Record deal strikes a chord with Lions

MUSO Shann Lions is walking on air after signing a wide-ranging record contract with Sydney-based, vinyl-only independent label Impressed Recordings.

The outfit sports a star-studded lineup on its books including Courtney Barnett, Ryan Adams, Jet, Chet Faker, Youth Group and Bon Iver.

The label, which was founded in 2023, is the brainchild of former Universal Music Group executive and Apple Music ANZ lead, British expatriate Luke Bevans.

The deal was sealed after Lions chanced his luck by sending Bevans some of his music.

“He took an interest and then invited me to join him in the guest seats at the Ryan Adams Sydney show (in October last year),” he said.

“We sat together and really hit it off and started the relationship.”

Lions said the contract has been six months in the works.

“It’s a pretty unique deal, which covers anything I want to do in a musical sense – they’re going to put it out,” he said.

“I’ve got six projects on the go at the moment so it’s quite exciting in the sense that they’re really for the artists, hence the way we set (things) up.

“At this stage in my career I want to still own all the rights to the recordings.

“So, they’re going to deal with all the manufacturing and distribution, publicity, the mechanics of that and the associated costs, but I’ll still have ultimate control in the creative space around making the art and then deciding how it’s going to look on socials and all that sort of stuff.”

The Bendigo artist said joining a label that will support any type of music he creates is affirming.

“It’s pretty exciting for my music and to have champions in your corner – I’ve had quite a few over the years,” he said.

“It’s pretty fresh at the moment, there’s been a lot of back and forth with the contract.

“It’s good for this region’s music as well, because it gives hope to other acts, that you can find people in the right places in probably the hardest industry in Australia.”

Moving forward, Lions plans to prescribe to the David Lynch (the late Palme d’Or winning filmmaker) philosophy of making weird art knowing some people will always love it.

“That’s what I’m trying to convey,” he said.

“I’m just going to be me, the realest version of myself that I can, and that’s going to be part of the appeal.”