COMMUNION RECORDS US SIGNS BROAD AGREEMENT WITH CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP

18 May 2015 - Press release

VIRGIN RECORDS FIRST TO TEAM WITH INDIE ON CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN
COMMUNION'S ONGOING SLATE OF ARTISTS TO ALSO AFILLIATE WITH CMG LABELS

 Communion Records US, the North American branch of the noted independent label Communion Records, has entered into a wide-ranging agreement with Capitol Music Group (CMG); it was announced today by Communion principal Ben Lovett and CMG's Executive Vice Presidents Michelle Jubelirer andScott Greer, who will oversee the companies' association. The deal will immediately commence with CMG's Virgin Records adding development and marketing support to Communion's breakout band Catfish and the Bottlemen, whose debut album, The Balcony, was certified Gold in the United Kingdom and who recently completed an SRO tour of the U.S.

     CMG label affiliations for Communion Records US artists will be jointly decided on a case-by-case basis between the two companies, with releases being handled through Universal Music Distribution or CMG's Caroline. According to Jubelirer and Greer, "We are so excited to be welcoming Communion and its artists to the CMG family. Communion has such great taste and maintains a curator's approach to its signings that has been integral to the development of Communion into an important cultural brand. Their passion is infectious and we can't wait to get started."

     According to Communion's Lovett, "In a transitional and unpredictable time for the music industry, commitment to a high quality level of artists who are true musicians, full of integrity, has helped us build solid foundations. CMG is a company made up of rock stars who believe in breaking artists when the signs are telling them otherwise. This is the quality I value highest in them and this will only lead to greater things for the future of the artists we go on to work with."

     Wales-based Catfish and the Bottlemen has been named 'Artist To Watch' in Rolling Stone and recently made its television debut on Late Show with David Letterman. The band is set to play a run of summer dates in the U.S., including shows at Bonnaroo Music Festival in June and Lollapalooza in August.

     Communion Records was formed in London in 2006 and the UK arm has released records from a range of artists that include the abovementioned Catfish and the Bottlemen, as well as Bear's Den, Michael Kiwanuka, Ben Howard, Matt Corby, Nathaniel Rateliff and Daughter, among others. Communion launched its Brooklyn-based U.S. division in 2011.