Creeping Bent
An independent Glasgow record label associated with Scottish post-punk, experimental pop, electronic music, and artist-led collaborations.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Creeping Bent is an independent record label established by Douglas MacIntyre in Glasgow in 1994. Also known as The Creeping Bent Organisation, it emerged within the Scottish independent-music tradition and has been described as a successor to influential earlier labels such as Postcard Records and Fast Product. Rather than operating as a narrowly defined genre imprint, Creeping Bent has released work spanning post-punk, electronic music, experimental pop, indie rock, songwriting, and collaborations between musicians from different scenes and generations. The label was formally introduced on 12 December 1994 through an event at Glasgow's Tramway theatre titled “A Leap into The Void.” The programme combined film, theatre, and pop music, and its title referenced the work of French artist Yves Klein. This launch established Creeping Bent as a cultural project as much as a conventional recording company, with an interest in performance, visual presentation, historical connections, and unusual musical partnerships. One of the label's early high-profile releases was “Frankie Teardrop,” a 1995 collaboration involving Suicide vocalist Alan Vega and Altered Images drummer Stephen Lironi. The single was selected as NME's single of the week, giving the young imprint visibility beyond Scotland's independent-music network. Creeping Bent subsequently developed a catalogue involving established figures from post-punk and experimental music alongside newer or less commercially oriented acts. Its associated artists have included Adventures in Stereo, Appendix Out, The Fire Engines, Future Pilot A.K.A., Vic Godard, The Nectarine No. 9, Monica Queen, Gareth Sager, The Secret Goldfish, Alan Vega, Port Sulphur, Jazzateers, and Transelement. It also issued the 2002 album Ghost of Yesterday by Bill Wells and Isobel Campbell. The label's connection with British broadcasting and alternative music culture was reinforced in 1998, when John Peel selected Creeping Bent as the featured label for the Meltdown Festival at London's Royal Festival Hall. Artists connected with the imprint recorded 20 sessions for Peel's BBC Radio 1 programme, an unusually substantial level of exposure for an independent label and an indication of its standing within the UK's experimental and independent scenes. Creeping Bent marked its twentieth anniversary in January 2014 with performances involving Sexual Objects and an appearance by The Pop Group at Celtic Connections. The label has continued to be associated with releases by artists including Port Sulphur, Jazzateers, Transelement, and Gareth Sager. Its significance rests less on mass-market scale than on curatorial breadth, its Glasgow base, its links to the history of Scottish independent music, and its role in connecting post-punk veterans with exploratory contemporary projects.
History
Creeping Bent was founded in Glasgow in 1994 by Douglas MacIntyre. Its emergence followed a distinguished period in Scottish independent music associated with labels such as Postcard Records and Fast Product, and the imprint has subsequently been characterized as a successor to those earlier operations. Creeping Bent adopted a broad cultural and musical remit rather than presenting itself as a narrowly commercial genre label. The label's public launch took place at Glasgow's Tramway theatre on 12 December 1994. Called “A Leap into The Void,” the event drew on a reference to Yves Klein and combined film, theatre, and pop music. This multidisciplinary introduction reflected the label's interest in the relationship between recorded music, performance, and visual culture. In 1995, Creeping Bent released “Frankie Teardrop,” a collaboration between Suicide singer Alan Vega and Altered Images drummer Stephen Lironi. The single was selected as NME's single of the week, providing early national exposure. Over time, the catalogue expanded across independent pop, post-punk, electronic music, experimental composition, and singer-songwriter work. Associated acts included The Fire Engines, Adventures in Stereo, Appendix Out, Future Pilot A.K.A., Vic Godard, The Nectarine No. 9, Monica Queen, Gareth Sager, The Secret Goldfish, and Alan Vega. The label also released Ghost of Yesterday, a 2002 album by Bill Wells and Isobel Campbell. Creeping Bent became particularly visible within the UK's alternative-music infrastructure in 1998. John Peel chose the imprint as the featured label for the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall. Artists connected with Creeping Bent recorded 20 sessions for Peel's BBC Radio 1 show, strengthening the label's association with experimental and independent music. The label continued to be linked with releases by Port Sulphur, Jazzateers, Transelement, and Gareth Sager. In January 2014, it celebrated its twentieth anniversary through live events featuring Sexual Objects and The Pop Group at Celtic Connections. The available record presents Creeping Bent as a long-running, artist-focused Glasgow imprint whose importance derives from its curatorial network and its continuity with Scottish independent-label history rather than from corporate scale or chart-driven expansion.
