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One of the best new bands I saw at the recent South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas was Bear in Heaven. At one of their gigs, I saw a merchandise stall for , the band's US label, and I met Sara and Adam who runs the label.

On last night's show I had a chat with Sara on the phone. Here it is if you missed it:

A peek at their website and a listen to their releases shows this is a label of love, made up of ace musicians who are proud to call the Ö÷²¥´óÐãtapes their home. Do check them out.

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You can hear tracks from Ö÷²¥´óÐãtapes artists and Bear in Heaven on this week's Huw Stephens podcast.

If you've got a headful of ideas waiting to be translated into a music video, then it's time to pop your lens cap off your camera. Entries are now being sought for the - the only one of its kind in the country.

If you're making music videos, or starring in them, this is your chance to get your work showcased to thousands of people during the event in Norwich. The talents of music acts and video producers will be shown from 28 June to 10 July 2010 on Europe's biggest permanent HD digital screen at Fusion, just inside in Norwich city centre.

This year, the festival opens its doors to acts from across the UK for the first time. Last year, it focussed on the best new music and videos from the Norfolk band scene alone, as an offshoot of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Norfolk Introducing radio show. But this year, anyone in the UK can apply, and because they want the video vault filled to the brim with submissions, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Norfolk have teamed up with the other shows in the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing network to get their top local tips.

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Over on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Music blog, Andy Parfitt (big boss of Radio 1, 1Xtra, Asian Network, Switch and basically all things popular music at the Beeb) has posted some rather exciting news about Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing.

The headline is that today, the number of artists who have registered on this very website and uploaded their music to us ticked over the 20,000 milestone. Blimey. That's a big number, isn't it?

Here at Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing HQ, we'd like to doff our caps to anyone who has taken the time to write, rehearse, record and upload their compositions to us over the last 14 months or so. We're incredibly grateful for your hard work and we'll continue to do our best to showcase as many of you as we can throughout the UK.

Next week, we'll be announcing the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing stage line-up for Radio 1's Big Weekend, the first festival of the 2010 season. Tune in to Huw Stephens on Radio 1 at 9pm next Wednesday to hear who'll be joining us on stage in Bangor, North Wales. I can't begin to tell you how excited we are.

Read the full post: 20,000 artists upload new music to Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing (Ö÷²¥´óÐã Music blog)

p.s. In case you're wondering, the honour of being number twenty thousand went to an act named from Hamilton, Scotland. Thank you, sir!

Launched three years ago as an outlet for editor Martin Kendrick's musical musings, has quickly grown into a fully-fledged 'zine as passionate music fans and hip young gunslingers have joined the online team of scribes.

The reviews are passionate, the interviews respectful and the and postings crackle with the kind of life only genuine grassroots reporting can offer. Augmenting the site is a growing community of noizemakers voicing opinions and sharing musical loves, hates, news and views through its , blogs and social network.

The editorial team are always on the hunt for brand new music writers to review albums, singles and gigs, write features and interview bands. Payment is in kind rather than cash - but if that's no problem and you can offer commitment, enthusiasm and an appetite for startling new music, they want to hear from you at . That's why they're my Website of the Week this week.Ìý

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Tom Robinson presents Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing - Fresh on the Net on Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6 Music.

EOLB has been making music for the best part of 15 years and runs a local electronica night called in his home town, along with four other electro acts. He's also remixed tracks for local artists like The Neat, and .

Mr Stephens, take it away...

Drum roll, please. This week, Mr. Huw Stephens has bestowed his DIY Label of the Week award upon Leeds-based outift, . Chaps, we doff our caps to you.

Big fans of heavyweight 12" vinyl, they've been running for about five years and have released some cracking records in that time by the likes of Sky Larkin, Pigeon Detectives, ¡Forward, Russia! and Grammatics.

On his Radio 1 show last night, Huw chatted to DTTR's Ali Tant to find out more about the label and what they've got planned this year. Here's the interview if you missed it:

Record Store Day
As Huw says, this coming Saturday 17 April is , where independent record shops around the world celebrate together by putting on free gigs and selling special limited-edition releases.

Do go along and support your local record store if you're free. You can find out what's going on in your area on the .

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When promoters, publishers, managers and broadcasters want to find out about an artist, there are five basic facts we like to know: who you are, what you look like, what you sound like, where you're playing and how to contact you.

But, as anyone who's spent any time online knows, most artists are extraordinarily bad at conveying this fundamental information in a clear and accessible manner.

Enter - which allows artists to create an and send it to the key people people who book, license or broadcast music anywhere in the world.

You can update your EPKÌýon SonicbidsÌýanytime with your latest songs, press buzz and tour dates and use it to connect with people either within the Sonicbids network or outside it. Promoters on the other hand can find talent for local street fairs, international music festivals, songwriting contests, licensing opportunities, radio and more besides.

