Radar Records

Lore & Background

Radar Records was formed in late 1977 by Martin Davis, previously at United Artists Records, and Andrew Lauder, former head of A&R at Liberty Records and United Artists UK. Its first singles and albums appeared in early 1978. The label was distributed globally by WEA Records, except in the United States where three Radar artists—the Inmates, Bram Tchaikovsky, and Yachts—were signed to Polydor Records through a licensing deal.

Nick Lowe released both the first Radar single ('I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass'/'They Called It Rock', ADA 1) and its first album (Jesus of Cool, RAD 1). Several Radar acts, including Yachts, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, and Elvis Costello and the Attractions, had previously been signed to Stiff Records. Costello and Lowe were brought to Radar by their manager Jake Riviera when Riviera left Stiff, which he had co-founded. However, Costello’s contract was with Riviera’s management, and Stiff licensed his records to Radar rather than him ‘leaving’ Stiff.

Reader's Guide

Radar Records played a notable role in the late 1970s UK music scene by providing a home for key artists transitioning from Stiff Records, particularly Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, who became its two biggest commercial successes. The label's diverse roster included punk, new wave, and experimental acts, as well as reissues of 1960s garage and psychedelic rock. Its licensing deals brought American independent releases to the UK and allowed reissues of classic catalogues like International Artists. The original label ceased releases in 1981 after Lowe and Costello moved to F-Beat Records in 1980. Radar was revived with a new roster from 1995 to 1998, signing bands such as Midget, Prolapse, and Pure Morning. The label's legacy is tied to its early support of influential artists and its bridging of independent and major-label distribution.

Did You Know?

• Nick Lowe released both the first Radar single and its first album.
• Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe were brought to Radar by manager Jake Riviera after he left Stiff Records.
• The original Radar label put out its last release in 1981, then was revived from 1995 to 1998.

Founding & Origins

Radar Records emerged from the late-1977 UK music scene as a venture built on deep industry experience. Its two founders brought complementary expertise to the table: Martin Davis, who would serve as managing director, had previously worked at United Artists Records, while Andrew Lauder had held the A&R helm for the UK operations of both Liberty Records and United Artists. This combination of management and artist-development backgrounds gave the young label a solid operational foundation from day one. The pair moved quickly, with the label's very first records hitting shelves in early 1978. Though Radar would go on to sign some of the most talked-about names of the late seventies, its origins were decidedly practical — two seasoned industry figures pooling their contacts and know-how to build a new imprint in a rapidly shifting British music landscape. The label's early momentum was immediate, as it quickly assembled a roster that would define its identity and set it apart from contemporaries.

The Stiff Connection & Star Roster

Radar's roster was shaped heavily by the breakup of Stiff Records. When manager Jake Riviera departed the label he had co-founded, he brought two of its most prominent acts with him: Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello and the Attractions. Lowe became Radar's inaugural artist, releasing both its first single — "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" b/w "They Called It Rock" (catalog number ADA 1) — and its first album, Jesus of Cool (RAD 1). Costello and the Attractions would become the label's major act. Other former Stiff signings followed, including Yachts and Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Beyond that core, Radar assembled an eclectic lineup spanning La Düsseldorf, the Pop Group, Loudon Wainwright III, Pere Ubu, Visage, Métal Urbain, the Soft Boys, and many more. The label also licensed material from American independent labels — Iggy Pop and James Williamson's Kill City, National Lampoon's That's Not Funny, That's Sick!, the Good Rats, and Pezband — and released new recordings by 1950s rockabilly veterans Ray Campi and Mac Curtis through a deal with Rollin' Rock Records.

Distribution & Catalog Breadth

Radar leveraged its WEA Records distribution partnership — WEA being the entity that would later become Warner Music Group — to reach audiences across most of the globe. In the United States, a separate licensing arrangement placed three of its artists (the Inmates, Bram Tchaikovsky, and Yachts) on Polydor Records. The label's catalog strategy extended well beyond new signings. Through its WEA connections, Radar reissued recordings by 1960s garage and psychedelic acts: the Shadows of Knight, whose original releases had been distributed by Atlantic through Dunwich Records, and the Electric Prunes, originally on Warner Bros.-distributed Reprise Records. It also licensed the International Artists catalog, enabling reissues of albums by the 13th Floor Elevators, the Lost & Found, and the Red Krayola. Radar went further with the Krayola, releasing new material from the band's late-1970s lineup, including the single "Wives in Orbit" b/w "Yik-Yak" and the album Soldier-Talk. This blend of contemporary signings and carefully curated reissues gave Radar a remarkably wide musical footprint.

The End & Revival

Radar's original run came to a close in a dramatic fashion. In 1980, the label's two biggest commercial successes — Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello — departed for F-Beat Records, a new imprint established by Andrew Lauder and Jake Riviera. Without those headline acts, the original Radar label released its final record in 1981 and fell silent. For over a decade, the name lay dormant. Then, between 1995 and 1998, Radar was revived with an entirely new roster, signaling a fresh chapter for the brand. The second incarnation signed a wave of bands including Midget, Prolapse, Acacia, Morning Glories, Heave, and the Unsophisticates. Perhaps most notably, it also put out records by Pure Morning, a group that would later evolve into Clinic. This revival demonstrated that the Radar name still carried enough cultural weight to attract a new generation of artists nearly fifteen years after the original label's final release, bridging the gap between the late-seventies scene and the mid-nineties independent music landscape.

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