Poptones

Last updated

Poptones Records
Founded1999
Founder Alan McGee
Defunct2007
Distributor(s)Vital
Genre Alternative rock
Indie rock
Noise pop
Shoegazing
Britpop
Country of origin United Kingdom
Location London, England

Poptones was a record label launched by Alan McGee after the demise of Creation Records in 1999. Its roster included The Hives, January, Oranger, Arnold, Cherrystones, King Biscuit Time, The Mardous, Thee Unstrung, The Boxer Rebellion, Beachbuggy, Pure Reason Revolution and Nick Laird-Clowes as Trashmonk. In May 2007, McGee wound down Poptones for financial reasons. [1]

Contents

History

Named after a Public Image Limited song, Poptones was seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation, and also included a re-issue label called From The Vaults and a reggae label run by his wife (Frazier Chorus' Kate Holmes) called In Dub. Poptones' record sleeves were designed by Mike Alway of él Records and its first releases included licensed product by The Montgolfier Brothers, Outrageous Cherry and El Vez. [2] Most notably, the label arranged a licensing deal with Sweden's Burning Heart Records and launched the career of The Hives in the UK.

Poptones' roster included acts such as the former Creation band Arnold, psychedelic DJ Cherrystones, ex-Beta Band member Steve Mason's King Biscuit Time, Thee Unstrung, January, The Mardous, The Boxer Rebellion, The Icarus Line's sister project Souls She Said, Sailboats are White, Viking Moses, Beachbuggy and acey-folk acts The Singleman Affair and Pure Reason Revolution and Trashmonk, a project of Nick Laird-Clowes.

Poptones reportedly was close to signing Hole after they left Universal Music Group and before their demise in 2002. [3]

In 2002, Poptones gained national success and media with The Hives' Your New Favourite Band album, Main Offender 7" (which featured "Lost And Found" originally performed by The Saints as a B-Side), and Supply And Demand/The Stomp 7". Your New Favourite Band album contained the international hits "Hate To Say I Told You So", "Main Offender", "Supply And Demand", "Die, Alright", and "Outsmarted" off Veni Vidi Vicious (Epitaph/Sire/Reprise Records), as well the Independent success of "Here We Go Again", "A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T", "Automatic Schmuck", and "Hail Hail Spit N'Drool" off Barely Legal (Burning Heart/Epitaph/Gearhead Records). [4]

In May 2007, McGee told The Independent newspaper that he was winding down Poptones for financial reasons. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epitaph Records</span> American independent record label

Epitaph Records is an American independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most acts signed to the label were punk and pop punk acts, while there are many post-hardcore and emo bands signed to the label as well. A large portion of the record label, known as Hellcat Records, is owned by Tim Armstrong, frontman of the punk rock band Rancid. Several sister labels also exist, such as ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Hellcat Records, and Heart & Skull Records that have signed other types of bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hives</span> Swedish rock band

The Hives are a Swedish rock band that formed in 1993 in Fagersta. After gaining traction in their home country through the 1990s, they rose to prominence internationally in the early 2000s during the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of their second album Veni Vidi Vicious – which contained their breakthrough single and signature song, "Hate to Say I Told You So". The band is especially well known for their high-energy and eccentric live shows, with music critics having hailed them as amongst the best live rock bands of the last two decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creation Records</span> British record label

Creation Records Ltd. was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Alan McGee, Dick Green, and Joe Foster. Its name came from the 1960s band The Creation, whom McGee greatly admired. The label ceased operations in 1999, although it was revived at one point in 2011 for the release of the compilation album Upside Down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan McGee</span> Scottish music industry executive

Alan John McGee is a Scottish businessman and music industry executive. He has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian. He co-founded the independent Creation Records label, running it from 1983 until its closure in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dream Academy</span> British band

The Dream Academy were a British band consisting of singer/guitarist and primary songwriter Nick Laird-Clowes, multi-instrumentalist Kate St John, and keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. The band is most noted for their 1985 hit record, "Life in a Northern Town".

Burning Heart Records is an independent record label formed in 1993 in Fagersta, Sweden, and currently based in Örebro. It has a close affiliation with Californian label Epitaph Records, who own the rights to distribute Burning Heart's output in North America. It also started a German office in Berlin in the end of 2003.

