| Operation Twilight | |
| Parent: | |
| Founded: | 1982 |
| Founder: | |
| Status: | Defunct |
| Distributor: | Rough Trade |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Location: | London |
Operation Twilight was a British record label, the UK branch of Belgian label Les Disques du Crépuscule. It was run by Patrick Moore, who now writes as Philip Hoare.
Moore was working for Rough Trade Records at the time, and described the genesis of Operation Twilight thus: "Geoff Travis [''Rough Trade''] and Michel Duval [''Crépuscule''] cooked up a plan in January 1982 where I would start up the UK equivalent of Les Disques du Crépuscule. Michel had a sort of James Bond idea about it - it would be the James Bond version of Crépuscule - Operation Twilight."[1]
Operation Twilight closed in 1983, though most of the artists - including Paul Haig, Antena, Tuxedomoon, Thick Pigeon - would continue to release records on Les Disques du Crépuscule. The label is also noteworthy for launching the career of the Pale Fountains.
This discography includes unreleased items that nevertheless were given a catalogue number.[2]
| No. | Artist | Title | Format | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPT 001 | Tuxedomoon | Divine | LP | 1982-05-14 | ||
| OPT 002 | Antena | The Boy from Ipanema / Spiral Staircase | 7" | 1982-06 | Also 7" (TWI 073) and 12" (TWI 074) on Crépuscule, RAD 16 on Crépuscule Section Française[3] | |
| OPT 003 | Paul Haig | Running Away / Time | 7" | 1982-05-21 | UK Independent Chart #19.[4] Also 7" (TWI 088) and 12" (TWI 089) on Crépuscule in Belgium, TWA-82501 on Crépuscule America | |
| OPT 004 | Virginia Astley | LP | Initial contracts were drawn up but never signed. Even so, the release frequently appeared on release schedules. | |||
| OPT 005 | The French Impressionists | 7" | A later 12" was released on Crépuscule in Belgium. | |||
| OPT 006 | Howard Devoto | Heart Beats Up Love | book | Unreleased collection of Magazine lyrics | ||
| OPT 007 | The Twilight Set | badges | 1983 | Paul Haig, Antena, The Lost Jockey, Tuxedomoon, The Pale Fountains, Matisse | ||
| OPT 008 | Paul Haig | Justice | 7", 12" | Reached test pressing stage; cancelled due to deal with Island | ||
| OPT 009 | The Pale Fountains | (There's Always) Something On My Mind / Just A Girl[5] | 7" | 1982-07 | Also Crépuscule 12" TWI 118 (with different sleeve and extra track)[6] | |
| OPT 010 | Antena | 12" | ||||
| OPT 011 | The Lost Jockey | Professor Slack / Rise & Fall / Animal Behaviour / Crude Din | 10" | Re-released 1983 by Battersea Records as 12" | ||
| OPT 012 | R.O.L. | Blue For You | 12" | Paul Haig recording released as flexidisc with Masterbag #13 (8–21 July 1982); released on Crépuscule/Interference as TWI 106/INT-01 | ||
| OPT 013 | Robots | toy robots with projectile heads | Promotional pack | |||
| OPT 014 | Paul Haig | LP | Allocated catalogue number, but by this time Haig was recording Rhythm of Life for Island. | |||
| OPT 015 | The Pale Fountains | Thank You | 7", 12" | Later released by Virgin | ||
| OPT 016 | Mikado | Romance / Ce Garcon-La | 7" | 1983-01 | Originally released 1982-10 as Crépuscule TWI 104 | |
| OPT 017 | Twilight Star | badge | Logo badge | |||
| OPT 018 | Ralf Dörper | Erazerhead (Assault / Erazerhead / Lorelei / Im Himmel) | 12" | 1983-02 | ||
| OPT 019 | Propaganda | Diziplin | 12" | cover of "Discipline" by Throbbing Gristle, Rough Trade opposed its release | ||
| OPT 020 | Thick Pigeon / The French Impressionists | Santa Baby / Jingle Bell Rock | 7" | 1982-12 | split Christmas single | |
| OPT 021 | Andy Warhol | Interview | cassette | unreleased due to copyright issues | ||
| OPT 022 | Various artists | Antelopes and Alligators | ||||
| OPT 023 | 23 Skidoo | The Culling Is Coming | LP | 1983-02 | Also Crépuscule TWI 123 | |
| OPT 024 | April Showers | While the City Sleeps | 7" | Recorded, artwork designed, never pressed |