Getting in on the Ground Floors

Technically, these two profiles should probably be posted in the interview section. But closet Luddite that I am I still haven’t figured out all of the bells & whistles of that section of the Bags apparatus. Maybe Namor (once more on shore) or Emory can take what’s here & transplant it to the proper digs. Meanwhile, please enjoy Jesse Goin’s e-mail exchanges with two label honchos who are just getting their respective empires rolling. In the interest of equity, the same questionnaire was forwarded to each respondent. It’s my sincere hope that Jesse will be contributing more around here in the near future; he’s got commodious ears and plenty of flair with the pheasant-feathered quill. Interested parties should also be sure to check out his fathoms-deep confab with Dennis Gonzalez over at OFN- Part One ripe for the reading & Part Two soon to drop from the vine. Without further delay, Mr. Goin…

Introducing two upstart labels I think merit your attention, Formed Records and (1.8)sec. Records.

Will Benton heads Formed Records in San Francisco, whose inaugural release is scheduled for November, a duo of Mattin and Dion Workman entitled S3. Truly a label in its nascent stage of development, (a little) more information can be found at the Formed home page.

Chris Bryan heads (1.8)sec. Records in Winnipeg. The label was launched a year ago this month with a vinyl compilation conceived of and curated by Chris. Since then, (1.8)sec. has released two cds, the Tomas Korber/dieb13/Jason Kahn trio, Zirkadia, and A Book Of Standard Equinoxes, a duo of Kim Cascone and Domenico Sciajno. These last two were reviewed here at Bags by Brian Olewnick in September. More information is available at the soon to be operational (1.8)sec. home page.

Formed Label Profile

10/10/05

[JG]: When was Formed launched?

[WB:] "Launched"? I had been kicking the idea of starting a record label around for years, but officially, the summer of 2005. That's when I actually started putting money into the project.

What big idea/concept launched you into starting up a label?

Basically, I think that there is a lot of really exciting music happening these days, and that there are not enough people listening.

How do you choose the artists for your label? What is your input/influence on the
collaborations/projects for Formed?

This really varies from release to release. Some things have come to me as finished works; other things are still being shaped into their final form (no pun intended). I would have no problems with asking that material that I just didn't think was good be cut from an otherwise good recording, but I wouldn't ever ask people to re-do anything, or offer suggestions on how I wanted something to sound. I'm pretty hands-off.

How active a participant are you in commissioning/curating a release?

If there are particular projects that an artist is involved in, I'm happy to specify my interest in it, but in general, my approach is to find an artist who matches the focus of the label and ask them what they're working on. If it's relevant, I pursue it, if not, I don't.

How would you characterize your relationship to the artists on Formed?

Genial? I'm only interested in releasing music by people who impress me. I want to give them a source for getting their music more out into the world. I know what I have the time and energy to do with the label, so I am pretty up front with the artists on the label about what they can expect from Formed.

How is business conducted with the artists on your label [e.g., a handshake agreement, contracts…]?

Case-by-case. Everything gets done via email these days, so it's waaaay easier to just go back into your archive and see exactly what everyone said. I'm happy to work on a handshake, I'm happy to workout a contract... We're talking about a relatively small pond here, and one in which people tend to stick around for quite a while... so I'm not personally worried about getting taken to the cleaners.

What is your design concept for packaging & your web site?

I would like for the label's graphics to be really, really quiet. the website was designed by Chris Dilts along my guidelines that it be unobtrusive. My working agreement with the musicians on the label is that they get to use whatever artwork they want, subject to my approval. I run everything by Mr. Dilts to make sure that it works with the pressing plant's template, and I would feel comfortable asking artists to revise artwork that was not at all in line with the basic visual direction of the label... And all the releases are going
to be packaged in the same cardboard sleeve, so they look awesome all bunched together on a shelf.
Okay, and to be totally honest, I briefly deliberated the merits of ripping off the Crass Records look, but decided that the joke would get old after a while.

What about your label identity is contradistinct from others in the marketplace?

Formed is going to focus more specifically on material that falls between improvisation and composition, between electronic and acoustic instrumentation... I think that the way that things have been going on in the music circles I'm interested in have countenanced the possibility of a more nuanced take on what improvised music is / can be. I don't want to go on at too great a length here, as I basically like good music, and dislike bad music, but I think that the above describes the most central point on the many-circled Venn diagram that describes what the label will be up to.

What is your distribution network looking like currently?

Ummm trade secret? heh.. I'm working some things out right now, and since nobody's signed anything yet, I should probably wait to say anything specific.

Will Formed be an outlet for your own work? [are you a musician?]

Oh heavens no.

What enterprise would you undertake if you received a handsome endowment for the label?

If, say, a gigantor arts grant landed in my lap, I would do a couple of things:

1. I'd intensify the release schedule. The rate at which you can put out records is defined in no small part by the amount of risk to which you can expose yourself. If I was risking someone else's money, I'd be more comfortable tying more of it up.

2. I'd schedule a festival. I'd facilitate mini-tours for the attending artists.

3. Maybe some sort of regular publication covering the areas of cultural work on which Formed focuses?

4. Finally, and this is based on the assumption of a comfortably large grant, I'd open/operate a more permanent space for events relevant to Formed's agenda. I think that something like 3030 in Chicago would be ideal.

