Post by valerie davenport on Sept 16, 2007 13:36:29 GMT -5
WET Wet Wet have put £500,000 into forming their own record label to release their new album.
They follow other big Eighties acts like Simply Red and Marillion, who left big record companies to release music on their own labels.
It gives them greater artistic freedom and allows them to keep more of the profits.
Having spent most of their career with Mercury, the band led by Marti Pellow will release their new album Timeless on their own Glasgow-based Dry Records label on November 5.
Last night Marti said: "We'd made the album and began to have meetings with major record companies to discuss possible deals.
"But we felt after 20 years that we had the clout and experience to do it ourselves.
"It's wonderful that we're pulling all the artistic strings on our first new record in 10 years.
"It's been a truly collaborative effort and we're not justifying ourselves to anybody. We've created something exciting and feel we're making our dreams come true. It's a new chapter for Wet Wet Wet."
While the band wrote new tracks, including hit single All I Want, for the platinum-selling Greatest Hits package in 2004, the last studio album they made was 10 in 1997.
Wet Wet Wet - Marti, Graeme Clark, Tommy Cunningham and Neil Mitchell - formed at Clydebank High School in 1982 under the name Vortex Motion, changing their name and signing in 1985 to Polygram. Their first hit came in 1987 with the top six hit Wishing I Was Lucky.
In 1994 they made history by staying at No.1 for 15 weeks with their cover of The Troggs' song Love Is All Around.
But cracks began to appear and drummer Tommy quit in 1997 after the release of 10 when he was told he would be paid less than the other three. Then in 1999 Marti quit after battling a heroin addiction.
The band reformed in 2004 for their Greatest Hits album and were one of the headline acts for the Live8 gig in Edinburgh the following year.
Bassist Graeme Clark added: "I was always aware there was a hive of activity going on behind the scenes when we released records in the past, but was never really involved in the processes like pressing a CD.
"Because we had ultimately sold our rights to a record company, they called the shots. This time it's all us. It's a whole new experience but exciting and interesting. "
Timeless will feature cover artwork by the legendary Klaus Voorman, who drew the iconic illustration for the cover of The Beatles' Revolver LP.
He even came up with the Wets' album title, telling them he'd been inspired by the timeless quality of their new music.
The band embark on a UK arena tour in December, including dates at Glasgow SECC on December 9 and Aberdeen AECC the next night.
Marti added: "We've always treasured playing live most, so get ready for a cracking tour."
They follow other big Eighties acts like Simply Red and Marillion, who left big record companies to release music on their own labels.
It gives them greater artistic freedom and allows them to keep more of the profits.
Having spent most of their career with Mercury, the band led by Marti Pellow will release their new album Timeless on their own Glasgow-based Dry Records label on November 5.
Last night Marti said: "We'd made the album and began to have meetings with major record companies to discuss possible deals.
"But we felt after 20 years that we had the clout and experience to do it ourselves.
"It's wonderful that we're pulling all the artistic strings on our first new record in 10 years.
"It's been a truly collaborative effort and we're not justifying ourselves to anybody. We've created something exciting and feel we're making our dreams come true. It's a new chapter for Wet Wet Wet."
While the band wrote new tracks, including hit single All I Want, for the platinum-selling Greatest Hits package in 2004, the last studio album they made was 10 in 1997.
Wet Wet Wet - Marti, Graeme Clark, Tommy Cunningham and Neil Mitchell - formed at Clydebank High School in 1982 under the name Vortex Motion, changing their name and signing in 1985 to Polygram. Their first hit came in 1987 with the top six hit Wishing I Was Lucky.
In 1994 they made history by staying at No.1 for 15 weeks with their cover of The Troggs' song Love Is All Around.
But cracks began to appear and drummer Tommy quit in 1997 after the release of 10 when he was told he would be paid less than the other three. Then in 1999 Marti quit after battling a heroin addiction.
The band reformed in 2004 for their Greatest Hits album and were one of the headline acts for the Live8 gig in Edinburgh the following year.
Bassist Graeme Clark added: "I was always aware there was a hive of activity going on behind the scenes when we released records in the past, but was never really involved in the processes like pressing a CD.
"Because we had ultimately sold our rights to a record company, they called the shots. This time it's all us. It's a whole new experience but exciting and interesting. "
Timeless will feature cover artwork by the legendary Klaus Voorman, who drew the iconic illustration for the cover of The Beatles' Revolver LP.
He even came up with the Wets' album title, telling them he'd been inspired by the timeless quality of their new music.
The band embark on a UK arena tour in December, including dates at Glasgow SECC on December 9 and Aberdeen AECC the next night.
Marti added: "We've always treasured playing live most, so get ready for a cracking tour."
