Becca's Secret Single

25 October 2010

Manifold catastrophes literally rained down on Becca Williams last month as a calamitous flood put all the worldly possessions in her Chorlton flat (and nearly also her pet cat) under water.

Rain and sewage may have drowned the instruments but it did not dampen Becca’s ambitions as she prepared for the release of her debut single “Train Driver” (along with its heart-breaking B-side “Astronaut Song”).

The record - on general release on 15th November - got a special “fans only” launch on 20th October at An Outlet in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Becca explained the reason for this unconventional approach:

“There were all sorts of delays to this release that weren’t anyone’s fault, just unforeseen circumstances and bad luck. We didn’t want to keep pushing the date back and back though… we have such a great bunch of people who have supported us at shows and festivals over the years and they’ve been asking about the single - we didn’t want to let them down so decided to organize a free concert (for all the people on our mailing list) in which the audience would be given a free limited edition press of the single while we get the official release sorted properly. We basically just wanted to say ‘Thanks for the help over the years and hope it’s been worth the wait!’”

So the single was home pressed, the sleeves hand drawn by Becca and the distribution happened face to face. A fitting beginning that has been a long time coming.

BBC’s Chris Long - regular champion of Becca & The Broken Biscuits - had plugged the show as Manchester’s gig of the week and was in attendance on the night to see the action play out for himself, later tweeting that the event was “absolutely stunning.”

The evening’s entertainment closed with an appearance from label-mate Richard Barry (who had also been the opening act) duetting with Becca on their celebrated reworking of The Smiths’ “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” to roaring applause.

“Train Driver” is available to download from the Debt Records shop and will be on general digital release (complete with music video) on Monday 15th November.

Photos courtesy of Andy Darbyshire

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Barabbas and the Beards

22 October 2010

Every now and then something crops up in the life of every record label that absolutely no one thought to prepare for. Recently just such a thing happened as Debt co-founder Louis Barabbas was approached to model for the Beards Of Manchester calendar 2011.

So it was that during one of the busiest months in the music industry calendar Louis grabbed Alfie the Debt Records Dog and flounced off to have his picture taken.

The calendar was the brain child of b&n magazine’s Samantha Bail and Hey Manchester’s Chris Horkan and was produced to raise money and awareness for Manchester’s homeless charity Lifeshare.

The photographs are currently on exhibition in Common’s Kestrel Suite in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and will remain there until the end of the year. You can’t miss Louis’ June photo (see below) - it’s the biggest picture in the room!

Other beards included our friend Jay Taylor from The Ruby Lounge and Pat “Mad Dawg” Macaulay (who also has a cameo in The Bedlam Six’s music video for their cover of “Relight My Fire” - released in November).

All photos by Gill Moore.

Visit http://gillmoorephotography.co.uk/ to see more examples of her work.

Visit www.beardsofmanchester.com for more information about the project and where you can buy a copy of the calendar.

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New Record from John Fairhurst

11 October 2010

Internationally acclaimed guitarist John Fairhurst is to release his much anticipated second record - enigmatically entitled “BAND” - on Monday 18th October 2010 through Debt Records.

Laid down in a small German analogue studio with a group of international musicians assembled specially for the event, BAND takes inspiration from the extensive touring John has done since his last album came out - a journey that took him to SXSW in Texas, the UK festival circuit (including Glastonbury), a three month tour of Australia and the Far East as well as continual Europe-wide performances.

Fairhurst’s debut Joys Of Spring (released in 2007) was an instrumental album that daringly fused Indian Classical guitar trends with the raggedy American blues licks of the early nineteen hundreds. Its limited run of 1000 copies sold out almost immediately and the critical response propelled its author onto a world tour that still continues today. Later the record even secured John endorsement from legendary US guitar manufacturers National and an apprenticeship with Sarod Maestro K. Sridhar.

Though the album featured contributions from The Leaf Label’s Nancy Elizabeth and Humble Soul’s Denis Jones, Joys Of Spring was for the most part a private undertaking recorded in a secluded shed in Fairhurst’s native Wigan. Its follow-up BAND, however, could not be more different.

This latest release transports John Fairhurst’s singular blues fusion style (with newly acquired fearsome singing voice) boldly onto the dance floor. Indeed, whilst his first collection of songs exhibited an artistry that compelled audiences to sit forward in their seats and marvel, the dominant message of BAND is undoubtedly “Get on your feet!”

