MadfaMusic Features January 2014
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In January, rather than feature albums we did features on four great Melbourne Independent Record Labels. Read about them and listen to artists on their rosters below.
Chapter Music (Feature 27 January 2014) Mistletone Records (Feature 20 January 2014) Remote Control Records (Feature 13 January 2014) Aarght Records (6 January 2014) |
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Chapter Music (Feature 27 January 2014) By Fee B-Squared
Geoffrey O'Connor image courtesy of themusic.com.au
Ok, let’s wrap up our month of Melbourne labels with one that started in Perth. Let’s talk about Chapter Music.
Guy Blackman was a Syd Barrett obsessed, sixteen year old classically trained musician living in Perth in 1990 when he decided to put out a fanzine called Chapter 24, named after a song written by Barrett. He created three issues between October 1990 and November 1991 containing little reviews, articles and interviews across ten photocopied pages per issue (which he photocopied at his Mum’s work and gave out for free). The fourth issue was meant to come out with a compilation cassette of Perth bands. Blackman ended up putting out the cassette but not the fanzine.
He says “cassettes were more punk rock, user friendly, and cheap to make. I handmade and scribbled on the labels and folded the covers myself.” According to the Chapter website: “The tape was called “Bright Lights, Small City”, and it came out in July 1992. It wasn’t on Chapter Music yet it was just “A Chapter 24 Compilation”. A launch was held using money Guy borrowed from then RTRFM station manager Kath Letch which he promised to pay back after the launch (Blackman used to do a show there called Stereogoround). Five bands played to a sold out show. Blackman said “I lied to get into the gig with a photocopied birth certificate” also noting “it was an incredible response to something that wasn’t being done by many. It wasn’t all just about guys with guitars posing.”
Guy Blackman was a Syd Barrett obsessed, sixteen year old classically trained musician living in Perth in 1990 when he decided to put out a fanzine called Chapter 24, named after a song written by Barrett. He created three issues between October 1990 and November 1991 containing little reviews, articles and interviews across ten photocopied pages per issue (which he photocopied at his Mum’s work and gave out for free). The fourth issue was meant to come out with a compilation cassette of Perth bands. Blackman ended up putting out the cassette but not the fanzine.
He says “cassettes were more punk rock, user friendly, and cheap to make. I handmade and scribbled on the labels and folded the covers myself.” According to the Chapter website: “The tape was called “Bright Lights, Small City”, and it came out in July 1992. It wasn’t on Chapter Music yet it was just “A Chapter 24 Compilation”. A launch was held using money Guy borrowed from then RTRFM station manager Kath Letch which he promised to pay back after the launch (Blackman used to do a show there called Stereogoround). Five bands played to a sold out show. Blackman said “I lied to get into the gig with a photocopied birth certificate” also noting “it was an incredible response to something that wasn’t being done by many. It wasn’t all just about guys with guitars posing.”
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After doing “Bright Lights, Small City”, Blackman made friends with Richard Forster and they started to do the label together, releasing a Sonic Youth tribute tape called “Kill Yr Idols” before putting out a new fanzine called Salty & Delicious. Richard moved back to Brisbane mid 1994, but they kept doing the label and ‘zine together, putting out 8 cassettes (mostly compilations), one CD, and four issues of Salty & Delicious. A lot of artists were moving around at that time too, especially to Melbourne. They’d get a bit of a profile in Perth then naturally wanted to move and check out other places. Blackman says when he thought of these bands at the time his thinking was, “you should stay and support the local scene” but six months later, he was gone, and to Melbourne at that.
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He met Ben O’Connor in Melbourne in January 1995 and they struck up a relationship that stands incredibly strong today. Ben initially helped Guy out in an advisory role, and they constantly exchanged mixed tapes when Guy went back to Perth. Meanwhile Richard had moved to Melbourne and in mid 1995 Blackman finally moved to Melbourne to live. From the start of 1995, Blackman had been trying to get a 7” pressed at Corduroy Records, this time borrowing $1000 from his Dad.
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 Guy Blackman & Ben O'Connor
The Molasses/Minimum Chips split single came out in September 1995 and that was the beginning of the vinyl era of Chapter Music. Blackman played bass in Minimum Chips, was a member of Sleepy Township and now plays piano with Montero and also has a solo career. Not long after the split single came out, Richard decided to stop being involved with the label and the fanzine, so Blackman started doing it all on his own again. He put out another 7” by his old Perth band Sulk, which resulted in him getting a job Corduroy. In August 1996 he became Corduroy Records’ first employee, starting off on the presses and eventually managing the factory as the company grew. By 2002 Chapter seemed to be going well and then late that year Blackman left Corduroy, put Chapter on hold, and went to live in Japan for 18 months. Thankfully for us, he returned in March 2004 and picked up where he left off.
