Everything isn't beautiful. The Toronto compilation is still in limbo as I struggle to find a suitable distribution deal. You'd think it'd be pretty simple really: the label delivers a pile of CDs and pays a percentage of the wholesale cost to the distributor to ship copies to shops that want it. But no, there's always strings attached so thanks for nothing - you know who you are.

So maybe this is where it ends for now but this album deserves a release. Here's the tracks, judge for yourself.

If anyone has any ideas, sympathetic distribution contacts or even knows other labels that might want to pick this up do get in touch...

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The V-Sign inbox has a lot in common with the Carlsberg complaints line. I guess my expectations of a tide of groups wanting to go in the studio and put out records was a bit over optimistic. Anyway, I hate hanging around so the second in a series of cool junk will be a sampler CD of stuff from Toronto which will be released around February next year.

All being well, there'll be a couple of tracks apiece from Picturesound, Love Kills, The Does and In Support Of Living...

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Not literally but as the attached file is 30MB it won't be up forever. So yeah, this is a live recording of Daybreaks at The Ruby Lounge on Saturday 2 August. It's a short set as they were a late addition to the bill (thanks Conrad) and the tracks are - Too Much Sun, Favourite Sunsets, Here I Am, Two of Them & People Don't Listen. Enjoy...

Ruby Lounge 2.8.08

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V-Sign's looking for people to make sweet, unholy noise and keep Daybreaks company.

If you think you could be the label's second release do get in touch...

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Rural may not be the new urban but it's good to get out of the city. Here's the latest photo session with Daybreaks whose debut single Here I Am isn't rocketing up the charts or filling hot summer dance floors everywhere. I blame the label myself.

Anyway the reason for the trip was that we needed shots with the new four piece line up. Actually the expansion happened a while back but above, left to right, we have Josh Woods - vocals, guitar, keyboard, Adrian Percival - new on bass, Andrew Veitch- drums, and Ben Smyth - now on guitar. The rest of the photos are much greener.

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Finally after months of pissing around the Daybreaks CDs have arrived and, although I say so myself, they look and sound great. They'll mainly be used for promoting the iTunes single but there are also some copies available from Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange and Fopp in Manchester city centre.

For the time being, anyone who'd like one of the CD versions by post can send £2.50 via Paypal which includes P&P to anywhere in the world. I'll even throw in a much folded copy of the single poster too. Just follow this link to buy now via PayPal

Any bloggers, music writers or DJ's who reckon they deserve a free copy can email me at andrewwake@msn.com and I'll see what I can do.

*please note some things are less beautiful than others 

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The first in a series of cool junk is now live on iTunes across the globe and V-Sign is very happy to accept your Yen, Euros and Dollars. In return you can get both 'Here I Am' & 'Two Of Them' from the fabulous debut single by Daybreaks.

The only problem is we've fucked up slightly on the sleeve artwork as we changed the typeface weeks after originally submitting it. Anyway, to make amends you can click here to download the correct version if you want to swap it.

If you already know how to add and change artwork on iTunes ignore this bit, if not -

Make sure the song you're adding an image to is highlighted. In the tool bar choose 'File' and then 'Get Info' from the drop down menu. A box with various information on the track should appear and on the row of buttons along the top, the one on the right should say 'Artwork'. Click it and if there's already an image attached to the track it should appear in a central box. If not it will be blank but under it is an 'Add' button. Click this and it'll let you upload a new image from wherever you've got it saved. You can also use the 'Delete' button to bin any old image.

Anyway that's great if you've got an iPod to flash around but if you're just listening to it on your computer and fancy burning yourself a copy click here to download a full size wraparound CD sleeve with a back and everything. Just make sure you change your printer to landscape...

The limited run of real CD singles we'll be using for promos aren't actually ready yet but we're on the case and a few will be put aside if you fancy one.

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This is Daybreaks looking happy. I suppose they've got a lot to smile about. Far too many groups these days look fucking miserable. What's all that about?

We did the photos at one of Manchester's prime cruising locations and you can see a load more pictures on the mess they call their myspace site as well as hearing the newly recorded single versions of 'Here I Am' and "Two Of Them'.

And what a single it is. I can still remember hearing the demo of 'Here I Am' and knowing I'd finally found the label's first release. All that meshed guitar sliding into a sweet as honey groove and a chorus that soars skywards like the Red Arrows. The new version is even better so do check it out.

So above in the tunnel we have from left to right, singer, guitarist and keyboard player, Josh Woods, drummer Andrew Veitch and bassist Ben Smyth. Don't be fooled by those angelic faces...

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Starting a label isn't easy. Finding that first group is an even bigger struggle but finally we got there.

This is Mancunian three piece Daybreaks recording their debut single 'Here I Am' which will be V-Sign's first release in April. I'll tell you a lot more about them soon.

The four day session took place at The Charlatans studio in Middlewich (thanks Mark) and was produced by Jim Spencer who's worked with everyone from New Order to Johhny Marr. Far more importantly, he's a massive Wire fan.

Despite being offered a distribution deal I've had a real problem with accepting the big chains ridiculous racking fees and the kind of mark ups that would have seen a retail price around or possibly higher than a fiver. I wouldn't pay that for a single so why should I expect others to?
It's like The Cartel never happened...

As a result of all the blood sucking, the two track single will now be made available on iTunes around the world and should therefore cost about £1.40 to get both songs. We'll even be making the artwork available to download from this blog so you could even burn a copy, print off the sleeve and have something to hold if you wanted.

I'm actually still a fan of having something in my hands so there will also be a thousand CD copies we'll be using for promos, giving away at the single launch and also making available through some of the independent shops in and around Manchester as long as we can agree a retail price of two pounds. Any that are left over will be advertised on here for mail order at the same price. And then they'll be gone.

You can see more photos from the recording session here

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V-Sign is looking for scruffy cool young things to join us. You'll need ambition, spirit and tunes to match so if you think you might fit in do get in touch.

You can email MP3s or MySpace links to andrewwake@msn.com or just drop me a line if you want to put stuff in the post.

Andy Wake

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Two tracks from Daybreaks. The demo of 'Here I Am' is from last year and a re-recorded version will be the label's first release in the next month or so. The group are currently demoing new stuff and 'Too Much Sun' was recorded in February / March.

Here I Am demo

Too Much Sun demo

This is the third and latest demo of 'Let Go' recorded some time over Summer 08.

Let Go demo

And here's some footage of Too Much Sun from the Roadhouse. There's a couple more videos from the show at the group's myspace site.

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World of Twist used to share a stage with a rotating sign, the kind you once saw spinning in the breeze on garage forecourts. One side said ‘Music’, the other said ‘Chips’. I always thought that would be a great manifesto for anyone brave or stupid enough to start a record label.

So beyond the salt and vinegar there really isn’t a plan other than a passion for music, a box of matches and a desire to set the world on fire.

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