We celebrate the end of the year the only way we know how: through lists, essays, and mixes. Join us as we explore the music and films that helped define the year. More from this series
I’ve developed some bad habits over the calendar year 2013. I’m tuning in to easy-listening radio on the way to work, baking triple-berry muffins like crazy — which is HOT, I know — and I don’t even know what CDs look like any more, didn’t buy a single one all year. So yeah, things are looking… up?
If you take away the massive, unrelenting wave of quality music 2013 ushered in, I’d just be a guy in a house with a wife/kid, bored out of his fucking MIND. It was such an audio blizzard of a year it got me thinking about starting a label AGAIN, or re-starting my old label AGAIN, at which point, as usual, I remembered how sticky of a wicket running even a small imprint is. Printing, schlepping, planning, promoting, conversing, trolling, reimbursing, ordering, packaging, dubbing, hand-numbering/-painting/-drawing/-ironing, stain-glassing, crayon-melting, etc. (Perhaps I went a little wacko with my label?)
Then I started thinking about the fact that a lot of my favorite labels are run by people who also play in bands and a lot of times do even more (publicize, run brick-and-mortar shops, maintain day jobs, et al.). While slobbering to myself about how little I’ve done with my blessed life, I thought, “HEY, how do those nasty little critters do it? How do they wear so many hats? And once they’re done putting on all those hats, how do they run record labels and play in bands and produce and all that?” Do they even realize how magical they make our lives? I’m not even kidding here. The Cold of Ages special edition alone (Ash Borer) had my anticipation so cranked up I had to stop checking my mail because it was too heartbreaking to find promo CDs and greeting cards from my realtor instead.
With all this in mind, I tracked down a bunch of the best/boldest/brightest multitaskers around, in this case Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie, P.W. Elverum & Sun), Alex Cobb (Students of Decay, Taiga Remains), Adam Torruella (Pesanta Urfolk, Lux Interna, Stella Natura Festival), J-Cush (Lit City Trax, Future Brown), André Foisy (Locrian, Land of Decay, etc.), Mike Paradinas (Planet Mu, µ-Ziq), Nick Williams (One Kind Favor, Cave Bears, Deep Thoughts, etc.), and Weasel Walter (ugEXPLODE, Flying Luttenbachers, etc.), to find out what it’s like to be supremely talented and prone to workaholism.
Adam Torruella
(Pesanta Urfolk, Lux Interna, Stella Natura Festival)
What takes up more of your time: playing/writing music/etc. or running the label?
It really depends on what I’ve got coming on the bill. If Lux Interna will be playing shows, we rehearse almost constantly. If no shows are planned, then much of my time will be dedicated to the label. For better or worse, the label currently takes up 95% of my time.
Which is more personally important to you?
The near-self sufficiency and results from the hard work at Pesanta Urfolk are fulfilling without a doubt, but the demands surrounding the label impact me considerably deeper and take a greater toll on me emotionally, physically, and financially. My work with Lux Interna isn’t a means to a financial end, but rather to one of a deeper spiritual peace. It’s a difficult call. I enjoy them both in my life, and I would consider them them both to be equally important.
I remember a lot of my old-school rock heroes started labels, but almost none of them lasted. What’s the secret of excelling at running a label, especially considering how different it is from playing in a band?
I started the label before I played with any established band. I came to Pesanta Urfolk from a business point of view, and my business modus operandi isn’t really something I’d suggest for starting labels: Take huge risks, and wager everything you have on every single release.
I have many friends who are musicians, and in knowing the creative side, I can recognize that often they aren’t the best when it comes to business. I know people like to hate on labels, but for some, they are incredibly important, as they free up time for the creative people to actually create. My role in the groups I play in tend to be supportive; 18+ years of classical training with percussion allows me to easily join various players with ease.
Pesanta has ruined more relationships than I can count due to its simple burden of occupying a huge portion of my life, but thankfully has not harmed the interpersonal relationship between the band members.
What are your thoughts on selling limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants? Do you feel these elements add appeal to products or muddle people’s focus on the music?
