Truck - Label, Festival & Foundation

Artists

Chris McMath

He was our secret until we let a little slip out at Truck 2004, the mind bending "Truckers!" on the compilation CD, and of course a wonderful set in the Trailer Park tent. In secret, Chris has been working an astounding album, or set of albums, for over 3 years, which will soon be unleashed on an unsuspecting public. A lucky few will be able to pick up McMath CDs given out at this year's festival...

Danny & The Champions of the World

Danny George Wilson is the newest addition to the Truck family, but we've been listening to his music for years, as part of Grand Drive, one of our favourite ever bands. He's now hit on the notion that if you combine great melodies, soulful singing and pyschedelic instrumentation with a dash of cider, then you have something magic, and he has formed the future sensations The Champions of The World (or CHAMPS for short) to illustrate this fully. If Truck festival is a groovy village fete, then a Champs show is a groovy wedding reception.. no inhibitions required. Rumour has it that live performances will begin in the autumn months, and I for one can't wait.

Dusty Sound System

The Dusty Sound System is Robin Goldrush's version of My Space. His wee side project features members and ex-members of The Tyde, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Morlocks, as well as Piney Gir, Cat Martino, and Robin's regular accomplice Danny Black/Power.

Electric Soft Parade

Electric Soft Parade are the brothers White, Alex and Tom. As teenagers their debut album ‘Holes in the Wall’ became a Mercury nominated album in 2002. Released on the BMG backed dB records, they achieved two top 40 singles and critical acclaim. The second album, The American Adventure’, quickly followed in 2003.

Gabriel Minnikin

Gabe was a member of the much-missed Canadian group the Guthries. He's been living in Manchester for a while now, and is a regular at Truck festival. We all know him for the voice an octave below everyone else's, but recently he's discovered an emotional baritone register and picked up a string quartet, resulting in an as-yet unreleased album that has more than a hint of the late great Johnny Cash. Heartbreaking ballads collide with ripping melodic rockers to splendid effect. Mr Minnikin can also tear it up on the mandolin and banjo when required...

Goldrush

Goldrush was born when Garo met Robin, Joe and G, then of Whispering Bob, at an instore gig in Abingdon and they realised their shared love of Neil Young, Nick Drake and The Band, a rare thing in the villages of the Abingdon triangle. Soon their demos and live shows were demonstrating a rare songwriting gift. In 2001 they released ‘Same Picture’ on their own Truck label. Although recorded in Robin's bedroom, the single captured the attentions of Virgin Records.

Pedro

James Rutledge is raised in Derbyshire. He goes to Oxford to study English. He starts playing guitar in a band with two old school friends. He plays gigs alongside Badly Drawn Boy, ESG, Fridge and so on. During a summer holiday James records an EP by himself at home, while his parents have church meetings downstairs.

Piney Gir

piney Piney Gir first came to Truck’s attention when she was a part of the electronic duo, Vic 20, performing at the Truck Festival in 2003. Not very much later we stuck her in the Truck studios with our super-producing duo A Scholar and A Physician, and they recorded ‘Peakahokahoo’.

The Schla La Las

The Schla la las are one of many Piney featuring bands. They are many in number and she always plays in a few down at Truck Festival. However, this one in particular caught our ear.

Trademark

Trademark's origins date back to 1988 when, at the tender ages of 7 and 9 years old, cousins Oliver Horton and Stuart Meads composed their first songs together using their Yamaha Portasound and a great uncles temperamental 4-track.