The Big Moon (Photo: Charlotte Patmore)
After a noticeable amount of new signings, Getintothis’ Jake Marley explores why more young bands are deciding to call Fiction Records home.
Young bands dream of the day they’re handed a pen to sign on the dotted line. After slogging it on the circuit, playing for petrol to tour one end of the country to the other, subsidising their own merch and recording. Basically paying for their dreams to fluctuate. So when that day finally comes (it’s worth noting, for some it never does), it’s important that it’s done right. One record label out there doing it right are Fiction Records and here’s how.
Formed in 1978 by Chris Parry under parent company Universal Music Group, Fiction Records boasts an impressive roster, past and present including The Cure, Kate Nash, Athlete, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Tame Impala, The Maccabees and Crystal Castles.
In 2014 Fiction became a standalone label, still owned by Universal but no longer affiliated to Polydor. That change helped to create the record label of today. Supporters of the fresh and new. Risk takers and backers. Sourcing, signing, supporting and ultimately developing new music.
Since that change in 2014 Fiction has signed a trio of hugely exciting bands; The Amazons, Palace and The Big Moon, a notable shift towards backing fresh talent and putting in place a developmental structure to relieve pressure on these bands and future signings and letting the music shine through. Since signing their deals all three have put out ‘first step music’, a series of singles or EPs leading up to a debut full-length. All three have also announced lengthy lists of UK dates with label backing. So with that, lets take a closer look at the three signings that embody Fiction’s enhanced ‘eye on the future’.
The Amazons (Photo: Ellen Offredy)
Hailing from Reading, former Liverpool Music Week lineup-ees, The Amazons are the latest edition to the Fiction Records family. Since signing in March 2016 they’ve released two singles; Stay With Me and Nightdriving, both of which got jazzy videos to accompany them and received plenty of air-play from Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, whilst the former also premiered online with NME.
They’ve announced a host of UK dates for later this year including several more festival appearances in addition their performance at Isle Of Wight Festival last month. What’s also notable is their increased traffic and support online support.
Palace
Palace like their mates The Amazons played a DIY Magazine showcase at Liverpool Music Week last year. They’re now primed for the big time, debut full-length So Long Forever will be released on November 4. New UK dates are on the horizon including an attack Reading and Leeds Festival this summer.
The Big Moon
The Big Moon are a quartet that always had huge potential. Fulfilling that potential is easier said than done though, many bands have come and gone, filed under either ‘overhyped’ or ‘potential un-fulfilled’. The Big Moon have done their fair slog (take the DIY Neu Tour they played in Liverpool just last year to a handful of people), they’ve certainly gigged their hearts out. We could argue about whether a ‘worst kept secret’ outfit with undoubted potential like an un-signed Big Moon in 2015, would’ve made it big anyway, even without the backing of a major like Fiction, who knows. The fruits of Big Moon’s vast rise under Fiction however, is there for all eyes to see on festival stages around the globe this summer. They’re absolutely thriving, even without an album under their belts.
- You can find Fiction Records on Twitter and Facebook. and listen to a playlist of their current roster below.
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