Vinyl Eddie launches York record label with The Receivers and Violet Contours' EPs

Working in tandem with Victoria Vaults gig promoter Dave Sollitt, Vinyl Eddie will release the first two records, EPs by York bands The Receivers and Violet Contours, on May 5.

That night, the Vinyl Eddie Records label launch gig will assemble a bill of co-headliners Violet Contours and The Receivers, plus fellow York bands The Vedettes and jazz/blues trio Fear And Loathing. Tickets are on sale at £5 at fibbers.co.uk and at the Vinyl Eddie store.

Before then, exclusive pre-release copies of The Receivers' EP, will be on sale at the Vinyl Eddie store and the Victoria Vaults, in Nunnery Lane, on Record Store Day only, April 13.

The Receivers: first band to sign to Vinyl Eddie Records

In early 2019, the label's first signing, The Receivers, put the finishing touches to their EP, soon followed by the boost of indie-championing BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Steve Lamacq closing his February 4 show with a premiere play of new track Leave The Right Marks.

Lamacq had been given a pre-release copy by Dave Sollitt when Sollitt guested on his show from York during Independent Venue Week in late January.

Now Leave The Right Marks can be heard on the new six-track EP, There's More To The World, released as Vinyl Eddie's VINE001. Further tracks will be All Your Friends, That's What They Told Me, Rimshot, Grand Central and Saturday, a song released digitally as a taster on March 29.

The label logo for Vinyl Eddie Records

"We really are genuinely chuffed at how amazing it has turned out: great tunes with a fantastic vinyl sound, and initial feedback from Steve Lamacq and everybody else has been tremendous," says Dave.

The VINE002 release, Violet Contours's self-titled EP, will feature Hold On; Pixar; Airstrike and Electric Bodies.

"The idea to set up the label came about last year, after we noted how the continuing resurgence in vinyl was coinciding with an upsurge in great new bands in the 'York Scene'," says Dave.

"Many wanted some 'real' product to sell at gigs and online, as well as seeing a 'cool' vinyl release as having huge potential as a promotional tool: a great product to send off to DJs, producers, radio stations, the press and magazines to attract attention to their music."

The artwork for The Receivers' vinyl EP

Sollitt and Vinyl Eddie already had contacts with Katy Rose of Key Production, a company with nearly 30 years' experience at the forefront of vinyl record-pressing in Britain.

"Crucially, we established an agreement with Key to press vinyl releases of as little as 200 records, which put a vinyl release within the financial reach of young up-and- coming bands, partly due to us being able to offer multiple bands wanting to release records," says Dave.

Vinyl Eddie and Dave's experience in the music industry is an important factor in drawing bands to the new label. "We have the ability to guide and assist the bands with every step of the process if required: mixing; mastering their final mixes for vinyl; helping with the artwork and proofing, test pressings and more," says Dave.

Violet Contours: co-headlining Vinyl Eddie Records label launch gig

"Even, where appropriate, we can provide up-front financial support to the bands to facilitate and enable the release, such is Vinyl Eddie Records' commitment to supporting local talent.

"After the release, we have the ability to retail each record through the Vinyl Eddie store and other independent record stores, as well as providing and promoting gigs through the Victoria Vaults and other venues to launch and sell the release."

Looking ahead, Dave says: "More releases are planned already. Our vision is to support and release vinyl by talented emerging York bands playing original material, and fortunately at the moment there are many of those around. Watch this space!"