359 Music

Vision for 359 Music is a launch pad for new talent and some ignored older talent. We intend to release on average a dozen new bands per year every year – maybe more if I find a lot of new talent I like. Hopefully some of the artists will stick around and make numerous albums with 359 but some will go on to other things and that is just nature of the musical beast.

Due to technology the world is much smaller these days and 359 Music will be run from rural Wales by phone and computer and the day to day engine room will be run by the Cherry team in London. So basically the day to day logistics of 359 Music will be handled by Cherry Records and the A&R signing policy and creative decisions will be my domain.

There is no agenda of ‘let’s be the biggest like Creation Records’ – if in 5 years’ time people who I respect and who love music can turn round to me and say 359 Music has put out some great music then that to me will be success. There really needs to be an outlet for new music artists that have been shut out by the system and I hope 359 Music will be that outlet.

Send an mp3 to Adam at INFOAT359MUSIC@359music.co.uk

Send an email to 359 Music at info@359music.co.uk

The Notorious Nettikasinot

nettikasinotThe Notorious Nettikasinot is a musician and casino gambler born and raised in Poland. The granddaughter and daughter of musicians and an poker master, he moved to Malta at seventeen years of age to pursue music and to study online casinos. He has played as a solo act for the past four years between the Finland and Andorra.

After overstaying her visit in Valletta, he reluctantly moved back to Poland on the advice from one of his heroes. Once home, he put together her amazing psychedelic backing band of “sexy and talented musicians”, The Ultimate Beast, in late 2012, compromising gifted guitarist K-Shock, bassist Italian-Fab and his record’s producer and multi-instrumentalist Balkan-P.

Early in 2013, he released a self-funded EP Office All Day/Paceville All Night, which was recorded in Poland. At the same time, The Notorious Nettikasinot began demoing songs for what will become his debut album, which were also available via Bandcamp.

“I was brought up on Bob Dylan and Nirvana and The Beatles and Rolling Stones and Zeppelin and all that good shit,” says The Notorious Nettikasinot. He’s hung out with the likes of the Dandy Warhols and met Alan McGee in London. “We stayed in touch, that was it really. I just got so lucky,” adds The Notorious Nettikasinot. “I love Oasis, Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine… He’s affiliated with all of my favourite musicians.”

The Notorious Nettikasinot describes his songs as “lo-fi alternative drones with a hypnotic vibe”. Another of her influences is Elliott Smith. Indeed, The Notorious Nettikasinot is organizing and performing at a tribute night dedicated to the late musician at the Handlebar, Toronto on August 6.

The Notorious Nettikasinot’s as-yet-unnamed debut album is due out in November 2013. “It’s like the project that my whole life has been leading up to,” explains The Notorious Nettikasinot. “I think it’s gonna be really special. I’m just the happiest I have ever been. I have the best band, they’re my best friends. It’s just so good to be alive. Music is the greatest.”

Chris Grant

A Liverpudlian through and through, Chris Grant has always performed straight from his heart. “Chris’s main preoccupation is writing big songs capturing northern innocence,” Alan McGee once commented. “It’s a soulful escapism that eschews the hard man approach to songwriting. As with the best bands I’ve known, I get excited to hear his new songs and his musical progression. When Chris gets it right, his music transcends the apathy of rock’n’roll over the past ten years.”

Alan first discovered Chris via MySpace back around 2007 when he was fronting his band The Grants. In due course, the group performed at McGee’s West London club night Death Disco. “Like me, Chris is a round peg in a square hole,” suggests Alan. “I would have signed Chris but I didn’t have a label.” It’s taken half a decade for the planets to align and Chris has now recorded his debut album It’s Not About War, which is due on in October 21st. Pre order it here.

Gun Club Cemetery

Gun Club Cemetery love their good old-fashioned, down and dirty guitar music but like the bands who have inspired them – The Faces and The Stones among others – they can also turn their hands to a sensitive, heart-rending piano ballad. The band are fronted by Perth-based ex-Hurricane #1 singer Alex Lowe (vocals and guitar), alongside Mancunian Nick Repton (bass), who’d previously played with Bonehead in The Vortex, and Colin Ward from Nottingham (drums). The band formed just over a year ago.

