Ivo Watts-Russell’s legendary independent record label 4AD — home in the ’80s and ’90s to the Pixies, Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil, Throwing Muses and so many more — will be the subject an exhaustive history this fall with the publication of journalist Martin Aston’s new book “Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD.”
Due out Sept. 26, the book promises to tell the story of the label’s first 20 years, from its inception in 1980 through the late ’90s, via interviews with more than 100 artists and label staff, including Watts-Russell and what is being billed as the first-ever interview with label co-founder Peter Kent, who left the music industry in 1982 “and willingly disappeared into obscurity.”
HarperCollins will create a standalone website specifically for ordering the limited-edition version — details to follow — and Amazon only will get copies if the 1,000 don’t sell out through that website.