Reduction Agents Face Setback; Hip Hop Book Nominated

There has been a hold-up to the release of the Reduction Agents album, which was one of the next releases planned through Lil Chief Records.

Lawrence Arabia (James Milne) from the Reduction Agents is currently in the US on tour with the Brunettes and the masters of the album were stolen from the tour van. An official press release written by Lawrence is below.

Reduction Agents album masters stolen.

"Horrible f***ing news at the Reduction Agents' mobile North American headquarters: masters for the (for some) long-awaited debut album have been stolen from the Brunettes' tour van in Montreal, right outside the venue where they were playing with Nada Surf and Rilo Kiley.

The masters were stored on Lawrence's laptop after being transferred from 16 track reel-to-reel tape (which has since been erased to record the jingle for the new Toyota commercial).

'We let our guard down for a couple of seconds to go and get some poutine, and the next thing I know my future's crumbling. This is a real setback, it's pretty devastating actually,' said Lawrence Arabia, songwriter/producer of the Reduction Agents.

The album, originally intended to be released in September and, Jah willing, is still to be released in September on Lil' Chief Records, will be entitled 'Everyone Was Mucking In, Shovelling Stones For The Mystery Lair' and will include the New Zealand Alternative #1, Urban Yard.

Lawrence and drummer Ryan McPhun will return home at the beginning of July, when the Reduction Agents will reconvene to track the album at lightning pace and play some as yet unconfirmed dates around the country, somehow fitting these activities around the imminent birth of guitarist/keyboardist Ben Eldridge's first child.

Hopefully we can share some good news soon."

And, in happier news, Lil Chief Records' Gareth Shute last year released a book entitled  'Hip Hop Music in Aotearoa'. This has been short-listed in the "Lifestyle and Contemporary Culture" section of the Montana Book Awards. You can vote for your favourite book in the Readers' Choice section of the awards, by visiting this website: www.booksellers.co.nz/montf1.htm

www.lilchiefrecords.com