Pesanta Urfolk was inspired directly by a combination of esoteric book publishing market and by Les Joyaux De La Princesse, specifically the three limited edition releases: Aux Petits Enfants De France, 1940-1944: Édition Posthume à la Mémoire De PH and Aux Volontaires Croix De Sang. With those works in mind, obviously, it’s important for me that the die-hard/art editions of the record fully complement or add to the music contained within the release. I do not add arbitrary items just to increase the value of the release.
With all the busywork a label requires, at times does the burden of running an imprint interfere with your audio projects?
Pesanta has ruined more relationships than I can count due to its simple burden of occupying a huge portion of my life, but thankfully has not harmed the interpersonal relationship between the band members.
Where the art direction of the label is concerned, do you leave it in the hands of the band(s) or does the label have a certain aesthetic?
Ultimately, I do my best to create a package that the artist is happy with, but I generally stay away from violent or postmodern idealizations because those are not notions that I’m interested in promoting with any of the labels.
When choosing bands to put on your label, do you try to reach as far out as possible, or do you prefer like-minded acts? Why or why not?
Pesanta Urfolk isn’t one of those genre labels, and that gives me a great amount of freedom when reaching out to Americana bands or ritual-ambient performers. With that said, generally I only work with artists who have a sense of reverence in their music, which is the main current behind most of the music I release. On the personal level, I do have artists who are all over the map politically. The important thing to note is that the artists I work with keep their politics limited to their personal lives. I know there are labels/bookers/promoters out there who won’t work with bands because they do not agree with their personally held opinions, but unless they’re specifically singing about politics, I don’t care either way. That’s their burden, not mine.
Did you learn anything about the music “biz” from running a label that you weren’t aware of when you were just playing in bands?
It’s one of those things that’s passed around, but I didn’t realize how true it was until getting into the business: Touring is essentially THE ONLY THING that sells records within our underground currents. Obviously with [sub-label] Et in Arcadia ego, that music sells itself based on the reputation of the composer or conductor, but classical music is far from the musical underground that the other labels work within.
The other thing I’ve learned from the unfortunate instance of having a single dead-beat band on the roster: Bands who are active (meaning not broken up and working on new material) need to put some effort in themselves. It doesn’t matter how fancy I make the record; it doesn’t matter who we commission for the art; it doesn’t matter who does the PR; it doesn’t matter how fantastical their limited live shows actually are — if bands are unwilling to put the time into booking shows, touring, getting their name out, but rather rely solely on the label/cover artist’s reputation, they will have only limited success. Making a music video, then sitting in a cave while recording new material to gift upon the world, all the while expecting tours to fall in your lap isn’t how the real world works. It most certainly does not sell records for either them or the label. It may sound harsh, but my one bad experience has led me to be very skeptical of artists who don’t find it important to do any legwork on their end.
Are you a one-man operation or have you found people you can delegate to?
I’m terrible with delegation due to my stubbornness over having a hand in everything I do. However, as a result of the label’s growth, Lux Interna, and Stella Natura [yearly festival put on by Torruella] I have had to reach out and have unfortunately been burned a number of times because of it. I’ve had people steal records and money; I’ve had people use me as a ladder for connections and discard our business and personal relationship as soon as they’ve connected with that poster artist they were wanting to hook up with — there are some terrible and morally unconscionable people out there, which has made me slow to trust new employees. After years of looking, I do have one single person whom I can trust completely to handle all label duties in times of need. If I ever embark on another Stella Natura, I also have a handful of trusted individuals who I can turn to for organizational assistance.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity, or at some point do you envision CDs/tapes/LPs becoming obsolete?
I believe that this medium will last until my time on Earth ends at the very least. I don’t believe in the cult of digital — ebooks, MP3s, etc. are all fine and good for space considerations, but there will always be collectors and individuals who recognize the importance of tangible items. New technology will always come and slowly chip away at what we’re doing, but I can’t imagine a day where we are all so disconnected that we pay-per-view our favorite underground band’s live basement show and solely rely on donation-based downloads on Bandcamp. If that day comes, music will have died.
