Southern Records

Southern Studios was a recording studio and distributor owned and operated by John Loder.[2] Loder became friends with musician Penny Rimbaud and collaborated with him in an experimental band called EXIT. Rimbaud later formed anarchist punk band Crass, and Loder and his Southern Studios were chosen to record their first album The Feeding of the 5000. That records was originally released on Small Wonder Records.[2] When Small Wonder encountered problems manufacturing the release, due to the allegedly blasphemous nature of the lyrics, Crass decided they needed their own label to take full control of their output. Loder facilitated this by acting as the business manager behind Crass Records. He arranged manufacture, distribution and accounting.[2]

The success of Crass and Crass Record connected Loder with the emerging international independent record business. He formed alliances with small distributors around the world to distribute the Crass's output. He came into contact with like-minded bands and labels that inspired his passion in a similar way as Crass had. Circa 1984, he formed a lasting partnership with Dischord Records,[3] helping them to release Minor Threat records in Europe on their own Dischord imprint.

The first release on Southern Records was Babes in Toyland's album Fontanelle, in August 1992.

Label founder Loder passed away in 2005.[3] In the same year Allison Schnackenberg, label boss, set up the Latitudes imprint to record and release one sessions, in a similar spirit to the BBC's Peel Sessions.[1]

Starting in late 2008, Southern closed its international office and moved all operations to London. Chicago closed November 2008, Le Havre closed July 2009, and Berlin closed December 2008.

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