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Primitive Calculators image courtesy of thatsmelbourne.com.au
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The Chapter office is now in Ben and Guy’s open plan loungeroom in Clifton Hill. When I asked if their predominant roles had changed over the years Guy said “Fundamentally, we’re just more organised. Social media has certainly made an impact and we’re pressing more vinyl than ever. In fact, we’re now almost exclusively pressing vinyl.” They continue the DIY nature of the label with their only staff being interns who volunteer and help with mail orders and packing etc. Their financial return isn’t important as long as they can pay their bills and stay true to what they love. One of their friends even referred to their income as “psychic income”. As a label, Blackman said “Ben and I still look for an emotional connection” in terms of the music they release. They just want to feel the artists are doing something that’s honest and want to help them express that when they’re making music. Look no further than their catalogue for proof of this ethos with artists like Laura Jean (who is currently recording her next album with John Parish in Bristol), The Stevens, Twerps, Bushwalking, Dick Diver, Pikelet, Primitive Calculators, Geoffrey O’Connor, Fabulous Diamonds, The Ancients, Beaches (who have been shortlisted for The Amp) and many more. As an artist Blackman said he likes to “keep things personal” and “looks for something he can connect with in the community.”
Is there a Chapter sound? Blackman laughs and replies “argh, the dolewave tag has been the most recent one thrown at us, but I see us as warm, slightly poppy, sloppy and wide ranging.” Tags don’t mean much to me, I’m just glad labels like Chapter exist and continue to nurture and support great artists for all of the right reasons. By Fee B-Squared Watch a video interview with Guy Blackman here courtesy of Nexus TV.
Bushwalking image by collapseboard.com
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Mistletone Records (Feature 20 January 2014) By Fee B-Squared
The Julie Ruin image courtesy of Shervin Lainez
So many great labels, so little time! Let’s dig into another Melbourne label this week.
Sophie and Ash Miles are the brains behind Mistletone Records. The much adored music loving couple have been involved in the music business for quite some time. Sophie comes from a background in community radio (3CR, PBS and RRR), and music journalism, writing for The Age and Rolling Stone amongst others. Ash has a lengthy and valuable background in music retail, working in independent record stores. Some might say that their destiny was to set up their own label. They’d dreamt about it for ages. Long before their label was established, they used to throw Xmas parties called “Mistletoe” and that’s where the name for Mistletone was born.
Both big fans of LA based artist Ariel Pink, they decided to ask him to tour here. They’d previously worked on other tours, but this was the first time they’d taken one on by themselves. They realised that his albums didn’t have a release in Australia so they seized the opportunity to start a label while a friend of theirs was a distributor. In 2006, Mistletone released “House Arrest” by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti at the same time as Ariel’s first Australian tour. Not a bad start.
Sophie and Ash Miles are the brains behind Mistletone Records. The much adored music loving couple have been involved in the music business for quite some time. Sophie comes from a background in community radio (3CR, PBS and RRR), and music journalism, writing for The Age and Rolling Stone amongst others. Ash has a lengthy and valuable background in music retail, working in independent record stores. Some might say that their destiny was to set up their own label. They’d dreamt about it for ages. Long before their label was established, they used to throw Xmas parties called “Mistletoe” and that’s where the name for Mistletone was born.
Both big fans of LA based artist Ariel Pink, they decided to ask him to tour here. They’d previously worked on other tours, but this was the first time they’d taken one on by themselves. They realised that his albums didn’t have a release in Australia so they seized the opportunity to start a label while a friend of theirs was a distributor. In 2006, Mistletone released “House Arrest” by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti at the same time as Ariel’s first Australian tour. Not a bad start.
Julia Holter image courtesy of The Guardian
Starting in 2006 may have been a concern to some, given the air of uncertainty around the state of the music industry. Sophie and Ash respectfully disregarded the old models and embraced the new approach to find their own way during the industry’s digital revolution, with its promises of free downloads and strong use of social media. With their various connections and friendships within the industry, word got around quickly. It certainly helped that they were seen as peers by local artists, rather than just “industry” types. When chatting to the home slice blog back in 2009 Sophie said “once the word got out, we got offered so much good music we couldn't refuse and the label grew from there.” I think their success is also due to the ethos behind the label. Back in 2009, Sophie told Meanjin “It’s very important to us to only release things that we love, and treat people right. We also want to give the people we work with total artistic freedom. That’s our basic mission” and that has not wavered.
