THE Northwich record label that launched the career of indie stalwarts The Charlatans turned 30 this year and is reissuing all its music releases.

Dead Dead Good has signed a global distribution deal which will see its back catalogue, plus Transworld and Delicious Grooves label releases reissued and online for the first time.

Amongst the archive will be music from bands such as The Chameleons, Bowa, Digital Orgasm, Orange Deluxe and The Charlatans, as well as previously unreleased material, demos and live recordings.

The label, which was celebrated during a three-day festival in Northwich last May, was set up by Steve Harrison, who launched the first Omega Records store in Winsford before setting up shops in Northwich, Altrincham, Crewe, Macclesfield and Wigan.

He spoke to the Guardian about Dead Dead Good’s new partnership with Phoenix Music International shortly after the archive went live with the re-release of Northwich band The Cherrys’ 1993 single Song for Me.

How does it feel to be able to do this now?

“The idea is all about celebrating the label which I failed to remember is 30 years old this year, a fact lost on me until I was told last month!

“We are not getting any younger and the old adage of ‘I hope I die before I get old’ no-longer seems to apply as bands I’ve worked with such as The Charlatans, The Chameleons and Peter Hook who are now headed to their pensions and still at it.

“I think we need to put it into the archive and register it all for futures generations, and who knows we might find some new bits to champion? I don’t want it to be retrospectively investigated once I’ve turned to dust, I’d rather it be there and be part of the celebratory and archiving process while its being done.”

What does it mean for the artists who were signed to Dead Dead Good?

“I’ve written off any unrecouped balances and we will split the revenue directly down the middle – a 50/50 split.

“Some of the balances were negatively into six-figures and realistically there would be no chance of ever recouping, so this gives them a platform to share their music as we’re linked in with Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, iTunes, Google, Deezer, Tidal, and Napster.

Which releases will you be reissuing?

“Most of the releases will be remastered, either from old school tape else through a module or bit a mystical voodoo! Gone are the days of us mastering in New York City at Sterling Sound!

“A very important and proud moment will be the release of The Treatment Organisation album, Forget the Democratic Process (Just Shoot the B******). It was the first ever project I was involved in from the days of the first Omega Records store in Winsford. The lads were customers and friends – good souls.

“I put together a deal for them at Native Records who had just had a hit with the Darling Buds but sadly something went wrong between the label and the studio, and the album never got released. It is a 10-track hard hitting album with a political underbelly. The kind of records we specialised in.

“I was keen to revisit some band old demos, live recordings and unissued material. Some artists are up for it and a real minority are not. Orange Deluxe are keen to use the platform to share their unissued third album including production work by Orbital. It’s quite exciting finding and then sharing old masters.”

Will you distribute any physical releases?

“We’re looking at all options post lockdown. Everything will be available which will mean the best part of 30 albums, and over 100 singles – some music for the first time. I’ve already discussed the physical release of the Invincible album Venus which features Mark Burgess from The Chameleons and Yves Altana from Wonky Alice, but principally it’s about making the music available online, at least in the short-term.

“The has been a discussion of a label boxset, but let’s see how the appetite is.”

What’s next for the label?

“Fundamentally this is a legacy thing. There will be a ‘before DDG’ which will link to bands such as Treatment and others associated with the music scene connecting to Omega Records. There will be an ‘along with DDG’ or ‘friends of DDG’ release schedule and one of the first albums will be the acclaimed Wonky Alice album Atomic Raindance.

“There will be a place for ‘post DDG’ which will revisit work by some of the artists still making music. Jez Williams of Doves, who released Hammond Song under the guise of Deviation, has already said he’d like to update it or do something new if he can find the old synths.”

How are things coming along with your book Here Are the Young Men – A Life in Music?

“I lost a degree of momentum when I lost my dad following a rather traumatic period because of an infection from surgery. My mum was diagnosed with cancer just before, but thankfully she came through with flying colours after 12 hours of surgery. Unbelievable as she was 80 at the time!

“I’ve done circa 160,000 words but not necessarily in the right order. Incidents like family and now Covid 19 have created an imbalance and, to be fair, a change of short-term priorities. I have a deadline of August to complete. I have to get it done. There’s just not enough hours in the day and as a one man band its tough.”

To find out more about upcoming Dead Dead Good digital releases visit deaddeadgood.com, follow @dead_dead_good_  on Twitter, dead_dead_good_mngt on Instagram and Dead Dead Good Management on Facebook.