GWR Records
GWR Records was an independent record label active in the UK from 1986 through to 1991. Eventually, Motörhead managers Douglas Smith and Dave Simmons bought the band out of its contract and Bron subsequently sold the Bronze Records rights onto Legacy Records owner Ray Richards. Richards then contacted Smith with a proposal for a joint venture to release new product by Motörhead, leading to the formation of GWR Records (named after Smith's business address of 15 Great Western Road).
GWR Records
- Name
- GWR Records
- Founded
- 1986
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Dissolved
- 1991
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Documentary summary
GWR Records was an independent record label active in the UK from 1986 through to 1991. Eventually, Motörhead managers Douglas Smith and Dave Simmons bought the band out of its contract and Bron subsequently sold the Bronze Records rights onto Legacy Records owner Ray Richards. Richards then contacted Smith with a proposal for a joint venture to release new product by Motörhead, leading to the formation of GWR Records (named after Smith's business address of 15 Great Western Road).
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wikidata · Q1093518 · wikipedia · GWR Records
In this article
Overview
Overview
In addition to Motörhead, the label mainly released product by acts associated with Smith, such as Girlschool, Fastway, Hawkwind, Tank, Atomgods and Anti-Nowhere League, and bands from the thrash metal scene.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — GWR Records • Founded — 1986 • Founder — Doug Smith, Ray Richards • Status — Defunct • Distributor — Roadrunner Records (Europe), Enigma Records (US) • Genre — Heavy metal, thrash metal, space rock, punk rock • Location — London
Albums
Albums
• GWS1 – Hawkwind – Live Chronicles – 1986 • GWRGBS1 – Various Artists – Bristol Custom Bike Show – 1986 • GWLP1 – Motörhead – Orgasmatron – 1986 • GWLP2 – Girlschool – Nightmare at Maple Cross – 1986 • GWLP3 – Jon Mikl Thor – Recruits – Wild In the Streets – 1986 • GWLP4 – Motörhead – Overkill – re-issue 1986 • GWLP5 – Motörhead – Bomber – re-issue 1986 • GWLP6 – Motörhead – Ace of Spades – re-issue 1986 • GWLP7 – Motörhead – No Sleep 'til Hammersmith – re-issue 1986 • GWLP8 – Wendy O. Williams – Maggots: The Record – licensed 1987 • GWLP9 – Cro-Mags – The Age of Quarrel – licensed 1987 • GWLP10 – Sword – Metalized – licensed 1987 • GWLP11 – • GWLP12 – Anti-Nowhere League – Perfect Crime – 1987 • GWLP13 – Tritonz – The Edge Of Hell – 1987 • GWLP14 – Motörhead – Rock 'n' Roll – 1987 • GWLP15 – Living Death - Protected from Reality - licensed 1987 • GWLP16 – Holy Moses - Queen of Siam - licensed 1987 • GWLP17 – Mekong Delta – Mekong Delta – licensed 1987 • GWLP18 – • GWLP19 – Holy Moses - Finished with the Dogs - licensed 1987 • GWLP20 – Last Descendants – One Nation Under God – licensed 1988 • GWLP21 – Girlschool – Take a Bite – 1988 • GWLP22 – Fastway – On Target – 1988 • GWLP23 – Tank – Tank – 1988 • GWLP24 – King Kurt – The Last Will & Testicle – 1988 • GWLP25 – Mekong Delta – The Music of Erich Zann – licensed 1988 • GWLP26 – Hawkwind – The Xenon Codex – 1988 • GWLP27 – Lloyd Langton Group – Time Space and LLG – 1988 • GWLP28 – Batfish – Batfish Brew – 1988 • GWLP29 – Texas Instruments – Texas Instruments – 1988 • GWLP30 – Atomgods – WOW! – 1988 • GWLP31 – Motörhead – No Sleep at All – 1988 • GWLP32 – Andrea Black - Andrea Black - 1988 • GWLP33 – Deathwish – Demon Preacher – 1988 • GWLP34 – • GWLP35 – Killer Dwarfs - Killer Dwarfs - licensed 1988 • GWLP36 – Miss Daisy – Pizza Connection – 1989 • GWLP37 – Elvis Hitler – Disgraceland – 1989 • GWLP38 – The Pandoras - Rock Hard – licensed 1989 • GWLP39 – The Vandals - Slippery When Ill - licensed 1989 • GWLP41 – Mass – Take You Home – licensed 1989 • GWLP42 – Num Skull – Ritually Abused – licensed 1989 • GWLP43 – Social Distortion – Prison Bound – 1989 • GWLP44 – Wasted Youth – Black Daze – licensed 1989 • GWLP45 – Sword – Sweet Dreams – licensed 1989 • GWLP46 – Pajama Slave Dancers - Blood, Sweat and Beers - licensed 1989 • GWLP47 – Sacriliege BC – Too Cool to Pray – licensed 1989 • GWLP48 – SGM – Aggression – licensed 1989 • GWLP49 – 7 Seconds - Ourselves - licensed 1989 • GWLP50 – Personal Effects – Mana Fiesta – licensed 1989 • GWLP51 – • GWLP52 – T.S.O.L. - Beneath the Shadows - reissue 1989 • GWLP53 – Ronnie Montrose – The Speed of Sound – 1989 • GWLP101 – Motörhead – The Birthday Party - 1990 • GWLP102 – Helix – Back for Another Taste – 1990 • GWLP103 – Hawkwind – Space Bandits – 1990 • GWLP104 – Hawkwind – Palace Springs – 1991 • GWLP??? – Atomgod – History Re-Written – 1991
Singles
Singles
• GWR1 – Girlschool – "I'm the Leader of the Gang" / "Never Too Late" – 1986 • GWR2 – Motörhead – "Deaf Forever" / "On the Road" (live) / 12" only: "Steal Your Face" (live) – 1986 • GWR3 – Jon Mikl Thor – "Wild in the Streets" – 1986 • GWR4 – Würzel – "Bess" / "Midnight in London" / "People Say I'm Crazy" / "E.S.P." – 1987 • GWR5 – • GWR6 – Motörhead – "Eat the Rich" / "Cradle to the Grave" / 12" only: "Just 'Cos You Got the Power" – 1987 • GWR7 – Batfish Boys – "Bomb Song" – 1987 • GWR8 – Fastway – "A Fine Line" – 1988 • GWR9 – The Kurts – "Bye Bye Baby" / "Prussian Stomp" – 1988 • GWR10 – • GWR11 – • GWR12 – Tokyo – "Listen to Your Heartbeat" / "Satisfaction Guaranteed" / "Sixteen" – 1988 • GWR13 – • GWR14 – • GWR15 – Motörhead – "Ace of Spades" (live) / "Dogs" (live) / "Traitor" (live) (Withdrawn) – 1988
Institutional history
Dated record
Institutional history
Explore 1986–1991
The full dated record · 6 entries
1986
GWR Records established.
1986
GWR Records is recorded from 1986.
1986
GWR Records was established or created on 1 January 1986.
1987
GWR Records was established or created on 1 January 1987.
1991
GWR Records ceased.
1991
GWR Records was dissolved or ceased in 1991.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- United Kingdom
Context
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which GWR Records stands. Established or created on 1 January 1986. Established or created on 1 January 1987. Dissolved or ceased in 1991. Situated in United Kingdom. Recorded as record label. Classed in the genre heavy metal music. Classed in the genre space rock. Associated with United Kingdom.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1093518: GWR Records
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “GWR Records”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Clerk, Carol. The Saga of Hawkwind. Omnibus Press. 336. 2004. 1-84449-832-8.
- 2.Masson, Gordon. U.k.'s Sanctuary Buys Castle Music. AllBusiness.com. Dun & Bradstreet. 8 April 2000.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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