Kvatch and Sha-la-la flexidiscs

The Kvatch flexidisc came with issue#6 of Clare’s fanzine, while Sha-la-la was a flexidisc label set up by Matt, Jim Kavanagh (Simply Thrilled fanzine), Pete Williams (Baby Honey/Searching For The Young Soul Rebels) and David Payne (Trout Fishing In Leytonstone). Flexidiscs had been around for years, but usually as unsleeved, gimmicky, promo freebies taped to the cover of a magazine. Ours came in proper sleeves because we wanted them to be treated as proper records – albeit records that were the complete antithesis of all the exploitatively expensive 12″ singles and emotionally manipulative multi-format 7″s that independent labels had succumbed to in mimicry of the majors (the Sha-la-la flexis were actually only 6½”, just for good measure).

Most of our flexis featured two bands, with each band providing the artwork for one side of the sleeve. In a couple of cases the artwork was done jointly, but we’ve included front and back images anyway, just so it all matches. And if you’re wondering about the ba ba ba-ba ba catalogue numbers… it’s a quote from the coda of Hip Hip by Hurrah!

As ever, click on any sleeve to enlarge.

KVATCH

SHA-LA-LA