BW&BK; has received the following press release:

As of February 1st, 2008 Mascot-Provogue Records will have offices in the United States, wielding a roster of the biggest and the best artists known. The company has so far established itself in Europe as an independent label with various genres of rock, from blues to jazz to metal and everything in between.

Mascot-Provogue BV is a Dutch company grounded by Ed van Zijl who worked for Roadrunner Records in The Netherlands from 85 till ’92. The company was founded in 1993 as Mascot Records. The first successes came with bands B-THONG, ELEVEN PICTURES, ANCIENT RITES, TRANSPORT LEAGUE and SADUS. Later, Mascot followed their initial artists with RACER X, PAUL GILBERT, MARTY FRIEDMAN, JOHN NORUM, JAKE E LEE, EVERON, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP and MASTERS OF REALITY. Recent success in Europe has been John 5 and new rockabilly metal band Volbeat from Denmark.

In 1998 Mascot bought the Provogue Records label and moved in the more blues oriented market with success stories like Joe Bonamassa and recently added artists such as WALTER TROUT and MONTE MONTGOMERY.

In 2008 the company has moved into the North American market with the first releases being on the Mascot Records label. A few of the 2008 releases include:

VOLBEAT – Platinum recording artist from Denmark who is one of the music revelations from the European scene. The band will tour US in September 2008 – click below to get a glimpse of things to come.

SCIENCE FAXTION – fabulous rock project with Bootsy Collins/Buckethead/Brain

WALTER TROUT – one of the truly blues rock greats (new album out in June/produced by John Porter)

This is a new USA label to watch for as their motto is In Rock We Trust. For more information on the labels roster www.mascotrecords.com or www.provoguerecords.com.