Cooking Vinyl Australia Rebrands as Civilians (EXCLUSIVE)

As Cooking Vinyl Australia enters its second decade, it does so as Civilians.

Formed by Stu Harvey and Leigh Gruppetta in 2013, the independent music label today (Sept. 10) unveils its new name, one that reshapes its profile and removes any lingering confusion about its connection with Martin Goldschmidt’s lauded U.K. label.

“It’s time for us to take on our own identity,” Gruppetta exclusively tells The Music Network. “We’ve always been very different companies. Martin’s always been there as a shareholder, somewhat of a silent partner in the company. But we’ve always been different companies.”

Counting five staff, Civilians boasts a diverse roster including the likes of Fanny Lumsden, Emma Donovan, King Stingray, Eliza & The Delusionals, Windwaker and Luca Brasi.

Its A&R decisions “are genre-agnostic, focusing instead on artists with cultural significance and commercial potential,” reads a statement unveiling the rebranded business.

Those decisions “proudly amplify their artist’s vision and uniqueness, aiming to build long and sustainable careers delivering timeless records that truly matter.”

Civilians’ business model includes supplying label services to various partners, including Thirty Tigers, Run For Cover, Resist, Greyscale and Dine Alone.

Also, the company provides full backend support for heavy music leviathans Parkway Drive, a partnership that launched Parkway Records in 2021.

Goldschmidt remains a shareholder in the business, although Civilians no longer represents recordings from Cooking Vinyl in the U.K., a licensing arrangement that wrapped up a year ago.

New signings will be unveiled soon for Civilians, which is set to “significantly expand” its artist and label services roster, and has a mindset to build audiences across Australasia.

“We’ve putting more energy in and refocusing on label services, and expanding on the international repertoire as part of that,” Harvey tells TMN.

The team will be kept busy with a string of projects in the pipeline, including a new King Stingray album, For the Dreams, due out Friday, Nov. 8, and supported by a U.S. tour with King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard, and international demand for Eliza & The Delusionals and The Southern River Band.

Add to that Parkway Drive, which embarks on its 20th anniversary tour of Australia from next Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

“It’s a new name, a renewed focus but the same us,” says Gruppetta of Civilians, in a statement. “We remain committed to everything that has driven our growth over the past 11 years.”

He adds, “collaboration, transparency, creative freedom, and prioritising our artists’ long-term careers are always at the heart of what we do. That’s why the launch of Civilians is such an exciting new chapter for our business and our artists and label partners.”

Visit civilians.co for more.