Black Toast label pops up

Black Toast Music, a boutique music publisher and production library responsible for placing indie artists' songs on TV, film and videogames, is launching an inhouse record label, Black Toast Records. Founded by Bob Mair in 1991, Black Toast has scored song placement for indie musicians (many discovered through a partnership with Taxi) on "30 Rock," "The Wire," "True Blood" and "Treme." The new record label will feature a number of artists whose music the company have placed in TV shows in the past, including Sony Ellis, St. John, G-Stack and Paul Otten. As songwriter Richard Trapp, who records as St. John, described it: "The way the music business has been declining, having a new label like Black Toast Records gives fans of a song they heard on their favorite TV show instant gratification. They can go to iTunes right after they hear it, and grab it ... It's futuristic, like from 'The Jetsons.'" Black Toast has also provided music for features "Arthur" and "I Love You Phillip Morris," as well videogames such as "Dance Dance Revolution." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com