SNOW PATROL ARE being courted by a number of major labels this week after parting company with London independent Jeepster Records.
"The best thing I can compare it to is a marriage," reflects manager Danny MacIntosh. "Jeepster gave us our big break, so we fell madly in love with them. Then the fighting and the arguing started and, well, let?s just say that both sides filed for divorce."
Having received rave reviews for their When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up album, the trio were disappointed when Jeepster pulled their tour support.
"Since December 2000, we?ve had to finance all our gigs ourselves," MacIntosh claims. "They weren?t even prepared to stump up the £160 entry fee for the Mercury Music Prize, so I wrote the cheque myself.
"That said, we?re still indebted to Jeepster for all the support they?ve given us. The divorce is amicable, which means we?ll continue to promote the album on stage and in interviews, and they?ll continue to sell it."
MacIntosh is confident that they won?t be label-less for long.
"We?ve already had Capitol wanting to release When It?s All Over? in the States, so interest isn?t a problem. The hope now is to get a new deal sorted by the end of September, and then start work on the third album

Phantom FM returns

AS PREDICTED A couple of months ago in HOTPRESS, Phantom FM have resumed their illegal operations on 91.6Mhz.
While expressing delight at being back on the air, a Phantom spokesman said that they?re still disappointed by the IRTC?s refusal to grant them a licence,
"It comes to a point where you figure that the only way we can do this is by going back on as a pirate," he reflects. "We love what we do, we think we are pretty good at it and we feel that we have a choice. We can either give in at this stage, or say let?s do it and do our best again."
Instrumental in their return is the support received from listeners, sponsors, venues and bands.
"We tried our best to keep everybody up to date with the process as it went on and the response we got all the way was brilliant. That?s what motivates you to go and do it again.
"The one thing we can do is still go out and prove our point. There is an audience for this, we are able to do it, give us a chance to do it."
Their return has been welcomed by Wilt mainman Cormac Battle: "Phantom going back on air is not just a good thing but vital to the discerning daytime tranny enthusiast. It?s an integral part of Dublin?s independent music scene, its existence gives some relief to an otherwise bland cultural landscape, and in these Celtic Tiger times, God knows we need it. Long live!"