While some may criticise the fact a brand like General Pants is starting up an event like Major Label simply to sell more jeans… wait a minute, this surely isn’t a criticism anyone with half a brain would make, would they? With the music industry the way it is, it’s through companies like General Pants that live music is given some financial push – and the fact that tonight at the Oxford Art Factory, you had three underground artists given a killer party, with free beer, wine and pizza for all… seriously, who could criticise that? It’s absolutely fantastic. And it helps, too, that whoever curates Major Label*, actually has an eye and an ear for talent – because there were some great tunes pumped out on the stage. Although, I suppose I have to admit that could be the free beer talking.
First up were Sydney four-piece Underlights. Now at a normal gig, holding the opening slot would be a sore point – but when there’s free booze and a guestlist in Sydney – well, the first band to play is going to have the biggest crowd of the night (*cough* freeloaders). And so when I walked in to the Oxford Art Factory, the band about halfway through their set, I wasn’t surprised to see the venue crammed full of punters. I was, however, surprised that people were ACTUALLY listening! But after a song or two, I caught on why – this band were awesome! So polished, so tight, so much fun.
Getting ready to launch their debut single “Love Me” through Major Label, it’s clear that this band are building themselves a solid reputation for their live show, and I’m sure they’ll be doing the same on record. But what will separate Underlights from the rest remains to be seen, and I’m sure they’re still figuring it out for themselves. And we’ll be definitely keeping our eye on them to find out.
Next up were Guineafowl, possessors of one of the strangest animal names in music today. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the performance – the promo image hints it might just be one guy. And indeed, that’s all it was at the start of the process. But since then, Guineafowl has become a 6 – becoming masters of catchy, Vampire Weekend-esque guitar riffs, and haunting melodies. They’ve put together an impressive live performance, with a unique sound that should see their local fanbase grow pretty rapidly over the coming months!
Finally, Sydney four piece Made in Japan closed out proceedings, a band who started making waves last year, releasing their debut EP, and then seemingly fell off the radar. Well, mine at least. And indeed, a lot has happened for the band since then – Mike (bass guitarist) left the band at the end of 2009, a position recently filled by a young man named Paz. With quite a while passing since I last saw Made In Japan, I was impressed to see how much they’ve grown musically – and how tight they have become in spite of the changes. The lyrics come across as more mature, as do the melodies. If this is Made in Japan Version 2.0, then it does indeed feel new and improved. And where they go from here is anyones guess… but the possibilities seem endless. And with Major Label’s support, the only way is up.
So now that buying tight jeans = supporting live music, I think the music industry is going to be alright after all. Everyone loves tight jeans! And everyone should love supporting the local music scene, too. It’s the reason the AU review exists, and thankfully General Pants are putting their money where our mouth is. Because God knows we don’t have a cent!
*Here’s a bit more about Major Label, including WHO the curators are.
Seriously, major kudos for doing this GP. This is a great thing:
Major Label is a pioneering singles only record label wholly owned by General Pants Co. where the artist maintains ownership of copyright, has full creative control and receives 100% of the royalty income through the sales of music through digital retail stores.
The concept behind Major Label is for the 700 street-savvy General Pants Co. staff to act as talent scouts, street teams and publicists for the label and its artists. The staff will seek out the next hot Australian acts and submit them to the Major Label music blog housed on the General Pants Co. website. Each month three acts will be chosen and their single released through Major Label. The singles will be available for streaming on the General Pants Co. website and available to purchase through selected online retailers.
