how could you not sign someone with this much sartorial sense?Local lads The Phoenix Foundation continue their well-paced rise to the top of the musical pile, with the news that they’ve signed a deal with Festival Mushroom Records (FMR). The band have apparently been the subject of a ‘bidding war’ amongst at least a couple of the bigger Auckland-based labels, with some fine wining and dining action being laid down in attempts to woo the hirsute quintet.

The guys are obviously pleased with how things have worked out. Guitarist Sam Scott is reported as saying: “We’re all so excited to sign with FMR … ‘coz we are broke arse mutha fuckers. I am personally very keen on drinking beer at their office and stealing as much Flying Nun stuff as I can until they call the cops on me for lifting those original Dave Mitchell 3Ds cover paintings.”

The first fruit of this deal is going to be a new single, the name of which eludes us at the moment. ‘Hitchcock’ – the first single off the new album (entitled Pegasus, and now scheduled for an April release), was released a while back, and was a complete corker, so we’re expecting more of the same.

And if you don’t have the Phoenix Foundation’s first album – Horse Power – in your collection (it was nominated for best album of the year at last year’s NZ Music Awards, wouldn’t you know, so it must be good), then do yourself a favour and buy it now. And keep an eye out for some upcoming gigs by the band:

Fri 18th Feb – The Sawmill Cafe, Leigh
Sun 20th Feb – 11.30 am – The Littleweed Festival, Katikati
Sun 20th Feb – 6.30pm – 95bFM Summer Series, Albert Park, Auckland
Sat 26th Feb – The Cuba St Carnival, Wellington.