How do your goals differ regarding your different projects?
My goals with Lux Intera are much more self-serving. The longer I continue the more I realize that Pesanta Urfolk is essentially a trial in musical philanthropy as the label will doubtfully ever sustain an existence for both myself and the business identity at the same time.
Weasel Walter
(ugEXPLODE, The Flying Luttenbachers/Cellular Chaos/solo, etc.)
What takes up more of your time: playing/writing music or running the label?
I am a workaholic, so if I ever have free time, I will find some way to fill it up. I come from a lower-middle class economic background, so I always felt like if I couldn’t make money, at least I could justify my existence with the volume and seriousness of my artistic output. At the moment, touring is my priority and the label, sadly, is not. I will keep it going, but as the market has gotten worse and worse, I’ve been forced to shift my priorities to survive.
Which is more important to you?
It’s important that I make work and self-document it as a protest toward the insipid conspiracy of modern white culture. There are important voices in art that are not underwritten by corporations. You don’t have to sell out to make great art. However, not having any support, resources, or money creates pretty considerable limitations to what can be accomplished. I believe the actual work must come first and then marketing and all that other bullshit, second.
It’s important that I make work and self-document it as a protest toward the insipid conspiracy of modern white culture.
What’s the secret of juggling so many projects and keeping the quality high?
The secret to keeping a label going on a small scale is a matter of being single-mindedly obsessed about doing it and making wise decisions about what is released, how many copies are made, and how the business is run. At this point, the market is so saturated that running a small label is primarily a matter of vanity. It’s a quixotic decision if financial resources are limited. Every release is a potential financial failure. It’s not terribly different than running a band.
What are your thoughts on selling limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants?
I don’t have a problem with the concept. People who pay for music are essentially fetishists at this point in history, so one might as well make the ultimate fetish item if there’s a demand.
Do you feel these elements add appeal to products or muddle people’s focus on the music?
I think most people are idiots.
Does the burden of running an imprint interfere with your audio projects?
Sure, that’s why I cannot really run the label anymore. I made the decision that running the label is ineffectual at this point in history and that playing live shows with a good band is a more effective way of disseminating the work.
Do you leave art direction in the hands of the band(s)?
I only work with bands that have a total aesthetic I can relate to. I’m not really interested in being a Svengali and trying to mold artists — I’m interested in documenting and helping out artists who are already totally effective in their approach.
Did you learn anything about the music “biz” from running a label that you weren’t aware of when you were just playing in bands?
Most bands sell a lot less units than you probably think they do.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity?
I think that the concept of a record label as a filter of culture is dying rapidly. It doesn’t take any serious effort, resources, or skill to curate a “label” vis-à-vis digital media, so now everything is basically lost in the shuffle. It’s all vain and superfluous.
How do your goals differ regarding your different projects?
I’m old and I don’t have the free time I used to, so I try to pursue the avenues that lead to the least futility. I don’t make mainstream culture, and the bridge trolls that guard success don’t want to have anything to do with me, so I just try to be honest, hardworking, and make intelligent decisions about how I proceed.
Nick Williams
(One Kind Favor, Cave Bears/Flaming Dragons Of Middle Earth, Deep Thoughts Records, Cassette Gods)
What takes up more of your time: playing/writing music/etc., running the shop, maintaining the blog, or running the label?
In addition to the bands I play in (Cave Bears and Flaming Dragons Of Middle Earth) and the record label I run (One Kind Favor), I also edit the blog Cassette Gods and co-own and operate a record store in Boston called Deep Thoughts, which opened on April Fools day 2013. I’m also a relatively frequent booker of underground music all over New England. Nearly 100% of my day-to-day life is devoted to music. Honestly, my own personal creative endeavors occupy a very small amount of my time these days. Cave Bears never practices; we just get on stage and “do our thing.” Flaming Dragons has a weekly practice, which I make it to about every other week, but most of my time is spent pricing records, hanging in the store, shipping noise records to Belgium, and sneaking a tall boy behind the counter.
