Melksham-based record label to release album by Bristol’s Repo Man

MELKSHAM-BASED record label Lava Thief will soon be launching Minesweeping, the second album of local band Repo Man, following a successful recording stint at 9 Volt Studios.

Two young Melksham businesses joined forces this year to produce the second album of Repo Man, a post-punk art-rock four piece formed in Bristol in 2011. Lava Thief Records and 9 Volt Leap studio, based in Avonside Enterprise Park, recorded the LP which will be released in May.

Repo Man’s bassist Anthony Brown said, “The recording went well; we slept over in the studio for three nights and a last half day of mixing. Staying in the studio kept us within the frame of mind of what we were working to achieve.

“We met studio owner Dom at a gig in Bath when we played with his band Terrapin, and Thought Forms.

“It made a massive difference to work with someone who was genuinely into what we are doing musically and understood the need to keep the sound raw and uncluttered.

“We wanted to attain a sound that more closely represents how we sound live. Dom understood this and Nine Volt Leap was the ideal studio set-up to get what we wanted.

“We are all looking forward to the album release as we are unreservedly happy about what we created. We will be touring over the summer, including gigs in France, and will be plugging away at creating new material.”

Owner of the Lava Thief label and guitarist in  Melksham-based band Thought Forms, Charlie Romijn, continues to be excited by the project.

Charlie said, “At the moment, all of my energies are pouring into Repo Man as “Minesweeping” is the first album I’ve ever released on vinyl, which is a huge investment but I am really excited by them.  Hopefully people will buy the album and it won’t be the last!

“It’s been a privilege to work closely with 9 Volt Leap since the studio opened. Thought Forms rehearse there and we also recorded a live video there, as did another Lava Thief band called The Brackish.

“There have always been a wealth of great bands in the area – a band who started at the same time as Thought Forms are Port Erin, and they are doing really well.

“Reuben from the band runs his own promotion company Sheer Music, based in Devizes, which has always been a real asset to the area. It provides somewhere for original local (and touring) bands to play and be treated well.

“Since we [Thought Forms] became a part of the scene, a lot of the venues in the area that used to host gigs have closed down, which is a real shame. Melksham could really benefit from a regular music night.”

Lava Thief, founded in 2009, also released Repo Man’s first album All Mind in the Cat House in 2013.

To listen to the band or other artists on Lava Thief, go to www.lavathief.bandcamp.com