26-year-old Damon Gough (AKA Badly Drawn Boy) is currently in a very fortunate position. Having set up the Twisted Nerve record label barely six months ago with Fat City's Andy Votel, he has had a single on limited pressing as their first release (and seen it sell out), and an as yet unreleased song has been covered by The Fall.

Furthermore, several major labels, all wanting him to sign on the dotted line, are currently courting him. Not that he's getting carried away with the attention. As much on his mind is the signing and release of artists on the label named after the film of the same name. "I've been so busy after the success of the single, with all that has subsequently followed, I've had to put some of the things I've wanted to do, like remixing, on hold", the quietly spoken boy from Bolton tells me.

"Myself and Andy have been really surprised by the swiftness of the response that has been generated". This month sees the release of Badly Drawn Boy's EP2, followed by a sampler of new acts on the label, and two soon to follow releases by Mum and Dad and Sirconical.

After a few months of press calls for magazines including Jockey Slut, Select and Melody Maker, the two have decided they will wait and see whether the limited runs continue. Damon explains, "Already for the next single the number ordered is greater than the amount for EP1. If demand goes up then we'll consider pressing more copies."

At the moment they are keeping to the old jukebox drilled seven-inch singles, which need a 'centre' to be played on a conventional record player. Record shops in the area may be advised to start ordering more of them for 1998.