Which is more personally important to you?
Cave Bears without a doubt is the thing I’m most proud of. Which is funny because it’s so half-assed and on the surface totally awful. I love putting out records, and spreading the love around with the shop, but I think the band is something that’s really spoken to a small subset of deeply twisted people and I’ve got enough “life changing” positive feedback that it gives me inspiration to keep the music going.
What’s the secret of keeping so many projects going?
I’ve been really lucky with the label. Getting to reissue two of my all time favorite private press records right off the bat was a dream come true. Both the Kenneth Higney and Sound Ceremony albums connect with me on a deep personal level, the first for its intensity and melancholy and the second for its bizarre humor. Being able to sell-out the first pressings of both those records within two weeks really gave me a boost and allowed me to put out some great records for my friends which also seem to have been received well. I also live very cheaply and constantly put all the money I make back into all my business ventures. I guess that’s the real answer. I wouldn’t or couldn’t do any of this without a small amount of financial success. Now that the record store has been going for over six months I can’t wait to focus back on the label. I have one thing at the plant as we speak and a lot of ideas floating around right now.
What are your thoughts on selling limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants?
It’s not entirely my thing, though I do sell off the test pressings with handmade artwork for everything I put out on the label. I can get behind that because what the customer is paying for is my artwork, as opposed to some gross-looking colored vinyl. Black has the best sound anyway…
I suppose you’ll know the answer to that question if you see me on the unemployment line. I’m a very day-to-day sort of guy, so it’s hard for me to envision one week from now, let alone a future world without physical media. Something tells me kids won’t line up after an amazing set by a band to buy their downloads.
Does the burden of running an imprint interfere with your audio projects?
Pretty much everyday. I’ve been recording way less music, though I still find time to play lots of shows. The last Cave Bears tape (that came out in Serbia only) was recorded over 2 years ago. I’m very happy to say that we have been recording again and I think our new album might be the most fucked up thing we’ve done yet.
Do you think you’re more effective at maintaining a label because of your experience in a band?
I would say so. Not to be all “businessman” about it, but what it ultimately comes down to is getting the records into people’s hands. I would say that half of the sales I do direct to stores have come about from making connections while on tour. The more people who you get in your circle, the more you can get the music out there.
Do you leave art direction to the band(s)?
A little bit of both. With the reissues, I was just striving to make them look as close to the originals as possible and that has definitely been a learning process. I designed the back of the Tracey Trance jacket, but in general with the contemporary artists on the label I let them decide what the album will look like, though I definitely reserve the right to be happy with the finished product.
Do you prefer like-minded acts on your label?
I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently. With One Kind Favor I really want to keep a unified aesthetic: home-recorded or self-produced and sounding like it is pre-1980. I am a child of the 80s and 90s, but spiritually I’m from the 70s. But in my position as a record store owner and a dude who goes to 3 or 4 shows a week, I am constantly meeting new bands that I want to work with. So I actually might start another label to do more modern-sounding stuff. Time will tell…
Have you found people you can delegate to?
The label is just me. I almost had to stop doing Cassette Gods this year (a simple old school blog that reviews underground tapes and vinyl, in existence since 2007 — I am the third editor), because I simply didn’t have time to listen to 20 tapes per week, but thankfully I’ve found a handful of like-minded folks here in Boston who have been keeping up with regular writing over the last couple of months. At the record store I’m even more thankful to be partnered with my pal Peter Negroponte (drummer of the band Guerilla Toss). Our friend Will Mayo also sells techno records on consignment and works the counter a few days per week. Without those two guys I would never have time to focus on anything but the store. It’s a really great team because, though we run in similar circles, we each bring different connections and ideas to the shop.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity?
I suppose you’ll know the answer to that question if you see me on the unemployment line. I’m a very day-to-day sort of guy, so it’s hard for me to envision one week from now, let alone a future world without physical media. Something tells me kids won’t line up after an amazing set by a band to buy their downloads. People are always going to fetishize objects, and I’m not too worried about hard-copy music disappearing altogether. I actually think CDs are going to be cool again eventually.
