IT was while attending pop music's swanky bash the Brit Awards that the idea for Guy Garvey's new record label was born.

The Elbow frontman has launched Snug Platters, a 10'' vinyl label which will see all releases limited to 1,000 copies.

Taking a different tack to many of the A&Rs in the room that night, Guy's aim is to support passionate homegrown artists, "not something that's striving for success".

The Bury-born musician said: "It's been a long time coming.

"I was at the Brit Awards with Jim Chancellor who is head of Fiction Records, the label that Elbow is on.

"We were looking round the room at the great and the good, the Brits is quite a grand affair.

"That was about three years ago.

"It's been something that's been bubbling away.

"It's about bedroom artists who are just poking their heads out."

The label's first signing is one-woman band Steve — real name Jane Parker — the former singer with Rude Club, who released singles Men In Suits and Foul Mouthed Punter in 1997.

Guy, who formed Elbow while at Bury College in the early 1990s, approached her after seeing her perform at Manchester's Deaf Institute.

He said: "Jane Parker is an artist that I have loved for years.

"She is just a fantastic performer, a really original artist.

"She was genuinely making her music for herself, she was a mum.

"She was doing this because she loved it and no other reason.

"It's so honest and visceral and I really hope it divides opinion."

The first release, Danger! High Failure Rate, was released on Monday and the limited copies are available through Fiction Records' online store.

Speaking of the new EP, she said: "Me, the guitar, the computer, the keys and the random noises all live together in one big house, like the Monkees, but not as zany."

The pair will team up on Saturday night for a label launch party at The Eagle in Salford with Steve performing and Guy behind the decks.

Guy already has act number two lined-up but is keeping the identity "close to my chest".

While he knows people will have pre-conceptions of the type of label he will run, the 41-year-old says: "There will be lots of different kinds of music."

He admits he continues to enjoy a musical education of his own, thanks to the listeners of his BBC Radio 6 Music show.

The One Day Like This singer, who lives in Prestwich, said: "I've been listening to Afrobeat.

"I'm listening to more bits and bobs of classical music than I have done before."

Aside from Snug Platters, he still has a minor role in Skinny Dog Records, the label he began with I Am Kloot bassist Peter Jobson in the early 2000s.

Elbow fans will be pleased to hear he is working on an EP with bandmates Richard Jupp, Craig Potter, Mark Potter and Pete Turner.

Guy, who also has a solo album planned for release at the end of the year, said: "We are just about to release an EP in a couple of months time.

"And we've just put a song to radio which is on the end credits of a Simon Pegg film."

What Time Do You Call This?, from comedy Man Up, is out on June 8.