The Records That Made Me: World News

World News share four records that shaped their musical upbringing.

Following three EPs and a run of singles since 2020, London alt-rock quartet World News have just kicked off our Made at VF series by pressing their debut album, In Purgatory, at The Vinyl Factory plant in Hayes.

The band are no strangers to vinyl. They first encountered the format through their parents’ collections. “People had moved on to CDs by that point, before the resurgence, so vinyl seemed like a thing of the past when we first discovered it,” they explain.

Pressing at the Hayes plant has given them a different appreciation of the format. Recommended by the team at Abbey Road, the World News were drawn to the plant’s history and the opportunity to give their music a physical form.

“When we held them for the first time the other day, it felt very good, better than expected,” they say. “There’s a huge amount you can do with a record, and it feels like another expression of the artist and the artistic direction of the music.”

Below, each member of World News shares a record that has shaped them.

Nick Drake

Bryter Layter

Alex: “I discovered Nick Drake at university, and out of his three albums I think this is his best one. Love the band and arrangements. A great listen start to finish.”

Television

Marquee Moon

Jack: “I remember listening to it when I was super young and being super inspired by their guitar parts. Great record from start to finish.”

CAN

Tago Mago

Rory: “I discovered CAN when I inherited my dad’s record collection. It completely changed the way I thought about bass, with more emphasis on repetition, and you can really hear why so many roads point back to them. The vinyl I’ve got now is a first pressing, so it’s pretty special all round.”

Stereolab

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Malte: “I’ve only gotten into them in the past five years, but they have really changed and opened my mind to how I see music. I love the mix of playfulness, melancholy and their carefree sound. It always reminds me that there are no rules in music.”

In Purgatory by World News is out now. Order a copy now.

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