OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2005

THE WINNEBAGO ORCHESTRA SIGN TO TUITION!

The Winnebago Orchestra are about to sign to Tuition European home of The GoBetweens, (Bono and The Edge from U2 list The Go-Betweens song ‘Cattle and Cain’ as one of their top three all time favourite songs) Bobby Hebb, Jeb loy Nichols and The Unseen Guest. The deal enables TWO the chance to distribute their music pro-actively througout Europe, Japan and Ausralia. Spencer and Andy of The Winnebago Orchestra are very excited about the deal: "it took us by suprise to be honest" said Spence, "we hadn't really pushed our album then we found we had our admirer's in Europe we feel honoured, really, and the rest is history!" Andy of the Winnebago's is equally thrilled: "this deal gives us a chance of reaching people, its as simple as that, to be on the same label as our heroes The Go Betweens is enough, we're dead proud!". The Winnebago's album is to be titled 'Fifteen". It will be released on Tuition in the new year of 2006, expanded to include five additional tracks, and will be presented in redesigned lavish digipak packaging. For those of you wanting the updated version of our album originally released on Oporto, simply drop us an email and we will get you a copy for a mere £10 inc postage and packaging. Otherwise you can order direct from Tuition. See their website link above. Other news, winnebagoorchestra.com is the new online home for the group. It features some nice piccies and news of the boys and what they have been up to since the Tuition deal. Rockingham are about to record a follow up to The Leaking Machine released earlier this year. It will be produced by Pete from Rockingham and Spence of The Winnebago Orchestra. Scheduled release for January 2006. Our album of the moment is Sigor Ros' - Takk. Buy it, you'll of not heard anything like it - rest assured.That's all for now folks. Ciao!

August / September 2005

Hi, all of our releases have found warm and receptive reviews, we'll publish them here very soon. Look out for a nationwide tour from Rockingham and Jules Gray, whilst the Winnebago Orchestra find themselves on Radio 6, watch out Belle & Sebastian. Ciao!

April/May/June 2005

Hello. Well all the releases we promised were finally delivered to us and we have been able to reimburse all of our customers with 4 great CD's. We have started our promotional activities so expect imminent reviews. We'll be posting all reviews here as they come in. There's an Oporto music night at The Sunflower lounge, Queensway (opposite Hurst St) in Birmingham on Friday July 1st 2005. At the moment Jules Gray, Rockingham, and The Winnebago Orchstra have confirmed their attendance. The Winnebago Orchestra have started a new covers e.p., the first song to get the WO treatment will be the classic 'Angels', by The Jazz Butcher! Album(s) of the year so far, the Go Betweens - Oceans Apart has stayed firmly on the turntable, so too has Man-made by Teenage Fanclub. On a personal note Spencer and his wife Alison have received twins on March 19th 2005, namely Grace and Kitty, here's to their health! Anyhow, see you soon.

Feb/March 2005

Hi everyone! The first four major releases from Jules Gray, Rockingham, Caroline Trettine and The Winnebago Orchestra will be available from this website and in all good stores in March 2005. Keep em peeled for actual release date. In the meantime the Winnebago Orchestra enjoyed a fab night out in Bristol with their buddies The Blue Aeroplanes and in doing so would like to recommend album of the year by former Aeroplane Hazel Winter who we happened to bump into that night. Check her site and album, produced by John Parrish and Adrian Utley, PJ Harvey and Portishead producers. Check the pages for updates. Finally we would like to pass on our sympathy to Edwyn Collins who took ill last week, we wish him a full and speedy recovery. See you soon

Jan/Feb 2005

Happy New Year! Again not much to report...possible distribution deal looming, first 4 actual pressed cd releases imminent, downloads section growing and mother and the twins are coming along fine!

Oct/Nov & Dec 2004

Hi folks. Not much to report other than the fact that Caroline Trettine is releasing her 3rd album "Trail in the sky" on Oporto next year. We are all really excited and hope to promote Caroline throughout 2005 and into 2006. BMC has his new website online, go checkout his MP3 section some wicked tunes, especially Willow House theories. We have a new logo. Andy and myself have finally agreed on our new one we hope you like it. Its inspired by 4AD, the label's art has meant a lot to us over the years, so we guess this was chief inspiration. The Winnebago Orchestra album has been retitled to 'Press Play', at the moment its sounding a cross between Belle & Sebastian and Talking Heads. Look out for cover art for Jules Gray, Rockingham and The Winnebago Orchestra on our individual artist pages. The download section is coming very soon. See you all at Xmas, oh by the way, Spencer and his wife Alison are expecting their first children (yes twins folks!) in April 2005. Order your Oporto t-shirts (small) now! Ciao!

