Kings of Leon launch label imprint

Posted by brandy, BAM's Blog, Oklahoman

on June 17, 2009 at 11:45 pm

Kings of Leon

Alt-rockers Kings of Leon, who have Oklahoma ties, are launching a new record label imprint with Bug Music, according to a Business Wire release.

Bug Music CEO John Rudolph announced the launch of the new imprint today. According to the release, Bug Music is the largest independent contemporary music publisher in the world.

The first artist signed to the imprint is Tennessee rockers The Features, a band with a decade of songs and touring experience. The Kings also have ties to Tennessee and toured the U.S. and U.K. with The Features in 2007.

The first release on the new imprint will be The Features’ album “Some Kind of Salvation.” More details on the album will be announced next week.

The imprint is the result of a creative new deal Bug Music and Kings of Leon entered into in fall 2008, according to the release. The terms of that agreement allow the Kings of Leon to sign and develop artists with Bug Music, in the spirit of discovering dynamic artists that are committed as a band and writing extraordinary music.

“Caleb, Jared, Matthew and Nathan are extraordinary tastemakers and constantly absorbing new sounds from all over the world,” Rudolph said in the news release. “The honesty in their music is what draws them to genuine artists. We are excited about developing new artists together as Bug Music continues to innovate and challenge the industry’s traditional thinking of a publisher.”

Critically lauded throughout the U.K., The Features recently performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and are slated to hit the road throughout the U.S. this summer and fall in support of the album release. “Some Kind of Salvation” was produced by Grammy-Award winning Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, Tom Waits, Sea Wolf) and Brian Carter at his Paradox Production facility in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The band features Matthew Pelham (guitar, lead vocals), Roger Dabbs (bass guitar), Mark Bond (keyboards) and Rollum Haas (drums).

Kings of Leon will return to Oklahoma City, where two of the four band members were born, on Oct. 3 for a show at the Ford Center, which is currently undergoing renovations. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. For more information, go to www.okfordcenter.com/calendar.