States of Independence is a new music podcast that promises to uncover the hidden stories behind the world’s most important independent record labels.
It begins with one of the greatest survivors of the punk era, Beggars Banquet. The 13-part series launches on 11 September and is hosted by journalist and producer Rob Fitzpatrick.
The podcast’s first season has been two years in the making and sets out to tell the extraordinary history of Beggars Banquet, now the cornerstone of the Beggars Group.
Founded in 1974 as a small record shop in Earl’s Court, the label went on to define generations of alternative music while overcoming multiple points of near collapse.
Episode one focuses on Martin Mills, the founder and chairman of the Beggars Group, who explains how his tiny shop became a powerhouse of independent music. He recalls the arrival of Gary Numan, who gave the label its first superstar moment with a number one single in 1979.
“With Gary, it felt like the Beatles,” Mills says, though he admits that success was a steep learning curve. “There definitely was no instruction manual.”
Gary Numan also reflects on his sudden rise and the backlash it brought. “I thought it was gonna be more fun, I didn’t expect all the hostility that came with it… You know, people writing things about you as if you’ve just done the most evil thing,” he says. His story sets the template for many of the label’s other iconic artists.
Across the series, States of Independence will hear from musicians and insiders connected to acts including The Cult, Bauhaus, The Charlatans, The Go Betweens, Gene Loves Jezebel, Buffalo Tom and Love And Rockets.
These interviews reveal how Beggars Banquet nurtured some of the most influential names in independent music, while also struggling to survive financially. “They were the band that literally stopped the cheques from bouncing,” Mills says of The Cult’s commercial success.
For Fitzpatrick, this project is deeply personal. At the age of 20, he worked in Beggars’ Kingston shop and describes it as “the most incredible musical education”. He left in 1996 to write about music but has remained fascinated by the label and its enduring influence.
Today, the Beggars Group includes 4AD, XL, Matador, Rough Trade and Young, a collection of labels that continue to push boundaries.
Produced by Frank Palmer at Cup and Nuzzle, the Executive Producer for Beggars Group is Lesley Bleakley and distributed by Talkhouse, States of Independence will be available wherever you get your podcasts from 11 September.