July/August/Sept 2004

Hi folks. Well we have been busy. Jules Gray, Rockingham and Genius Freak albums all finished, mixdown and production in Octiober and we're right on track. The Winnebago Orchestra enter the studio to conclude recording the first part of their new album - 'Lacewing' with Caroline Trettine in October 2004.

Look out for BMC's version of The Winnebago Orchestra's Midnight Blue video in the download section very soon. The Downloads area is hopefully going to benefit from content real soon just as soon as we have found out the best way of working with it. We will be hoping to provide links to access our downloads within the next month. Have a great Autumn see you soon. Oh, hope you like the new website, Andy and Spencer are very happy with the rebrand too, its very Oporto they confessed!

June 2004

Hi folks. not much to report really, but to say Oporto collaborater, or aka our man in th USA, BMC, has a website, full of goodies...check links. Rockingham are currently doing solo slots around Birmingham, catch em while you can, dates and venues will be availabvle shortly.

Our Top 20 of the month of June...
1. Television - Blow Up CD
2. Wire - 12xU
3. Blue Aeroplanes - 88 Out
3. Caroline Trettine - Be A Devil LP
4. Mathilde Santing - Too Much 7''
5. Ivor Cutler - Gryts
6. The Jam - Sound Effects
7. Jo Strummer - Coma Girl
8. John Martyn - Solid Air CD
9. Beach Boys - At my window
10. The Clash - I Fought the law
11. BMC - I see love
12. VBlaine L Reininger - Night Air CD
13. Strangelove - Sand
14. Josef K - Chance Meeting
15. The Cudgels - Sign upon the door
16. The Pogues - Hells Ditch CD
17. Dexys - geno
18. Morrissey - First of the gang to die
19. Momus - Islington John

April 14 2004

The new Winnebago Orchestra album is well underway with half of the album already recorded. Release date November 2004. The CD will feature lavish packaging. Their new album along with 3 other releases - Jules Gray, Rockingham and Genius Freak mark the beginning of Oporto Records first batch of manufactured releases. Whilst we want to promote our core artists in this professional way, singles, one off's and our back catalogue will still exist in cdr format, with no loss in quality folks!

T-shirts are now for sale featuring our Oporto Man and the new Oporto logo. The front is printed in colour and the back in black with a large logo on. Price for each t-shirt is £8 including p&p. Check Contact page for details.

Whilst we are on, you really must check out and we strongly recommend you to buy this album by Caroline Trettine, Ten Light Years is this songstresses masterpiece, check her site out out too. Click on the album cover.

Over and out.

March/April 2004

We're back! and this time its for REAL!

A full update on what's been happening follows soon...

The future looks good from our unique vantage point in the Black Country! During the past three years Oporto Records has been quietly developing a roster of unique artists set to delight our friends around the world. The Music section bears testimony to the quality of our existing catalogue, whilst the next twelve months will witness new releases from Jules Gray, BMC, Rockingham and The Winnebago Orchestra with Caroline Trettine.

Our Top 20 of the month of March...
1. The Pogues - Lullaby of London
2. Caroline Trettine - To His Coy Mistress
3. Tindersticks - Whiskey and Water
3. Be Bop Deluxe - Maid in Heaven
4. Desmond Decker and the Aces - The Isrealites
5. Eliza Carthy - Worcester Town
6. Fairport Convention - Farewell, Farewell
7. Luke Kelly - Raglan Road
8. The Sex Pistols - Bodies
9. Onionhead - Level X-ing
10. Public Image Ltd - Careering
11. Massive Attack - Everywhen
12. BMC - Midnight Blue
13. Gerard Langley - Paper Plane
14. Paul Haig - Storm
15. The Cudgels - Motorbike
16. Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
17. Josef K - Apple Bush
18. Iggy Pop - Bored
19. Momus - Lucky Like St. Sebastian

ciao for now!