"My first experience working with Full Time Hobby was at a very exciting time for The Hold Steady. Full Time Hobby released our Boys and Girls in America record and brought us to the UK and Europe for the first time. I remember meeting Wes and Nigel at the airport as Tad and I flew over to do some press in advance of our first tour. I found them to be friendly and positive people with a great passion for music.
What followed was a fantastic year. I hadn't really travelled much before the band came over, and suddenly it seemed like we were always back and forth. Boys and Girls in America was very warmly received and with it came big opportunities: Glastonbury and other festivals, appearing on Jools Holland, playing with the Stones at Slane Castle. Full Time Hobby was, of course, integral in the efforts and a huge part of one of the most exciting times of my life. The label also put out our first two records which hadn't come out internationally.
There were some other really cool artists on the label. I was a fan of Malcolm Middleton, and we even did a collaboration down the line with him at the BBC. At some point Nigel got me some of White Denim's music and I really dug that too. A few years later I had their drummer Josh Block play on my first solo record and Full Time Hobby released that as well. Again for that release they were bright and inventive and great to work with.
Congrats to FTH for a great ten years, and I sincerely wish for many more."