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Idlewild, Placebo, Keane, Embrace, Hundred Reasons, Coldplay... all have benefitted from Fierce Panda's series of one-off (often) singles. Sadly for seven-inch collectors, though, the label is to cease said operation.
Founder, and former NME scribe, Simon Williams is calling time on FP singles to concentrate on building the label's international profile.
The label is about to release its 189th record, but Williams feels the time is right to quit singles production:
"It's one of those decisions you take as a record company. You can spend £1,000 to pay for the band to go into the studio and deliver a single or I can spend £1,500 for them to deliver me six tracks which becomes a mini-album. Once you start using that principle, it's quite simple.
"Everywhere you turn now there is another brilliant new record company doing all these one-off singles and they probably do it a lot better than we do, so it's time to pass on that mantle."
Williams, of course, is referring to the likes of Transgressive, Young & Lost, Dance To The Radio and Marquis Cha Cha.
FP's final singles will be Dead Kids' 'The Dead Wife Pills' (July 17), and Dead Disco's 'Automatic' (August 14). That's a lotta death, right there. Also upcoming are albums by Winnebago Deal, The Hot Puppies and iLiKETRAiNS.
FP's spin-off label, Label Fandango, will continue to release singles, albeit self-funded recordings. Williams says about the label:
"It's as punk rock as you possibly can be. If you want to sell 500 singles without losing money, then there are certain luxuries you need to trim off."
Label Fandango releases Airtraffic's debut single, 'Just About Me', on July 17. The band have recently signed a deal with EMI.
More information on Fierce Panda can be found at their website.
