The Team: Rod Thomas (label stuff), Cathryn Skerry (promo), Matt Collett (visuals), Martipants (more visuals), Sarah Thirtle at Fantastic Artist Booking (live bookings), the local corner shop (necessities).
The Self Raising Record shop!
(Thanks to Mr Livvie for her graphics and Martipants for his designs)
We are a friendly little label set up as a first base for artists bursting with life but not money.
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SELF RAISING RECORDS - VOLUME ONE
Self Raising Records is three years old. From being a platform for one debut single, it has become home to a group of artists bursting with creativity all working together to put out music that we feel so excited about, we want to shout from the rooftops. They remix each other, write with each other, and Martipants offers his unique artwork to colour each of our releases. Bright Light Bright Light runs the label and finds the artists he thinks fit with the label's ethos of working hard and making great music. 'Volume One' showcases our four current artists and what they're getting up to.
Tracklisting:
Bright Light Bright Light - Blueprint
Rob Cowen & The Dissidents - Heartache
Glorious Estefan - Thrill Of The Chase
Martipants - Onyamonio
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT is Rod Thomas' new stage name, incorporating the shimmering textures that his live sound has evolved to be. Kicking off with 'Good Times' and 'A New Word To Say', Rod's new direction is disco-tinged, sparkling pop. Featuring production by Boom Bip and Friendly, Rod's project combines the skills of people whose work he admires, and has made his feet move the last few years.
MARTIPANTS is a man of many talents who not only makes the most brilliant artwork for Rod Thomas' records, but runs Special Wednesday club night in Bristol's Start The Bus, makes his own tshirts, and has made a bafflingly brilliant albums in 'Happy Accidents', and the equally wonderful 'Good Lads'.
ROB COWEN & THE DISSIDENTS hail from the Yorkshire Moors, and now live in London where they make pretty exquisite songs about heartbreak with a down-to-earth swagger and themes that break hearts with equal attack. Championed by Radio 2, 6Music, and heralded by Q Magazine as having lyrics "worthy of John Betjemen", their debut single this year on Self Raising Records will be a blinder, out September 28th.
GLORIOUS ESTEFAN is a euphoric boy/girl duo who take the spirit of the 90s, the attitude of the 80s and the dancefloor friendly beats of the naughties to make an irresistible blend of sophisticated electro pop. They've only finished two tracks so far, 'Find My Rhythm' and 'Thrill Of The Chase', but it serves as an excellent indication of the songwriting skills the duo have to offer on their debut EP for Self Raising.
THE VENUS STARE is a trio of 80s loving, Dianne Warren adoring popsters who take not the pop of the 80s as most people are doing, but the melodrama and sheer emotion of the biggest songs from the biggest 80s films. Citing influences like Mannequin, Back To The Future and Top Gun, The Venus Stare are the very heart of dramatic pop. Debut single 'Close To You' hits shops in January 2010.
On the Self Raising Records stereo this month:
The Venus Stare - Close To You
Goldie Lookin Chain - Everybody Is A DJ (Bright Light Bright Light Remix)
Yelle - Pop-Up (album)
Lightning Seeds - Tilt (album)
Post War Years - The Greats And The Happenings (album)
Martipants - Good Lads (album)
Slow Club - Christmas TV
Depeche Mode - Singles Collection
Javier Naverette - Pan's Labyrinth OST
Gonzales - Solo Piano (album)
Hi there! We've got a new EP that we're especially proud of called Summer which is the second in our series of seasonal EPs this year. We'd love for you to listen to the EP online, and to do so, just click on the graphic below. If you like what you hear, we'd be very grateful if you'd support our efforts by buying the EP for €2.50 (around $3.20).
Hope all is going great for you. Thanks for being our friend!
Become our 2000TH Myspace friend and win a lot of CDs!!!
Thats right - we've very nearly hit 2000 friends!!
A small feat for some, but we're really happy about it!!
And to show you how happy we are - the 2000TH MySpace friend added to our list will win the 60 BEST CDS OF 2006!!
So tell your friends, and your friends friends, and your friends friends friends to add us at the Chain With No Name Myspace
Also, log onto the Chain With No Name Myspace for news on the Best Albums of 2006, the Best artist videos of 2006, CWNN New Releases, the Good Shoes Christmas Tour, album reviews (in association with Plan B Magazine), a full CWNN Shops list competitions and more!
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