Poptones
Encyclopedia
Poptones is a record label
launched by Alan McGee
after the demise of Creation Records
in 1999. Named after a Public Image Limited song, it is seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation. Most notably, the label launched the career of The Hives
in the UK
.
Poptones' roster included acts such as psychedelic DJ Cherrystones, ex-Beta Band
member Steve Mason
's King Biscuit Time
, Thee Unstrung
, The Boxer Rebellion
, The Icarus Line
's sister project Souls She Said, Sailboats are White, Viking Moses, Beachbuggy
and acey-folk acts The Singleman Affair and Pure Reason Revolution
and Trashmonk, a project of Nick Laird-Clowes
.
Poptones reportedly was close to signing Hole
after they left Universal Music Group
and before their demise in 2002.
In 2002, Poptones gain national success and media with The Hives
"Your New Favourite Band" LP/CD, Main Offender 7" (which featured "Lost And Found" originally performed by The Saints as a B-Side), and Supply And Demand/The Stomp 7". "Your New Favourite Band" LP/CD contained the smash international hits "Hate To Say I Told You So", "Main Offender", "Supply And Demand", "Die, Alright", and "Outsmarted" off Veni Vidi Vicious (Epitaph/Sire/Reprise Records) and as well the Independent success of "Here We Go Again", "A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T", "Automatic Schmuck", and "Hail Hail Spit N'Drool" off Barely Legal (Burning Heart/Epitaph/Gearhead Records).
In May 2007, McGee told The Independent
newspaper that he was winding down Poptones for financial reasons.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
launched by Alan McGee
Alan McGee
Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999, and then Poptones from 1999-2007...
after the demise of Creation Records
Creation Records
Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation , whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were...
in 1999. Named after a Public Image Limited song, it is seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation. Most notably, the label launched the career of The Hives
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band that first garnered attention in the early 2000s as a prominent group of the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the "greatest hits" album Your New Favourite Band, featuring their most well-known song "Hate to Say I Told...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Poptones' roster included acts such as psychedelic DJ Cherrystones, ex-Beta Band
The Beta Band
The Beta Band were a British musical group who received much critical acclaim and achieved cult status amongst avid followers of the underground and experimental music scene...
member Steve Mason
Steve Mason
Stephen Roger Mason was born in Brooklyn NY, in 1940.Steve Mason was a decorated United States American combat veteran of the Vietnam War and a critically acclaimed poet. His poem "The Wall Within" was read at the 1984 dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C...
's King Biscuit Time
King Biscuit Time (musician)
Steve Mason is a Scottish musician, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of The Beta Band.According to Q magazine, after leaving the band Mason was so deep in debt at one point that he was forced to take a second job on a building site...
, Thee Unstrung
Thee Unstrung
Thee Unstrung were an English group, signed to Mercury Records Thee Unstrung were an English group, signed to Mercury Records Thee Unstrung were an English group, signed to Mercury Records (originally signed to Alan McGee's record label Poptones. Thee Unstrung released an album in 2005 entitled...
, The Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion (band)
The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom around 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson , Australian Todd Howe , and Englishmen Adam Harrison , and Piers Hewitt...
, The Icarus Line
The Icarus Line
The Icarus Line is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California.The Icarus Line was formed out of the ashes of high school punk group Kanker Sores...
's sister project Souls She Said, Sailboats are White, Viking Moses, Beachbuggy
Beachbuggy
Beachbuggy were a rock group formed in early 1992 in Doncaster by Jack Straker , Jim VeVee and A.D . The band's name reflected singer and main songwriter Jack's obsession with classic cars, drag racing and Americana...
and acey-folk acts The Singleman Affair and Pure Reason Revolution
Pure Reason Revolution
Pure Reason Revolution are a British rock group formed at the University of Westminster in 2003 and who are playing their final dates together in November 2011. Their music incorporates elements of progressive rock and electro. Their music has been variously described as 'Astral Folk' and 'New...
and Trashmonk, a project of Nick Laird-Clowes
Nick Laird-Clowes
Nick Laird-Clowes is a musician, most famous for his membership as the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters for the band called The Dream Academy...
.
Poptones reportedly was close to signing Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
after they left Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
and before their demise in 2002.
In 2002, Poptones gain national success and media with The Hives
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band that first garnered attention in the early 2000s as a prominent group of the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the "greatest hits" album Your New Favourite Band, featuring their most well-known song "Hate to Say I Told...
"Your New Favourite Band" LP/CD, Main Offender 7" (which featured "Lost And Found" originally performed by The Saints as a B-Side), and Supply And Demand/The Stomp 7". "Your New Favourite Band" LP/CD contained the smash international hits "Hate To Say I Told You So", "Main Offender", "Supply And Demand", "Die, Alright", and "Outsmarted" off Veni Vidi Vicious (Epitaph/Sire/Reprise Records) and as well the Independent success of "Here We Go Again", "A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T", "Automatic Schmuck", and "Hail Hail Spit N'Drool" off Barely Legal (Burning Heart/Epitaph/Gearhead Records).
In May 2007, McGee told The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
newspaper that he was winding down Poptones for financial reasons.