Jayson Bales signs a three-year record contract with Pampelmoose Records

by PegNews wire

PRESS RELEASE:

Dallas-based, folk-rock musician Jayson Bales has agreed to a three-year contract with Pampelmoose Records, the Portland, OR label founded by Gang of Four’s Dave Allen.

The Details: Pampelmoose will release Jayson Bales & The Revival’s latest record, Cruel & Unusual, produced by 2006 Dallas Observer Producer of the Year, Salim Nourallah (Rhett Miller, Travis Hopper, Deathray Davies). Album release is tentatively scheduled for October, 2006. Cruel & Unusual features 10 brand new tracks written by Mr. Bales, and recorded with his band The Revival. Special guests on the album include Carter Albrecht (Edie Brickell, Charlie Sexton, Sorta), Chris Holt (Olospo), Eric Willis (Wayman Tisdale, Kirk Franklin), Sara Donaldson, and John Lefler(Dashboard Confessional).

In partnership with Ryko and CD Baby, Pampelmoose will place Jayson’s latest album throughout stores and digital channels everywhere in the United States. In addition, Pampelmoose will distribute 2004’s Broken Furniture, which charted nationally on radio.

Though Bales is Pampelmoose’s first non-Portland act, the label has already made waves in the indie scene, thanks to its unique business model, the reunion of Gang of Four, and other acts it houses such as Dirty Martini, Wet Confetti, and Kleveland.

Quotes: On getting signed: "This is a wonderful opportunity and a dream come true for me," says Bales. "When I started playing music, I never imagined I would have a record label behind me. I couldn’t be happier with the choice I’ve made. I really believe in what Dave and the Pampelmoose team is trying to do for artists."

On the process of finding a label: "When I met Dave at SXSW and heard his thoughts on the music industry in general and where he saw it broken and where he saw opportunity, I knew there was a possibility. We talked some at the conference and he then emailed me and asked for a cd. At the time, I was pitching the record to about 20 different labels. Several of them were interesting and opportunity was there. In the end though, it was about a personality fit and being with a label that had some industry experience and savvy. I also wanted to be with a more rock-oriented label. Dave and Pampelmoose fit the bill of what I was looking for better than anyone else. I’m hoping this partnership will give me a little more national and regional exposure. I want to sell some records too."

On the agreement: "We basically co-wrote our agreement. Pampelmoose has unique deals with each of their artists and in the case of their two original artists, they have a stake in the actual record company itself,” says Bales. “That’s the kind of company they are. They told me to come up with some initial terms I wanted, and then we went back and forth a little until we had our deal. I still own all of my publishing, copyrights and masters."