About us
Straight Talkin’ Records is the new record label in British Blues, created by Aynsley Lister and I.
.And who exactly is ‘I’, I hear you say? A lot of you will already know me; I started in the business as Aynsley’s girlfriend and have gradually become the fiancée, manager and label! So how did that come about? I suppose you could say it all started out very ‘spinal tap’ really.. I’d
go along to the gigs and help out where I could.. I’ve a background in both business and marketing and love to get stuck in so I started out taking on simple things like the flyer designing and t shirt designs. Then I started doing the accounts and the tour budgets and eventually, when threatened with yet another round of redundancies in my day job (marketing!) we decided to ‘go it together’ and take the management in-house. It certainly shocked a few people and there were people out there who had their reservations but we held a straight bat, put a lot of hard work into it, got organised and it worked out really well. Over the last 18 months the management has really taken off, the marketing has stepped up several gears and the gigs are all consistently doing great.. In fact, last year had some of the highest attendances Aynsley has seen in his career to date! So what about the record label? Well, with the management side doing so well, the idea came of starting our own record label. I’ve always wanted to own my own company but until meeting Ayns, could never decide in which field. I’ve always been very driven and determined but it was the passion for music and the will to see Aynsley succeed and really go somewhere that pointed us in this direction. We decided we'd make a really good team; I'd take over the business side and Aynsley would carry on producing his top quality, absolutely rockin' brand of British blues and we'll see where we end up! So far, so good! The labels he’s had previously have been fantastic and have really taught us a lot in terms of 'best practice'; Thomas Ruf (Ruf Records) got him going and built him a solid reputation and then Alan Robinson (Manhaton Records) came in and really pushed it to a new level, raising the bar and releasing Aynsley’s two most successful CD’s to date (Tower Sessions and Equilibrium). We learnt a great deal from the labels, both indie, both successful and both very different. I suppose you could say they were our inspiration to set up our own. So here we are, at this very early point in our venture; we’ve registered our company, recorded the new album which is sounding absolutely AMAZING and we’re preparing our marketing campaign for the release (due around May, TBA). Keep your eyes open for the album.. You won’t regret it! And why Straight Talkin’, you say? Well, let’s just say I’m known for ‘telling it like it is!’. Northern Nottinghamshire mining villages will do that to you...
