The significance of Fire Records in the tapestry of the UK music industry can be seen with a quick glance across its list of associated artists. Having released early records from the likes of Pulp, Spacemen 3, The Blue Aeroplanes and Teenage Fanclub, it went on to sign acts such as The Lemonheads and Neutral Milk Hotel in the ‘90s.

But, after the increasing costs that came with growing success, an A&R direction that had started to drift wayward ...