- 2014
Twentieth-anniversary events
[1]The label commemorates its twentieth anniversary with performances involving Sexual Objects and The Pop Group at Celtic Connections.
- 2002
Release of Ghost of Yesterday
[1]Creeping Bent releases Bill Wells and Isobel Campbell's collaborative album Ghost of Yesterday.
- 1998
Featured label at Meltdown
[1]John Peel selects Creeping Bent as the featured label for the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall.
- 1995
“Frankie Teardrop” receives NME recognition
[1]The Alan Vega and Stephen Lironi collaboration is named NME's single of the week.
- 1994
Label founded in Glasgow
[1]Douglas MacIntyre establishes Creeping Bent as an independent record label.
- 1994
Formal launch at Tramway
[1]The label is introduced through “A Leap into The Void,” a multidisciplinary event held at Glasgow's Tramway theatre on 12 December.
Products and positioning
A Glasgow independent label positioned around adventurous, cross-generational music and the continuation of Scotland's post-punk and experimental-pop tradition.
Single · 1995
Frankie Teardrop
A 1995 collaboration between Suicide vocalist Alan Vega and Altered Images drummer Stephen Lironi. The release became one of Creeping Bent's most visible early titles after being selected as NME's single of the week.
Studio album · 2002
Ghost of Yesterday
A 2002 album by Bill Wells and Isobel Campbell issued through Creeping Bent. It represents the label's interest in collaborative projects that connect experimental, independent, and song-oriented musical practices.
Independent music catalogue · 1994
Creeping Bent catalogue
The label's wider catalogue includes recordings associated with The Fire Engines, Adventures in Stereo, Appendix Out, Future Pilot A.K.A., Vic Godard, The Nectarine No. 9, Monica Queen, Gareth Sager, The Secret Goldfish, Port Sulphur, Jazzateers, Transelement, and other artists.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Creeping Bent twentieth anniversary
United Kingdom
A series of anniversary performances involving Sexual Objects and The Pop Group at Celtic Connections.
Outcome. Marked two decades of the Glasgow label's activity and its links to post-punk and experimental music.
- 1994A Leap into The Void
United Kingdom
A multidisciplinary launch event at Glasgow's Tramway theatre combining film, theatre, and pop music.
Outcome. Established Creeping Bent publicly as a culturally oriented independent label.
Brand decisions
1998
Participation in John Peel's Meltdown programmeStrategyBackground
John Peel curated the 1998 Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall.
Action taken
Peel selected Creeping Bent as the featured label, and associated artists recorded 20 sessions for his BBC Radio 1 programme.
Aftermath
The association increased the label's visibility within Britain's independent and experimental music communities.
1994
Launch as a multidisciplinary independent labelStrategyBackground
Creeping Bent entered the market within Scotland's established independent-label tradition.
Action taken
The label introduced itself through a live event incorporating film, theatre, and pop music rather than relying solely on a conventional release campaign.
Aftermath
The launch helped define Creeping Bent as an artist- and culture-focused imprint.
Recent events
- 2014
Creeping Bent marks its twentieth anniversary[1]
Campaign
The label celebrated two decades with shows featuring Sexual Objects and The Pop Group at Celtic Connections.
- 1998
Creeping Bent featured at the 1998 Meltdown Festival[1]
Campaign
John Peel selected Creeping Bent as the featured label during his curation of the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall.
- 1995
“Frankie Teardrop” named NME single of the week[1]
Product launch
The Creeping Bent release by Alan Vega and Stephen Lironi received prominent recognition from NME.
- 1994
Creeping Bent launches with “A Leap into The Void”[1]
Other
The Glasgow label was formally launched at the Tramway theatre through a multidisciplinary event combining film, theatre, and pop music.
Sources1 sources
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