Since we live in a world where bills have to be paid, the site also offers corporate brands and indie bands a chance to get into bed with each other. OK, so sponsorship and endorsement aren't for everyone, but Sonicbids holds open the possibilty for those that doÌýwant it.

So that's whyÌýI choseÌýSonicbids.com as this week's Website of theÌýWeek on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing - Fresh on the Net.

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Tom Robinson presents Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing - Fresh on the Net on Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6 Music.

Later this month, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing is teaming up with Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6 Music to bring you the best unsigned, undiscovered and under-the-radar new music in a week full of special programming.

Starting on the 26th of April, andÌýfor five nights, Tom Robinson will host special editions of his Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing show, Fresh on the Net, looking back at the artists he has featured since the show began in 2007.

Also that week, Steve Lamacq, Andrew Collins, Lauren Laverne and Marc Riley will all haveÌýlive sessions and interviews with new artists which have been unearthed via the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing network, including Allo, Darlin', Broadcast 2000, Meursault and .

What's more, Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson have chosen some of the best emerging talent for a very special night of live music.

On Thursday 29 April, The Neat, , Post War Years and will all play showcase sets live at the famous Maida Vale studios, and you could be there in the audience!

To be in with a chance of being there on the 29th, visit the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Shows site and apply for tickets. You can enter the random draw at any time until 10am on Tuesday 20 April. Hope to see you there!

Apply for tickets - Now fully booked - thanks. See you on the 29th!

Ìý

Highlights from the Maida Vale event will feature in Steve and Tom's 6 MusicÌýshows on Friday 30th April.

It's looking like a busy summer for local Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing teams around the UK, as once again they'll be opening their doors for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Blast Reporter scheme in 2010.

The work experience scheme is a partnership between Ö÷²¥´óÐã Local, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Blast and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing (that's us!) which, simply put, makes reporters out of local music lovers. Here's Rachael Smith from Ö÷²¥´óÐã Blast to tell you more...

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For many, it seems too good to be true. In fact I have had some calls from people asking, "Will I get to write for the website?" to which I reply, "Yes". I've also been asked, "Do I need to be a trained journalist?" to which the answer is a resounding, "No."

That's the beauty of this scheme: it's successful because it gives people who love music a chance to share their passion, thoughts, experiences and music knowledge with our audiences.

Successful applicants get an 8 week window to create things for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing shows around the UK with full training and the support of a mentor. There's no upper age limit but applicants do need to be over 18.

Reporters in last year's scheme managed to think up some pretty unique ways of showing off the music in their area. Linda Mutunga produced a for bands to doodle in after their gig. Matt Nicholas and Sophie Louise Cox had a chat with the Kooks at Eden. And Will Gilgrass gave us a gig review of .

This is just a few examples of the many reports logged over the summer, but there are also Blast Reporters working in news and sport. To get a fuller idea of what the reporters got up to last year, click here.

Here's what previous Blast Reporter, Will, had to say about the scheme:

"It was a great experience and I got my foot in the door in broadcasting. It taught me a lot about the Ö÷²¥´óÐã and gave me confidence with interviewing which was something I'd never done before. It was nice to give something back to the community, it felt really nice to represent music within my area."
Will Bond, previous Blast Reporter at Ö÷²¥´óÐã Oxford Introducing

"It was great having our Blast Reporter Stephan on board, over the summer he wrote reviews for the website, helped produce Ö÷²¥´óÐã Jersey Introducing and covered the Jersey Live music festival."
Ryan Morrison, presenter of Ö÷²¥´óÐã Jersey Introducing

"Our reporter, Kate Prothero, was a joy to work with. Energetic, brimming with ideas and able to bring those ideas to fruition. She is now employed part-time with our Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio colleagues working on our show for new and unsigned bands under the Introducing banner."
James Addyman, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Leeds.

If you fancy this opportunity and are itching for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã to hear what you have to say about your local music scene, check out the information on how to apply. You have until April 30th 2010 to get your application in.

Good luck!

Rachael

Spencer McGarry first took to the stage in his school's amateur dramatic society. Since then the inventive Welshman has released two albums and appeared at 2006's Electric Proms.

Celebrating his favourite rock bands, Episode 1 saw Spencer apply influences from the likes of Talking Heads and The Kinks to craft the first in a series of six albums. So accomplished was the end product that Radio Wales' Adam Walton and our own Bethan Elfyn put the fledgling band forward for the inaugural Electric Proms.

Now four years on, Cardiff's McGarry has returned with a mini orchestra and the theme of classic songwriters to tackle his forthcoming album. Episode Two casts aside influences of The Kinks et al and replaces them with a 17-track revue in the style of Rogers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin and George and Ira Gershwin. Huw liked it so much he decided to put the track Great Enemies on this week's podcast, have a listen here:

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Bethan talks to Spencer on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Wales Music blog

is home to London's and long time Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing favourites Egyptian Hip Hop.

