States Of Independence -Beggars Banquet: The Last Truly Independent Record Label

  States Of Independence is a new music podcast that explores the hidden histories of the world's greatest independent record labels with the people that know them best – the founders who built them and artists who grew them. 

Hosted by music journalist and podcast producer Rob Fitzpatrick, Season 1 goes deep into the story of one of the world's leading record companies, and the last truly great punk-era independent label still in existence: Beggars Banquet. Two years in development, this is a huge story told over 13 episodes. It begins with the one person without whom none of this could have happened, the founder and chairman of the Beggars Group, Martin Mills. 

Let's take a moment to review the influence that indie record labels had on the industry, especially in the 50s and 60s. Independent record labels were influential in the 1960s, shaping American pop music by nurturing new genres like soul and rock and roll, providing a platform for marginalized artists, introducing innovative recording techniques, and creating iconic labels such as Motown and Stax, which challenged the dominance of major corporations. 

They were instrumental in the commercialization and popularization of styles that were initially ignored by major labels.

Many independent labels, like Chess and Sun, championed the burgeoning rock n' roll and R&B genres when major labels were hesitant to do so. Moreover, indie labels were crucial in providing opportunities for African-American musicians, offering them the only available medium to release and distribute their work. Labels like Sun and Chess also pioneered revolutionary recording techniques, such as slapback echo and echo chambers, which became signature elements of their artists' sounds.

Atlantic Records was a leader in innovation, being the first label to make recordings in stereo. 

States of Independence launched with episode one on September 11th, with guests Martin Mills, The Lurkers, and Gary Numan. Beggars Banquet's first superstar came in the form of Gary Numan, who gifted the label a number one single with 'Are 'Friends' Electric?’ in 1979.

"With Gary, it felt like the Beatles," says Mills, but success left the tiny label scrambling to learn on the job. "There definitely was no instruction manual." Nor was there one for the 21 year-old Numan. "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."

That first brush with mega stardom would set the template for many of Beggars Banquets' now iconic acts: The Cult, The Fall, The Go Betweens, The Charlatans, Peter Murphy, Bauhaus, Love And Rockets, Gene Loves Jezebel, Buffalo Tom, The Bolshoi and more – all of whom appear in States of Independence Season 1.

States of Independence host Rob got a job at the Beggars Banquet Records shop in Kingston, Surrey when he was 20 years old, calling it "the most incredible musical education." He left in 1996, to make and write about music, but he's always remained fascinated by - and, he'd be the first to admit, curiously emotionally attached - to the label.

 Beggars Banquet began life as a West London record shop in 1974. "We had 2000 pounds each," says founder Martin Mills. "It got us a lease in Earl's Court. It got us some stock. Steve [Webbon] knew how to buy new records. I knew how to buy old records, and Nick [Austin] knew how to bullshit."

With the arrival of punk in 1976, their second shop, in Fulham, found its powerful remit. "Suddenly it was all about going down to Red Cow and getting spat on," says Mills.

In the spirit of punk rock opportunism, Mills and Austin launched the Beggars Banquet label with the debut release from The Lurkers – "a very good two-chord punk band. Though they learned a third chord eventually."

Today, the Beggars Group of labels includes iconic imprints like 4AD, XL, Matador, Rough Trade and Young – a veritable indie empire. But this is a story marked by both triumph and turbulence, with the label staring down the barrel of extinction at multiple points during its five-decade history. Of The Cult, and their staggering run of 80s and 90s hit albums, Mills remembers: "They were the band that literally stopped the cheques from bouncing."

Here is the Episodes List for the season:

EP 1: Martin Mills, The Lurkers, Gary Numan [Launch Sept 11th 2025]

EP 2: Martin Mills, Gary Numan, Peter Murphy (Bauhaus/Solo), John Rocca (Freeez) [Launch Sept 11th 2025]

EP 3: Martin Mills, Billy Duffy, Aki Nawaz [Launch Sept 18th 2025] 

EP 4: Martin Mills, Jay Aston (Gene Love Jezebel) [Launch Sept 25th 2025]

EP 4a: Michael Aston (Gene Love Jezebel) [Launch October 2nd 2025] 

EP 5: Martin Mills, Brix Smith (The Fall) [Launch Oct 9th 2025] 

EP 6: Martin Mills, Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) [Launch Oct 16th 2025]

EP 7: Martin Mills, Lindy Morrison (The Go Betweens) [Launch Oct 23rd 2025] 

EP 7a: Robert Forster (The Go Betweens) [Launch 30th Oct 2025]

EP 8: David J (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets/Solo) and Daniel Ash (Bauhaus, Tones On Tail, Love And Rockets/Solo) [Launch 6th November 2025]

EP 8a: David J (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets/Solo) and Daniel Ash (Bauhaus, Tones On Tail, Love And Rockets/Solo) [Launch 13th November 2025]

EP 9: Martin Mills, Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom) Natasha Atlas (Transglobal Underground/Solo), Aki Nawaz (Southern Death Cult/Transglobal Underground/Fundamental Records) and Trevor Tanner (The Bolshoi) [Launch 20th November 2025]

EP 10: Series Finale - with Martin Mills and more [Launch 27th November 2025]

Music fans, be sure to check out  States Of Independence.