Pitchfork: Stellastarr* Leave Sony BMG in the UK

Defying the classic song, Stellastarr* have shown that you can fight the law (well, corporate bigwigs anyway) and actually win.

Last month, lead vocalist Shawn Christensen announced on the band's message board that Stellastarr* had convinced Sony BMG, the parent company of their label, RCA, to keep their new album free of copy-protection. (Remember the rootkit fiasco?) Now, the band has gone one step further: they've left Sony BMG entirely, at least in the UK.

Stellastarr*'s second album, Harmonies for the Haunted, will instead be released in the UK on the indie 20/20 Recordings. Appropriately enough, it will hit stores February 20. (No stranger to 20/20, Stellastarr* released its first two UK singles on the label.) Keep in mind that the label-shuffling applies only to Britian-- in America, Stellastarr* remain signed to RCA, which is owned by Sony BMG. A touch of Wilco here, anyone?

On February 13, 20/20 will issue "Sweet Troubled Soul" as the first UK single from Harmonies for the Haunted. The CD version will include the b-side "She's Gone" and a live version of "Damn This Foolish Heart" recorded on KCRW, as well as the "Sweet Troubled Soul" video for some multi-media fun. Remixes of the song by Richard Morel and former (and possibly future?) Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha will be available in the UK on limited edition 7" vinyl.

In February, Stellastarr* will embark upon a UK tour in support of the album and single. More European shows and an American tour are forthcoming. In the meantime, think of Mother England:

02-19 Reading, England - Fez *
02-20 London, England - Astoria (NME Brats show) #
02-22 Portsmouth, England - Wedgewood Rooms *
02-23 Oxford, England - Zodiac *
02-24 Leicester, England - Princess Charlotte *
02-25 Stoke, England - Sugarmill *
02-27 Liverpool, England - Barfly *$
02-28 Birmingham, England - Barfly *$
03-01 Manchester, England - Roadhouse *$
03-02 Sheffield, England - Leadmill *$
03-03 Dundee, England - Reading Rooms $
03-04 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC2 $
03-06 Bristol, England - Fleece & Firkin $

* with the Morning After Girls
# with the Bravery
$ with the Twenty Twos