How, if at all, has your perspective on the experimental music scene, & its audience, been informed by label ownership?

I've realized that you have to pick what it is that you care about and stick with it, that there is a lot of good stuff out there, but that whatever you like is what you should work with, and if people like it, great! This sounds corny, and before starting Formed, I would have smirked at a sentiment like that, but seriously, when you decide to step in as something more than a spectator, you find a surprising clarity.

~Fin~

1.8sec Label Profile

10/19/05

[JG]: When was [1.8] sec. launched?

[CB]: The label was launched in Oct. 2004; we’re just over 1 year old.

What big idea/concept launched you into starting up a label?

I've worked in record stores for years and years, and subsequently have become a big record geek. I had started to think about how vinyl as a medium had these unique physical properties that could be used for specific sound art projects. I felt that if I came up with a good idea based on this, that I wouldn't have trouble getting my favorite artists to participate.

How do you choose the artists for your label?

For projects I initiate, I approach the people I would like to work with. For the 2 CDs on the label, the artists approached me.

What is your input/influence on the collaborations/projects for [1.8] sec.?

The (1.8)sec. Comp (12” vinyl) was conceived and curated by me, so the conceptual influence would have been 100%. The artists had to construct a 1.8 second loop that they would send me, I would then send that loop to a random artist, and they had to use it for a lock at the end of there track. As far as the actual outcome of what the tracks sounded like, it was completely up to them. I picked a fairly musically diverse bunch of artists within the genre and gave them freedom to do whatever they wanted.

How active a participant are you in commissioning/curating a release?

For the compilation, I included myself on the release. I record under the name 3x3is9.

How would you characterize your relationship to the artists on [1.8] sec.?

Everyone is very friendly. I've met maybe 1/3 of the people who are on the label... maybe a bit less. Some of them I keep in regular contact with through email. I see Arden (duul_drv) a lot; he is a friend here in Winnipeg. I'd say for the most part everyone involved with this kind of music is so busy (myself included), that once a project is over we only keep in loose contact, an email every couple of months.

How is business conducted with the artists on your label [e.g., a handshake agreement, contracts…]?

Handshake agreement. Everything is quite loose. I'm really relaxed about how they want to deal with the rights etc. If a CD sold out, and they wanted to re-release it on their own label or something... sounds OK to me. The artists I work with are for the most part of a similar mindset regarding releases, copy write and ownership of music etc.

What is your design concept for packaging & your web site?

Many.

The website has changed a few times. First it was sort of blobby and minimal, now it's a lot sparer looking. I like the contrast of mediums, so I try to use very old things in a modern minimalist design.

As far as the releases are concerned, it is per release. The art for the 2 CDs were done by the artists themselves. I felt this was appropriate because the music was already completed when I agreed to put it out, so them having complete control over the art made sense.

The LP compilation is another thing altogether. I wanted the cover art to stand out. Initially I was planning on doing something more like the current design for the website, but decided that wouldn't exactly fit the release. I thought about all the crazy album covers that I would see come through the record shop I work at, so I thought I'd use something a bit atypical to the music style. The main theme of the LP was that it was a concept that I really liked, all artists I really enjoy, so why not use one of my favorite paintings for the cover. The artist also happens to be my lovely girlfriend. I've had the exact mixed reaction I thought I'd get; some people have told me or written that they think it is the best cover they have seen in years; other people think it is inappropriate for the genre... I'm happy I went with it.

The next release I'll be doing is a 3inch CD-r by David Szczesny that I'll be doing all the layout for. I'll be doing a few variations on the package, sort of a "COLLECT ALL 4!!!!"

Other future plans are a 12" with hand made lino block printed covers etc...

What about your label identity is contradistinct from others in the marketplace?

Hmmmm..... A lot of labels start out releasing sort of a "Crew" or area specific artist, I just sort of jumped right into the middle of things. My main intent with the label will be to put out music I enjoy; I’ll let the label's theme morph around as my interests change.

What is your distribution network looking like currently?

I mainly use Scratch distribution. They do a bunch of sub distribution for me, and have an online shop. Otherwise I go directly to some shops and smaller distros that contact me. You can get the CDs through Ear rational now to. Lately I've been enjoying trading releases with other small labels. I think it is great that so many labels feel the same way I do about this. I'll send them 5 of each item, and then pick a bunch of items from them.... fun, fun, fun.

Will [1.8[ sec. be an outlet for your own work?

Someday. I put one of my tracks on the compilation. I can see myself releasing some future collaborative work I might do. I'm already hearing more great music than I could ever release, so I think I'd like to reserve my solo stuff for other people to release.

What enterprise would you undertake if you received a handsome endowment for the label?

I definitely would like to do more vinyl. I would love to do a series of punk rock style split 7" records, and I'd love to do a DVD of some sort.

How, if at all, has your perspective on the experimental music scene, & its audience, been informed by label ownership?

I'm exposed to a lot more music than I was before. This is both a good and bad thing. I'm a lot more critical, but also hear things that I would never expected to love and do. I guess I'm aware of pockets of experimental music and musicians that I would otherwise not know about. Artists and labels approach me that are amazing and prolific, that had otherwise gone unnoticed to me.

~Fin~

Posted by derek on October 22, 2005 8:48 AM