About us
Tonetoaster has been founded by Frank Scheller and Michael Langewender around April 2008 in Langenberg, Germany. The good friends are visiting a gig of an upcoming German act in late 2007 and want to buy a CD at the merchandising after the show. The band sells shirts, caps and posters but they don’t have CDs. “We didn’t release one yet!” is the short answer from the band. Why?
Wondering about the fact the band didn’t record a CD although they are playing huge shows in Germany, Frank and Michael have the idea to support musicians with their music and help them to promote it. Frank - together with his older brother - runs a recording studio, does radio comedy, plays the bass in different bands and has good contacts in music. Michael is studying economics and decides to write his diploma thesis about music marketing and begins to work out a business plan for the label.
Around March Tonetoaster starts to get more and more concrete. The trial on getting in touch with the German newcomer act fails, but Frank has good contacts to the Irish singer/songwriter GORDON REEVES. Two years before they recorded some songs together and released them as the “Live from the living room” album to friends and a small circle of fans. Frank mentions the idea of promoting his music to Gordon and he immediately agrees to sign with the label.
During the next month loads of songs are recorded, the label organises gigs for Gordon in Germany and Ireland and places him in the competition “stern.de – Die Stars von Morgen”. Gordon attracts more and more people and visits on his myspace-profile increase very fast. Tonetoaster is building up structures and contacts during these months to professionalize their business.
In January 2009 THE MIGHTY STEF and BRETT HUNT join the label roster. The first releases are scheduled for spring and come along with promotion campaigns in radio, press and online.