KINGS OF LEON FORM NEW LABEL WITH BUG MUSIC

Taking advantage of their breakthrough, Kings of Leon have teamed with Bug Music, the band’s longtime pubbery, to launch a new label imprint, Bug CEO John Rudolph announced on Wednesday. The first release on the imprint will be Some Kind of Salvation from veteran Tennessee band The Features.

Bug has promised more details next week, presumably including the label’s name and the identity of the distributor.

The label venture is the culmination of a deal Bug Music and KOL struck in the fall of 2008. The terms of that agreement allow the band to sign and develop acts with Bug “in the spirit of discovering dynamic artists that are committed as a band and writing extraordinary music,” as the release puts it.

“Caleb, Jared, Matthew and Nathan are extraordinary tastemakers and constantly absorbing new sounds from all over the world,” said Rudolph. “The honesty in their music is what draws them to genuine artists. We are excited about developing new artists together as Bug Music continues to innovate and challenge the industry’s traditional thinking of a publisher.”

The Features, who have been making music under the radar for a decade, toured the U.K. and U.S. with KOL in 2007, generating critical accolades in Britain. Coming off a performance at last weekend’s Bonnaroo Music Festival, the band will tour the U.S. this summer and fall behind the album release.

Some Kind of Salvation was produced by Grammy winning Jacquire King with Brian Carter at his Paradox Production facility in Murfreesboro, TN. KOL’s longtime engineer, King co-produced 2008’s breakthrough Only by the Night (RCA/RMG) with the band. His CV includes projects with Modest Mouse, Tom Waits, Sea Wolf and Pictures and Sound. The Features current lineup comprises Matthew Pelham (guitar, lead vocals), Roger Dabbs (bass), Mark Bond (keyboards) and Rollum Haas (drums).

In other Kings of Leon news, the band has been booked for a performance on NBC’s Today Show summer concert series on July 31.