Monday, June 23, 2008

2 New Canadian Labels

Canadian Music is stronger than it has ever been. I don't even add 'arguably' to that statement anymore. Yet every time there is a big 'industry' event like NXNE or a new piece of legislation like the new Copyright Bill recording industry brass rush to their nearest podium to lament the impending death of the 'music industry'. At the same time all over Canada new labels are cropping up. According to CBC Radio 3 both Joel Plaskett and Two Hours Traffic have recently launched new record labels.
Halifax rocker Joel Plaskett announced today the launch of his very own New Scotland Records. The first release will be the debut solo album by his good friend Dave Marsh, drummer for the Joel Plaskett Emergency and Super Friendz. The True Love Rules will be released on July 29. Other releases on New Scotland will likely be on both CD and 7" vinyl, and will include other Plaskett pals like Peter Elkas and Al Tuck.

Across the Northumberland Strait on Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown band Two Hours Traffic have also launched their own label called Collagen Rock Records. The label roster so far features bands only from Maritime islands: PEI's Two Hours Traffic, the Danks and Smothered in Hugs, and from Cape Breton, Mardeen.
This comes hot on the heels of Sloan relaunching Murder Records. You would think that if the industry was dying, that people wouldn't be rushing in to join it. Do you ever think that maybe, just maybe artists and fans know something that the MBAs of the world haven't figured out yet?

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