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Complete was ideally suited to represent the publishing interests of the growing number of independent record labels. In 1985 Martin Costello became Managing Director and soon after he struck a deal with Creation Records head, Alan McGee, resulting in Complete publishing many Creation acts, including Biff Bang Pow, The Weather Prophets, The Jazz Butcher, BMX Bandits and Andrew Innes from Primal Scream. Catalogue acquisitions became an important part of Complete’s make up. The first significant acquisition was made in 1987 with the purchase of Albion Music. The Albion catalogue contained over 1200 copyrights, including the first thirteen hit singles and five chart albums by The Stranglers. Other notable artists in this catalogue include Hazel O’Connor, 999 and Ian Gomm. The success continued with Complete signing The Primitives who’s first single ‘Crash’ reached number 5 in the charts and their first album, ‘Lovely’ entered the charts at number 6. The Getaway Music catalogue was purchased in 1989. It was started in the mid 1960’s and contains many of the Blues influenced classics from that period including early material from Eric Clapton, Ten Years After, Fleetwood Mac, Georgie Fame and much of John Mayall’s 60’s output. 1990 saw the release of ‘Loaded’ by Primal Scream, spearheading the Indie-dance crossover scene. Their album ‘Screamadelica’ was awarded the first ever Mercury Music Prize in 1992 for the best album of the year. Complete acquired the Rough Trade catalogue in 1991 and with it the right to represent songs by The Fall, Robert Wyatt, Cabaret Voltaire, The Vaselines (some of which were covered by Nirvana) and the Young Marble Giants. Two further catalogues were purchased soon after; the No Future catalogue, containing punk acts such as Blitz, Peter and the Test Tube Babies and The Partisans, and the serious music catalogue Alfred Lengnick & Co. Highlights in the Lengnick catalogue include major compositions by Sir Malcolm Arnold, William Alwyn, Edmund Rubbra and Elizabeth Maconchy. Further representation occurred in 1994 with Complete securing the rights to the Jazz Workshop catalogue in the UK containing all works by jazz giant Charles Mingus. You’ll have heard Mingus’ title ‘Moanin’ used over the past few years on the long running Tetley Bitter ‘Smoothly Does It’ TV campaign. Other notable deals struck in recent years have been the signings of Aztec Camera’s Roddy Frame, Bay City Rollers, and the legendary songwriter Russ Ballard. As well their continued work with The Stranglers, Buzzcocks and Go-Betweens, Complete Music has an active A&R policy and is committed to the development of new artists and writers. Current acts in development are Kubrick and Halflight.
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