53rd & 3rd (record label)
Scottish independent record label founded in 1985
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53rd & 3rd was an influential Scottish independent record label founded in 1985 in Glasgow by Stephen Pastel (of The Pastels), David Keegan (of Shop Assistants), and Sandy McLean. The label played a pivotal role in documenting the indie pop and C86 scenes of the mid-to-late 1980s.
| 53rd & 3rd | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Stephen Pastel, David Keegan, Sandy McLean |
| Genre | Indie pop, C86 |
| Country of origin | Scotland |
| Location | Glasgow |
History
The label's name was a tribute to the Ramones song "53rd & 3rd". Its catalog numbers used the prefix "AGARR", standing for "As Good As Ramones Records"[1].
The label's first release was the "Safety Net" single by Shop Assistants in 1985. 53rd & 3rd is also noted for releasing the debut work of The Vaselines, a band later cited by Kurt Cobain as his "favorite songwriters in the whole world"[2] (Nirvana covered three of their songs: "Molly's Lips" and "Son of a Gun" on Incesticide, and "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" on MTV Unplugged in New York). The label became closely associated with the "shambling" sound and helped define the broader indiepop movement of the era.
Chart Performance
Several 53rd & 3rd releases charted on the UK Independent Singles Chart. The label's highest-charting single was Shop Assistants' "Safety Net", which peaked at number two in 1986.[3] Talulah Gosh placed multiple singles in the top five, with "Beatnik Boy" peaking at number three and "Steaming Train" at number four.[3] The Vaselines' debut EP "Son of a Gun" reached number sixteen,[3] while The Boy Hairdressers who would later evolve into Teenage Fanclub — charted at number twelve with "Golden Shower".[3]
Notable Artists
- The Pastels
- Shop Assistants
- Talulah Gosh
- The Vaselines
- BMX Bandits
- The Boy Hairdressers (later Teenage Fanclub)
- The Beat Poets
Legacy
The label's output has been the subject of retrospective coverage in publications such as Record Collector[1] and is featured in documentaries about the Scottish post-punk era, including Big Gold Dream (2013) and Teenage Superstars (2017), both by Grant McPhee.