How do your goals differ regarding your different projects?
I’d like to think that I approach everything with the same passion and integrity. At some point I came to the realization that I am most likely never going to make any real money of off my own music, but that I certainly can make a living from music in general. I suppose that is the reason I’ve got my fingers in so many pies at any given time. I constantly encourage struggling musicians to think outside the box a little: start a distro, Discogs store, label, venue, record store, tape-duplication service, you name it! I mean, maybe you like waiting tables, but it is definitely not for me.
Phil Elverum
(Mount Eerie/The Microphones, P.W. Elverum & Sun)
What takes up more of your time: playing/writing music/etc., or running the label?
Running the label takes more time than music, by far. It’s crazy. But only if I include things like answering emails and sweeping the floor. It’s difficult to summarize what happens to the hours in my days. They blast by, and at the end of the day, I don’t know what happened. I guess things get done somehow.
Which is more important to you?
I enjoy the well-rounded-ness of my existence. I would not enjoy either of them very much on their own. Of course, recording music is much more rewarding on a spiritual level, but living in reality is important too.
The ‘music business’ that existed from about 1940 to about 2005 was a strange bubble where technology and capital synced up and made art temporarily profitable.
What’s the secret of excelling at running a label/playing music at the same time?
P.W. Elverum & Sun is not really a label. I pretty much just put out my own stuff. I am not interested in functioning as a successful label would (curating talent, promoting other peoples’ things, etc.). I have tried to put out friends’ records a few times, and the experiment has been unsuccessful. I am only good at tricking people into being interested in my own music I guess.
What are your thoughts on limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants?
Occasionally, I make a limited thing, but it’s usually because it is handmade in some way and can only realistically be produced in a lower quantity. Ideally, everything can be available to everyone. I am contradicting myself here, because last week I released a 300 copies-only picture disc, but still. Generally though, I think it’s important and necessary to make things as nice and sturdy and beautiful as possible. It doesn’t conflict with the music in my mind. It creates a more interesting coalescence of physical and aural, a deeper experience.
Does the burden of running an imprint interfere with your audio projects?
Yes, certainly. Within 2013, I’ve finally allowed my friends to act as part-time employees. They help me pack my mailorder. Now I have a little more time to go to the studio and try to make stuff.
Did you learn anything about the music “biz” from running a label that you weren’t aware of when you were just playing in bands?
I learn new stuff about The Biz every day, but regular non-self-releasing bands have to do that now too. Basically everyone has to pay attention and manage their own rights and “content” now. The idea of why a record label should exist is changing quickly. Everyone is confused.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity?
Earth will be a dusty dead grey rock pretty soon. CDs/tapes/LPs are obsolete NOW. It is only nostalgic freaks like me who are still trying to squeeze the last few drops out of these things. Music will last as long as people do, but the form of delivery is always mutating. The “music business” that existed from about 1940 to about 2005 was a strange bubble where technology and capital synced up and made art temporarily profitable.
J-Cush
(J-Cush, Lit City Trax, Future Brown)
What takes up more of your time: playing/writing music/etc. or running the label?
Work is my priority; there’s not much time for anything else to be fair.
Future Brown is DJ MA and DJ NA of Nguzunguzu, Fatima Al Qadiri, and myself. We are not really a band though, although we will all track out together in the studio when it comes to writing. For the sake of classification, you could call us a production team. We don’t play live sets in a traditional sense.
There is a real balance you have to strive to maintain to be able to run a label and produce music without letting it affect your work with either — even if I’m working 24/7, I still am always finding that there is more work that needs to be done. My schedule changes day to day, depending on what is required of me.
Which is more personally important to you?
Running a label and producing tracks, they go hand in hand… As long as good tunes are being spread, I’m over the moon. If I wasn’t doing both, I doubt I’d be as happy as I am now.
I’m not trying to artificially control the value of records by making them a rare commodity. If people want the vinyl of a record, I want it to be available for them and at a fair price.
What’s the secret of juggling so many projects?
