DJ, producer, musician, and founder of one of the most influential independent record labels, Daniel Miller began his journey in 1976, just as punk was shaking Britain to its core. Returning to London that spring, he threw himself into the movement, drawn to its urgency, rebellion, and creative freedom.

Hearing The Ramones’ debut on John Peel’s radio show was a revelation, and solidified his love for music that defied convention. A few years later, inspired by the experimental sounds of Can and Faust, he recorded his first single as The Normal: Warm Leatherette, a cold, mechanical, dystopian anthem, which became an unintentional underground hit.

“The big saying at the time was, ‘All you need is a guitar and three chords.’ My thing was, three chords were far too many. You can just have one finger on a keyboard and still make an interesting sound. Which I thought was more punk than being in a traditional rock band.” (Daniel Miller)

After a short tour, he returned home to find a pile of demo tapes from an unknown artist named Fad Gadget on his doorstep. That moment sparked the birth of Mute Records, a record label that would redefine electronic and experimental music, and the rest is history.

A true maverick, Miller has never chased trends or commercial success over everything else, instead championing artists who push boundaries and the very definition of music. From the industrial provocations of Throbbing Gristle and Laibach to the groundbreaking synth-pop of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Erasure, his influence is woven into the fabric of modern music, and his pursuit of originality remains as relentless as ever.

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