Mourn Say Their Spanish Label Is Holding Their Next LP Hostage

Mourn Say Their Spanish Label Is Holding Their Next LP Hostage

Spanish four-piece and best new band Mourn released their self-titled debut back in February, and apparently got right back to work on a follow-up because they already have a new LP ready to go. But, according to a statement the band just posted across their social media accounts, the new record’s release is being stopped by their Spanish label, Sones.

The band claims that the label (who also serve as their management team) “have left us in a position where we legally can’t proceed and the LP is effectively held up in litigation.” They say that they paid for the creation of the new record “out of pocket,” and that the record is being “held hostage by Sones, despite the fact that they haven’t paid anything to create it and in fact have withheld money expressly paid to us for the purposes of making it.”

Mourn say that they have the support of Captured Tracks (which they’re signed to in the US), Flying Nun (distribution in New Zealand), and their booking company Ground Control Touring. Read their full statement below.

HELLO WORLD. Today should be a very exciting day for MOURN, as we have a new LP ready to release that we are all very proud of. We should be premiering a new track, sharing the album art, talking about our new tour plans and generally all the aspects of working on music that you look forward to as a band.

Unfortunately, we can’t share this record with you or with our ?international label Captured Tracks, as our label here in Spain, Sones, who were also our management team, have left us in a position where we legally can’t proceed and the LP is effectively held up in litigation. Because Sones has held all income from us, including advances and royalties paid by Captured Tracks, all performance income from shows as well as merchandise money, we’ve had to pay for our new record out of our own pocket. Even so, we’re not able to send it to our label to press or release and effectively the LP is held hostage by Sones, despite the fact that they haven’t paid anything to create it and in fact have withheld money expressly paid to us for the purposes of making it. We understand Sones has costs which need to be recouped, but the balance is well out of order.

Sadly, we’ve been left no choice but to address the issue publicly as we’d like to have the support of our fans on this issue and to shed light that these archaic business practices somehow still exist in the music industry in 2015. We still have support from Captured Tracks, Flying Nun, Ground Control Touring, our friends and family and are looking forward to get this behind us and concentrate on making music and performing. We have no interest in shaming anyone, our only goal is to be able to see the record released and share it with you all.

Captured Tracks had this to add: “Everything we know is in the band’s statement. We hope for a speedy resolution.”

We’ve also reached out to Sones, and will update when we hear back.

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