Fontana North Distribution

Fontana North
About Us

Fontana North Wins Independent Distributor of the Year...AGAIN!!
Fontana North is pleased to announce that it's taken the title of Independent Distributor of the Year at the 2009 Canadian Music Industry Awards. This award comes a short three years after the company's inception in 2006. Part of the MapleCore family, Fontana North started out a modest Toronto-based team and now has representatives across the country and is the distributor of world-class labels Dangerbird, Downtown, Modular, New West and Tommy Boy among others.

June 22, 2009

Danny Fernandes wins Pop Video of the Year at the MMVA's
photo credit: George Pimentel

www.dannyfernandesonline.com

June 4, 2009

The Rural Alberta Advantage to release Hometowns through Fontana North

Current critic darlings The Rural Alberta Advantage will be releasing their debut album Hometowns independently in Canada through New Prey (distributed through Fontana North) and with Saddle Creek in the United States.

Hometowns, which they began to sell at shows in early 2008, without an official release. With no label or publicist, Hometowns began catching the ears of bloggers across the country on pure word-of-mouth. Herohill.com proclaimed the RAA "the best unsigned band in Canada", and I Heart Music.net deemed Hometowns "a near-perfect album".

The band's reputation for stellar live shows garnered them a sellout crowd at the 2008 North By Northeast festival, and the band played similarly successful showcases at the 2008 iterations of the Halifax Pop Explosion and Pop Montreal. In November 2008, digital music retailer eMusic.com selected the Rural Alberta Advantage, from a fan recommendation, as an eMusic Selects artist. Repeating and surpassing the successes of past Selects artists Crystal Stilts and High Places, the RAA sold thousands of copies of their record in mere weeks, an astounding feat for an unsigned act. Hometowns became the highest-selling Selects act in history and a critical darling overnight, appearing on dozens of "Best of 2008" lists in newspapers, blogs, and radio podcasts across North America and Europe.

The inspiring DIY success story of the Rural Alberta Advantage has continued to gain momentum and attract fans and followers, with a breakthrough performance at the 2009 SXSW festival in Austin, Texas getting the ultimate seal of approval from Pitchfork ("This band could be huge") and a nod as a "buzz band" from the Associated Press. More glowing press reviews and sold-out club dates in major cities throughout the United States have followed, and Hometowns will be released properly in the United States for the first time on Saddle Creek in July 2009.

www.theraa.com
www.newprey.com

February 21, 2009

Eagles of Death Metal

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Jesse & Joey of EODM rocked 4 songs for a crowd Live on The Edge.
Listen to the interview here (sorry no songs…).

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Jesse makes BlogTO feel awkward.

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The Eagles of Death Metal are the most mirthful piece of the musical empire of Josh Homme (CEO of Queens of the Stone Age and the Desert Sessions), a California-made rock machine specializing in churning out three-minute bursts of put-on sleaze and guitar-powered glee with more cheek than a gay pride parade's worth of buttless chaps. It's just plain inappropriate to bring a fighting angst to an Eagles show.21628

February 3, 2009
Alligator Records is America's premier independent blues roots label. With 38 years of history and over 250 in-print albums, the label's releases range from raw Chicago blues to Memphis soul to contemporary rock rooted in the blues.

Founded in 1971 by young blues fan Bruce Iglauer (who still runs the label), Alligator began by recording older generation Chicago bluesmen like Hound Dog Taylor and Koko Taylor. Soon it introduced groundbreaking younger blues artists like Son Seals and expanded beyond its Chicago blues base to revitalize the careers of blues rockers like Johnny Winter and Roy Buchanan. Over the years, the label became respected both for the quality of its releases and its aggressive, unending marketing and publicity efforts in behalf of its artists.
MORE

January 13, 2009
Bulletproof Records is one of the premiere labels in the soundtrack genre with releases including Degrassi: The Next Generation, Arctic Tale, Balls of Fury, Nancy Drew, A Mighty Heart, Jackass Number Two, Sahara, Clerks II, Charlotte's Web, Mean Girls, Shoot 'Em Up, Hamlet 2, Zack & Miri Make A Porno, City of Ember, Everybody Hates Chris and the upcoming New In Town. Working on projects with every major movie studio, Ralph Sall (founder and CEO of Bulletproof Records) creates successful soundtracks, scores and compilations with artists in every genre of music. He has also supervised the music for hit films including 10 Things I Hate About You, Just Like Heaven, Can't Hardly Wait, Clockstoppers, and Nancy Drew. MORE

January 6, 2009
World's Fair Label Group is a full-service, worldwide record label administration company.

