I was immediately drawn to the energy and quality songwriting of the Cuckoos and loved the EP from the first time I heard it. I thought, “I need to work with this band, as they have real potential.” That’s what Mark McQuillan, music distributor Republic of Music’s managing director, thought after attending a summer concert by the Cuckoos in England. It wouldn’t have happened without the aid of manager Maria Hoppe, who suggested the distributor check out the fledgling group.
The unsigned psych rockers have only been together for three years, yet they’ve garnered kudos from outlets like Relix and Classic Rock Magazine. Their independently recorded EP was unleashed in April, but they recalled it after signing so it could be re-released earlier this winter with an additional track. Besides worldwide distribution, the deal also got their videos “New Sunrise” and “A Little Bit of Funk” onto Vevo.
Given their manager’s recommendation, the decision to work with Republic of Music was easy. “We looked at some of the artists on their roster and others who’ve worked with them in the past,” says lead singer Kenneth Frost. “And it’s important that they’re based out of the U.K. It’s important to reach people here in the U.S., but doing a distribution deal got things going in other parts of the world.” Once the contract was in motion, they let Hoppe handle the details.
While open to label partnerships, the vocalist remains wary of 360 deals. “If a groovy label comes along,” Frost philosophically notes, “whether they’re huge or an indie, it just depends on what they bring to the table.”
Frost’s advice for young artists emphasizes finding balance between music and commerce. “The creativity part is the most important, of course,” he opines, “but you can’t forget about the business side of things. You’ve got to get up in the morning and sell yourself to people every day.”
Date Signed: October 2017
Distributor: Republic of Music
Band Members: Kenneth Frost, lead vocals, keyboards; Dave North, guitar, backing vocals; Eric Ross, bass; Cole Koenning, drums.
Type of Music: Psychedelic Rock/Rock
Management: Maria Hoppe - One Step Management, [email protected], 206-661-3258
Booking: Kenneth Frost, [email protected], 512-574-6010
Legal: Mike Tolleson, [email protected], 512-480-8822
Publicity: Hayley Brinkman - Big Picture Media, 212-675-3103, [email protected]
Web: thecuckoosaustin.com
A&R: N/A
