Pedro

by Kingsley MarshallWithin only a handful of releases, David Cooper's Manchester-based Melodic imprint found favor with those looking for something more than breaks and bleeps out of their electronica music. Leading the charge at the label was James Rutledge, who, as Pedro, launched the label with the six-track Assembled by 33 EP of off-kilter oddities. The EP received considerable press support and praise from the likes of Andrew Weatherall, Four Tet, and Mercury Award nominee Kathryn Williams, who went on to record two tracks with Rutledge and Badly Drawn Boy's producer Joe Robinson. In addition to his solo material, Rutledge, together with Jimmy Wright and Dave Tyack, make up D.O.T.. Tragically, in the summer of 2002, Tyack went missing while vacationing in Corsica, his body only to be found two years later. The accident had a profound effect on Rutledge, who had known Tyack since they were kids, and he took a break from making music, though Melodic did release Pedro in 2003 and Early Pedro in 2005. Around that same time, Rutledge began writing the music for what would become You, Me & Everyone, finding a home for it on U.S. label Mush, who also agreed to reissue his earlier catalog. Various delays kept the record from coming out right away, and in the meantime Rutledge worked in various side projects and as an in-demand remixer. You, Me & Everyone was finally released in 2007.