Music

Diary: Simon Raymonde

Simon Raymonde | Thursday 22 July, 2010 19:40

Monday The week started off with a firecracker at 10.30am when I got a whiff that 6 Music had been saved. It took all my might not to call everyone I knew but as the news was embargoed till 11am I had to sit on it. After all our campaigning it really felt like something of great import had just happened. A victory for the underground.

Tuesday Wavves have got themselves a new manager, dude who looks after Courtney Love, and I figure I should call him to discuss King Of The Beach. It’s one helluva record. Beastly good. Abe Vigoda’s brilliant new track Throwing Shade should be up on Soundcloud soon – exciting. Their new sound is a thrilling a leap forward.

Wednesday Met with John Grant to discuss Edward Munch, La La Land, Alan Partridge, Mock and Toof, Solvent (the band not the abuse) and then looked through the stunning footage from Mountain Man’s St Augustine’s Tower show last week.

Thursday Announced new headline show we are promoting for Mountain Man at St Giles Church. Got new mixes from Swedish band I Break Horses, which I then played 20 times without pause. So thrilling. Then off to judge the Green Man Poll gig at the Monarch with the winner opening the Green Man festival in August. Phil from Mojo and Stephen from Moshi Moshi are fellow judges. We agreed after a hot and sweaty show that the Dufflefolks (not a great name admittedly) were the deserving winners.

Friday A very productive label meeting. We sat out in the sun in the courtyard and talked about how much we love Edwyn Collins, how good Arcade Fire gig was, the merits of Lloyd Cole (I wasn’t having it, others disagreed), and how the new Walkmen album is their best yet, and sent John Grant off to Cardiff to shoot the Chicken Bones video. The treatment is insane and I can’t WAIT to see it!
Another week in my quiet life.

Simon Raymonde is the founder of Bella Union and a former Cocteau Twin

---