I am learning more and more everyday on how to build and grow — finding more ways to branch out. It’s definitely important to remain consistent. If your energies are drawn elsewhere — here it can affect the label’s visibility in some cases. If you’re not getting stuff out and keeping the name out there, then you’re probably not going to be around for long. The most important thing is retaining the artists’ original vision and establishing firm, solid foundations. If the ground you build on is shaky, then the project could crumble.
What are your thoughts on selling limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants?
I’m not too fussed about limited print stuff anymore. I used to collect One Away Records, white labels, limited press stuff, as it was a selling point back in the day for me. Somewhere along the line, probably when I started Lit City Trax, it became more important to get the music to the people then to make marketing ploys to increase the collectibility of a record. I’m not trying to artificially control the value of records by making them a rare commodity. If people want the vinyl of a record, I want it to be available for them and at a fair price. If we only press a limited number and the demand exceeds the supply, I wouldn’t be a very good at what I do. Not into too many gimmicks really, ends up watering down what you do often.
Do you leave art direction in the hands of the band(s)?
We have an amazing in-house artist based in Shanghai that we have started working with recently. His name is Kim Laughton, and he’s been doing all our recent Lit City Rave posters and is working on a lot of covers for forthcoming releases. He is incredible. Since we started working with Kim, the label has began to form a real visual language.
When choosing bands to put on your label, do you prefer like-minded acts?
Everything I’ve signed and the EPs and albums in the works now, all have links to each other whether conscious or not. Everything is very raw, hard, and emotionally driven. If it’s not full of some real feelings, I’m not going to touch it. Everyone on the label is like-minded. They all bring their A-game to the table whenever they send me some new bits, and go super-deep each and every time. To be quite honest, I feel like we are all building an extremely tight-knit family unit together. It’s big. A lot of people, from different parts of the worlds, are in touch with one another. It’s amazing to watch everyone inform each other’s work.
Did you learn anything about the music “biz” from running a label that you weren’t aware of when you were just DJing/producing?
I started producing after I started the label. I’ve learnt plenty prior to the label about the music business from hanging around certain label offices while growing up in London. I learnt plenty through DJing, throwing parties, doing artist management, and bookings, etc. Good business is good business. Either you’re capable of figuring it out or you’re not.
When/if you go on tour, does the label get put on hold or do you maintain it on the road?
I can’t ever put the label on hold. If I did, nothing would get done, ever. I’ve put too much into it to slow down. I maintain it all day, everyday. If I’m on the road, I’ll answer emails on my phone whenever there is a spare moment. Touring doesn’t change much — just need wi-fi access and I’m great. I have my most important documents, contracts, contacts, sales figures, and so on at hand at all times, which makes my life easier.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity, or at some point do you envision CDs/tapes/LPs becoming obsolete?
There will always be the need for a record label to handle the work that comes along with releasing music, even if it’s just digitally. Without a label, it would be a whole lot harder for artists to focus and find their success.
I do think that the demand for CDs, LPs can fluctuate with time. However, vinyl sales have been on the rise steadily for years now. Also, those who buy CDs aren’t the same people who buy the records, and neither of those people are the same people who buy the digital stuff. Eventually certain formats may make way for alternative formats. I’m not too certain what’s to come.
How do your goals differ regarding your different projects?
They don’t differ. I put 100% into everything I do. Like they say: “go hard or go home.”
André Foisy
(Locrian/Kwaidan, Land of Decay, Ablution Media)
What takes up more of your time: playing/writing music/etc., doing publicity, or running the label?
I stopped running my label (with Terence Hannum) earlier this year so that I could focus on being creative, running Ablution Media, and teaching yoga. Land of Decay was a small label, but we achieved what we wanted out of it and we ended it on a high note.
Which is more important to you?
Playing music and creating music was always more important to me than running a label.
What’s the secret of keeping on top of so many projects?
Running a label is something that’s easy to start, but many people realize that they don’t want to run a label after they start one because it’s a lot of work.
