ForgeMaster Records: One Year On

This weekend marks a full year since ForgeMaster Records first flickered into life – a label born out of a love for music you can hold in your hands, and a burning desire to recapture the fearless spirit of the independent music scene of the 1980s. From day one we’ve admitted it: ForgeMaster is a full-on tribute to the great Factory Records. Their legacy lit the path, but it’s been our artists, friends, and supporters who have made this first year such a heady ride.

Over the past twelve months, we’ve welcomed five incredible artists into the ForgeMaster fold – Mat Hook, SWAN, Chatfield, Orchidelia, and Newly Unwed – each bringing their own voice, energy, and vision to the label. Together, we’ve released two singles and one full album, and while we had hoped to do even more, the process has been a steep and thrilling learning curve. Getting music into the world takes work – and we’ve embraced every challenge.

But ForgeMaster has never been just about records. We’ve dived into merch, lent our support to gigs, and spent much of the summer at Sheffield’s Network, soaking up the live music that fuels everything we do. The DIY spirit is alive and well, and it’s been inspiring to watch it grow with every show, every record, every late-night idea.

And this is only the beginning. Year Two will be bigger and bolder: new artists are already on the horizon, our release schedule is set to ramp up, and there are plenty more plans simmering that we can’t wait to share.

To everyone who’s joined us on this journey so far – artists, fans, friends, and gig-goers – thank you. ForgeMaster Records was built for you, and with you. Here’s to another year of music, noise, and keeping it physical.