THE
NYC LABELS
and local artists that
call them home
- by Liz Shcroeter
There was a time
when Def Jam Recordings was an NYU dorm room label,
and there was a time when Moon Ska had a storefront
in the East Village. Some local labels grow to massive
proportions and others fade away as new bands and
new trends take their place, but no doubt local independent
labels do a great deal to define the NYC scene. So
what were the labels making waves in NYC in 2006,
who are the people behind them, and what do they consider
when signing new bands?
THE STALWARTS
Matador
Records & Beggars
Group
In 2002, The Beggars Group, a UK-based label group
with branches worldwide, bought a 50% share in Matador
Records, the NYC label that launched careers for artists
like Liz Phair, Pavement and Guided By Voices. The
two companies joined forces and have since then not
only scored a major success with locals Interpol but
have taken a chance on NYC acts like The Double and
Calla. With a family of labels including XL and the
newly launched PlayLouder (of website fame) imprint,
there’s lots of room under the Beggars umbrella
for new bands, and recent additions to the rosters
include internet buzz-worthy bands Serena-Maneesh,
Tapes N Tapes and Voxtrot. While Matador and the other
Beggars labels may have a large combined roster, the
label group’s prestige puts them in a position
to sign the very best of the best, and they do!
Frenchkiss
Records
Like Robert “Bucket” Hingley starting
Moon Ska to get his band The Toasters’ music
out there, Les Savy Fav bassist Syd Butler started
Frenchkiss in 1999 to release the band’s own
music. (And really, that’s where the ska associations
end). Over time Frenchkiss has expanded their roster
to include bands both quirky and edgy including The
Hold Steady, The Apes, Thunderbirds Are Now! and Rahim.
The label soon became a full time operation with a
small staff, and earlier this year Frenchkiss celebrated
their 25th release!
Like many of the most successful
indie labels, Frenchkiss strives to build a collaborative
relationship with their artists. “Every band
that signs to Frenchkiss is full of people we feel
comfortable representing us all over the world,”
says label guy Steve Hahnel. “This is a collaborative
effort, with all the hard work going toward one collective
goal. We are not just here to handle the physical
manufacturing of compact discs. Every band on the
label needs to know that it is a partnership they
are entering, not a vehicle they are entering to take
their band from one spot in their career to another.”
When it comes to signing bands, Butler
says, “We listen to all demos and suggestions,
but we prefer to see the band live. Recordings can
give you a false impression of how the band acts live,
deals with themselves live and deals with the unknown
(mistakes, hecklers etc.).”
Hahnel adds, “Frenchkiss signs
someone when we collectively agree that a particular
band or project is worth putting up money for and
worth working hard for. We come to the conclusion
through a complicated, long, talked-to-death, sometimes
beer-fueled, and intense set of circumstances.”
And what happens when a band submits
their demo? Hahnel tells us, “When a band sends
us a demo it gets opened and put into the demo box.
Usually the contents of the package are heavily scrutinized,
though not necessarily on musical merit. Instinctively,
we look at the accompanying glossy photo (if we are
lucky enough to receive one) immediately for any/all
opportunity to make fun of it and sharpie the hell
out of. If the photo is good enough and if our caption
writing skills are on point that day, we might decide
to put it up on the wall of shame where it will be
the subject of ridicule and jest for months to come.”
Astralwerks
In the ‘90s Astralwerks took-off with the sudden
success of electronica in the US, in particular their
Chemical Brothers releases. What started as a backroom
label run by Brian Long soon blossomed into a popular
indie label with the assistance of Keith Wood (formerly
head of Caroline, and later head of Rough Trade America)
who helped Astralwerks bring accessible electronica
music to the masses. Artists like The Beta Band and
Air proved to be enormous successes for the label,
and over time musicians like Beth Orton, Badly Drawn
Boy and The Concretes diversified the roster.
Nowadays, Astralwerks boasts a hefty
release schedule and is part of the EMI label collective.
