Newport pals set up record label (From South Wales Argus)

Newport pals set up record label

9:10pm Wednesday 8th August 2012 in Gwent news

TWO Newport men are following their dream by setting up their own international record label.

Paul Blandford and Matt Miles have launched Death Proof Recordings outside their full-time jobs.

Mr Blandford works as a mechanical engineer and Mr Miles is a graphic designer but they say they have always been interested in music and wanted to give it a go.

Mr Blandford, who also runs several club nights in Newport, said: "We've been doing it for a year now. It's all off our own backs and money out of our own pockets.

"We've been in music for seven or eight years and it made sense to have a go at it."

The friends started on a relatively small budget of just under £300 and called in a lot of favours from over the years to help.

They also have architect Benjamin Vial, who lives in Paris, on board. Death Proof Recordings, which mainly focuses on techno and tech house music, has already released ten digital recordings over the last year working with new and upcoming artists like Frankie Ferrell and Anthony James.

It was also nominated in the Breakbeat awards for best new label.Mr Blandford said: "For us, we've all got comfortable jobs. We just want to make music and help a few people on the way. If we can make the money to tide us over then so much the better."

If only we could make this our full time job but we know that in this day and age it's probably not possible. We're waiting for that one track to come along and go big worldwide."

Mr Blandford added: "All the hard work is coming to fruition. It's very exciting."