Sticky was formed almost by accident in 1981 as a vehicle for releasing Steve Butler's first album, Oblique, on cassette. Tom Morton (now of Radio Scotland and the Scotsman) actually came up with the name: "Call it Sticky Tapes," he suggested to Steve. Now on its 46th release, Sticky Music, as it became, has consistently pursued its own vision of what good music should be regardless of the vagaries of fashion.

Dot Reid and Steve Butler were the original partners and in the 80s released a series of cassette albums by bands like Talking Drums and The Victors. We had a narrow brush with commercial success when the Talking Drums' single "Pretend a Stranger" was playlisted by Radio One -- but were rescued by the fact that we couldn't get enough singles into the distribution chain in time for anything to happen!

Dot, Steve and Charlie Irvine formed a band together in 1987 called Lies Damned Lies and Sticky Music went onto the back burner as they became professional musicians and recorded an album for Virgin in Abbey Road and Bearsville Studios, Woodstock, USA. When the label didn't like the material for the second album, LDL and Virgin parted company, Sticky was revived (with Charlie now a partner) and Flying Kites (GUMCD16) is the result - also Sticky's first CD release.

In 1991, the three of us returned to Scotland and opened our own 24-track recording studio. As well as taking paying customers, it seemed an obvious move to make some albums with people we thought had talent.

Above all, Sticky has always been about the magic of recording. We have tried to capture moments in time, when new artists and songwriters first find their voice, and create albums to be proud of. It is all about the joy of making a recording that will last for ever and if that gives someone a first foothold in the music industry, so much the better.

Starting with Steve's first album, the list of Sticky artists is long and eclectic. Ricky Ross, founder of 80s pop phenomenon Deacon Blue, made his first album on Sticky in 1984. Lies Damned Lies themselves have released 5 CDs on Sticky. Iain Archer, now signed to Bright Star, released two gorgeous collections of songs in the mid 90s, Playing Dead (the single release from which, "Wishing", was Simon Mayo's record of the week on Radio One) and Crazy Bird. And Juliet Turner, double platinum in her native Ireland in the last year, recorded her debut with Sticky in 1996. Let's Hear It For Pizza sounds as fresh as ever, and showcases a startling talent on her first visit to a recording studio with a recording budget of £800!

Sticky has also always been about good songs. Less well-known but equally original writers include Billy Penn's Brother, D.B. McGlynn, David Heavenor and Calvin's Dream. A series of 5 albums by the Late Late Service showcases new material by an alternative worship community in Glasgow.