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Although Mistletone began with an overseas act, their commitment to the local music scene with artists like Kes Band, The Orbweavers, Beaches, Ross McLennan and Fabulous Diamonds is obvious and ongoing. At first seen to be a little Melbourne-centric (which doesn’t seem like a criticism as such when you’re Melbourne based and very embedded in such a thriving music community), they’ve certainly broadened their roster over the years. They’re still passionate about bringing the music they love to a wider audience and they ain’t pushy, letting it all happen as organically as possible and preferring to develop creative spirit over chasing sales figures.
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It’s refreshing to note that money has never been their motivator and time has shown that they’ve managed to keep afloat just by being confident enough to think that if they like an artist, others will too. If you book them, fans will come. Their practical approach keeps it simple: release it, send it out to the media, keep the website and social media up to date and that should keep overheads low.
 HTRK image by Robert Bellamy
I asked Sophie if she had a favourite story and she mentioned the Spunk Tones gig. Aaron Curnow from Spunk is someone both she and Ash have long admired and Sophie commented that “irrespective of dollars, he is still driven by art” so the gig meant a lot.
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 Toro Y Moi image courtesy Rolling Stone
“It was so hot, and there were no electric fans available to buy anywhere, Beach House were practically melting on the stage, but everyone came together you know? You came away from it feeling so bonded to everyone there.” Sophie has since heard of a couple who met there and ended up getting married. The power that music wields is not lost on these guys.
From simply taking up an opportunity to chase up an artist as fans, Sophie and Ash have shaped Mistletone into a thriving indie touring and events company and much respected label, their catalogue now boasting numerous titles and touring a great mix of acts like The Julie Ruin, Parquet Courts, Cass McCombs and Kurt Vile. With their 8yo ginger feline “co-founder” Wayne, Mistletone has moved from a second bedroom in North Fitzroy, to an office at East Brunswick Club for a short time, and now to their new, bigger home just “40 metres from our old house” in North Fitzroy. Sophie says there’s “no better measure of success than to be able to work from home in your PJ’s while having a coffee.” I reckon she’s onto something. By Fee B-Squared |
Remote Control Records (Feature 13 January 2014) By Fee B-Squared
Radiohead image courtesy of remixrebel.com
Let’s continue our January stroll down label lane shall we?
It’s a story as old as time, boy meets boy at Camberwell Record Fair, they form a friendship and eventually set up a label. Wait….ok, let me explain. Steve Cross and Harvey Saward did indeed meet at said record fair when Steve arrived in Melbourne in 1986 from England, “unemployable” with a bunch of vinyl to offload that he’d accumulated working in a London record store. Harvey had arrived in Melbourne from Tasmania via England. That day in Camberwell, according to Cross “One was holdin’ the other was buyin’ ”. As an interesting aside, co-founder of Shock Records, David Williams was running a stall next door, so it was a fortuitous meeting for all, with Saward eventually working full time as Shock Records' International A&R Manager. Cross began freelancing and working at various record companies, (most notably as General Manager of a division at Festival Mushroom Records) while also hosting a show on Melbourne community radio station, PBS.
Frustrated with what the record industry was chasing and representing, Cross and Saward formed Remote Control Records in 2001.
It’s a story as old as time, boy meets boy at Camberwell Record Fair, they form a friendship and eventually set up a label. Wait….ok, let me explain. Steve Cross and Harvey Saward did indeed meet at said record fair when Steve arrived in Melbourne in 1986 from England, “unemployable” with a bunch of vinyl to offload that he’d accumulated working in a London record store. Harvey had arrived in Melbourne from Tasmania via England. That day in Camberwell, according to Cross “One was holdin’ the other was buyin’ ”. As an interesting aside, co-founder of Shock Records, David Williams was running a stall next door, so it was a fortuitous meeting for all, with Saward eventually working full time as Shock Records' International A&R Manager. Cross began freelancing and working at various record companies, (most notably as General Manager of a division at Festival Mushroom Records) while also hosting a show on Melbourne community radio station, PBS.
Frustrated with what the record industry was chasing and representing, Cross and Saward formed Remote Control Records in 2001.
White Stripes image courtesy of NPR.org
They wanted to bring cutting edge and under-represented music from overseas into Australia with a focus on developing artists - bucking the (ongoing) trend of just looking for artists with instant hits. When checking out their Facebook page I had to laugh when I read their quote “Remote Control is dedicated to the tragically out-dated notions of artistic development & creative ambition.” They set up their first office, working out of Cross’ house in Brunswick during the day until his eldest daughter would come home at around 3.30pm and promptly kick them out so she could “use the internet and listen to Britney Spears and TLC.” When I asked Cross who Remote Control’s first signing was, he was quick to remember their first “agreement” rather than one particular artist, and what a doozy! 4AD (which also included Beggars Banquet and XL Recordings) were looking for exactly the kind of representation in Australia that Cross and Saward were offering.
