An independent label with Punk leanings; the first of several labels set up by Miles Copeland. Illegal is probably best known for being the label which launched The Police, though at the time of their 'Fall Out' single (IL-001; 1977) the prospect of superstardom must have seemed a million miles away to them. John Cale and Antipodean rock group Split Enz also recorded for the company. Illegal records were distributed by Lightning initially, as were the other labels in Copeland's 'Faulty Products' group, Step Forward and Deptford Fun City; late in 1979 Pye took over that job. The change of manufacturer saw a change of catalogue numbers, from IL-000 to ILS-0000, and a new label design (2) - that scan appears by courtesy of Nicholas Hough. The numbers reached 0035 in 1983; the company was still going in 1988, in which year Gary Numan took it into both the Singles and Albums Charts.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.