ZE 30 - ZE RECORDS STORY 1979-2009 by V/A

With this new compilation, Strut takes a snapshot of the many weird and wonderful fusions that surfaced on its famous NYC cab-influenced yellow and black label. Highlights include one of the earliest outings by Was (Not Was), 'Tell Me That I'm Dreaming', a disbelieving commentary on Reagan-omics, Bob Blank's short-lived disco supergroup Aural Exciters and a Larry Levan mix of Kid Creole's biting parable about corruption in the Caribbean, 'There's Something Wrong In Paradise'. Other featured artists include Ze label regulars Cristina, Bill Laswell's Material, kookie French experimentalist Lizzy Mercier Descloux, and camp disco-electro icons, Les Garcons. Prepared in conjunction with Ze Records founder Michel Esteban, the CD and vinyl packages feature a full history of Ze including interviews with Esteban and a number of original Ze artists along with rare and previously unpublished photos. Tip!After the late '70s punk and new wave explosion in New York, Ze became a by-word for the anything-goes culture clashes that typified the Big Apple during the early '80s. Formed by French art student Michel Esteban and British journalist Michael Zilkha, Ze quickly created its own unique independent universe, signing artists as varied as Alan Vega's electronic post-punk pioneers Suicide, trash disco queen Cristina and maverick producer August Darnell a.k.a. Kid Creole. With Esteban's sharp graphic eye leading the label's visual identity, Ze hit the New York zeitgeist head on. The label's early success led to a deal with Chris Blackwell's Island Records, which gave Ze's releases worldwide exposure and brought worldwide fame to Kid Creole, Was (Not Was) and more. Over thirty years on and Ze remains one of the great cult labels of its time.