Volcanic Tongue was a record shop, distribution company, and record label based in Glasgow, Scotland. It was founded in late 2004 by writer David Keenan and musician/artist Heather Leigh Murray. Initially operating as a mail-order list and website, the business opened a physical retail location in February 2006 at 1129 Argyle Street in Glasgow's West End, and later moved to The Hidden Lane. The shop closed in January 2015.
Specialization and Remit
Volcanic Tongue specialized in underground music from the United Kingdom, the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The founders described their curatorial scope as encompassing "free folk, psych, Japanese underground, noise, avant-garde, free jazz, blues, experimental, garage punk/DIY, minimal synth, drone, industrial, sound poetry, prog, American primitive, private press, acid folk, classic 1960s/1970s rock, basement scum & assorted outsider modes."
The business was unusual among retail and distribution outlets in that its stock was dictated by the personal taste of the founders rather than by market forces. Keenan stated that the shop maintained "a really tough filter" and would not stock anything they did not personally like.
Record Label
As a record label, Volcanic Tongue expanded beyond small-run art editions of the founders' own music (releases by Scorces, Taurpis Tula, and Heather Leigh Murray) to issue albums by Thurston Moore's Dream/Aktion Unit and Zaimph.
Book
Volcanic Tongue is also the title of a book collecting David Keenan's music writing, including reviews, interviews, and think pieces, featuring conversations with Nick Cave and members of Coil and Throbbing Gristle. It was published by White Rabbit.
