Q&A ahead of Leith Records launch tonight
The Drum spoke to Jim Wolff, digital planner at The Leith Agency, about the Edinburgh’s agency’s latest project, Leith Records, which launches with its first gig tonight.
What is Leith Records?
Leith Records is a distribution channel for brand new Scottish music, curated by The Leith Agency, with the collaboration and generous contribution of bands, musicians, listeners and jive-talking music heids. It’s not actually a record label, and doesn’t make records, but it does strive to share and support the best of Scottish tunage, conveniently hand-delivered via the intervibes direct to email, Facebook, Twitter, and RSS readers of choice.
We also put on the occasional live showcase of bands featured on the site, and regular listeners and contributors will get first dibs on invites. To top it off, we're offering marketing and expertise support from the agency to give new bands a leg up in a difficult industry.
Who's involved?
Leith Records is held together by Claire Paterson, Kenny Nicholson, Jim Wolff, Mikey Kinlan, Chris Scott and Kirsty Cameron, with some much-appreciated support and inspiration from The Leither, LeithFM, TenTracks, Banana Row, Fredag and Jimi Hendrix.
What do you aim to achieve through the launch of Leith Records?
The launch is a way of spreading the word about the site and the potential opportunities available for bands, plus to invite more contributions from listeners. It's also an excuse to have some fun and frolics on a boat.
What does Leith think it can do with unsigned bands? Will it choose brands to promote and develop?
Through a precise scientific algorithm of creative choosing yet to be fully confirmed, we’re donating album and poster design, music video storyboarding, album launch events and even the chance to be featured in TV ads created by Leith. We're in touch with a panel of A&R and industry people to shortlist bands, which'll then be voted on by the listeners.
Desert Island Discs time - you can play three records on a deserted island. Which three would you pick?
Given that Leith Records is by the people for the people an' all that, it would have to be the current top three listened to tracks so far:
1. Leith Walk by Foxgang: http://leithrecords.com/post/319907133/leithwalk
2. Refugee Orchestra by Goodbye Lenin: http://leithrecords.com/post/409097846/
3. Thurso by Over The Wall: http://leithrecords.com/post/202485320