Zoom Records (Scotland)
Short-lived Scottish label that launched Simple Minds.
Zoom Records was a Scottish record label launched in Edinburgh in the middle of 1977. It was bankrolled by Bruce Findlay, a well-known music retailer who owned the Bruce’s chain of shops. The label focused on punk and new wave acts from Scotland, among them Simple Minds, whose debut album came out on Zoom. After issuing its first four singles, the label struck a licensing arrangement with Arista Records. Findlay shut Zoom down in 1980 so he could concentrate on managing Simple Minds, one of the bands that had started on the label.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 11 July 1977
- Founder
- Bruce Findlay
- Defunct
- 1980
- Genre
- Punk rock, new wave
- Country
- Scotland
- Location
- Edinburgh
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Bruce Findlay, well known in the British music industry, founded Zoom Records in mid 1977. He had built a successful chain of record shops, Bruce's Record Shops, which became the largest independent record chain in Scotland with thirteen stores. Findlay also organised the first Edinburgh Pop Festival in 1973. Zoom signed many Scottish punk and new wave bands, some later well known, such as Simple Minds, whose debut album 'Life in a Day' (1979) was released on Zoom, while their subsequent albums 'Real to Real Cacophony' (1979) and 'Empires and Dance' (1980) came out on Arista Records. Findlay managed Simple Minds from 1978 to 1990. The first band signed was the Valves; the second was PVC2, which featured Midge Ure. The Skids almost joined the label, but Findlay encouraged them to go to Dunfermline record shop owner Sandy Muir, out of which No Bad Records was formed.
Reader's Guide
Zoom Records played a brief but notable role in the Scottish music scene of the late 1970s. Its first single, 'Robot Love' by the Valves, sold 15,000 copies. Simple Minds signed shortly after their formation and released their debut album Life in a Day and first two singles through Zoom, all licensed to Arista Records. The label's three Simple Minds albums—Life in a Day, Real to Real Cacophony, and Empires and Dance—were released by Zoom. Findlay closed the label in 1980 to focus on managing Simple Minds, who became one of the most successful bands to begin there. Zoom's legacy is tied to its early support of Scottish punk and new wave acts, and its founder's subsequent career in music management and radio.
Did You Know?
- Zoom Records was founded and funded by music shop owner Bruce Findlay in mid 1977.
- The first single released by Zoom was 'Robot Love' by the Valves on 30 August 1977, selling 15,000 copies.
- Simple Minds' debut album 'Life in a Day' was released by Zoom and licensed to Arista Records; their next two albums were released directly on Arista.
- The Skids almost joined Zoom, but Findlay encouraged them to form No Bad Records instead.
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