While keeping up with the trends, Astralwerks is still
signing electronic and danceable musicians. For instance,
NY-ers Radio 4 recently joined the label. Astralwerks
is also now home to DFA, the disco punk label that
has dropped jams from the likes of LCD Soundsystem
and Hot Chip.
Definitive
Jux
Best known for underground hip hop acts like El-P,
Mr. Lif and Aesop Rock as well as hip-hop electronica
artist RJD2, Definitive Jux has carved out a unique
niche for themselves in the NYC indie music world.
Local hip-hop artists Cannibal Ox and El-P (who is
also president of the label) have found a strong following
through Def Jux having outlets like college radio
and venues that typically host indie rock bands welcome
them with open arms.
The artists on Def Jux have a truly
unique and crossover appeal, so what does it take
to become a part of that community? Def Jux Director
of Marketing Jay Drake says, “Basically we’ve
only signed artists that have been close to the label
for years. It’s more of a family instead of
us soliciting demos and seeking out artists. We try
to listen to as many demos as we can, but the amount
that come in outnumber the hours we have to listen
to them.”
This may sound discouraging to an
aspiring underground hip-hop star, but Drake offers
some advice: “For those who are looking to get
signed we strongly urge them to get out there and
make a name for themselves, build a fan base, do tons
of shows and try putting out records themselves. By
putting yourself out there you have a better opportunity
to meet other artists and build a strong name, and
that’s how you get signed. It’s easy to
make a good demo. It’s hard to show you have
the work ethic to actually make it in this business.”
LABELS MAKING ABUZZ IN 2006
Ba
Da Bing
Suddenly with the success of the much blogged-about
Beirut, a 19-year old, inspired folk multi-instrumentalist,
Ba Da Bing has been on people’s radar. The local
label (which is based right across the river in Jersey)
has actually been around for several years, however,
putting out records as diverse as Canadian singer/songwriter
Hawksley Workman to psychedelic noise band Comets
on Fire. “I’ve put out lots of different
types of stuff, so there’s no musical aesthetic
that brings every release I’ve done together,”
explains label owner Ben Goldberg. “Really,
it’s all just if I love the music that is being
made. Since I’ve been around awhile, I’ve
become aware that it’s better to have a group
that can play live shows, is willing to tour, are
easy to deal with as people, and those are all good
things to have, but none of them (except the easy
to deal thing) is essential.”
Goldberg says he listens to all the
demos that come his way, because he still holds on
to the hope that the next thing he puts on might be
the one that amazes him. “I’ll sign a
band if I like them. It really has less to do with
how well they can potentially sell and more about
if I can answer the question, ‘Would I buy this
record?’ in the affirmative. If I would buy
it, then I presume at least a few hundred people in
the world would like it, and if I sell at least a
few hundred copies, I’ll probably break even.”
Kemado
This Manhattan label has been making a name for themselves
releasing some awesome albums that appeal to the hipster
stoner set. The sounds range from the super-heavy
riffage of Austin’s instrumental metal band
The Sword, to the jazz flute Swedish jams of Dungen,
but what they all seem to have in common is a tendency
for out of the ordinary, mind-warping tactics. Be
it locals Landing-Dreiden’s retro-tinged art
rock, Diamond Nights’ glammy retro tunes or
Tarantula A.D.’s cinematic noise, Kemado’s
roster is decidedly psychedelic.
Kemado has further solidified their
reputation by throwing hip, NYC-style, all night parties
down at Austin’s annual SXSW, which this spring
showcased bands from their Invaders compilation. With
a tracklist that includes noisemakers like Pelican,
Black Mountain, Wolfmother and several of Kemado’s
own, Invaders not only highlights many of today’s
not-your-usual “metal” bands, but also
helps define the niche this label is finding for themselves
in the scene.
Kemado also boasts an ample Westside
office that includes an in-house recording studio
where many of the bands have recorded their albums.
Sure, one might assume Kemado’s personnel to
be a gang of stoner slackers based on the music, but
in actuality they are a great crew of die hard music
fans building a real family for their bands from recording
all the way through to the kick-ass after parties.
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