Labels need a lot of the same skills as playing in a band. It’s taboo for musicians, especially “cvlt” musicians to talk about the importance of having business skills, but those are really important to a having a sustainable band or label. Successful labels (whatever success means to that person) are something that comes out of consistent dedication and excitement. Excitement will get you a long way in life.
One thing I’ve learned, though, is to never assume that anyone out there is like-minded.
What are your thoughts on selling limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants?
It depends on the context of these items. For me, I just want the music. I only pay for vinyl and for digital downloads occasionally. I’m currently going through my record collection and I’m finding all of these really thick, gatefold albums that are single LPs. I think they look great, but I only have a certain amount of space for my albums, so keeping these albums takes up a lot of real estate in my apartment.
Does the burden of running an imprint interfere with your audio projects?
Yes, it’s always a juggling act. Land of Decay took a lot of time to administrate, but it was really rewarding to connect with musicians that I respect. That aspect of running the label was actually very inspiring.
Do you think you’re more effective at maintaining a label because of your experience in a band?
Totally. Playing in a band taught me how to get my music to writers, how to promote shows, and that I really like working with other artists. These traits helped the label to be successful.
We ended up breaking even on our projects, but I’m sure that we could have made money had we made choices to accomplish that. I’m sure that artists would do well to understand what labels have to go through.
Do you leave art direction to band(s)?
We would let the artist choose, but Terence was open to the artist using his artwork.
When choosing bands to put on your label, do you try to reach as far out as possible, or do you prefer like-minded acts?
Some people got in touch with us. We contacted some people because we were fans… One thing I’ve learned, though, is to never assume that anyone out there is like-minded.
Did you learn anything about the music “biz” from running a label that you weren’t aware of when you were just playing in bands?
Yes, last year was the first year that I claimed my music and label expenses on my taxes. It was a lot of paperwork. I know how to keep better track of the paperwork now, but it was a pain.
Running a label taught me to respect labels more. It’s so much work to release an album and it’s so expensive. I don’t think that most labels are making much, if any, money. I hope that people who were sending Land of Decay money now are sending their money to some label that needs it.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity, or at some point do you envision CDs/tapes/LPs becoming obsolete?
I don’t think that any of these formats will become obsolete anytime soon, but there’s nothing permanent in this world.
Some labels will last. There’s a myth out there that it’s impossible to make money running a label and I know that there are some labels that are making money. It’s just a matter of having your stuff together and keeping your vision.
How do your goals differ regarding your different projects?
We started Land of Decay because we wanted to connect with musicians that we were inspired by, and so that we could help to raise money for recording costs. Now we have a record label who helps us with recording costs and we have a booking agent that gets us enough to cover our expenses.
Mike Paradinas
(Planet Mu, µ-Ziq/Kid Spatula)
What is more important to you, running the label or creating music?
I would say my own music is more personal, because I don’t really have to deal with other people’s expectations in the same way.
What’s the secret of running an excellent label?
What makes a good record? That’s where it gets… cloudy and more interesting. A lot of labels have a house sound, which makes the whole thing a bit easier for the audience to grasp.
When I started out 20 years ago, I was very idealistic, but soon realized about the gutter biz when I signed to a major label.
What are your thoughts on selling limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants?
Limited-edition items have their place I guess, but personally I’ve never really been into stuff like colored vinyl or picture discs, as I find the pressings of lower quality (although I hear that’s changed now). I do, however, like extravagant packaging, but as a label, we’ve never really had the budget for it. There is a lot of that stuff about though, and as a label, we have to compete with it. In the end, it’s really the artist’s decision. If they feel that a particular packaging, special artwork, or 180-gram pressing is important to their release, then we always seriously consider it. The only thing stopping us would be budget considerations.
Does the burden of running an imprint interfere with your audio projects?
Definitely. There have been several years where I’ve not made any music at all. Although that might not have been solely to do with my label workload. Maybe burying myself in growing the label enabled me to get through a writer’s block?
Are you a more effective label owner because of your experience making music?
