Who's behind the leading indie labels?

They produce some of the coolest music around. Alexia Loundras profiles the independent record labels

BEGGARS GROUP

Martin Mills

INTRODUCTION: Almost a mini major, this highly regarded label is the UK's biggest - and oldest - independent. It currently comprises six labels: Beggars Banquet, 4AD, XL, Matador, Too Pure and Playlouder. In recent years, XL has proved to be the group's star, after signing The White Stripes and Dizzee Rascal.

HISTORY: Founded 30 years ago by Beggars Banquet record store chain boss Martin Mills. Failing to find a label for The Lurchers, a punk band who rehearsed in his Fulham store, he opted to do it himself. As Beggars Banquet grew, Mills set up new labels under the Beggars umbrella that would continue to release artists with the same clarity of vision and strength of attitude that inspired him to start out in the first place.

WHAT THEY SAY: "All our labels look for uniqueness unique rather than trying to sign something that's gone before," says Mills.

NOTABLE ACTS INCLUDE: Beggars Banquet: Gary Numan, The Charlatans. 4AD: The Pixies, Tanya Donelly.

XL: The Prodigy, The White Stripes, Basement Jaxx. Matador: Interpol, Cat Power.

2006'S TOP TIPS: Be Your Own Pet and The Raconteurs.

PUB FACT: The Prodigy's The Fat Of The Land was a Number 1 album in 27 countries.

WARP

Steve Beckett

INTRODUCTION: Since starting as a dance/techno label, Warp has established itself as a home for leftfield acts - from the boundary-pushing electronica of Aphex Twin to Vincent Gallo's haunting compositions. Recently, Warp has made a bid for the mainstream with indie-rockers Maxïmo Park.

HISTORY: Warp was formed in 1989 by Sheffield record store owners Steve Beckett and Rob Mitchell at the height of acid house. Inspired by US techno labels like Trax, the pair quickly made a name for themselves releasing dance 12-inches. They were the first to start developing their dance acts into album artists and soon evolved into an artist-based boutique label. Mitchell died of cancer in 2001 but Beckett continues to run the label.

WHAT THEY SAY: "We look for something that sounds unique, moves you emotionally and is inimitable," says Steve Beckett.

NOTABLE ACTS INCLUDE: LFO, Nightmares On Wax, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Autechre, Boards Of Canada, Gravenhurst, Jamie Lidell, Maxïmo Park.

2006'S TOP TIPS: Battles.

PUB FACT: In 2003 Warp branched into film and won a BAFTA for My Wrongs #8245-8249 & 117, directed by satirist Chris Morris.

NINJA TUNE/ BIG DADA

Jonathan More, Matt Black and Will Ashon

INTRODUCTION: While the diverse label has evolved to encompass everything from rock to jazz and alt-folk, its reputation continues to be based on their breakbeat and experimental hip hop-inspired, underground acts.

HISTORY: In 1990, disillusioned by years signed to a major label, Jonathan More and Matt Black - aka breakbeat duo Coldcut - set up the Ninja Tune label to release what they wanted, when they wanted. In 1996, Ninja established a sister hip hop label, Big Dada, with former journalist Will Ashon.

WHAT THEY SAY: "The Ninja ethos - one that Big Dada very much buys into - is an open-mindedness that can seem like wide-eyed village idiocy until you realise just what peasant cunning lurks behind the placid exterior," says Will Ashon of Big Dada.

NOTABLE ACTS INCLUDE: Ninja Tune: Coldcut, DJ Kentaro, Kid Koala, Mr Scruff, Cinematic Orchestra, Amon Tobin, DJ Food. Big Dada: Roots Manuva, Ty, TTC.

2006'S TOP TIPS: Pop Levi, Qemists and Spank Rock.

PUB FACT: Ninja Tune are probably the longest-running surviving label of any size which has not had a record in the Top 30.

ROUGH TRADE

Geoff Travis

INTRODUCTION: From bands that defined their time such as The Smiths, The Strokes and The Libertines to current critics' favourites like Antony & The Johnsons and Arcade Fire, the label boasts an eclectic roster of artful and individual acts.

HISTORY: Rough Trade began as a Notting Hill record store in 1976. Two years later, record store owner Geoff Travis released a single by Metal Urbain, a band who frequented the shop, and the label was born. In 1983, Travis struck gold when he signed The Smiths and the band came to define the label's early incarnation. In the mid-Eighties, Rough Trade expanded to include Rough Trade Distribution, but after years of on-off problems the distribution arm folded, bringing Rough Trade Records down with it. Travis resurrected the label in 2000 and set them back on track signing The Strokes.

WHAT THEY SAY: "Rough Trade is still in its infancy. We're at the beginning of a new era and we've firmly fixed our sights on trying to be a quality label. We only take on bands we love; we want to sell lots of records of those acts we think are really worthwhile and we want to see if we can make that work," says Geoff Travis, Rough Trade founder and label boss.

NOTABLE ACTS INCLUDE: The Smiths, Arcade Fire, Antony & The Johnsons, Babyshambles, Sufjan Stevens, British Sea Power, The Hidden Cameras, The Strokes, Baxter Dury, Dr Dog, The Libertines.

2006'S TOP TIPS: The 1990s.

PUB FACT: The site of the original Rough Trade records, 202 Kensington Park Road, is now a toy store called Cheeky Monkeys.