NEW YORK (Flagship Records) - The new label from longtime music industry veteran Marc Nathan, FLAGSHIP Recordings, has signed a North American distribution deal with Fontana Distribution. Fontana is the new indie distribution arm of UMVD, and four FLAGSHIP releases are planned for Fontana Distribution this calendar year.
"We are thrilled that FLAGSHIP will join the growing Fontana family," stated Steve Pritchitt, General Manager of Fontana. "Marc has a long history with UMG, and his love of music and dedication to artists is well-known."
Nathan echoes these sentiments, saying: "Because of my long standing relationship with Steven Page and Barenaked Ladies, I had the opportunity to obtain the US rights to Steven's "Vanity Project" and start my own label. Jim Urie (President of Universal Music & Video Distribution [UMVD]) said he'd be thrilled to have us work together through Fontana. I told him I wanted to have the flagship label of Fontana Distribution, and that's when I realized I had just named my label. Now we have an opportunity to get this great music out to the people!"
The first release on FLAGSHIP will be the self-titled album from The Vanity Project, which features Barenaked Ladies' lead singer Steven Page. The Vanity Project is a collaboration between Page and his frequent co-writing partner, Stephen Duffy, and is set for a June 21st release. The album includes 12 songs, 11 of which are Page-Duffy compositions. The first track from the album, "That's All, That's All" has been released to AAA and Non-Comm radio, and Steven Page will be doing an extensive press, radio and retail junket in late July. The Vanity Project will soon be found online at www.vanity-project.com.
Brett Dennen will be the second FLAGSHIP release and the self-titled album is scheduled for a July 12th in-store date. The album was originally released with limited online distribution last year on the Southern California-based Three Angels and a Saint Label. The Oakdale, CA songwriter has already caught the ears of influential KCRW DJ Chris Douridas, who started spinning tracks from the album on Valentines Day 2004, and has continued to play them repeatedly. This led to airplay on other KCRW shows, as well as airplay on WXPN's World Café. Says Douridas about Dennen's disc: "He's the unsigned artist of the year. Rarely does music come along so unadorned, so pure in spirit, and so eloquently written. 'Desert Sunrise' generated more phone calls than anything I've played all year." Dennen plans to tour heavily in support of his album and is confirmed to play at this year's Bonnaroo Festival in June, as well as in New York City at Central Park Summer Stage (supporting Shelby Lynne) on July 15th. The track "Desert Sunrise" will go to Triple A and Non-Comm radio formats in June. Dennen's website is www.brettdennen.com.
FLAGSHIP is set to release "Love Is The Greatest Revenge" from Oakland, CA-based band Tremolo on August 9th. The disc is actually a re-working of an album that was available previously via online outlets (CDBaby, Amazon, iTunes) and will feature remixes of four of the tracks as well as two brand new songs and a re-recording of the track "Promise Ring" (produced by John Painter [Ben Folds]). Tremolo (www.tremolomusic.net) has had songs from this album featured in film ("How To Deal") and television ("The Mountain," "North Shore," "Pimp My Ride," and more) and has received extensive local airplay on San Francisco stations, as well as on the national satellite service Music Choice. The first radio track is to be determined, and will ship to radio in early July
Rounding out the FLAGSHIP 2005 release schedule will be "My Favorite Revolution" from Los Angeles-based Eugene Edwards, hitting stores on August 23rd. Produced by Dave Peterson, the album had a limited release on Tallboy Records before being picked up by FLAGSHIP. "My Favorite Revolution" has already garnered a good deal of press attention: the Los Angeles Times said, "It's easy to see why Edwards has become a favorite on the L.A. pop scene - his revved up live shows and sterling guitar licks put muscle behind his melodies." Opined the OC Weekly: "He and his group... play flat-out fun pop music with a deceptively sharp bite." Britain's Uncut Magazine trumpeted: "Blaring forth with assured vocals, cutting guitar figures, and a melodic sense that marries Tom Petty to Squeeze, Edwards spills out 14 flawless songs obsessed with jaded romance and, occasionally, even sadder affairs of the heart." Although he performed everything on the album except the drums, Edwards relies heavily on his band in a live setting. Edwards can be found online at www.eugeneedwards.com.
