Reading based indie rockers Morning Runner have said they are splitting up after their record label, EMI's Parlophone, said they didn't think they could put out what the band had been working on for a second album.
Writing on their blog, the band say: "The first record [last year's 'Wilderness Is Paradise Now'] was obviously a relative commercial failure and heaped pressure on us to have a follow up hit record (the nature of being signed to a major record label). We decided to try and ignore this and write the songs that we wanted and move our music on which we did succeed in doing. However having been encouraged by the label to go away and experiment with what we were doing they made a u turn and decided that the music wasn't commercially viable and that they didn't want to put it out. This wasn't really a surprise and was understandable from their point being a corporation. We had a couple of day's apart to think through what we wanted to do next. When we came to sit down and talk about stuff Tom and Fields came to the decision that they'd had enough. This wasn't what Matt and Ali wanted particularly but obviously they respect their decision and came to the agreement that with the loss of Tom and Fields they should call it a day. Matt and Ali will probably go on to do other things in music so will hopefully see you again soon".
They concluded: "Thank you so much to those of you who given us your support, bought our records, came to our shows, helped us on tour, and managed us. Many of you have loyally supported us right from the beginning".