Gypsy & The Cat, Evermore Opt-In To New Universal Distro Deal

Todd Wagstaff and Jo Walker's music management company Parker & Mr French have today announced a deal with Universal Music Australia, which will create a distribution channel for the roster's artists.

The Sydney-based company looks after artists such as Gypsy & The Cat, Bluejuice, Evermore, The Vines, Jagwar Ma and Danco.

Artists can 'opt-in' to the offer, and Gypsy & The Cat and Evermore - who both have albums due in October - are the first two to do so. Gypsy & The Cat have also formed their own label imprint for their new record, Alsatian Music.

The deal will see musicians who fund and create music themselves given the industry muscle and resources of a major label to release music. It allows Universal to remove themselves from the costs associated with recording music, while the artists won't have to worry about surrendering creative control to a major.

Universal's President, Australia, George Ash said today that Wagstaff and Wilson, "Are brilliant and entrepreneurial music pioneers. Their incredible experience and passion has seen them both build many successful artist careers and we are excited to partner with them to deliver the best service for their incredible artists.”

Today Wagstaff commented, "Technology and time has labels and artists looking for new ways to relate. George Ash and Universal are making huge, bold, original steps to grow both their artists and business into the future, and we relish the idea of a new and spirited relationship them.”

Earlier this year fellow music management company Wonderlick Entertainment signed similar deals with Sony Music Australia and EMI Music Publishing. The deals were also in the trend of giving artists major-label support while removing some of the financial risk for the labels.