Dindisc
Semi-independent Virgin imprint active 1979–1982, known for OMD and Martha and the Muffins.
Dindisc (also written as DinDisc) was a British record label that operated as a semi-independent imprint of Virgin Records. It released new material from the middle of 1979 until early 1982. Although the label is now defunct, CD reissues on Virgin still reference it and carry Dindisc catalogue numbers. Carol Wilson, who had earlier discovered Sting and signed him to Virgin’s music publishing division, founded and ran the imprint.
Wilson later explained that signing Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark to Dindisc was a natural fit because the band embodied the duality she wanted for the label: a serious, artistic side with depth, alongside a commercial, pop sensibility. This same duality, she noted, was present in other early Dindisc acts, such as Martha and the Muffins and the Monochrome Set.
Many of the label’s record sleeves were designed by freelance designer Peter Saville, who worked on a project basis. Saville had previously worked at Factory Records, but came to Wilson’s attention after she signed Factory band OMD; she was particularly impressed by the thermographic paper sleeve Saville had created for the Factory release of “Electricity.” Saville went on to deliver the artwork for Dindisc’s own release of “Electricity”—which used a different sleeve design—and asked Wilson if the label needed an art director. Saville and Ben Kelly later won a Designers and Art Directors Award for their work on the album *Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark*.
The label’s first release (catalogue number DIN-1) was “Electricity” by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, issued in May 1979. Dindisc’s most notable chart successes included Martha and the Muffins’ “Echo Beach” (UK number 5 in 1980) and several early singles by OMD, such as “Enola Gay,” “Souvenir,” “Joan of Arc,” and “Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc),” all of which reached the UK top 10 in 1980 and 1981.
The label ceased operations after the release of Hot Gossip’s “I Don’t Depend on You” (DIN-39) in February 1982, following Wilson’s failure to obtain a shareholding. The OMD single “Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)” had the final catalogue number (DIN-40) but was actually released a few weeks earlier, in January 1982. The dissolution of Dindisc led Saville and Brett Wickens to establish their own studio, Peter Saville Associates.
Quick Facts
- Parent
- Virgin Records
- Founder
- Carol Wilson
- Genre
- New wave · post-punk
- Country
- UK
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Dindisc was founded and run by Carol Wilson, who had previously discovered Sting and signed him to Virgin's music publishing company. Wilson signed Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark to Dindisc, later saying: 'OMD were a perfect fit for what I had in mind for DinDisc — they had a serious, artistic side with real depth, as well as a commercial, pop side. That duality was reflected in all the early DinDisc signings, like Martha and the Muffins, and then the Monochrome Set.' Many of the company's sleeves were designed by freelance designer Peter Saville, who worked on a project basis. Saville had started at Factory Records and came to Wilson's attention when she signed Factory band OMD. Saville delivered the artwork for the Dindisc release of 'Electricity'—which used a different sleeve design than the Factory version—and asked Wilson if Dindisc needed an art director. Saville and Ben Kelly won a Designers and Art Directors Award for their work on the album Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
Reader's Guide
Dindisc's significance lies in its role as a semi-independent imprint that nurtured a distinctive blend of artistic and commercial pop music in the early 1980s. Under Carol Wilson's direction, the label released key singles by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark—including 'Enola Gay', 'Souvenir', 'Joan of Arc', and 'Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)'—all of which hit the UK top 10 in 1980/81. Martha and the Muffins' 'Echo Beach' reached UK #5 in 1980. The label's visual identity was shaped by Peter Saville, whose thermographic sleeve for Factory's 'Electricity' caught Wilson's eye; Saville later became Dindisc's in-house art director and, with Ben Kelly, won a Designers and Art Directors Award for the OMD album. Dindisc ceased operations after the release of Hot Gossip's 'I Don't Depend on You' (DIN-39) in February 1982, following Wilson's failure to obtain a shareholding. The dissolution led Saville and Brett Wickens to establish Peter Saville Associates. Though short-lived, Dindisc left a lasting imprint on post-punk and synth-pop, with its catalogue numbers still referenced on Virgin CD reissues.
Did You Know?
- Dindisc's first release (DIN-1) was 'Where's the Boy for Me' by the Rezillos, released in September 1979.
- The label's final catalogue number (DIN-40) was OMD's 'Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)', released a few weeks before the label ceased operations in February 1982.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Dindisc?
Dindisc was a short-lived British record label that operated as a semi-independent imprint under the Virgin Records umbrella. It ran from the middle of 1979 through early 1982 before going defunct.
Who founded and ran Dindisc?
Carol Wilson established and managed the imprint. She had previously discovered Sting and signed him to Virgin's music publishing arm before creating Dindisc as its own label identity.
Which artists released records on Dindisc?
The label is best known for putting out early material from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Martha and the Muffins. Wilson herself described OMD as a natural fit for the imprint because the band captured a duality she wanted Dindisc to represent.
How long was Dindisc active?
The label released new material from mid-1979 until early 1982, giving it roughly a two-and-a-half-year window of operation before it was shut down.
Why do Dindisc catalogue numbers still appear on modern reissues?
Although the label is long defunct, Virgin's CD reissues of those artists still reference Dindisc and carry its original catalogue numbers. This keeps the imprint visible in the discography of acts like OMD and Martha and the Muffins.
More in New wave record labels 1-22
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced