Various Artists – Compendium Records

Plastic Strip is proud to present the first retrospective documentation of Norway`s first alternative record store and progressive label, Compendium Records. Compendium started out in 1974 as a classic hippie enterprise: a lucky set of circumstances, practically no money and a complete disregard for any and all usual business practices. But the business idea was good. At the time, the price difference between Norway and England for records was quite substantial, and Compendium found out that they could sell the albums cheaper than the other stores by importing directly from England and still make money. After harassing parents and friends for startup capital, they managed to buy 6-7 boxes of the hottest items and put them up for sale in a dilapidated basement in an obscure part of Oslo. The first crew of Compendium Records consisted of Frode Holm, Gunnar Skogen and Jomar Johansen; all a little bit ‘off center’ from the usual Oslo music scene, in that they all liked to listen to jazz and pretty much any kind of ‘out there’ music, like Frank Zappa and Soft Machine and the whole Cantebury movement.