QUEEN'S LABEL RELEASES BEST OF

Okay, we're sure the Queen probably dumped her holding in Poptones ages ago, but anyway: Poptones is about to release a compilation:


And The Cassette Played Poptones (not, actually, available on cassette). The surprising thing is that it's taken Alan McGee so long to get round to knocking a compy out - back in the Creation days he'd usually stick a couple of back catalogue collections while waiting for his teapot to warm every morning. But as he points out, it's been four years before this debut Poptones gathering:

It's remembering why we put out records and where we come from. This is the first Poptones compilation we have done. We are 4 years old. Just about to go to school in human terms. The music we have signed recently excites me a lot. I always sign what I am into musically I always have done. A joy and maybe a flaw but that's the way Poptones Records works. Poptones work with artists we like and admire rather than fit the media's idea of popular culture. Sometimes you doubt whether people even care then you hear The Paddingtons or The Others and you realise none of that matters. All you want out of it is that this music exists.'

There's a tour in support, too:
May 12 - Paris The Others, The Paddingtons, DJ Alan McGee
14 - Glasgow The Others, Boxer Rebellion, Kain, DJ Alan McGee
18 - London Death Disco, Notting Hill Arts Club DJ Alan McGee + Special Guests
20 - London Queen is Dead, Borderline -- DJ Alan McGee + Special Guests
31 - Berlin The Others, The Paddingtons, DJ Alan McGee

The Others in Berlin? Why does that strike us as very, very appropriate?

music poptones the others the paddingtons alan mcgee