Marina Records was formed by two crazed journalists, Stefan Kassel and Frank Laehnemann, in Hamburg in 1993.  The pair had interviewed Chris Thomson of the Bathers where they found that they had an affinity with the ex Friends Again frontman.  They discovered, following a visit to Glasgow, that there were some excellent unsigned bands & resolved to do something about it. Marina's roster comprised almost entirely of Scottish talent for the first few years, a fact that received more publicity than the music itself.  Their sheer passion for the music, however, is what separates Marina from the pack.

Why Marina?  Stefan explains - "The name stands for so many positive things; it's a girl's name, it's the sea, a harbour....".

From the outset Stefan & Frank decided that all aspects of the label's output should be subject to Marina's special brand of TLC.  With a little inspiration from the 60's artwork of record companies such as Verve & Warner Bros./Seven Arts they proceeded to weave a little magic over each release.

With a special affection for crooners Marina's ultimate aim is to release a Frank Sinatra album...

1993

The label's debut was a six track 12" EP "Better Days" from Scots sextet Gazelle, a funk/jazz outfit.  This was subsequently re-released early in 1994 on CD with different artwork.

This year also saw their first major album release with The Bathers "Lagoon Blues", an ambitious effort from Chris Thomson.

  1994

After the CD re-issue of Gazelle's "Better Days", Marina kicked off the new year proper with "Triple Pulse", an album by Eight Miles High described by Stefan as "Stereo MC's meet Massive"!  Gazelle's album debut "Time Will Tell" and second single "Everything Inside" soon followed.  Marina then registered the rights to release, ex Bourgie Bourgie singer, Paul Quinn's Postcard album "Will I Ever Be Inside of You" in Europe.

1995

Marina signed another two Glasgow acts for their first product of 1995. Cowboy Mouth, featuring Graham Skinner on vocals (ex Jazzateers, Hipsway and Witness) and Douglas McIntyre (ex Love & Money).  The second signing Sugartown, again featuring Douglas McIntyre with singer Gwen Stewart (ex Wild River Apples), who has, according to Stefan Kassel, a voice "that could make 10 million Americans cry".  Cowboy Mouth's cracking debut album "Life As A Dog" and the "My Life As A Dog" EP sandwich the excellent Sugartown long player "My Life in The Horsepool".

Showcase gigs under the banner of "With Love From Marina" took place over three weekends in March at the Tramway in Glasgow.  These featured the talents of the Bathers, Sugartown and Cowboy Mouth playing different sets each week in intimate settings to audiences of around one hundred.  A six-track sampler tape was distributed at these shows, which included two tracks from each of the three acts.

The Bathers' second album "Sunpowder", exclusively previewed at the showcase concerts, was issued soon afterwards and included an inspired choice of guest appearance by Liz Fraser of the Cocteau Twins on several tracks.

 Next up was the second solo album by Malcolm Ross (ex Josef K, Orange Juice and Aztec Camera) "Low Shot", an excellent country influenced collection from the label's only known Hibs fan.

Marina finally signed their first non-Caledonian act Camping, a German duo, who created a very tuneful and melodic (perhaps Beatles influenced) long player "Maritime Strick - und Regenmoden".

Frank and Stefan were both huge Pale Fountains fans in their youth and were delighted to be able to release a great "lost album" from Michael Head's Shack.  The scouser's 12 track "Waterpistol" album was originally released in 1991 but the original masters were destroyed in a blaze at the Star Street Studios.   Head had the only remaining copy on DAT which he lost in a  hire car in the United States.  Fortunately the hire company, Alamo, managed to locate and return the tape safely.  Marina approached the publishers who agreed to the album's subsequent release.

Cowboy Mouth released their second album "Love Is Dead" to the usual critical acclaim and lack of sales.

1996

A relatively quiet year with only four releases.  "Aqua Pet...You Make Me" by The Secret Goldfish, from East Kilbride. The album also appeared on Douglas McIntyre's Creeping Bent label.

Cowboy Mouth had their final EP released before calling it a day, the limited edition four-track "Sugartown".

A collaboration with dance label Interscope resulted in an album from Glasgow based Mindstore "Lightening The Load" produced by Johnny Cameron.   Mindstore feature Fiona Colvin on vocals & Roger Shepherd on keyboards.

Marina's first label compilation was released next, the impressive "In Bed With Marina", a 22-track album guaranteed to "improve your lovelife".  A mixture of rare tracks from non-Marina artists such as Teenage Fanclub and Edwyn Collins to contributions from the label's current roster and a rare 60's classic from Harper's Bizarre.

1997

The year started in magnificent style when the Bathers' third Marina album "Kelvingrove Baby" was unleashed.  A stunning piece of work which included guest appearances from James Grant, Justin Currie & Douglas MacIntyre, by far the band's most commercial release to date which has gone on to outsell the previous two albums.

Mindstore's "Double Sided Walk" EP, "a mind-blowing trip", soon followed. Next up was Adventures in Stereo's eponymous album from Jim Beattie (ex Spirea X & Primal Scream guitarist) & vocalist Judith Boyle.

Falkirk's David Scott & partner Brian McAlpine at last managed a follow up to The Pearlfishers 1993 debut album "Za Za's Garden" - the 12 track "The Strange Underworld of the Tall Poppies" proved worth the wait.  The opening track "Even on a Sunday Afternoon" providing the first single - a slice of uplifting pop which has earned a lot of airplay, but sadly few sales.  Maybe next time lads!!

The Secret Goldfish unveiled their second album "Jet Streams", this one an exclusive Marina release co-produced by the band and Stephen Lironi.  Mindstore's "PC Streets" available as a CD EP boasted five versions of the title track in various remixed forms.

As a taster for their anthology on the band Marina issued a 7" vinyl version of "Here Comes That Feeling" by the legendary Jazzateers, closely followed by the album itself "I Shot the President".  This included the classic 1983 eponymous Rough Trade LP (aka "The Gun Album"), with Graham Skinner on vocals, and a second previously unreleased LP "Blood Is Sweeter Than Honey" with replacement singer Matthew Wilcox.

Sugartown bounced back with their second album "Slow Flows the River" and 1997 also saw the second compilation, a version of Mike Alway's "Songs for the Jetset". The Marina album dropped five numbers from the original, replaced with five tracks from Marina artists - including the recorded debut of the next big thing Die Moulinettes.

1998 and beyond

January 21st sees the release of "Happy Boy", the second album by Malcolm Ross for Marina.  Stefan predicts that 1998 will be their busiest year yet with several projects taking shape already.  These include our fave girl band Die Moulinettes' debut entitled "20 Blumen", Adventures in Stereo second album and with luck "Another Day in the Suburbs" by The Pearlfishers.

There are also a couple of projects so covert and so secret that if I told you I'd have to kill you!  However you can check out all the news as it happens by visiting the web site on http://www.marina.com.
Who knows Frank and Stefan may yet realise their ambition to release a Frank Sinatra album... (....but you'd better be quick boys!!).