Written by Jack Murray

In early April I got together with Venus’s Grace Stubbings to ask her some questions about the upcoming release of their second single, Sour.

Being a huge fan of Venus and following them from their conception I was very excited to get some insider information on the latest single release. I started off by mentioning the release, it taking place on the 7^th of June at the Wardrobe in Leeds, asking about their choice of support bands.

Grace listed the three supports, “Last Reserves”, “Purple Thread” and “Weekend Recovery” explaining how all were female bands, wanting to give female fronted music a pedestal in the music scene. “I feel the scene is flooded with male acts, female bands tend to get brushed aside. We want to break this norm and inspire as many women to get up and play some music.” She said with passionately.

I was then lucky enough to get some insider information previously un-released. Saying “Each support band have singles they want to release, so will do so on the same night as a surprise for their fans”.  Venus giving that opportunity when the night is significantly about their release shows the solidarity and selflessness they clearly put forward, which is very respectable.   

Having released their debut single Deranged on the 28^th of January, which was a sold out show at Hyde Park Book Club. The girls know how to put on a successful night. I asked Grace why they chose the Wardrobe and how she thinks it will compare to the Deranged launch, she told me how they think they can sell out the Wardrobe, it being a bigger capacity venue. “I’m confident after the attention we’ve been getting since Deranged, we can easily sell out a bigger venue such as the Wardrobe.” She went on to say how the band have some surprises regarding their set list and production improvements that she cannot disclose at this time, which will “Hugely contrast this release from our last, it’s gonna be one to remember!”  

Following the release of Deranged, Venus got signed to Monomyth Records. A non-profit label flag shipped by Bob Brazil, a production lecturer at Leeds Beckett University. I asked Grace how working with the label has affected the band and whether or not they have had a positive experience organising the next single release with them. “Monomyth are like our music parents. Bob has so many contacts and is such a supportive, nice guy. Being signed to them has had huge positive effect on the band and its growth.” She went on to talk about how herself and Grace Kelly, the lead vocalist had to do all the planning, admin and preparation for the Deranged show. To have Monomyth take on those responsibilities has been a huge stress relief for them, “It’s allowed us to focus more on the music and performance aspects. We love Bob.”

I then went on to ask Grace about her favourite gigs with Venus in the past to gain some personal insight as they have been gigging regularly for over a year. She told me that was a “Very Hard Question, the favourite changes a lot seeing as each gig brings something different.” She did go on to say her most memorable was supporting Bloxx in Middlesbrough at West Garth Social Club. “I used to go there a lot growing up seeing bands such as Wolf Alice on their early tours, a band that have had huge influence on me and one of the reasons why I wanted to do music. To play on the same stage to a sold out crowd was a dream come true.”

To conclude the interview I asked Grace about the bands plan after the single Launch. She told me about how they are all currently graduating Uni and how “We want to go on a tour next year. Our plan is to release a full album early 2021, releasing singles up until that point. Going on tour will hopefully let us build our fan base more and more, perhaps meaning we can upgrade the venue again for our album show!”

Grace was friendly and showed real passion when talking about Venus. To end the interview she said “I’ll see you on the 7^th of June!”

An opinion piece written by Jack Murray

Labels. 

If I could type an audible sigh, you would have definitely heard one then.

I remember thinking that If I ever got signed that was it, I’d made it. That my music was out there. All the hard work finally paying off thanks to the fact I was signed. 

Hell, I thought that for a long time. In my early bands if someone came up to me and plonked a contract on the table I wouldn’t even read it, just sign it there and then thinking the answer to all my hopes and dreams was sitting in front of me.

It reminds me of Vito Corleone in the Godfather, when he says “I’ll give them an offer they can not refuse”. A big contract saying they’ll give you a bunch of money to record a music video and album, any broke musician (and that’s most musicians) will stop reading there and then, stick their name down while the boss behind it all is sitting in his chair, stroking a cat and smoking a cigar thinking about all the money they are about to make.

The morale of the story is I hate record labels. I hate the greed, the power they have, the lust to just squeeze money out of anything and everything. It makes me sick. 

In 2001, A label known as Victory Records signed a band called A Day To Remember, binding them to a five album commitment and rights to merchandising. 

Sounds good right? Yeah I bet that’s what they thought after playing shows practically every night for the past 3 years, being teenagers trying to make a living in music before viral internet was a thing. Trying to break mainstream with Pop-Punk/Metal music… They are perfect prey for Victories Vito Corleone, sitting in his chair, stroking his cat and smoking his cigar. 

And they delivered! Producing 3 full length albums, 13 when counting all the live records, bonus tracks and re-releases. 5 years worth of ‘the grind’ making money for this label. But that wasn’t enough, it never is. 

ADTR wanted to leave the contract, having delivered the album quota. But were stopped by Victory, causing a huge lawsuit to take place spanning over 6 years. On November 22nd, 2016 ADTR won the lawsuit, Victory Records were forced to pay $4 Million dollars for unpaid royalties and ADTR were allowed to keep ownership of their self released album “Common Courtesy” and any future releases. 

Talk about sticking it to the man!

Jeremy Mckinnon released this statement: “Thank you to the fan base for supporting us through this difficult time, we couldn’t have done this without you. This isn’t just a victory for us but also a victory for every band wronged over the years. Right doesn’t always win, but yesterday it did.”   

Theres a reason that labels are going out of fashion. They don’t care about art or music. They only care about what they can make out of your creation, how they can own you. 

Take A Day To Remember as inspiration, that it is possible to defeat any greedy record label and their Vito Corleone.

Written By Jack Murray

In May 2011 the band A Day To Remember entered a Law Suit with the record label Victory Records, suing them due to a breach of contract. 

The band signed with the label in 2006, entering an exclusive five album contract with an option for additional records. The contract specified that the label would have certain rights to merchandising, specifically in relation to the retail sale of goods representing the band.

The band claimed they had fulfilled their five album contract, releasing “For Those Who Have A Heart”, “Homesick” and “What Separates Me From You”. The rest being live records, bonus tracks and re-releases totalling 13 albums for Victory. Thus allowing them to have ownership over any future releases.

Victory however claim the band bailed from the contract after the 3 studio album releases saying the other releases didn’t count under the clause of the contract. Resulting in them having ownership over the next two albums. 

In 2012 Victory stopped paying royalties to ADTR, accusing a breach of the merchandising clause of the contract as ADTR sold merchandise directly to consumers rather than through the label.  

The following year the judge ruled ADTR could release their album ‘Common Courtesy’ as a self-release. However Victory could still take future royalties from the album depending on how the lawsuit unfolds. 

Jeremy Mckinnon, the frontman of ADTR said this:   “Although our case is still ongoing, we are very pleased with the judge’s decision to allow us to release our next record. The only thing that has mattered to us while dealing with this lawsuit was getting new music to our fans.”

Victory Released this statement in response: “Victory did not file this lawsuit, ADTR did so in order to avoid their remaining recording commitments to Victory. In fact, Victory was blindsided by the lawsuit that the band began to surreptitiously prepare as early as 2010.”

In 2016 a two-week trial ended on November 22nd, resulting with the jury in favour of the band. Victory Records were forced to pay $4 million dollars for unpaid royalties and withheld proceeds from downloads and merchandise sales. Concluding the 6 year long lawsuit. 

ADTR issued this statement after the win: “This isn’t just a victory for us but also a victory for every band wronged over the years. Right doesn’t always win, but yesterday it did.”