'Pig City' Author Starts Indie Label, Instantly Signs Some Jerks

Renowned Brisbane author and journalist Andrew Stafford has joined together with Red Dust Music Management mastermind and Lords Of Wong drummer Sean Clift to launch new indie label Pig City Records, with local garage-surf outfit Some Jerks already on board as the company's first signing.

The label takes its name from Stafford's well-known book, Pig City: From The Saints To Savage Garden — required reading for anyone with even a cursory interest in Queensland's music history — and will operate under a vinyl- and digital-only model.

Some Jerks' second album, Strange Ways, will be the first release to make its way into the world under the Pig City umbrella, limited to a hand-numbered run of 300 vinyl copies when it rears its head in October.

The first taste of the record comes in the form of The Hunter, which was recently picked up for airplay by stalwart community station 4ZZZ as well as garnering attention from both triple j Unearthed and its primary-channel short.fast.loud program.

Billed by Stafford as being "like Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra pashing in the surf, or like the house band in Monster Beach Party", the 10-track LP is done in less than half an hour (24 minutes, in fact) — "But, hey, albums by the Byrds and Ramones aren't much longer!" Stafford says. "We reckon the length is a strength."

Strange Ways precedes the next release lined up for the budding label, with Pig City's consequent concern being the release of the eagerly awaited debut full-length from local singer-songwriter Sabrina Lawrie, who has spent much of this year recovering from a serious fall that left her with a broken back.

The album and Some Jerks' new label home will both launch with a joint celebration at Black Bear Lodge on 28 October, with support from Lawrie and legendary troubadour Mick Medew. Tickets go on sale via Oztix from 2 September.

Pre-orders for Strange Ways will be available from next week. For more information, see Pig City Records' website.