Kenley-based record company Future Legend Records have just released a new compilation album called Cult Themes of the Eighties. Ali Masud talks to label founder Russell C Writer.

In these blandest of pop times it's unusual to find anyone in the music business determined to follow their own paths creatively.

But mavericks do exist and Russell C. Writer is a case in point.

By the time he started Future Legend Records in the late Nineties, he had been a well known mod face, written and produced a number of indie pop hits through his own record label Waterloo Sunset (including cult singer Eleanor Rigby), and become an in-demand DJ on the continent.

And major record companies have moved in on trends he created long after he has moved on; Britpop being a case in point.

"When Britpop came out I went to a record shop called Down on the Floor in Camden and the owner said one of the guys from Blur had been looking for Eleanor records and mentioned that he had a poster of her on his wall.

Then I met Sarah Cracknell's (lead singer of pop group St Etienne) mum who accused me of ripping off her daughter.

"I saw Sarah and said do you know who Eleanor Rigby is? She said course I do, she's one of my favourite singers."

His compilation series of TV and film themes kickstarted the easy listening boom. "I went to Madame JoJos and there were all theses people on the dance floor dressed like James Bond and Emma Peel! Our music had become a lifestyle thing.

"Virgin Records rang me up and said will you do an album for us called This is Cult Fiction. I said I'm busy so they said we'll just copy your tracklisting!

"At least they were honest enough to tell me they were ripping me off!"

During the making of Cult Themes he decided to bring long-forgotten acts out of retirement to perform on the album.

In the case of early 1960s stars Glenda Collins and The Honeycombs, it meant a chance to work with acts who had recorded for Joe Meek ( British producer responsible for a string of early Sixties hits, most famously Telstar).

"Glenda Collins hadn't recorded since 1967. But she listened to our stuff and said it reminded her of Joe Meek."

" Joe Meek is my idol. We are kindred spirits. The Joe Meek Society made me honorary vice-president, because they said I'm the only one who's like him today."

Now record companies are sniffing around his new music creation- Pop Noir; a music genre pioneered by his group Box Office Poison.

But he is already one step ahead. Hence the decision to change the band name to Pop Noir.

As he explains: " It was Misty's (the lead singer of Box Office Poison) idea. She said other bands are starting to come along calling themselves pop noir.; a music term he invented to describe the bands unusual music and approach to songwriting.

"Most songwriters write using a few basic chords. But I started song writng with notes and no chords. Songwriting Magazine said they were amazed that no-one had ever done that before.

" I could have taken the money and run. But I said no. I wanted to do something to something different and artistic."

For more information about Future Legends releases visit their website,

Cult Themes of the Eighties is out now.

December 3, 2001 13:00