Yellow Van Records

Yellow Van Records is an independent British record-label imprint associated with the Sheffield indie rock band Little Man Tate. The label was established by the group during its early rise in the mid-2000s and was used to issue the band's first two singles, "The Agent" and "What? What You Got?". Its name commemorated a yellow van that had been stolen, together with the band's equipment, after an early Little Man Tate performance at Fibbers, then known as Barfly, in York. The label operated in the context of a highly localized and self-organized British indie scene. Before signing to V2 Records in March 2006, Little Man Tate had built attention through live performances, direct contact with listeners, online communication and fan activity on platforms such as MySpace and the band's own forum. Yellow Van Records gave the band a way to release early material while retaining a direct connection with its audience. The first single, "The Agent", appeared on seven-inch vinyl in March 2006, with its initial pressing selling out through pre-orders. The record sleeve acknowledged the band's online community by including the usernames of forum members. After "The Agent", Yellow Van Records issued "What? What You Got?" in May 2006. The single reached the UK Top 40, helping establish the band nationally before its move into a label relationship with V2. Subsequent Little Man Tate releases, including the band's debut album About What You Know and later singles, were primarily connected with V2 and, after the group's departure from that company, Skint Records rather than the original Yellow Van imprint. The label name returned in a new form in 2020 when Little Man Tate prepared the long-delayed release of "Boy in the Anorak". The song had originally been intended as an eighth V2 single in 2007, but its commercial release was cancelled near the scheduled date; the band distributed copies at a Christmas concert and later made it available temporarily through its own website. Following the band's reunion concerts in Sheffield in October 2021, the track was formally released in October 2020 on streaming services under the name Yellow Van 2020. This revival connected the imprint with the band's independent history and its return to public activity, although available reference material does not establish whether Yellow Van Records continued as a broader label serving other artists.

Yellow Van Records emerged from Little Man Tate's early development in Sheffield, England. The band had spent years playing in local groups and small venues before adopting the Little Man Tate name in 2005. Its early growth was strongly tied to live performance, local word of mouth and direct online communication with supporters. In that setting, the group created Yellow Van Records as an artist-controlled vehicle for releasing its first music. The imprint's name referred to a yellow van stolen after an early Little Man Tate show at Fibbers in York, along with the band's equipment. Rather than presenting the label as a large commercial operation, the name reflected the band's local identity and its informal, self-organized approach. Yellow Van Records released "The Agent" on seven-inch vinyl on 6 March 2006. The first 1,800 copies sold as pre-orders, and the sleeve included the usernames of 273 members of the band's online forum. That packaging detail illustrated the label's close relationship with the band's developing fan network. The second release, "What? What You Got?", followed on 22 May 2006. It reached number 40 on the UK Singles Chart and helped move the band from a regional act into the national indie conversation. Little Man Tate signed with V2 Records in March 2006, so Yellow Van Records functioned primarily as an early release imprint rather than the band's long-term principal label. Later 2006 singles, the 2007 debut album About What You Know, and other releases were associated with V2. After V2 was acquired by Universal Music Group, Little Man Tate left the label in November 2007 and subsequently worked with Skint Records. The imprint's history is also connected with the unreleased 2007 single "Boy in the Anorak". The song was promoted as a planned Little Man Tate release, but the single was cancelled shortly before release. Promotional copies circulated, the track was briefly available through iTunes, and the band later gave away copies at a Blackpool concert and made it downloadable from its website. In October 2020, after the band had announced reunion performances, Little Man Tate finally issued the track on major streaming platforms under the name Yellow Van 2020. This release represented a revival of the original imprint identity rather than evidence of a large-scale expansion into a multi-artist label. Available reference material does not identify a separate corporate parent, public listing, permanent headquarters or roster of artists signed independently of Little Man Tate. The label is therefore best understood as a band-linked independent imprint whose documented output is concentrated on the group's releases and archival material.

• 2020

  Yellow Van 2020 releases Boy in the Anorak

  [1]Little Man Tate (band)en.wikipedia.org

  The previously cancelled Little Man Tate single received its first full public streaming release under the revived Yellow Van 2020 label name.

• 2006

  Yellow Van Records releases The Agent

  [1]Little Man Tate (band)en.wikipedia.org

  Little Man Tate issued its first single, "The Agent", on seven-inch vinyl through the band-associated imprint. The initial pressing sold out through pre-orders.

• 2006

  What? What You Got? reaches the UK Top 40

  [1]Little Man Tate (band)en.wikipedia.org

  The imprint's second documented single, "What? What You Got?", reached number 40 on the UK Singles Chart.

A self-managed, artist-led indie label imprint rooted in Sheffield's grassroots live and fan culture, used initially to release Little Man Tate material directly before the band entered larger-label arrangements.

• Single · 2006

  The Agent

  Little Man Tate's first documented Yellow Van Records release, issued on seven-inch vinyl in March 2006 with "Just Can't Take It" as its B-side. The initial run reportedly sold out through pre-orders, and the sleeve prominently connected the release with the band's online forum community.

• Single · 2006

  What? What You Got?

  The second documented Yellow Van Records single by Little Man Tate. Released in May 2006, it became the imprint's strongest charting release in the available account, reaching number 40 on the UK Singles Chart.

• Single · 2020

  Boy in the Anorak

  A Little Man Tate song originally planned as a 2007 single but cancelled before a standard public release. After limited distribution and a later period of online availability, it was formally released on streaming services in October 2020 under the revived Yellow Van 2020 name.

• 2020

  Revive the imprint for Boy in the AnorakProduct launch

  Background

  The song had been intended for release in 2007 but was cancelled shortly before launch and had only circulated through limited or temporary channels.

  Action taken

  Little Man Tate released the track across major streaming services under the name Yellow Van 2020.

  Aftermath

  The release restored the Yellow Van identity as an archival and reunion-era outlet for the band's own music.

  Source

• 2006

  Use an artist-controlled imprint for the band's first singlesStrategy

  Background

  Little Man Tate was building an audience through local shows, online forums and direct fan communication while attracting interest from larger record companies.

  Action taken

  The band used Yellow Van Records to issue "The Agent" and "What? What You Got?" before its early catalog became associated with V2 Records.

  Aftermath

  The releases helped establish the band's profile, with "What? What You Got?" reaching number 40 in the UK Singles Chart, while the group proceeded with a larger-label relationship.

  Source

1. 1Little Man Tate (band)en.wikipedia.org