| Savoy's
Warners Link-Up Sees Saucy Monky Poised For Breakthrough
As exclusively predicted by Hot Press, Irish-LA hopefuls
Saucy Monky have signed a deal for the United
States with 429 Records. 429 is a recently established
rock-focussed division of the powerful Savoy Label
Group (SLG), whose catalogue includes jazz greats of
the calibre of John Coltrane and Charlie Parker,
amongst numerous others.
The deal will see the release of the band's acclaimed
Turbulence album, which received a comprehensive
thumbs-up from Hot Press on its Irish release in 2004.
The title track 'Turbulence' has been slotted in as
the first US single. Other acts signed to the new label
include the Warren Brothers and the Scottish
outfit Cosmic Rough Riders, whose Too Close To See Far
album has sold over 150,000 copies in the UK.
Saucy Monky, who are fronted by songwriters Annmarie
Cullen from Dublin and Cynthia Catania from New
Jersey, have also confirmed their ties with new manager
Keith Cunningham, whose background as a radio
programmer may well prove vital in assisting the band
to garner the radio play essential to establishing a
beach-head in the hugely competitive US market. SM are
currently in the throes of an intensive stint of
gigging that takes them through three western states,
culminating in a date at San Francisco's Hotel Utah
on
Sunday 6th.
In a note to hotpress.com, Annmarie and Cynthia said
(in harmony, no doubt): "429 represents the perfect
opportunity for Saucy Monky. It's an indie label at
heart, with major label brains and significant
resources to draw upon once the ball gets rolling. They're
focused on artist development and not just a
one single, make or break, style of doing business.
We're not only optimistic about this new opportunity,
but we're extremely thankful for all the support Hot
Press and our Irish fans have given Saucy Monky, which
certainly played a role in our ability to land a U.S.
deal with 429 Records. We'll get back to Ireland to
thank everyone in person as soon as possible!"
"We couldn't be more excited about launching Saucy
Monky in the US," Sheila Volpe, Senior Director
of
Marketing and A&R at 429 Records enthused. "Their
talent is so blaringly obvious, there was just no way
we could pass on this gorgeous release."
SLG has just completed a deal with Warner Music, that
will see 429 being handled by Warner's highly-rated
distribution set-up, beginning in May 2005. An SLG spokesman
commented: "As one of Billboard's top 4
labels in Classical music, and having just notched a
record 27 chart positions across the Classical, Jazz
and New Age charts last week, I think I can safely say
WEA has picked a perfect moment to join forces with
us."
Meanwhile, interest in Saucy Monky in the UK and Europe
has also intensified, with a number of labels
keen to sign the band and to build on their momentum,
which has been growing in both Ireland and the US.
There is no word yet on Irish dates in 2005, with the
band likely to concentrate their energies on the US
market for the coming months - though appearances at
selected summer festivals here has not yet been ruled
out.
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