Apologies it’s been a while. We gave up using social media for Lent, and then we decided to join the blackout in support of the footballers being racially abused, and you know how it is, you get out of the habit of doing something …
Anyway, we have never hidden our displeasure at using Social Media – does anyone under 100 still use Facebook? Should you ever use a platform your parents are on? Wasn’t Instagram just fine 3 years ago when it was photos of peoples pets doing dumbass shit?
Do we need to be plagued with advertisements for over-priced crap we don’t need, or a lifestyle we don’t aspire to?
We would also argue that if Alan Partridge once boasted of having 104 friends, does anyone actually need more than 104 Twitter followers?
You maybe thought at some point we were going to get slicker and more professional (some of our bands definitely hoped we might) but the reality is that we won’t. It will continue to be us putting out what we think are great records, and then hoping we sell some.
As some of you are no doubt aware “the industry” is currently subject to pretty horrific pressing plant delays. Like most UK labels we press records in the EU, and thanks to Brexit/Covid the turnaround times have gone from 12 weeks to 30 weeks.
To add insult to injury, the plant we use in the Czech Republic (Semi Finalists in Euro 2004- we are contractually obliged to mention this) has whacked up prices for pressing 7 inch singles by 20%!
Putting out 7 inch vinyl was already commercial suicide, so things just got a whole lot worse. Is this us breaking the news as gently as we can that we are putting prices up? Sort of.
We are still going to continue pressing on 7 inch, but wherever possible we will press EP’s ; whatever happens we will continue to sell to you at the price it costs us, and we will still try and press in volumes that mean everyone gets the opportunity to buy at cost price.
Things my change in the future, but for now we will stick by our DIY principles. We don’t normally do politics, we assume that everyone knows where we stand , but given the current UK government seems hell bent on destroying the creative arts, can we also urge folk in the UK to get out and vote tomorrow, and to vote for people like us that still give a shit about the stuff that matters..
Even though we have been out leafletting in Hartlepool for the last three weekends (because there’s a by election here as well) we wouldn’t be so arrogant as to tell you how to vote, we would just encourage you to make sure you do.
Obviously if you live in Hartlepool (Mt. Misery and fans) just fucking vote Labour!
So anyway, here’s what our fucked up release schedule for 2021 has in store for you – this stuff is recorded , and mastered, and somewhere in the Czech Republic:
Late June 2021 – Prefect LP 001 – Mt. Misery – Debut album, pressing of 250 in red vinyl and there’s a Rough Trade only edition of 100 in cream vinyl. Will be available to pre order from next week. It’s basically 10 beautifully crafted and delivered sad songs. We absolutely love it and hope you will too.
Late July 2021 – Prefect 005 – The Tubs – Names EP. A joint release with legendary US label Trouble In Mind to whom the band are now signed. It sounds like Swell Maps playing Velvet Underground songs. It’s on orange vinyl with us, and it’s another limited edition release. Pre Order from today with either ourselves or Trouble In Mind if you live over the Pond and want to save on shipping costs.
October 2021 – Prefect 006 – Another EP, this one is three tracks on limited edition grey vinyl. It’s by a band doing their first single for us that we are admittedly obsessed with. Sean at Rough Trade reckons it sounds like a cross between Postcard, The Prefects and The Wedding Present. The sleeve features a burnt out car. It’s fucking great
November 2021 – Prefect LP002 – Ex Void – Debut album. 11 songs. Total genius. It literally is. Again there is a Rough Trade only release of 100 , we seem to think on pink vinyl, and an edition of 300 on red ? Another UK/US joint release, it will be out on Don Giovanni in the USA.
December 2021 – Prefect 007 – A limited edition 7 inch single on what could best be described as a minty green coloured vinyl. Recorded especially for the label by someone whose music has been admired by us for a very long time, but not so long that it makes them old. A really beautiful and very special release to round off the year.
Take Care – and make sure to vote
Mark and Jasper
Prefect HQ