to a series of unfailingly consistent releases; from compilations (such as the Plastic Surgery and Outpatients series) to some heavyweight artist albums High Contrast's amazing Debut 'True Colours' and London Elektricity's fast soul classic 'Billion Dollar Gravy'.
In 2004 'Live Gravy' took the L.E sound to the next level as Hospital continued to bravely push the boundaries of Drum and Bass. "The Future Sound Of Cambridge" unearthed some golden talents in Nu-Tone and Logistics and the hot signing of Cyantific provided another glimse of good times ahead. Elsewhere High Contrast's second album 'High Society smashed it with the 'Basement Track and 'Racing Green' getting rinsed everywhere from daytime Radio 1 to the Notting Hill Carnival.
Hospitality, (Hospital's self styled club night) whilst being well at home at 'Herbal' London also represented in Cardiff, Brighton and as far as Berlin. Now established as one of the worlds biggest drum & bass nights Hospitality has launched a quarterly residency at super club Heaven, playing host to the likes of Andy C, LTJ Bukem as well as of course the NHS's own bad boy selectors. The signing of Syncopix from Germany and the release of 'The Future Sound Budapest' confirming Hospital's International status. Meanwhile Tony went back to studio to unleash London Elektricity's 3rd album 'Power Ballads' in Autumn 2005. A gruelling tour followed as the band performed in front of hundreds of thousands of people throughout 2005, the album launch at London's 'Scala' will never be forgotten by those who were there.
2006, 10 years on... Amazing debut albums from Q-Project, Logistics and Cyantific have expanded the label's sound. Hospitality events have reached another level at super club 'Heaven' and beyond. Hospital is also fronting the digital age, recently winning best Podcast at the BT Digital Music Awards 2006. There are amazing things to look back on, so much to look forward to, bring on 20 years!
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