Alter the Press Lead the Way in streaming albums

Try before you buy, take a good long ‘listen’ at the merchandise and give your ears a treat is what we all say (actually we don’t, it would probably make us sound like c**ts).

Nonetheless, that’s exactly what you can do at Alter the Press right now with Wolf Am I’s new album ‘Lead the Way’… Yup, the best music blog this side of Nottingham has decided to stream the entire album track by track. It’ll only be up till Monday though! To hear it, pop on over to their lovely site and, if you like it, you can come back and buy it from our shop, iTunes – or all those boring e-tailers who won’t send you a badge or sticker or two with your purchases…

Also, for a little more WAI goodness, why not check out their review over on the Music Magazine, and a super piece that our pals at Come Pick Me Up blog have lovingly put together (they’re SO ace). The sun is shining, summer booze is flowing – it’s time for WAI!

We Move out today – This City single available!

Coming to the end of a pretty bangin’ UK tour – with a show at London Barfly tomorrow (congratulations to Niall and Thomas who won pairs of tickets by the way) – it’s good news for us at Alcopop Records, as today sees Brighton rockers This City release limited edition 7” (to 500) single ‘We Move’… Today!

Full of the kind of heavy disco-based rhythms that have made the boys such a favourite with the likes of Kerrang, NME, Radio 1, XFM and all the other hip places that have taken them to heart – we’re lucky enough to be working with them now before they hit unimaginable heights!

You can get the vinyl from the band when they play live (best), direct from us (awesome), or from any good record shop or your favourite digital music retailer (still bloody ace – you have magnificent taste), and add something a bit sexy to your record (or MP3) collection…

Meanwhile, any internet savvy types may have noticed that Sam Isaac has been somewhat dominating the blogosphere this week, with a whole heap of blogs getting involved with the awesome remixes crafted by James Yuell and Rod Thomas. MP3 Hugger, Zombie Attack, Alter the Press, indierocker.net are just some of the gents in the know.

Also, exciting news to come in the next few days as Alcopop have signed one of THE hottest properties right now, to release his [a gender-based clue there] debut single before the end of the year… Oh, and I’m currently in some form of musical infatuation (as if I wasn’t already) with Andrew WK – whose gig on Saturday was magnificent, and saw me pop backstage to talk to great man himself, and be gifted with a number of his beers. What a gent…

B-Sky-B and Universal join forces – an indie label’s thoughts

I’ve always thought, since the dawn of all things Alcopop almost 2 years ago, that its been rather a good time to be running an indie label… With musical talent emerging in the UK faster than we can press music (no I don’t buy the ‘naysayer opinion’ that there are no decent artists around these days – look further than the end of your nose damnit), and fatcat majors having choked upon their cream and concentrating on downsizing rapidly – there seems to be quite the space in the market for small labels who are willing to work with people they believe in passionately. Especially with the amount of ace industry people, hard-working distributors (in our case Shellshock) and more willing to support the likes of Alcopop, BSM, Smalltown, This is Fake DIY et al.

Sure, the days of finding one breaking artist, receiving a fat pay-off and assimilating yourselves into a major seem to be diminishing – but here at Alcopop we’ve always rather dug our ‘fiercely independent’ tag. Now don’t get me wrong – while I’m not suggesting that if someone came along and offered to help us pump a whole heap of their cash into our dearly beloved artists, I would dismiss it out of hand. But we very much enjoy the freedom to work with bands we know are clearly awesome, and watch them grow knowing that we’re supporting them not just because we think they will sell records…

Indeed, what we lack in cash I hope we make up for in work ethic and creativity – and while major’s deal with the fickle bunch who will turn on an artist who wears the wrong outfit in Heat Magazine, we’re lucky enough to be appealing to people who know their shit – and have supported us since the beginning, by buying the stuff they genuinely like.

However, a new *albeit foggy* threat seems to have emerged today, with well known musical pioneers (ahem) B-Sky-B teaming up with Universal to offer a pay-by-month way of downloading songs. Now although the details are sketchy and only one unwieldy corp has signed up thus far, if a whole heap more put pen to paper, and the subscription fee is reasonable, the most independent artists, who I imagine would seem of little interest to Rupert and his cronies, could lose out – if the world and their dog take to subscribing and using his system, forcing iTunes to its knees.

That’s a bif IF though, and for sure It’s not all doom and gloom though. As Spence on norockandrollfun.com sarcastically puts it “Amy Winehouse, U2, Kanye West, Duffy, Rihanna, Eminem, Elton John and Abba – Wow!!!! I’ve been waiting for a resource from which I could buy stuff from these cutting edge artists for ages!!!”, and like any advance in downloading illegal/ripping MySpace songs – I still firmly hold on to the belief that genuine music fans will buy music/ support live shows… After all – what’s 3 quid on a limited edition debut 3” Data.Select.Party single, or 7.90 on the new My Awesome Compilation album (from Smalltown Records by the way).

