Former A&M rock act Dishwalla and a new alternative rock band, Bird, are the first signed to Immergent Records, a new independent label created and run by the 5.1 Entertainment Group.
Label is 5.1's third, joining the Silverline and Electromatrix imprints. Besides three dozen classical music titles and pop compilations, Silverline has issued DVD audio discs by Aaron Neville and Big Phat Band. The latter disc was nominated for two Grammys, a first for a DVD audio label. Electromatrix is an electronic music label that earlier this year released a disc from Venice Underground, which features Porno for Pyros guitarist Peter DiStefano, Eric Avery of Jane's Addiction and David Baerwald. Its next project is an electronic dance project featuring all-star deejays.
Immergent will first release an album by Bird, an L.A. trio. The album is now being mixed. Dishwalla, which left the Universal Music fold after being assigned to Interscope, is in pre-production. Out of Santa Barbara, Dishwalla recorded two albums for A&M, going gold with 1995's "Pet Your Friends."
Bird, Dishwalla and DiStefano have all signed long-term deals with 5.1.
In June, Warner Bros. Records will release a Surround Sound version of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" that was mixed at 5.1's West L.A. studios; 5.1 also recently completed a mix for Sting's concert DVD.
Formed less than two years ago, 5.1 is run by road management vet Leo Rossi, former A&M execs Jeff Dean and Mark Mazzetti and engineer-producer Richard Dashut (Fleetwood Mac, Matthew Sweet). John Trickett is the president of Immergent.
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