Sad times as we hear today that Ben Watt’s Buzzin Fly records is to scale back its operations and become an ‘archive only’ label, this mean no new plans to sign new artists or release new work. The label in its 10th Anniversary year will be kept available, with a back catalogue of underground club productions – starting with Watt’s own ‘Lone Cat’ in 2003 and ending with Alex Blaxx’s ‘Evening News’ in 2012. A clutch of new comprehensive deluxe digital anthologies – will be released later in the year, starting on April 22 with Buzzin’ Fly Anthology, Vol 1, 2003-2004.
“I loved every minute,” says label boss and founder Ben Watt, “but all good things come to an end. It simply feels like the right moment. Buzzin’ Fly was born out of my commitment to the culture of DJing and helping young artists, but these days I am edging away from it towards other challenges – a new book I’m writing, research for another one, and a long-planned solo music project.
“At heart I have always been a creative person – whether as a writer or musician – as opposed to a business person, and after ten years in clubs and in the office I need time again to focus fully on my own stuff rather than other people’s.
“It feels appropriate to stop now in our tenth year and leave the label with, I hope, a strong reputation for what it has managed to achieve, rather than to continue with a muted presence. Someone asked why I couldn’t hand over the reins to someone else, but I don’t think it would ever have been the same. In the meantime, I hope my ongoing show for BBC 6Music’s 6Mix can still be a distilled showcase for some of the great music I come across. You never know, there might even be another imprint one day.”
The Buzzin’ Fly office and online shop will stay open for back catalogue administration, while sister imprint, Strange Feeling Records, will remain quietly active as a channel for the ongoing output of Tracey Thorn. No live events are currently planned.
Free download of ‘Lone Cat’ by Ben Watt, the label’s first ever release back in April 2003 can be grabbed below for a limited time…
We wish Ben and the team all the best for the future and thank them for bringing us the beats for so many years..