Merciful Release

Merciful Release is a record label started by Andrew Eldritch, frontman with Leeds band The Sisters of Mercy. As Eldritch states in an early interview, he wanted to hear himself on the radio. He and Gary Marx (Mark Pairman) played and recorded on the Sisters Of Mercy's initial single "Damage Done" and pressed one thousand copies. This record was something of a collector's item.

Throughout the early 1980s the band released several singles on Merciful Release, controlling the format and image of the records. Typically in a black sleeve with artwork centrally mounted and a head and star logo on the rear of sleeves. A notable example being Henri Matisse's Blue Nude in gold on black for the single Alice.

By 1984 the band had signed a distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records (Elektra in the US) whilst still maintaining control of Merciful Release.

In the 1990s, a number of CDs were released on the Merciful Release label for the MK Ultra: their Beluga Pop and This is This albums, and German band Scoda Blush.

List of releases

Number: Date: Group: Title: Type: comments:
MR007 ??/80 The Sisters Of Mercy The Damage Done 7-inch EP 1000x only, deleted - Some with Labels on wrong side, ones with labels on correct side are rarest.
CNT002 04/82 The Sisters Of Mercy Body Electric 7-inch single deleted
MR013 08/82 The March Violets Religious As Hell 7-inch single
MR015 11/82 The Sisters Of Mercy Alice 7-inch single
MR17 01/83 The March Violets Grooving In Green 7-inch single
MR019 03/83 The Sisters Of Mercy Anaconda 7-inch single
MR021 03/83 The Sisters Of Mercy Alice re-release 12-inch single
MR023 05/83 The Sisters Of Mercy The Reptile House EP 12-inch EP
MR025 ??/83 Salvation Girlsoul 7-inch single
MR025X ??/83 Salvation Girlsoul 12-inch single
MR027 10/83 The Sisters Of Mercy Temple Of Love 7-inch single
MRX027 10/83 The Sisters Of Mercy Temple Of Love 12-inch single
MR029 06/84 The Sisters Of Mercy Body And Soul 7-inch single
MR029T 06/84 The Sisters Of Mercy Body And Soul 12-inch single
MR031 ??/84 Salvation Clash Of Dreams 12-inch LP album wasn't launched and has never been available
MR033 10/84 The Sisters Of Mercy Walk Away 7-inch single
MR033T 10/84 The Sisters Of Mercy Walk Away 12-inch single contains lim. ed. flexible 7-inch single SAM218
MR335 02/85 The Sisters Of Mercy No Time To Cry 7-inch single
MR335T 02/85 The Sisters Of Mercy No Time To Cry 12-inch single
MR337L 03/85 The Sisters Of Mercy First And Last And Always 12-inch LP
MR337C 03/85 The Sisters Of Mercy First And Last And Always Cassette
SIS010 01/86 The Sisterhood Giving Ground 7-inch single
SIS020 06/86 The Sisterhood Gift 12-inch LP
MRAY52 07/86 James Ray And The Performance Mexico Sundown Blues 12-inch LP
MRAY52R 07/86 James Ray And The Performance Mexico Sundown Blues 7-inch radio promo
MRAY38 06/87 James Ray And The Performance Texas 7-inch single
MRAY38T 06/87 James Ray And The Performance Texas 12-inch single
MR039 09/87 The Sisters Of Mercy This Corrosion 7-inch single
MR039T 09/87 The Sisters Of Mercy This Corrosion 12-inch single
MR039C 09/87 The Sisters Of Mercy This Corrosion cassette
MR039CD 09/87 The Sisters Of Mercy This Corrosion CD-single
MR039B 09/87 The Sisters Of Mercy This Corrosion 7-inch boxed set
MR441L 11/87 The Sisters Of Mercy Floodland 12-inch LP
MR441C 11/87 The Sisters Of Mercy Floodland Cassette
MR242246-2 11/87 The Sisters Of Mercy Floodland CD
MR043 02/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Dominion 7-inch single
MR043T 02/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Dominion 12-inch single
MR043CD 02/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Dominion CD-single
MR043C 02/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Dominion Cassette box set
MR043TB 02/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Dominion 12-inch box set
MR045 06/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Lucretia My Reflection 7-inch single
MR045T 06/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Lucretia My Reflection 12-inch single
MR045CD 06/88 The Sisters Of Mercy Lucretia My Reflection CD-single
MR240 616-2 ??/88 The Sisters Of Mercy First And Last And Always CD Album
MRAY11 10/89 James Ray And The Performance Dust Boat 7-inch single
MRAY89CD ??/89 James Ray And The Performance A New Kind Of Assassin CD Album
MRAY99 ??/90 James Ray's Gangwar Another Million Dollars 12-inch single
MRAY101 ??/90 James Ray's Gangwar Without Conscience 7-inch single
MRAY101T ??/90 James Ray's Gangwar Without Conscience 12-inch single
MRAY101CD ??/90 James Ray's Gangwar Without Conscience CD-single
MR47 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy More 7-inch single
MR47T 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy More 12-inch single
MR47CD 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy More CD-single
MR47CDX 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy More CD-single 12-inch gatefold cover 5000x
MR449L 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Vision Thing 12-inch LP
MR449C 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Vision Thing Cassette
MR9031-72663-2 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Vision Thing CD Album
MR9031-72663-2 10/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Vision Thing CD Album lim. ed. 10000x
MR51 12/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Doctor Jeep 7-inch single
MR51T 12/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Doctor Jeep 12-inch single
MR51CD 12/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Doctor Jeep CD-single
MR51TX 12/90 The Sisters Of Mercy Doctor Jeep 12-inch single lim. ed. 5000x
MR53 02/91 The Sisters Of Mercy When You Don't See Me 7-inch single
MR53T 02/91 The Sisters Of Mercy When You Don't See Me 12-inch single
MR53CD 02/91 The Sisters Of Mercy When You Don't See Me CD-single
MR53TX 02/91 The Sisters Of Mercy When You Don't See Me 12-inch single lim. ed. 5000x
MR053 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Temple Of Love (1992) 7-inch single
MR053T 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Temple Of Love (1992) 12-inch single
MR053TX 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Temple Of Love (1992) 12-inch single limited edition
MR053CD 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Temple Of Love (1992) CD-single
MR053CDX 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Temple Of Love (1992) CD-single limited edition
MR555L 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Some Girls Wander By Mistake 12-inch LP
MR555C 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Some Girls Wander By Mistake Cassette
MR9031-76476-2 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Some Girls Wander By Mistake CD Album
MR9031-76476-2 04/92 The Sisters Of Mercy Some Girls Wander By Mistake CD Album numbered lim. ed. of 500
MR9031-77379-2YS /92 The Sisters Of Mercy First And Last And Always CD digitally remastered
MRAY341CD ??/92 James Ray's Gangwar Dios Esta De Nuestro Lado CD Album (tr: God Is On Our Side)
MR59 ??/93 The Sisters Of Mercy Under The Gun 7-inch single
MR59T ??/93 The Sisters Of Mercy Under The Gun 12-inch single
MR59CD ??/93 The Sisters Of Mercy Under The Gun CD-single
MR59CDX ??/93 The Sisters Of Mercy Under The Gun CD-single lim. ed.
MR557 ??/93 The Sisters Of Mercy A Slight Case Of Overbombing 12-inch double-LP
4509-93579-4 ??/93 The Sisters Of Mercy A Slight Case Of Overbombing Cassette
4509-93579-2 ??/93 The Sisters Of Mercy A Slight Case Of Overbombing CD Album
MREL001 16/05/94 La Costa Rasa Autopilot CD
MREL002 ??/94 The MK Ultra This Is This CD (The MK Ultra is another James Ray incarnation)
MREL003 ??/95 The MK Ultra Beluga Pop CD
MREL004 01/98 Scoda Blush Little Late CD distributed by Rough Trade


See also