EMI's US independent label distribution division Caroline has confirmed an agreement with London based indie Rough Trade which will see the major handle the online and physical distribution of Rough Trade releases in the US - which I thought they'd already announced a couple of months back, but perhaps I dreamt that. Sadly, it is the kind of thing I might dream about. Oh, hang on, the Caroline / Rough Trade partnership will be done via Rough Trade's existing alliance with US independent World's Fair Label Group, an alliance we recently reported on, and which I was probably thinking of. Phew, I haven't been dreaming about Rough Trade's licencing arrangements, that's a relief.
Anyway, among the upcoming albums which Caroline will distribute in the States are Jarvis Cocker's recent debut solo album and the new one from Brakes, who will be known as BrakesBrakesBrakes in the US, to avoid confusion with (and possibly litigation from) the existing US band The Brakes.
Confirming the new distribution deal, Caroline's VP Label Relations Michael Bull told CMU: "Rough Trade is obviously one of the legendary names in the history of independent music. Their track record of finding and developing incredible artists speaks for itself, and their future looks to be just as bright. With the World's Fair team handling their affairs in the U.S., they've got a combination of amazing repertoire and ace promotional support that can't miss. We are thrilled to be adding their roster to the Caroline family".
World's Fair Label Group's Kevin Wortis added: "The team at Caroline has tremendous credibility in the indie music world. We thought they were a great fit to handle Rough Trade and look forward to a successful relationship".