James Lavelle (UNKLE, Surrender-All)

Described once as the Hunter S. Thompson of DJs, the founder of MoWax records, UNKLE impresario and the man behind the music, fashion and art set up Surrender-All returns to Australia for his first shows here in years! Catch him on this whirlwind exclusive tour in two of Australia’s coolest new venues – limited capacity so move fast…

2007 opens an exciting new chapter in the working life of UNKLE’s James Lavelle – someone who has already crammed countless careers into barely three decades. ‘War Stories’ will be the first album on James’ new label Surrender All.

For the first time Lavelle will have management, record label and recording studio under one roof – new West London base Surrender Sounds. Here, ever the able multi-tasker, he’ll juggle increasingly far-flung DJ bookings, film projects (movie score work has included Jonathan Glazer’s ‘Sexy Beast’, Danny Cannon’s ‘Goal!’ and an upcoming documentary on renegade ‘King Of New York’ director Abel Ferrara) and remixes (recent work includes Massive Attack’s “False Flags”, Depeche Mode’s “John The Revelator”, Robert Plant’s “The Enchanter”, Metallica’s “Frantic” and Queens Of The Stone Age’s “Burn The Witch” and “No One Knows”) while overseeing the immaculate packaging and artwork specifications for which UNKLE is justly famous.

“The feeling I have now is the feeling that I had when I first started Mo’ Wax,” he explains, of the label that broke dozens of acts including DJ Shadow, Air and Blackalicious, spread the word about David Axlerod and Bathing Ape’s Nigo and defined a whole era. “It’s totally positive. From the music to the packaging to the artwork to the videos, I am able to work with the people I want to work with.”

Lavelle is also overseeing his own clothing label – called, simply, Surrender – initially a collaboration with a friend through a dedicated Surrender shop in Singapore selling Surrender clothing, now destined for its own London retail space.

Taken all together, Lavelle sees things thus: “We’ll be a boutique industry – constantly putting out records, soundtracks and videos; bits and pieces with interesting packaging. And we’ll always be on the look out to work with truly creative people. I don’t see a lot of that around at the moment.”

In a world where music has never been cheaper, with albums literally given away for a few quid in supermarkets, it’s surely a stand for the better. “Everything has become so disposable now,” he says. “I want to be involved in creating music and art that has a timeless quality.”

“I’ve spent a lot of my time in the thick of the madness,” concludes Lavelle. “But it’s not just about rock ‘n’ roll and drugs any more. It’s about the creative process and where that leads me.”

LINE UP

James Lavelle
Stick Figures (Live)
Jimi Polar
Telefunken

and many more to be announced