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 We are delighted to have secured a 3 year composite agreement with graduate band Holy Moly & The Crackers. The agreement covers Management, Recording, and Publishing.
A chance meeting at The Butterfly Cabinet in Heaton led to 3 months of exploration of ideas, and discussions about contracts, eventually culminating in signatures and handshakes over drinks in Noire in January.
The development of a 3-year vision for the band has been developed into a Career Plan, and between live performances we are currently recording their first album with producer Ali Reay at Blue Attic Studios in Hexham.
The band members: Conrad Bird & Ruth Patterson (York), Rosie Bristow (Beverley), and Ashley Etchells-Butler (Ipswich) met and formed the band at Warwick University in 2010. They now live together in Heaton, having followed Ruth to Newcastle when she decided to study fashion design at Northumbria University.
 Northern Lights Music has completed the investment and business processes required to export its products and services. Our artistes can now benefit from much wider markets for their music. Through a two year business plan and support from UK Trade & Investment, Distributors and Promoters are now being sought in target countries to facilitate CD distribution and overseas tours.
Relationships are also being built directly with overseas film and TV producers and other music buyers to seek out new markets for the works of our songwriters.
Northern Lights will showcase its artistes at several key events in 2012 including the British Music Stand at Midem in Cannes, Brighton’s Great Escape, and a sync trade mission to Los Angeles. Trade missions through consulates in other countries are being planned at the moment.
Kevin Daley, Director of Northern Lights Music: “It has long been my ambition to extend the reach of our artistes to countries that appreciate British music. The national scene has become saturated, and the major labels’ obsession with the charts makes it really difficult for small independent labels to bring success to artistes, especially singer-songwriters – the lifeblood of the music industry in my view. We, as a company, are more inclined to steer our artistes towards life-long careers in music rather than the hope of short-term chart success, and having a wider market with varying cultural tastes gives us the platform we need.
” The key enabler has been the excellent support given by UKTI in the North East and in London. The UK is a net exporter of music and it’s great to feel that our government appreciates the contribution that the music industry makes to the British economy.”
 Northern Lights Music has entered into an agreement with Vicki Guillory to manage the residual affairs and catalogue of her late husband Isaac Guillory (1947 – 2000). In a career spanning 35 years the renowned guitar virtuoso began a solo adventure in 1969 when he left American band The Cryan Shames. Between 1973 and 2000 he created a catalogue of 7 solo albums.
Alongside his self-produced albums, Isaac performed frequently as a guest artist for recordings and films with, among many others, Al Stewart, Donovan, Mick Jagger, Buggles, Barbara Dickson, Nick Heyward and Elkie Brooks. He also wrote The Guitar Hand Book with friend, Ralph Denyer, which became the foundation for the BBC TV series Rock School.
Isaac’s albums will soon be available as CDs and downloads in our Music Store.
 We are delighted to complete the signing of singer-songwriter Adrian Nation. Essex boy Adrian has long been associated with us through several events, and as a session musician. Now we have undertaken to invest in his music career through a minimum 3 year composite agreement encompassing management, publishing, and recording.
As well as being a very accomplished singer and songwriter, Adrian is among the best acoustic guitarists of his kind in the UK, and his reputation has brought wide acclaim and regular festival appearances and gigs around the British Isles. A national tour is planned for this Autumn.
Adrian already has two self-produced albums, Sowing Seeds and Fall Or Fly, that we will distribute and promote, and we very much look forward to working with him on his third album.
More about Adrian and samples of his songs can be found in Our Artistes.
 Adrian Nation was recently given the daunting task of opening for Rock legends Wishbone Ash at Cambridge RockFest. Any doubts about a mismatch of musical genres were soon dispelled as the experienced singer-songwriter cruised gracefully through an hour of his own material, holding the attention and appreciation of an audience more used to the famous twin lead guitars of one of Britain’s finest rock bands.
And in the audience for Adrian’s full set was Wishbone’s Finnish guitarist Jyrki Manninen (Muddy to his friends) who had taken a particular interest in Adrian’s style of play. Muddy is the latest guitarist to partner Andy Powell, the only original member of a band who celebrated 40 years in the business in 2009.
Wishbone Ash rocked tight & powerful through a set of absolute classics, many of which were anthems of the North East club circuit in the 1970s such as Blowin’ Free, Jailbait, and Blind Eye. It was great to see Adrian holding his own in such esteemed company, with many accolades from the organisers and audience.
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