(JAM!) (12/24/03)

By Karen Bliss

Edited By Michael Bennett

TORONTO, CANADA - Toronto entertainment lawyer Chris Taylor, whose clients include Sum 41, Nelly Furtado and Avril Lavigne, has launched his own record company, LAST GANG RECORDS, to take care of some acts for which he's been unable to secure deals.

As the former frontman with reggae-pop group One, which signed to Virgin Music Canada in 1994 for one album, Taylor selected the name "Last Gang" after the Clash song 'The Last Gang In Town.' He explains, "The Clash for me is where it all begins."

Partnering with Montreal-based DKD Group of Labels and distributed by Universal Music Canada, Last Gang's initial roster is comprised of "modern wave" band Metric, reggae/dancehall producer/mixer Bobby O'Luge (a.k.a. Jeffrey Holdip, Nelly Furtado's live sound engineer ), and urban rock act Slan (featuring Sook Yin-Lee, Rumble and Maximum 60).

"All three of those acts I'd been shopping in excess of five years, at least," admits Taylor."

"I played them for pretty much every A&R person and their mother in America, and England and Canada, and couldn't get them record deals.

So last summer, I told them all that if I couldn't find them record deals, I'd put out the record myself. I didn't want to go to my grave not knowing."

The first step, says Taylor, was getting what he calls "wife approval," in order to spend his own money funding this label of love.

"She was very supportive," he reports.

Taylor says he will shop each of his clients with the same fervour, belief, and vengeance, and not want to keep the good ones for his own label, in order to maximize its success.

"Up to this point, the label has been a resource for bands that I couldn't get a record deal anywhere else," he says.

"Not to say they are bad or anything, but if I'm shopping a band, I'm going to shop them to the best record labels in the world."

"First and foremost, I'm a lawyer."

Initially, Taylor wasn't going to bring in a partner, and was simply going pay for the out-sourcing of marketing, promotion and publicity himself, but after telling DKD Group of Labels president Donald Tarlton that he was going to start his own label, and playing some of the music, Tarlton offered to come on board.

Marketing for Last Gang will be handled in-house by DKD, and Frontside Promotions will work radio and Indoor Recess publicity. Both regularly handle DKD acts.

"I have great respect for the guy on the other side of the table," says Tarlton of Taylor.

"He has valid A& R sensitivities, and is well-connected to exploit international opportunities."

"Who we sign is totally his domain. He is building an alternative left of center roster base and it fits our group in a non-competitive manner."

"We provide marketing and back room services. Essentially, it is his vision and direction and we provide services and advice when asked."

Taylor talked with three major labels in Canada about pressing and distributing product on Last Gang, and ended up going with Universal.

"The clear appeal was Chris himself," says Universal Music Canada president Randy Lennox.

" We have done Fefe Dobson and Sam Roberts and Hawksley Workman, and several other deals together," he says, referring to artists Taylor lawyered.

"And my experience with Chris that he's a real music guy, and he's passionate about artists, and it appealed to me greatly to be in business with him."

"He's smart enough and has enough acumen to run a label, and obviously we're here to help."

Metric's "Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?" and Slan's "Electric Blues" albums are already out. Bobby O'Luge's debut is due in February.

The deals, which all vary in structure, are all domestic, but Taylor is starting to meet with various distributors in other territories about picking up Last Gang.

While there have been many acts over the years that Taylor has shopped unsuccessfully, he maintains that he believes in everything that he shops.

So why did he sign these three?

"These three in particular, they've persevered. They've stuck with it. They've helped themselves."

"In addition to me helping them, they've done everything that they could possibly do to move forward, as well."

"Those are the only three clients that I had that met those qualifications in addition to the 'five years of futility' requirement."

And the appeal and benefit for these artists to go with Last Gang?

"Right now, the appeal is a foundation to build on," Taylor says.

"These are artists that weren't going to get their records out in Canada otherwise."

"So this labels gets their record made, gets their videos done, gets them up and touring in this country, so that hopefully that they can make their way over to England, Europe, wherever."

Copyright 2003-2008 JAM!/Internet Music Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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