SMASH MOUTH LEADER
BOWS OWN LABEL

Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell has co-founded record label Spun Out Records, and has signed four diversified newcomers culled from different musical genres.

Harwell has teamed with his manager, Robert Hayes, as well as Tambourine Music Chief Scott Kellner and ex-Night Ranger member Jack Blades to launch the label, which has deals in place for San Francisco-based pop-rock group Fuse, rap-rock outfit Triple Seven, metal act Soul Circle and country-pop singer Brittany Breed.

Hayes and Kellner will oversee the day-to-day business operations of the unit, while Harwell and Blades will handle A&R and creative elements for the label.

Spun Out plans to release albums by Triple Seven and Fuse in the first quarter of next year. The company is in continuing talks to ink distribution deals for its acts, but no pact is yet in place. To that end, Hayes said Spun Out is mulling doing different deals for different acts.

"We're a full service label," said Hayes. "We pride ourselves on being able to hear hit songs in a variety of genres. Besides, Blades has nothing to do now given that his [Damn Yankees] cohort Ted Nugent is on tour or hunting."