About

Reekus is a record label and publishing company based in Dublin, Ireland, devoted to promoting interesting, mainly Irish, alternative music. With a roster that includes psych-rockers Sweet Jane and grit-glam rock ‘n’rollers Preachers Son, over the years Reekus has released albums by leading Irish artists including The Blades, Saville, David Hopkins, Perry Blake, Paul Cleary, Myp et Jeep, Sundrive, Mocrac, Reemo, The Moondogs, Carosel, Metisse, Big Self and performance artist Nigel Rolfe, as well launching the career of others including Eva Queen, Deetrich and Aslan.

2003 saw a movement into print with the publication of the highly acclaimed book ‘It Makes You Want To Spit – the definitive guide to punk in Ulster’, a very comprehensive account of the punk music scene in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

The birth of Reekus in 1981 came about through Kaught at the Kampus, a vehicle for four Cork bands who featured regularly in support slots at the Downtown Kampus, a regular club night in the Cork Arcadia ballroom, which was a pivotal gig in the Irish rock scene, and run by Reekus founder Elvera Butler. Regularly hosting top bands of the time such as The Cure, The Stranglers, The Specials, The Beat, UB40, Rory Gallagher, The Undertones, and up-and-coming Irish acts such as U2 and Stiff Little Fingers, the policy was to encourage local bands by giving them support slots to the bigger names, and this gave rise to a dynamic music scene, some of which was captured at an exclusively Cork live show on August 31st 1980. The resultant 12” vinyl mini-album, Kaught at the Kampus, was the first Reekus release, and featured Microdisney, Nun Attax, Mean Features and Urban Blitz, three of whom went on to different levels of success abroad; Microdisney signed to Rough Trade and then Virgin, and later became Fatima Mansions, and members Sean O Hagan then formed the High Llamas, while Cathal Coughlan continues to have a successful solo career. Mean Features vocalist Mick Lynch went on to front Stump in the UK, while Nun Attax changed their name to 5 Go Down to the Sea, and later Beethoven ****Beethoven, with releases on both Setanta and the fledgling Creation Records. During the 80s, with offices in both Dublin and London, Reekus continued to support Irish music, with releases that included The Blades, Big Self, and Aslan among others. The millenium brought new energy with the release of the Blades albums on CD, followed by a new album from Blades’ mainman Paul Cleary, and these were quickly followed by several new signings.