Idlewild fans invest in album

WENN:

Rockers Idlewild have come up with an innovative scheme to fund their new album after their record company went bust - the project will be paid for by fans.

The band was left devastated when their music label, Sanctuary, closed in 2007 shortly after the release of their sixth studio album, Make Another World.

But the group was determined not to give up - and enlisted the help of their fans to ensure they continued to make music without the backing of a major label.

Fans were asked to donate £15 to fund studio time and production costs in return for an advanced copy of the new CD, exclusive artwork, and extra access to the band's website.

Frontman Roddy Woomble explains, "Our old label Sanctuary folded just as our last album was coming out, which was pretty frustrating. So we had to look for new ways of getting a record out. The industry is changing and lots of bands are looking at different approaches.

"We decided to ask fans to pay £15 up-front so that we had enough money to record the album. We asked them to buy it before we recorded it which was a bit strange. People as far away as Paraguay and Israel have all paid up and pre-ordered.

"Doing it this way means we will keep all the copyright of the songs and we can licence it to another record label at a future date."