We live, it would seem, in a digital age - designed by computers, creating convenience and aimed at consumers. This new world view has even extended as far as the music business, which, if you are reading this, you are involved with. Note, we say music, not media or entertainment. There’s a difference, and if you still care about music, read on.

In this age of cheap programming, reality TV shows, instant celebrity and product placement, everything is disposable. Music is devised, made and sold in units of product and the artists who make the music are viewed (by their record labels) as an irritating requirement, rather than a passionate inspiration. Given that this view has held for a good few years, it is no surprise that many of the artists currently in favour kind of deserve that view.

At Côte Basque, things are different...

We are a small company, with a crusading belief in the importance of real music and the ongoing need for artist-driven progress and continual change - created by the same basic principals which have been responsible for all the major popular music of the last 60 years, or so. The last true, global superstar, created by the present music business was U2, and they have been here for more than 25 years. How can that be right? What is stopping the creation of new global artists?

Well... the major labels, which control the bulk of the industry, are filled with employees, not enthusiasts, and for them it’s about wages, job-packages, mortgages, market share and cost cutting. They forgot long, long ago, what their role really is, resulting in the predictable decline of music as a major force in the world.

They use the dubious excuse of music downloading to explain their dwindling sales, yet, when a Norah Jones record or similar escapes their corporate confines, it sells 10 million, or more, at retail... how come the downloading didn’t hurt there?

Great music is, was and always will be, based upon great recordings made by great people in great studios. From Elvis at Sun studios, to The Beatles at Abbey Road, The Stones at Chess, & up to U2 at Windmill Lane, great artists have had relationships with record companies that have been based around their in-house studios... Does Tamla Motown ring any bells? How about Island Records???

Côte Basque operates real studios. Two of them. We have the largest purpose-built, live room fixed-facility, studio built in Europe for the last 15 years, and we own the original Ronnie Lane Airstream mobile, responsible for “Quadrophenia”, “Houses of The Holy”, Stones albums, & most of The Faces classics...

Côte Basque makes its’ own records in analogue only, with real tape machines, in a big, big live room, with masses of vintage, current and valve equipment, some of which could only be found at an Abbey Road or A&M Hollywood...

But, most of all, Côte Basque makes records with people it knows, loves, nurtures and absolutely believes in.

Côte Basque does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, religion or creed.

Côte Basque Recordings are made on the basis of the “blind test” – if it sounds good with your eyes closed, it is good...

Côte Basque is not interested in Pop Idol, X Factor, or any processed, contrived and inevitably short-term processed music or artists, Côte Basque is interested in THE TRUTH...

Our artists are passionate, committed, creative, dedicated, unique, human, unusual, and are drawn from every sector of music and art. We have signed (possibly) the youngest real rock band in the country, with an average age of 13 years, and we also have easily the oldest, most original line-up, first wave, worldwide cult band anywhere, sporting an average age of 62. The two are years apart in age, and seconds apart in attitude.

Great music NEVER changes. “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”. Nothing real ever changes. Great is still great, 100 years on. Shit is shit right out of the box. You can eat McDonalds, because it’s convenient, or you can have some home cooking and remember what real food tastes like.

Organic or Tesco - No contest is it? Côte Basque or Pop Idol...

Well, you work it out.