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Stopping for a pint in Bogart’s, he bumps into The Ruined’s Shaun
Phillips. The pair discuss Allen’s new venture, Destructors 666. In
an act of drunken bravado, Allen offers to finance a one-off split
single for the two bands.
The release, Plus Ca Change Pour La
Meme Chose, came out in February 2006. It stands out from other
releases for two reasons. The cover by Sarah Burckitt isn’t as
sophisticated as later pieces by Lee Mason, while the listener is
disorientated by the tracks alternating between the two bands.
The next split had Destructors 666
on the first three tracks. From the third split single onwards, Got
Mit Uns which featured Radicus, the guests played first. Allen said,
“We now put the guest artists first to give the casual listener easy
access to them. It’s a way of helping new bands out.”
Asked how the label has put out 20
releases so far considering Plus Ca Change Pour La Meme Chose was
intended to be unique, Allen explains, “On the back of the first
release, Picture Frame Seduction offered us a split on their label,
Cult Jam Recordings. This never saw the light of day, which goes to
prove, never trust Welshmen bearing gifts.
“The label got a life of its own.
We put out the first single, then the 06/06/06 EP, followed by our
album. Before we knew it, we had four releases and had become
self-financing, so we just carried on.”
The label’s most ambitious release
was This is Peterborough, a CD featuring 19-local bands. They were
selected, as Rowdy Farrago has a no-demos policy, on merit alone.
Allen’s evening job at The Met Lounge gives him a chance to hear a
variety of bands. If he likes them, he’ll approach them.
“We must’ve contacted 30 bands,
some said yes straight away, some took their time, while others
didn’t reply. I know for a fact some are now kicking themselves
thanks to the press attention it got.”
Despite some bands finding the
selection process elitist, Tom Shaw, rhythm guitarist of The Ruined,
feels that this is jealousy from bands that don’t come up to
scratch.
“Allen has helped us a lot. If it
weren’t for him, we’d have never released a CD. He knows what’s
going on in the music scene. I suppose if what we’re doing was awful
he wouldn’t put it out. But he lets us get on with it, who can say
that of other labels?”
The benefits of releasing on Rowdy
Farrago have been apparent for the 925s who, on the back of Storm
Unt Drang, got signed to a Dutch management company. While White
Clouds and Gunfire, who’s contribution to Caveat Emptor has gained
them the interest of several American labels.
The job creation scheme doesn’t
just stop at the bands. The publicity that Lee Mason’s commissions
generated helped him to pack up the day job to become, “a very happy
freelance artist.”
The releases have been highly
collectable, thanks to the limited 1,200 pressings. Around 200 are
sent to college radio stations round the world, with downloads
available on iTunes. Allen intends to carry on releasing further
splits with new bands and for the label to, “continue to plough our
own furrow.” |
