Fast Product was an independent record label, established in Edinburgh by Bob Last, his partner, Hilary Morrison and Tim Pearce in December 1977.
The label issued the first records by a number of early and influential post-punk bands from Northern England, including the original Human League, Gang of Four and the Mekons.
Often packaging records with a caustic yet subtle sideswipe at consumerism (for example, the image of a wall of gold discs on the cover of the Mekons' second single), Fast Product attempted to show that all aspects of the record business, from musicianship to design to distribution, could be taken out of the hands of the major labels.
[1] Later, the pair also established the Pop Aural label, releasing singles by such acts as The Flowers, Boots For Dancing and The Fire Engines.
[2] The story of Fast Product was extensively covered in the 2022 book Hungry Beat written by Douglas MacIntyre and Grant McPhee with Neil Cooper, published by White Rabbit Books Bob Last has joked that Factory Records is "Fast 13" - the label's final release - saying "I just never told them they had a catalogue number.