I’m conscious I’ve written a lot of words now – and I don’t want to bang on unnecessarily, but I guess I just wanted to address the issue of the day, and in a way – a hearty thank you all for supporting us. I’m not naïve enough to suppose that the good name of Alcopop will be forever and divinely protected against whatever tempestuous wave of uncertainty the music industry is propelled headlong into next, but I feel pretty safe for now. So I’d like to raise an Alcopop to you – and the fact that man (pictured) doesn’t totally dominate the music industry just yet!

Lv Jack PoP

Alcopop podcast – and why I despise Kev from BSM so very, very much (ish)

As a number of you will know, Alcopop was conceived, co-owned and run by myself and Kev from Big Scary Monsters Records – a sterling chap with a wit of gold, and a work-ethic of steel… Handsome of face (though fairly shit at poker) I always regarded him as the best of friends – that is until now, and the image that greeted me on iTunes when I popped online this morning to check on the new Alcopop podcast, which can be downloaded here.

You see, although I was delighted to note that the first edition of ‘Alcopodcast’ had gone live, for free on iTunes, and contained exclusive music and interviews with Sam Isaac, Pavilion – along with music from This City, CTBW and Data.Select.Party (as well as a competition to win a T-Shirt and magnificent banter from the podcast team)… I was less delighted with the picture that advertised said fact.

You see – it is me, dressed as a lobster and pulling perhaps the worst face ever. It would be no understatement to say I look f**king horrible – and somewhat unfairly, for that I blame Kev entirely. Coupled with that it’s up on iTunes now and available to the world for free – *sigh*

Still – you can’t deny the lad (me) in the suit is making a good point – Go on… Do what the lobster says!

Download Alcopop’s new sampler for free – yes FREE!

Download it now…

If you’ve been following the blog over the last few weeks, you’ll have noticed that Alcopop are preparing for summer – not simply by splashing on the sun-tan lotion and lazily thumbing through brochures to the Maldives. Oh no, instead we’ve decided to throw all other summer plans aside and create a lusty release schedule, to blow your ears wide apart – and inject a whole new shot of musical deliciousness deep into your thorax. Sing it now….

For this is ‘AQA does not care much for Alcopop. Pimm’s is delicious’ – named after that handy (if overpriced) text service’s response to our musings on booze, and our label. Heavily endorsed by our newest pals, Alcodog and Alcocroc – anyone thinking that their eyes are deceiving them when they imagine the artwork shows Kev dressed as a beaver and me as a lobster – it is with shamed face I tell you no… You’re entirely correct. That’s actually on iTunes! *weep*

Whether you’re into the frenetic pop punk, soaring vocals and breathtaking melody of Cut the Blue Wire or lush, symphonic tones of the doe-eyed Sam Isaac – we’re convinced we’ve got something for you, and so have put together a rather tasty 6-track sampler to showcase what we have coming up in the next few months. Available on iTunes, or on handmade, limited edition CD (which features a whole heap of bonus tracks and videos from deep within the Alcopop vaults) – you can, if you like, get it free for a week – just by following the ‘sampler’ link on the menu bar above – and clicking the download button.

So follow this link to take a look at exactly what’s on it – or pop to the shop to buy a full copy with all the bonus exclusive content of videos, MP3s and old rarities that have graced many a past release. Enjoy, pass it on to your friends and spread the wealth… It is only available here free for a week though, before we have to take it down and let the corporate giants at apple have their share too.

Here’s the full tracklisting – with love from Alcopop….

1. goFASTER>> – NHS Dentist
2. Cut The Blue Wire – The Race To The King
3. Sam Isaac – A Cinematic Low
4. Pavilion – Clarity
5. This City – With Loaded Guns
6. My First Tooth – North Sea (demo)

We like Rock.. We like Midgets – and they like Cut The Blue Wire!

See…? Awesome! Look out for the EP released on Alcopop in the summer… Or buy teh single from iTunes now, Now, NOW (for 79p)…

“The sure sign of a top draw single is that it leaves the listening begging for more, a trick which is executed with consummate skill here by Portsmouth-based five-piece Cut the Blue Wire. ‘Everest’ is positively brimming with same kind of youthful exuberance and towering ambition that fellow up-and-comers In Case of Fire are dripping with, as effervescent verses fizz along and blend effortlessly into a toweringly infectious chorus. With a six track EP due for release in July, summer simply can’t come quick enough on this evidence.”

Rating: 4/5 by Dan Jones

Everest single by Cut the Blue Wire out today –

‘Cut the Blue Wire’ – Everest digital single out today!

Follow the button and download Cut the Blue Wire’s new single ‘Everest’ – exclusively available on pretty much every download site there is, and ready to reinvigorate your belief that summer’s on its way.

Punchy as f**k, and pretty much the best thing to come out of Portsmouth since the HMS Victory, these boys will rock you hard. Soaring vocals, and a chorus so immediate you’ve already heard it – I’m no reviewer, but I insist you check out the MySpace.

And if you don’t believe me, pay heed to dailydischord.com -

“If you haven’t checked CTBW out yet, then make a point of doing so now.”