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A hit is a bonus for any label so I guess bands like White Stripes and Radiohead have been incredibly helpful in building the profile of and indeed raising revenue for Remote Control over the years. It would be remiss of me here not to also make mention of The Basement Jaxx single “Where’s Your Head At” which, somewhat surprisingly, charted well both here and overseas.
Labels suffer peaks and troughs and Adele is another artist who took everyone by surprise and brought the label some success in more recent times. At the peak of Adele’s popularity, some thought that it would somehow change Remote Control, but it doesn’t seem that way to me at all. |
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These days they look after 4AD, Matador Records, Rough Trade, XL Recordings and Young Turks and their current roster of artists about to tour Australia are an eclectic mix: King Krule, Kurt Vile, Savages, Cat Power, The National and Warpaint, who’s forthcoming self-titled album is due to land any day now. Cross says it’s a slight change from their 2010 release “The Fool” - a bit post punk and "sounds a bit like The Slits in some parts and Gang Of Four in others."
You can check out their full roster of artists here and see just how diverse the label is. |
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Remote Control now also includes the ‘Dot Dash’ imprint which was created in 2004 and is “dedicated to developing new Australian talent” like Ned Collette & Wirewalker and Teeth & Tongue. More recently, their publicity arm ‘Recon’ was set up “providing full publicity services to third party clients” who have recently included Jen Cloher, Isaac De Heer and Jeremy Neale.
Life looks pretty good for Remote Control Records and lucky for music loving listeners, Steve Cross continues to inhale music from all over the globe and share his passion for it, and community radio with his weekly show Beat Orgy on 3RRRFM. By Fee B-Squared 
Teeth & Tongue image courtesy of Remote Control
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Aarght Records (Feature 6 January 2014) By Fee B-Squared
Ooga Boogas image courtesy of Aarght Records
Happy 2014! I hope it’s treating you exceedingly well at this early juncture. With the tumbleweeds generally rolling around amongst the new releases box in January, I thought we’d spend this month taking a look at some of the many record labels currently releasing really impressive music.
Given the last album I wrote about (Dick Diver) made mention of Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s Mikey Young, I thought I might start off with Melbourne lo-fi, punk and garage rock label Aarght Records. Strap in kids, it’s quite a ride.
Back in the early 2000’s, Young and bass player Richard Stanley (Ooga Boogas, The Onyas) were working at Corduroy Records in Highett where Young was actually hand-pressing the vinyl. Seriously, I think I have life envy. Stanley was also running Dropkick Records at that time and released the first Eddy Current Suppression Ring album in October 2006, so these guys have a pretty long and fruitful bond. In 2005, Corduroy was sold to Obese Records, and was moved to Richmond and renamed Zenith Records. Young was still working at Zenith, pressing all the vinyl when Ooga Boogas formed in 2006 and began rehearsing there. Ooga Boogas started with Young, Stanley and Per Bystrom in 2006. Leon Stackpole from the Sailors joined the band a few months later. Stanley wanted to move on from Dropkick and was keen to start a new label and continue working with Young so he officially posed the question.
Given the last album I wrote about (Dick Diver) made mention of Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s Mikey Young, I thought I might start off with Melbourne lo-fi, punk and garage rock label Aarght Records. Strap in kids, it’s quite a ride.
Back in the early 2000’s, Young and bass player Richard Stanley (Ooga Boogas, The Onyas) were working at Corduroy Records in Highett where Young was actually hand-pressing the vinyl. Seriously, I think I have life envy. Stanley was also running Dropkick Records at that time and released the first Eddy Current Suppression Ring album in October 2006, so these guys have a pretty long and fruitful bond. In 2005, Corduroy was sold to Obese Records, and was moved to Richmond and renamed Zenith Records. Young was still working at Zenith, pressing all the vinyl when Ooga Boogas formed in 2006 and began rehearsing there. Ooga Boogas started with Young, Stanley and Per Bystrom in 2006. Leon Stackpole from the Sailors joined the band a few months later. Stanley wanted to move on from Dropkick and was keen to start a new label and continue working with Young so he officially posed the question.