Arnold were a three piece alternative rock band from London, England, formed in 1996, who released two albums on Creation Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Mason (musician)</span> Scottish musician

Steve Mason is a Scottish guitarist, singer, writer, and activist. He came to prominence in the late 90s as the lead singer and one of the founding members of The Beta Band. Mason created King Biscuit Time as a side project during his time in The Beta Band, and then took the name again after the group split in 2004. After a diversion as Black Affair, Mason began his solo career in 2009. 

<i>Your New Favourite Band</i> 2001 compilation album by The Hives

Your New Favourite Band is a collection by The Hives released in 2001, featuring tracks from their first two albums and the A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T EP. It was released by Alan McGee's Poptones record label, which was licensed the band's songs by Burning Heart Records. The decision to release such a compilation was made with the intention of achieving mainstream success in the UK and other territories. The album was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Paddingtons</span> English indie rock band

The Paddingtons are an English indie rock band from Hull. Between April 2005 and 9 November 2006, they played over 150 live shows, including venues such as Trent Park Golf Club, The Square, Harlow; Jersey Live; Summercase; The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent; T in the Park and at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.

Thee Unstrung were an English group, signed to Mercury Records (originally signed to Alan McGee's record label Poptones. Thee Unstrung released an album in 2005 entitled Lie, Cheat and Steal.

<i>Somewhere in the Sun... Best of the Dream Academy</i> 2000 compilation album by The Dream Academy

Somewhere in the Sun... Best of the Dream Academy is a compilation album released by The Dream Academy in Japan in 2000. The compilation album contains the extended version of "Life in a Northern Town" and an acoustic version of "The Party" rather than the more common versions. At the time of its release, Nick Laird-Clowes revealed that the band actually had no involvement with the album, and he went on further to say that they weren't even informed by Warners that a compilation album was being made. His former label boss, Alan McGee, then of Creation Records, was the one who actually brought him home a copy when he was visiting Japan on business. According to Kate St John, around the same time that this album was being made, Warner Brothers were considering a US compilation album, but they and the band decided to re-issue their first album, The Dream Academy.

Alan Hake is the co-founder of Must Destroy Records, but was also a key figure in many important Scottish underground bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was a key member of Exploding Tortoise. Hake went on to be a founder member of 18 Wheeler, signed to Creation Records in the early 1990s, and continued to contribute occasional bass until they split in 1998. Together with Ian Scouser and Tremendous Mike, he then founded Must Destroy Records after several years working for Alan McGee's Poptones record label.

Technique were a British synthpop band from the mid-1990s featuring Kate Holmes of Frazier Chorus and singer Xan Tyler. The band was named after New Order's 1989 album of the same name, and they were signed to Creation Records, the record label owned by Holmes's husband, Alan McGee.

Echelon were a four-piece band hailing from Essex, England.

Beachbuggy were a British rock group formed in early 1992 in Doncaster by Jack Straker (guitar/vocals), Jim VeVee (drums) and A.D (bass). The band's name reflected singer and main songwriter Jack's obsession with classic cars, drag racing and Americana. Musically, their earliest influences were UK indie bands such as The Fall, The Wedding Present and Cud and American rock groups such as Buffalo Tom and Sonic Youth.

The Jasmine Minks are a British indie pop band, whose early singles were amongst the first releases by Creation Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boxer Rebellion (band)</span>

The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom in 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson and Englishmen Andrew Smith, Adam Harrison, and Piers Hewitt (drums). They have so far released an eponymous EP, six studio albums, Exits (2005), Union (2009), The Cold Still (2011), Promises (2013), Ocean by Ocean (2016) and Ghost Alive (2018), as well as a compilation album, B-Sides & Rarities Collection, Vol. 1 & 2 (2012).

<i>Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine</i> 2000 compilation album by Cosmic Rough Riders

Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine is a collection of songs by Cosmic Rough Riders, featuring tracks from their first two self-financed albums as well as three new tracks. The album was put together by Alan McGee's Poptones label as a starting point for mainstream listeners. The album spawned four singles including the UK top 40 hits "Revolution " and "The Pain Inside".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Needs (band)</span>

Special Needs were a five-piece alternative rock group formed in London, England in 1998. They disbanded in 2005, reformed in 2011 with the group's comeback including a first tour for over six years in November 2011. The group disbanded for a second time towards the end of 2012.

References

  1. 1 2 "Alan McGee: Why I'm giving up my label". The Independent. 11 May 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  2. "Barmy army". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  3. Mesure, Susie (5 October 2001). "McGee hopes Love will help turn struggling Poptones into profit". The Independent. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  4. "The Hives". Grunnenrocks.nl. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2013.