MySpace a place for friends

Frontiers Records The Italian Style to Melodic Hard Rock

Do you remember the 1970's and 1980's, the heydays of Melodic Hard Rock music? When music still had heart and soul? The days, when acts like TOTO, JOURNEY, SURVIVOR or STYX ruled the airwaves, stormed the international charts and aroused the enthusiasm of the masses with their anthemic rockers and heartbreaking ballads? The times when those bands played the world's biggest venues and blew the audiences away with their magic live performances? No matter what people might say - don't believe that these types of bands and their music are gone forever! Maybe the public eye lost sight of Melodic Hard Rock behind the wall of a totally commercialized music industry, ruled by greedy major labels, strictly formatted radio stations and trend-oriented music television. Still, many of the heroes and legends responsible for timeless Rock classics a la Hold The Line, Boat On The River and Eye Of The Tiger, are still alive and kicking! And many of them have found a home on Frontiers Records, a record label that still cares for high quality Melodic Hard Rock music, its great artists and passionate fans. Frontiers Records was founded back in 1996 in Napoli, Italy by Serafino Perugino. In just a few months, he became one of the most respected and well-known Italian distributors in the independent Rock market. His growing reputation among musicians and business people helped pave the way for the successful development of the company as a recording label. In 1998 Frontiers Records released their first CD: A double live album Never Say Goodbye from the sensational British Melodic Hard Rock newcomers TEN. Since then, Frontiers Records have released many critically acclaimed albums, while several internationally renowned acts joined their high-profile roster: WINGER, STYX, TOTO, JOE LYNN TURNER, JOURNEY, THUNDER, SURVIVOR, GLENN HUGHES, HOUSE OF LORDS, just to name a few! Besides that, Frontiers Records also set up during this time many exciting new studio projects to bring back some of Rock's finest voices, or give some still established artists the chance to show a new side of their musical personality! Shining examples are VERTIGO, lead by former TOTO singer Joseph Williams; OVER THE EDGE featuring STARSHIP's Mickey Thomas; PLACE VENDOME fronted by former HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske; and the highly successfull ALLEN/LANDE project. And not forgetting the evolution of KANSAS' Billy Greer and his SEVENTH KEY release, from a studio project to a real live band and the stunning PRIDE OF LIONS, featuring former SURVIVOR main songwriter Jim Peterik and vocal star Toby Hitchcock. Frontiers Records' foreword has always been to dream together with the thousands of people that love quality Rock music. Achieving this means constant hard work from a well oiled and highly ambitious team at the Frontiers Records headquarters in Napoli. The Frontiers staff takes care of all relevant business matters: contracts, licensing, sales, promotion, etc. They always give their best and try to find the most effective strategic marketing required for each of the label's releases. More than a million records sold in nearly eight years and several international chart entries prove their work right! There can be little doubt about it that it is Frontiers Records' professionalism that sets them apart from other independent Rock labels. The various distribution and promotion companies the label joined forces with during the years have always been chosen according to a choice of quality and contents and not just for a commercial solution. Frontiers Records also cultivate a very demanding relationship with the artists they sign. Their most important rules in working with any of them are respect and commitment. The label requires a positive attitude and GREAT - not 'simply' good music - from their artists and in return, stands 100% behind them and their releases. What else could you ask for to ensure a positive future for Melodic Hard Rock music!?

Marco Spath
Melodic Rock Fanzine