Mute Records - Daniel Miller
Mute Records is a record label formed in 1978 by Daniel Miller primarily to release his own single “Warm Leatherette”. Mute Records made a name for itself as the label that was willing to sign post-punk artists like Fad Gadget (Frank Tovey’s pseudonym), Einstürzende Neubauten, Throbbing Gristle, and Cabaret Voltaire. Once electronic music hit the British charts from 1981 onwards, Mute signed artists like Depeche Mode, Nitzer Ebb, Yazoo and Erasure that utilised new technology which would eventually redefine the sound of the dancefloor in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Mute redefined itself again to encompass alternative rock with bands such as Sonic Youth on their Blast First imprint. The label also in 1992 launched a subsidiary called Novamute Records, mainly as a distribution channel for experimental electronic music. Mute Records was famous for being the home of Depeche Mode and Erasure despite the lack of what is normally considered a contract. Moby, Nick Cave and Laibach are also Mute mainstays.
Mute Records was the first British record label to have an internet presence, entitled Mute Liberation Technologies. This started out as a dial-up BBS, then becoming a Telnet site and finally a website. They continued to be run in tandem for a number of years until all were finally shut down, with the exception of the website.
On May 10, 2002, EMI acquired Mute Records, extending an existing licensing relationship that Mute had with EMI’s Virgin Records for over 15 years. Daniel Miller, Executive Chairman, is responsible for all of the company’s global activities.
The legacy of the pioneering Mute singles can be heard in much modern music. Daniel Miller acknowledges this: “I think the likes of DJ Shadow and all the Detroit techno guys were hugely influenced by our early records, although it is hard for me to say that, because I was involved so closely with them. Mind you, I have met quite a few techno producers who say that the first thing they programmed into their first little Casio keyboards was the riff from Depeche Mode’s ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’. It’s great when you find out the person who made a record you like was really influenced by a record you were involved in. I suppose everyone wants to feel they’re helping to move music forward.”
Mute has been the biggest thing in Daniel Miller’s life for the past 20 years, making you wonder if he thinks having a life away from the record label is equally important: “I think it is important to do that,” he laughs, “but I don’t! I don’t have a family, and I don’t have any major hobbies outside of music. If you’re running an indie label, it is very hard to switch off.”
It’s pretty obvious that Daniel Miller is in the music business for the full nine yards. He responds to a question about his attitude to retirement with a firm reply: “It depends when I drop”.
