Moshi Moshi Records started off as a hobby in 1998. Set up by three friends who had jobs working for major record labels. It was intended as a way of working with the bands that they loved but which didn’t fit in with the agenda of the day-job taskmasters. Early single releases from Zan Lyons, Kathryn Williams & Pedro and J Xaverre earned the label some plaudits. And sold a few records. Over the next five years Moshi Moshi slowly started to build a reputation for interesting, slightly leftfield, low-key releases. Then in 2004 things changed. For a start Moshi stopped being a hobby and became a fulltime job. Very soon after, Hot Chip and Bloc Party arrived and Moshi Moshi quickly became a name known to more than a few. Chart success followed with Yeti and The Rakes and higher-profile album releases from Architecture In Helsinki and Au Revoir Simone helped lift the label onto a new level. Then from 2006 onwards came artists such as Hot Club De Paris, Tilly And The Wall, The Wave Pictures, Slow Club, James Yuill, The Drums, Summer Camp, the list goes on.

In late 2006 the two remaining Moshi Moshi founders decided they wanted to get back to their one-off 7” release roots and the Moshi Moshi Singles Club was born. The intention was to try and release one 7” each month by a new up-and-coming artist. It would be limited to 1000 and only be available in a select group of indie stores. The artwork would be restricted to one colour and be designed by the bands themselves. Now some 40+ releases later the singles club’s roster makes an impressive list – (including) Kate Nash, Late of The Pier, Friendly Fires, Lykke Li, Florence and The Machine, Kindness, Dananananayckroyd. Disclosure. In 2011 Moshi Moshi expanded its remit by partnering up with some very talented young A&R folk to set up the imprints Tender Age, Not Even, Apricot and Dream Beach. Working under the Moshi Moshi umbrella these new labels have already yielded a clutch of exciting releases by artists from as far afield as Kenya and Seattle.

At the same time as running the record label Moshi Moshi Management has been quietly guiding the career of Metronomy and Slow Club as well as producers Ash Workman and Ollie Bayston. From 2012 this side of the business started to expand dramatically and now features a sizeable roster of emerging artists.

Looking back on the Moshi Moshi roster (particularly since the label ‘went fulltime’ in 2004) it’s a collection that bears comparison with any of its peers. For a label run by two people with no financial backing, it’s nothing short of an inspiration.

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In June 2009 Jim and his brother Dave had organised a get together in Newcastle for Queen fans and the general consensus was that they would like to have a live band playing instead of the disco / karaoke that had been used at the 1st Queen day the previous year. 

So Jim set about getting a band together for this purpose. He asked Richie Garbutt and Andy Tate from The Abominable Showmen and the...y agreed to be part of it. All he needed now was a drummer and second guitarist. 

Jim then asked Dave Wilson who he knew from a band they played in years ago and he joined straight away, job nearly done, or so he thought! 

Unfortunately Andy couldn’t make the gig so he had a word with Dave and he recommended Richard Peutrill, who agreed immediately to join, all we needed now was a drummer. 

After asking 3 drummers who unfortunately had to say no, Richie Garbutt asked Paul Morland if he fancied joining us and luckily he agreed, so the band was now complete, the only problem was we had never met each other and the gig was only 4 weeks away!! 

During our many emails, Richard Peutrill mentioned the fact that we didn’t have a name and that it would be appropriate to call ourselves The Deputies due to the fact that the last three had stepped in when other people had dropped out, and that dear readers is how the Deputies were born! 

The first gig was on June 13th at The Centre For Life for the 2nd Newcastle Queen day and considering the fact that we only had 4 practices to learn and nail 28 songs we gave a good account of ourselves and most of the people there seemed to enjoy themselves. As we were leaving we all agreed that we had enjoyed ourselves and if anyone fancied doing it all again then we would be up for it. 

Three days later Paul had announced we had 3 gigs planned! 

Jim then decided that if we were to play some gigs then we needed a logo and designed the badge logo that is somewhere on this page, and if the band had a logo then we should really have t-shirts printed too. 

The first gig was a one hour spot at a charity gig at The Killingworth Club, which went really well and the second was at a pub near where Paul lived in Seaton Burn called the Moor House, Jim was very unsure about doing this gig as was Richie Garbutt, but they were talked into doing it by Paul, they were pleased he did as the gig went really well and even with a bit of a dodgy start we finished on a high and had the place rocking. 

The third gig was scheduled for October but unfortunately Dave was unable to make that date and we had to turn it down, and we thought that would be the last one for a while, but out of the blue Jim received a call from one of his friends asking if we would play at a fund raising night on the 19th September at a club in Gateshead. The rest of the band readily agreed to do this and we played possibly the best we have up to now and gave a good performance. 

We hope to have more gigs planned soon and hopefully some new songs for our set, so keep looking in and hopefully you will be able to come along and see us one night! 



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