Hush the Many’s Revolve out today – and Coleen wants my hair

Quite a bizarre meeting of minds this weekend as I flitted about the Bristol town occurred – as I was approached by two researchers from some TV station offering me a job as a hair model on a show they were involved in… Apparently a ‘bloke’ version of Coleen McLoughlin’s Real Women – it all sounded OK, other than the obviously charisma-less beau of Wayne Rooney’s involvement, and upon further inspection it seemed that they were offering upto (hmmm – that magic word ‘upto’) £1000 a day for filming.

But then disaster, and as they continued excitedly, the realisation hit in that I’d have to put my hair up for chopping, styling and generally ruining by some trained ITV2 monkey, trying to make me look hip. So I did the only sensible thing, and bailed… Still, hair modelling sounds quite good – and if it wasn’t for the cutting I would have been well in – so Armani/ CK… if you’re reading

Anyway – more importantly than my hair (yes… Really!), today see’s the official launch of Revolve by Hush the Many (Heed the Few) – a wonderful record, and one you really should have ordered, or donloaded from itunes via the button below… If you haven’t though – fear not – and do it now… You won’t be dissapointed, as these others weren’t!

“HTMHTF blend aggression and beauty in unique fashion, hitting like a bolt of lightning across a barren landscape. The Revolve-lution starts here. 4/5” – Daily Mirror

“Overly pretty strings and lilting harmonies. ‘Revolve’ is the kind of power-goth love song that Tom Editors will put on when he gets down on one knee and makes an honest woman out of Edith Bowman” – NME

“A glorious, effervescent rush to the head, arch and poised yet with an unflinching sentimentality, HTM Deserve your attention NOW” – Subba-Cultcha

“For those looking for the next Arcade Fire or Get Cape, you’d do well to listen up” – Gigwise

Alcopop dig about in the archives – Encyclopedia video!

It was an emotional night last eve, as during another drink-fuelled, Huw Stephens-tastic meeting, we’ve gone digital for the first time (getting the majority of our releases on iTunes/Tunetribe etc.) and, in perhaps the busiest period during inception, looking back to the heady days of September 2006. Indeed, when all fresh-faced and naive – we scrabbled together our first club night (featuring personal heros Midget), and put together the first in our lovely singles club – ‘Emily’ by Encyclopedia – a pop classic that still sounds as fresh as it did all those months ago.. Since then, DSP, 4 or 5 Magicians, goFASTER>> and so many others have given us the great pleasure of releasing with us, and now with The Family Machine, Hush the Many (Heed the Few) and another awesome act soon to be announced… We’re still bloody loving it (and i hope you are too).

But enough with the sentimentalist stuff I hear you cry… What is the point of this short nostalgic trip back through the Alcopop ages?

Well, myself and Kev have been scouring the hard drive, and found this beauty – a stop animation lo-fi video that Kev created nearly two years ago now for the first few seconds of debut Alcopop single by Encyclopedia – check it out, and know that the budget was slim ! You’ll notice that we never got pictures of the handsome Emily, and so a slightly less pretty understudy has been picked… I do look pretty on the underground mind.

Oh, and if you want the full Encyclopedia single – the tracks are now available to buy seperately on iTunes, or the full CD £3 from the shop:

1am and all’s well… Sam Isaac winner!

So it’s been a fine night for representing gigs across the country tonight, with Kev showing his bedraggled face over at CSS at the Oxford Zodiac, and me poppin in on Future of the Left in Bristol – and from a personal point, I must say they were rather good. Fusing the works McClusky and Jarcrew (two particular old favourites of mine) – they got some serious screwball, hard-edged alt rock going… And after a difficult early mix which left ears bleeding and eyes sore, they whipped out a keyboard and sounded like being punched around the head – but in a really nice way (if you know what I mean)…

Ahem.. Movin on – it is with great pleasure that I can announce the winner of the Sam Isaac competition, and may I say (like the stereotypical prizemaster of a particularly intense child’s colouring competition) that I have been delighted at the quality of all our entrants! Of course I may be lying a little – but I’ve picked out a few paticular favourites.

“.sam is a man who likes lamb..” from James and “Sam Isaac is ginger and not ’stawberry blonde” from Coxy  may or may not be true, but are refreshingly bold and clear statements, and who can forget the impressive sibilance layered by John Brown… “Sam sings sensual seductive songs superbly”. Zoe’s “Sticker, Star & Tape me to Sam!” was close to being the winner – and Joe from the awesome band Decades effort “SAM LOOKS LIKE A BIG LOVELY TREE” was magnificent.

But there can be only one winner, and in this case Jenni’s simple yet effective snippet of prose won our hearts and minds. I’ve been listening to his super new single Sideways a lot this week, and I don’t think you can say fairer than this about our Sam than the….. “musical equivalent of the best day ever”

Nice work Jenni!

And fear not all of you non Jenni’s out there, because you can win too – (for the cost of 79p admittedly) Download the Sam track b’yere.