Reasons to be Cheerful in 2021: Clue Records

By Jon Milton

Last year saw the merger of Clue Records and Hatch Records, aiming to buck the trend of record labels calling it a day and flying the flag for the music industry in the North of England.

Clue Records have released music from the likes of YOWL, Crushed Beaks, Team Picture, Avalanche Party, and Van Houten, and Hatch have released music from The Wedding Present, Nine Black Alps, Then Thickens, Napoleon IIIrd and more. I talked to Scott Lewis (pictured on the right below alongside Come Play With Me's Tony Ereira who works alongside Scott at Clue) about the plans for 2021.

What were your highlight(s) of 2020? 
 
Despite all the badness we did some stuff I'm really proud of, releasing Team Picture's debut album, finding & signing Bored At My Grandmas House, plus our merger with Hatch Records & releasing a load of other good music. Personally we had some extreme highs & goals achieved set against some of the hardest things we've ever faced so I think getting through the year & becoming stronger & more supportive of each other has been the biggest highlight.

Tell us about the artists you have that are lined up to release new music in 2021?
 
There's a lot of TBC's but a definite is Bored At My Grandmas House's 'Sometimes I Forget You're Human Too' EP. Then there'll be a bag full of bangers from Team Picture, Van Houten, YOWL, Fehlt & a couple of others at least. 
 
When will you be releasing that music, and will any be in physical format?   
 
We're starting very soon, the Bored At My Grandmas House EP on Feb 5th on a stunning black seed splatter 12" vinyl limited to 150 copies & then a transparent red indie only version, again 150 copies of this & it's gone! Then we'll just keep going til we can't go no more but there'll definitely be some physicals in there. We've just re-pressed Team Picture's debut album The Menace Of Mechanical Music on a limited edition seafoam green vinyl too. If there's one thing we like, it's a fancy colour wax slice.
 
What are your hopes for the label in 2021? 
 
Just to keep going, support the artists we have into releasing amazing music & finding a bigger audience. I also want to build more of a local community, doing stuff near where I live with likeminded people. Need to figure that out but I want to be a force for positivity & good on my doorstep as well as supporting artists in the wider world.
 
You can listen to a playlist of artists on the label here.