It does make a difference when you’re at the receiving end of label decisions. I’ve had many years of not being paid what I’m owed, so we always try and keep on top of artists’ accounts. Although artists always want to release something the minute they’ve made it, I’ve now realized that a bit of time and planning, holding off the release until the right time, makes all the difference to press and sales.
Did you learn anything about the music “biz” from running a label that you weren’t aware of when you were just making music?
When I started out 20 years ago, I was very idealistic, but soon realized about the gutter biz when I signed to a major label.
Have you found people you can delegate to?
Planet Mu was a one-man operation for the first nine years of its existence, but now we have four employees, and I can delegate almost everything. Thomas, my label manager, has been with me for six years now and has learned the ropes better than I did.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity?
I think humans as physical entities will become obsolete eventually, so I guess music will before that. (To clarify, I think humans will continue as material objects, patterns.)
How do your goals differ regarding your different projects?
Well, we do have certain releases that we all decide (us and the distributor) are “key releases,” and we put most of our resources into those. Sometimes a particular release may turn out to be more popular (or less popular) than we envisaged, so we sometimes change our plans/budgets mid release-cycle.
Alex Cobb
(Students of Decay, Taiga Remains/solo)
What takes up more of your time: playing/writing music/etc., or running the label?
Definitely the label. I’m always tinkering with musical compositions or improvisations but it’s a slow process and, really, I’m quite content at this stage to have an album come out every couple years and no more frequently. SOD is my full-time job and most all of my energy goes into producing/promoting releases from day to day.
What’s the secret of excelling at running a label?
I think it must have to do with seeing connections between artists within and across genres. The best labels, at least to me, exhibit cohesiveness and consistency — you can buy any of their releases with the assurance that, even if you’re unfamiliar with the artist/band, it will be good music and emblematic of what you associate with the label releasing it.
Making [Students of Decay] into something successful and sustainable has been a long process (nigh on a decade now). I have no background in business and am not the most logistical person, so there has been a learning curve as well as ups and downs.
What are your thoughts on selling limited-edition items, special “art”/”die-hard” versions of albums, and/or color-vinyl variants?
Mixed feelings for sure. Reading the front pages of certain distributors’ sites has become a bit like looking at Etsy or something (“Comes with a handstitched obi,” “limited to 150 in silkscreened duotone polysleeves,” “first 50 copies on ruby red and herringbone-colored wax” etc). The first SOD vinyl releases did have limited color editions, and it is absolutely a way to move units from the jump and appeal to a certain demographic, but I’ve realized it’s not for me and is not what matters most. The fact that the fidelity of colored vinyl is fundamentally inferior to that of black wax is also a total dealbreaker to me.
Does the burden of running an imprint interfere with your audio projects?
No, not at all. If anything I find the process of helping artists realize their strengths and produce an album to be motivational for my own output.
Do you think you’re more effective at maintaining a label because of your experience in a band?
I don’t think so, no. Making SOD into something successful and sustainable has been a long process (nigh on a decade now). I have no background in business and am not the most logistical person, so there has been a learning curve as well as ups and downs.
Do you leave art direction in the hands of the band(s)?
I like to make it collaborative. I always want the artist to be 100% happy with the final product. If they have an idea and can do design work, we’ll go that route. Alternatively I have designers who I work with regularly (and consider lifesavers generally) who are able to help out if the artist is drawing a blank.
When choosing bands to put on your label, do you prefer like-minded acts?
I really just work with people whose music I’m enamored with and with whom I get along. I’m pretty quick to terminate a release if there’s drama, unreasonable expectations, or really any unpleasantness.
Did you learn anything about the music “biz” from running a label that you weren’t aware of when you were just playing in bands?
I learned how difficult it is to run a label properly and for real. Juggling projects/production costs and doing good PR is full-time work.
Do you think record labels as purveyors of physical products can last into infinity?
I think (hope?) that there will always be a market for physical objects that consists of people who care about things like aesthetics, fidelity, and supporting the musicians whose output matters to them.
We celebrate the end of the year the only way we know how: through lists, essays, and mixes. Join us as we explore the music and films that helped define the year. More from this series