John Fairhurst’s BAND is on general release from Monday 18th October 2010. Limited Edition numbered advance copies will available at Debt At The Dancehouse (where John is celebrating the record’s launch) on Saturday 16th October.

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Debt At The Dancehouse

05 October 2010

On Saturday 16th October 2010 - as Manchester’s In The City delegates nurse their wine-hangovers and fringe promoters stack up the unused chairs - Debt Records will throw open the doors of the beautiful Dancehouse Theatre for its annual live extravaganza.

For one night only the Northern Ballet School’s sumptuous art deco headquarters will be transformed into a hub of independent music and performance, brought to you by Manchester’s cooperative imprint Debt Records.

Debt is a label ready to admit that the music industry is currently in a condition whereby live performance is, for the first time since the formation of EMI in 1931, the only dependable way in which a artists can realistically and sustainably ply their trade. What better place then to hold this independent label’s annual party than in the splendour of a 1930s proscenium arch auditorium?

The timing is not insignificant. The three day ITC conference that precedes Debt At The Dancehouse is a world famous music industry event that will facilitate (albeit naively) many local bands being seduced into performing for no pay by fringe promoters promising them the attentive ears of hungry and sympathetic industry representatives (who, in reality, will all be half a mile away in a four hotel campus getting drunk). Debt Records is not opposed to the ITC conference - indeed a number of Debt associates are taking part and Debt’s technical director Dan Watkins is on the team recording the event - but this showcase will be an antidote: an evening of exceptional entertainment free from agenda or artifice.

The Debt Records team believes that no space should be ignored when planning a concert. They have to date performed and organised shows in museums, churches, libraries, olive groves and derelict buildings but, for their yearly label celebration at least, they prefer to be old fashioned: a theatre is the proper place for an evening’s entertainment, especially in a time when the world outside seems so uncertain.

According to BBC Manchester, last year’s Debt At The Dancehouse elicited “a general feeling of bonhomie”. This is precisely the sentiment musical performance should be associated with rather than the commonly accepted posturing of the recorded industry. It is with a spirit of inclusion - as well as independence - that Debt Records is run. Come see for yourself on 16th October 2010.

The line-up is as follows:

JOHN FAIRHURST - www.johnfairhurst.com/ “As gripping as it is totally different” - The Guardian

LOUIS BARABBAS & THE BEDLAM SIX - www.louisbarabbas.com “Excellent in every way” - BBC 6 Music

BECCA & THE BROKEN BISCUITS - www.beccaandthebrokenbiscuits.co.uk/ “Thoughtful, emotional music that cuts to your heart and feeds your soul.” - BBC Manchester

RED TIDES - www.myspace.com/itsredtides “Music that sounds like the last day of summer, like shadows creeping across golden fields, like the echoes of a time long past finding their way into modern-day dreams” - Manchester Music

RICHARD BARRY & THE CHAPS - www.richardbarry.net “A talent that Vivian Stanshall would roll around in flames for” - 3 Weeks Magazine

ALABASTER DEPLUME - www.myspace.com/alabasterdeplume “Absolutely stunning, evocative, confusing, tragi-comic. I felt like laughing and crying - I didn’t know whether it was poetry, music or theatre, all I know is that it was wonderful” - Shambala Review

HANNAH MILLER (from THE MOULETTES) - www.myspace.com/moulettes “Complex & beautiful…Intriguing & unique” - Mojo

PLUS A special DEBT SUPERGROUP to close the night…

£5 advance £8 on the door

Tickets available in person from the box office (0161 237 9753) and online at ticketline

We hope to see you there!

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What a Weekend!

04 October 2010

Well, Un-Convention Salford is now over (for this year). It was a fantastic weekend of entertainment and education. We were honoured to be involved in such a successful event that incorporates art, business and debate in such a productive and enthusiastic way, taking place in some weird and wonderful locations in Salford and Manchester.

Our stage at The People’s History Museum was an absolute joy to curate. Every one of our eight acts (squeezed into an amazing five hours) was at the top of their game. Below is a photo of John Fairhurst’s jaw-dropping set in the Edwardian Engine Hall. More photos will be surfacing on our facebook page in due course. Feel free to upload your own.

We’d like to extend our thanks and congratulations to the organizers of Un-Convention, in particular Jeff Thompson, Ruth Daniel, Jojo Crago and Gina Hewitt (the people who had to deal with us personally!). All did a great job. Here’s to the next one (wherever it may be).

Our next event will be Debt At The Dancehouse, our annual showcase extravaganza on 16th October. You can buy tickets here

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