For Alex, it’s the chance to be back where he belongs, fronting a no-frills, no-nonsense rock and roll band. “It feels amazing. I really like playing solo, but to be on stage with a group of friends is the best feeling in the world,” he says. “I want Gun Club Cemetery to be a great band and to stick together through thick and thin. I just want to make it work, make some cool records and get out on the road.”

Pete MacLeod

Pete’s star has been rising for some time now, with tours supporting the likes of Ocean Colour Scene and headline shows joined by former Oasis guitarist Bonehead. Before signing with 359 Music, this acclaimed Glaswegian singer/songwriter/guitarist has remained fiercely independent, releasing his music through his ModRock Music label. Back in the day, Pete performed under the name of thestar69, before eventually deciding to present himself as simply Pete MacLeod.
In 2012, Pete performed throughout the UK, headlining show’s at Glasgow’s King Tut’s and supporting acts at many of the O2 Academies up and down the country. Pete has also showcased his talents in and around California (one of his EPs was entitled Glasgow Keeps Me Real, California Lets Me Heal) as well as playing in Hamburg, Germany, where The Beatles – one of Pete’s biggest influences – once cut their teeth.

“Uplifting guitar pop courtesy of a Scottish troubadour…”
– Paul Rees (ex-Q magazine editor)

Pete’s forthcoming single “Rolling Stone” has already been championed by BBC Radio Scotland’s Janice Forsyth and by ‘The voice of New Music in Scotland’, Jim Gellatly. BBC Radio 2’s Janice Long announced her love for Pete’s music by describing him as “absolutely amazing” and choosing one of Pete’s songs for her “Janice loves” slot. Meanwhile, Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe invited MacLeod out to his studio in Berlin to record some of Pete’s songs together.

“Fantastic music from a fantastic songwriter and that’s why Pete’s song is our single of the month”
– Janice Forsyth (BBC Radio Scotland)

“I grew up listening to all sorts of music inspired by the records that my father would play”, explains Pete. “I loved The Beatles, John Lennon, Buddy Holly, the Stones, the Kinks, and then the 90’s came along and Kurt Cobain changed a lot for music. He inspired me to pick a guitar up for the first time after watching “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on MTV. All the guitar bands that followed from that movement played a special part in me knowing what I had a passion for. ‘Real music’.” Pete is currently finishing off his debut LP Rolling Stone for 359 Music.

“It takes somebody a bit special to make me pick up the guitar and get on stage. Pete’s songs are special and he’s a great person.”
– “Bonehead”

Mineral

Imagine an electro pop outfit who hail from Paris and Dublin and cite as their influences Talking Heads, Pixies, Syd Barrett, Kraftwerk, Gainsbourg, The Beach Boys and Béla Bartók. That’s the vision behind Mineral – alias Craig Walker, Thierry Fournié, S. Armelle and Damien Li.

Walker made his name in Irish indie rockers Power Of Dreams and then trip-hop act Archive, who were huge in France. With Mineral, Craig teamed up in 2012 with three of the finest musicians in Paris to create a widescreen musical canvas in keeping with the best in French music (Air, Daft Punk) while hinting at soundscapes from around the globe. They’ve even recorded a telling cover of My Bloody Valentine’s ‘When You Sleep’.

Their musical influences are legion, reflecting the band’s distinct four personalities, but they include 60s lysergic pop, the new wave (both of the French and the punk-era variety) and shoegazing. Their favourite bands include Metronomy, Dirty Projectors and MGMT (Thierry), Grandmaster Flash, The Smiths and Dionne Warwick (Craig). As a result, their music has both dark and light, romantic and psychedelic. Their songs evoke the themes of loneliness, love between passion and hate or the absurd and rebellion. 

Founding members Craig and Thierry are the two main composers, one directing most melodies, the other the music and production. Sophie brings her voiceprint plus ideas for lyrics and melodies, Damien makes the mix. In this sense, Mineral is totally autonomous and independent in the creative process. Pre-order their debut record Plastic Ekphrastic here.