CASINO musician Jayden Ridley has seen his dreams become reality after his Brisbane based band, Stepson, signed an exclusive worldwide 3 album record deal with SharpTone Records.
The recording deal had been in negotiation for 18 months and will now see his band’s debut album released in all stores and major retail outlets worldwide including Australia, America and Europe.
He said one of his biggest supporters, his mum, burst into tears when she heard the news.
For Stepson and Jayden, the deal means full creative control of their music and artwork direction, a solid backing and no longer having to work as an independent band.
Stepson bass player and singer Jayden Ridley has seen massive interest in the bands new videoclip which was released in conjunction with a tour announcement. Marc Stapelberg
“It is literally all I’ve wanted to do since I was twelve years old,” he said.
“I never thought maybe I should have a backup plan, or never thought maybe I should be a sparky or something like that.
“I remember being young at school and thinking ‘Hey I want to do that’.
“So it is a pretty surreal feeling and a pretty validating feeling for all the hard work and grinding I have been doing.”
The band have been slogging away since forming in 2014, with their debut EP ‘Broken Bottles, Drunken Hearts’, and Stepson have headlined successful Australian tours of their own as well as earning main support slots to Polaris, In Hearts Wake, I Prevail, While She Sleep, Counterparts and Stray From The Path.
The band toured regionally and released several singles which landed them as direct support to DREAM ON DREAMER on a full run of Australia in 2016 which garnered the attention of SharpTone Records with the release of the single Come with me in 2017.
Stepson have signed a worldwide deal with SharpTone records for three albums. Contributed
Jayden said Come with me was a pivotal track in gaining SharpTone’s attention.
“And they found our single Come with Me that we released two years ago and the CEO fell in love with the song instantly and contacted us pretty much as soon as he heard the song,” Jayden said.
To accompany the announcement of the record signing and a new tour, they have released The Entire History of You, their first new music in over two years.
But this is just a preface to a full 11-track album Help Me, Help You recorded in Melbourne and slated for release next year.
“My favourite thing about the album is that it is a massive mix bag,” Jayden said.
“If you listen to our back catalogue from start to finish we have always been a band that pushes the boundaries of genres,” he said.
“At the very core of it we are a very hardcore/punk band but we definitely tried a few new things.
“It was definitely a lot more melodic. There are even a few radio friendly songs in there.
“We are sorted branching out and exploring our sound even more which is really cool because it is our first full length, so it really gives you that room to expand on that sound.”
Tour Dates w/ Ocean Sleeper
Nov 21st – Adelaide Sa, Australia @ Rocket Bar
Nov 22nd – Northcote, Australia @ Northcote Social Club – SOLD OUT
Nov 29th – Sydney, Australia @ The Burdekin Hotel
Nov 30th – Brisbane, Australia @ Crowbar
