A RECORD label inspired by the early ’90s grunge scene in Seattle and run using iPads has set up shop in Newport.

Jamie Young, 40, and Jonny Janeiro, 33, both former guitar band members and veterans of the Newport music circuit, hope to create not just a place where bands can record albums, but to breathe life back into the city’s music culture with their creation, Junta Records.

“Jonny has been running the music review website the Joy Collective, which covers Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and Bath, and this is kind of an extension of that,” said Mr Young, from Caerleon.

“I own a recording studio in Crindau and we saw lots of great bands coming through who didn’t have a media profile. So we thought it would be good fun to have a record label.”

The not-for-profit business, named after a style of military dictatorship, has no physical office space and makes use of internet downloads via its website, rather than traditional CDs and distribution.

With four acts signed so far – Hi Fi Murders, Science B*stard, Geraint Rees and Kill for the Atlantic – Mr Young hopes bands will use Junta Records as a springboard to go on to bigger labels in the future.

“The Newport scene is incredibly insular and was quite bleak towards the end of last year,”

said Mr Young.

“It’s really difficult for bands to get a profile in Newport, we’re not near London and it costs a phenomenal amount of money to record and go gigging.

“We want to create a centre for something, like Sub Pop Records in Seattle or Factory Records in Manchester,” he said. “We don’t know how easy it’s going to be, TJ’s is still boarded up but the 200 Club has opened and Le Pub has a licence so things are looking up.”

Geraint Rees will play at Full Moon in Cardiff on March 7. Visit www.juntarecords.com for more details.