In operation since 2004, World's Fair Label Group provides complete administration services to independent labels, and directly to artists for self-releases. Based in New York City, World's Fair has a team of 12 full time staff providing press, radio promotions, online marketing, video promotions, sales, manufacturing, design and finance services. MORE

January 6, 2009
Bunk Rock Management was founded in 1999 by Greig Nori (Capital G - Treble Charger leadman) to manage the affairs of a little rock and roll group from Ajax Ontario by the name of Sum 41. Sum 41, as many of you should know, have sold over 5 million records worldwide. Since then Greig has put together a new team including good friend Matt Brann (former Avril Lavigne Drummer, Producer and Songwriter), and Brian Huston (Live Music Heavyweight and Brains of Bodog Music). Together they have signed new additions to the Bunk Rock Management family. MORE

December 15, 2008
On Friday March 13, 2009 Canada's hottest music stars will be honoured at the 2009 Canadian Radio Music Awards (CRMA). It's year eleven for the CRMAs, and our attention-getting little afternoon event has made quite a name for itself - introducing rookies like Avril Lavigne, Nelly Furtado, Remy Shand, Nickelback and Sum 41, and boasting such hosts as Leslie Nielsen, Jann Arden, Kim Stockwood, and Carla Collins. MORE

December 4, 2008
Fontana North is please to announce two of its artists have received Grammy Nominations. Our congratulations go out to My Morning Jacket and Radiohead for the nods.

MY MORNING JACKET
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM : EVIL URGES

RADIOHEAD- SEVEN NOMINATIONS
ALBUM OF THE YEAR - Radiohead, "In Rainbows"
BEST ROCK SONG - Radiohead, House of Cards from "In Rainbows"
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM - Radiohead, "In Rainbows"
BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE - Radiohead, "In Rainbows"
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL - Radiohead, Nigel Godrich on "In Rainbows"
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS - Radiohead, House of Cards from "In Rainbows"
BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO - House of Cards from "In Rainbows"

April 30, 2008
On June 3, 2008 Artists Den Entertainment/Fontana North Distribution will release The Swell Season: Live from the Artists Den, the first concert DVD from the Grammy-nominated and Academy Award-winning duo behind the independent film sensation Once. The DVD was filmed at an intimate private performance at the Good Shepherd Center Chapel in Seattle, WA, and selections from the show aired on Ovation TV's Live from the Artists Den, an innovative new weekly music series, featuring acclaimed artists performing in extraordinary settings. Released now in full for the first time, the concert features more than 30 minutes of bonus material not included on the television broadcast. MORE

April 25, 2008
CP Records, home to Juno Award-winning rapper Belly, is pleased to announce the signing of Danny Fernandes. A video for Danny's radio smash "Curious", featuring Def Jam recording artist Juelz Santana, was released this week and added to Heavy at both MuchMusic and MuchVibe. Danny's debut album Intro will hit the streets August 19, 2008, via CP Records/Fontana North Distribution. MORE

April 15, 2008
CP Records is excited to announce the release of Belly and Keshia Chante's first collaboration on the soon-to-be-hit single "Get To Know You." The single comes hot on the heels of hip-hop Godfather Belly's first ever Juno win at the 2008 Juno Awards in Calgary. The Gold-selling rapper, who was also nominated for New Artist of the Year, took home the award for Rap Recording of the Year for his debut double album The Revolution. MORE

March 6, 2008
Fontana North-distributed Black Box Recordings - home to Ten Second Epic and Shad - is excited to welcome The Wooden Sky to the family, with the re-release of their debut album When Lost At Sea. The album, which was re-released on February 26, will be followed up with a new record from the band in late summer/early fall of 2008. MORE