Delerium Records - Foundation

Foundation

Founded in 1991 by Richard Allen and Ivor Trueman in Buckinghamshire, England, Delerium Records was originally set up to provide the free 7" records that were given away with Freakbeat magazine before it evolved into a label to promote new psychedelic music. The development of the label had been encouraged by Greg Shaw who Allen had come to know through the international independent record scene and a mutual interest in psychedelic culture. Allen had previously written a music column for UK Counter-culture magazine Encyclopaedia Psychedelica, briefly managed Irish American rock band The Steppes and in 1987 had joined up with Trueman to help co-edit Freakbeat, a 3D garage and psychedelia magazine that Trueman had founded in 1985. Trueman had previously founded the Pink Floyd fan magazine, The Amazing Pudding.

Delerium became widely known due to the huge success of British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree - whom Allen discovered and then managed up until 2004 - but Delerium also released numerous recordings by many other artists, including Ozric Tentacles, Kava Kava, Mandragora, Sons of Selina, Moom, Sadaar Bazaar, and Omnia Opera. The double CD label Sampler Pick and Mix was one of the first budget CD samplers and sold over 15,000 copies. Other compilations included the non psychedelic CD No Compromize released in aid of the Campaign for Free Education featuring artists including Dreadzone, Zion Train, Kava Kava, Utah Saints, Eat Static, Suede, Chumbawamba and The Wedding Present.

Trueman left the music industry in 2000 and Allen carried on managing Porcupine Tree and running the Delerium label. By 2002 Delerium had become inactive as the market for new psychedelic and progressive rock bands faded, but a couple of releases were re-issued including Psychomuzak's album 'The Extasie' in 2004 - which was produced by Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson - and Porcupine Tree's Moonloop which was previously a fan club only album that was reissued in limited quantities on both CD and vinyl.