Why was the label set up?
Hit Club was set up as a kind of care home for the great new music that we felt the world needed to hear. It's run by Dan, Max and Ben, and although what any of us individually do is a mystery to the others, we're pretty sure it would crumble without any one of us. Hit Club is based in Manchester, York and London, making it the most cosmopolitan, yet geographically complex labels in the UK. We have most of our meetings using smoke signals and/or carrier pigeons.

Where did your name come from?
There was once a club night in Manchester, with legend perhaps comparable to that of the Sex Pistols at the Free Trade Hall, called Hot Club. That was the night that brought the three pieces of the Hit Club Jigsaw together, and therefore, seeing as we care only about the hits, hits and nothing but the hits, it seemed fitting that we name the label Hit Club.

What's the ethos of the label and which artists are on it?
So far we've been extremely proud of the songs we've released, from artists Egyptian Hip Hop, Wolf Gang, and . The only high-minded ethos that we share as a collective, is that the future of pop music is really important and so it's of vital urgency that we try and find, nurture and craft an excellent future of interesting and exciting pop music. We see ourselves as the custodians of a future of bad ass tuneage.

Any releases/gigs coming up that you want us to plug?
Releases from and Egyptian Hip Hop have just dropped in the last couple of weeks and we're currently working very closely with a couple of acts called and Books. We're confident they've both got stellar releases on the way and we're excited to be involved. A lot of our bands have a summer of festivals ahead of them so we're pretty hyped about that. Also, we have big shows at C.A.M.P. April 29th coming up, that's going to be The Shimmer's debut show so it should be pretty memorable.

If your label could sign any artist past or present, who would you pick and why?
We're torn between Scott Walker, Talking Heads and The Fall. All three acts took pop music extremely seriously, pushed it and pulled it in every direction possible before distilling it, time after time, into three or so minutes of sublime beauty. Plus they all had senses of humour, which is lacking in a lot of music today.

What's the favourite office snack at your label?
We all work in different bedrooms, but we do make an effort to synch our snack eating, to create the illusion we are in fact together.

If your label were an animal what would it be and why?
A deaf cat, because we'd love to be a big deaf white cat called Kajumba, happily spending most of our days lying on the floor of the magnificent Young and Lost club's office.

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Listen again to Huw Stephens on Radio 1 or download the podcast to hear tracks from the

Do you run or know an independent record label that you'd like to nominate for Huw's DIY Label of the Week slot? If so, leave a comment below with your suggestion!

Islands Lost At Sea originally released the song as a single in August 2009 and later that year performed at at the (you can listen to two songs from their set ).

If you like what you hear, do check out the debut album from ILAS, titled Are Having A Lovely Time, which comes out on 12 April on .

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is home to plenty of great guitar bands, including our previous session guests The Answering Machine. Here they are in their own words!

How, when, where and why was the label set up?
was set up by Mick Scholefield, who worked in the music industry in the late 70s and early 80s. The label was set up after Mick heard a track called Radio Nurse by LoveLikeFire being played on a US indie station, in 2007. Mick fell in love with LoveLikeFire's music and so Heist or Hit was set up to create careers for the band, and subsequently several other bands. The label has twin bases, one in London and one in Manchester.

Where did the label's name come from?
Heist or Hit gets its name from the line rapped by Mickey Rourke on David Bowie's Shining Star (Makin' My Love). Mick says the track is probably not one of Bowie's best tracks, but he always liked the words of the rap.

What's the ethos of the label and which artists are on it?
Mick says the ethos of the label is loosely based on Factory Records' model, with perhaps a smidgeon more control on the pennies! Mick wanted to set up a label which was 100% artist friendly: the artists on the label effectively decide how the label is run and how it moves forward. Artists currently on the Heist roster are The Answering Machine, LoveLikeFire, and .

Any releases/gigs coming up?
Pomegranates, LoveLikeFire and The Crookes have just been to play at . The Crookes are embarking on a major UK tour throughout April and May, and Pomegranates will be touring in the US with throughout April. Hopefully they'll play some UK gigs later this year.

If the label could sign any artist past or present, who would it be?
Mick: "Ohio-based band because within four bars of hearing a track of theirs I knew I was going to love all their music. But they have just been snapped up by Wichita!"

What's the favourite office snack at the label?
Mike: "In London it's skinny blueberry muffins, and in Manchester a 'Manchester egg' which is like a scotch egg but with a pickled egg inside!"

If the label were an animal what would it be and why?
Mike: "Probably a , but that's just because of the documentary we saw of their 70s attitude to sex!"

Links

Listen again to Huw Stephens on Radio 1 or download the podcast to hear tracks from the Heist of Hit label

Do you run or know an independent record label that you'd like to nominate for Huw's DIY Label of the Week slot? If so, leave a comment below with your suggestion!