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Stanley was experiencing serious health issues and the label pretty much ground to a halt in late 2010 after the debut Super Wild Horses LP because he had “been on dialysis (since the same month the Boogas started) and was fucked. I had a kidney transplant in Mach 2012 and woke up out of a two-year coma. We kick started the label again after hearing "Wild Dog" by Eastlink from their cassette released in early 2012.” They also “dropped the exclamation mark because it makes us cringe, and we stopped using a logo, deliberately removing almost all traces of label identity from our releases.” The rest of 2012 was spent writing and recording the second Ooga Boogas LP which was released along with the Exhaustion LP (with Bystrom on drums) in February 2013. By September 2013 they had reissued the first three Cosmic Psychos LPs and the Ausmuteants LP was released in November. They held a label showcase at Sound Summit in Sydney, and presented Swallowed By The Future for Melbourne Music Week at the Melbourne University Underground Carpark in November. Amazing.
In 2014 we can look forward to Aarght releasing Nun’s debut self-titled CD (LP version will be released on No Patience in Adelaide), the Leather Towel 12", the Cut Sick 12", and the second Exhaustion LP. Come hell or high water, it looks like another massive year ahead for Aarght. Bring it on. By Fee B-Squared |
According to Stanley, who I spoke with last week, Bystrom had suggested exactly the same thing a day earlier. “He was pressing records; it seemed like a good idea. So the three of us started Aarght! in 2007.”
Aarght!’s first few releases were 7"s by Dead Farmers, The UV Race and Ooga Boogas and they were all pressed by Young at Zenith - so DIY! Stanley says “We ended up talking about the label at Boogas practice a lot, so Stacky got involved and from 2007-2009 it was run by all four of us. Mikey quit Zenith and we started pressing records in the USA and became really active in 2008-09, releasing debut 7"s by Total Control and Super Wild Horses and the debut albums by Ooga Boogas and The UV Race. We co-organised the two Flip Out Festivals at the Corner in 2008 and 2009 and organised Australian tours along with local releases for US bands Quintron & Miss Pussycat, James Arthur and MOTO. We co-released several of these albums with American labels Goner, Hozac and In The Red. Mikey quit in late 2009 to focus on recording, mixing and mastering.” |
Check out The Ripe's 2013 review of Australian Underground Punk, Pop and Garage labels, in which Aarght is featured.
Previous MadfaMusic Feature Albums...
Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from December here
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Dick Diver - Calendar Days (Feature Album 30 December 2013)
On 23 December we published our Best of 2013 lists. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold (Feature Album 16 December 2013) Beaches - She Beats (Feature Album 9 December 2013) Phosphorescent - Muchacho De Lujo (Feature Album 2 December 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from November here
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Cave - Threace (Feature Album 25 November 2013)
Swearin' - Surfing Strange (Feature Album 18 November 2013) Arcade Fire - Reflektor (Feature Album 11 November 2013) The Poets of Rhythm - Anthology (1992-2003) (Feature Album 4 November 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from October here
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Best Coast - Fade Away (feature Album 28 October 2013)
Cass McCombs - Big Wheel & Others (Feature Album 21 October 2013) Zeahorse - Pools (Feature Album 14 October 2013) Mazzy Star - Seasons Of Your Day (Feature Album 7 October 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from September here
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Adalita - All Day Venus (Feature Album 30 September 2013)
Sebadoh - Defend Yourself (Feature Album 23 September 2013) Ty Segall - Sleeper (Feature Album 16 September 2013) Washed Out - Paracosm (Feature Album 9 September 2013) Horrorshow - King Amongst Many (Feature Album 2 September 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from August here
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King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon (Feature Album 26 Aug 2013)
Laura Veirs - Warp and Weft (Feature Album 19 August 2013) Pixies - Doolittle (Feature Album 'from the vault' 12 August 2013) Pond - Hobo Rocket (Feature Album 5 August 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from July here
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Pluto Jonze - Eject (Feature Album 29 July 2013)
Ben Mason - Holes and Corners (Feature Album 22 July 2013) Jessica Pratt - Jessica Pratt (Feature Album 15 July 2013) Kieran Ryan - Kieran Ryan (Feature Album 8 July 2013) Jagwar Ma - Howlin' (Feature Album 1 July 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from June here
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Tricky - False Idols (Feature Album 24 June 2013)
Junip - Junip (Feature Album 17 June 2013) Jen Cloher - In Blood Memory (Feature Album 10 June 2013) Laura Marling - Once I Was An Eagle (Feature Album 3 June 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from May here
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Hanni El Khatib - Head in the Dirt (Feature Album 27 May 2013)
James Blake - Overgrown (Feature Album 20 May 2013) Super Wild Horses - Crosswords (Feature Album 13 May 2013) Matthew E. White - Big Inner (Feature Album 6 May 2013) |
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Listen to the MadfaMusic Feature Albums from April here
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The Black Angels - Indigo Meadow (Feature Album 29 April 2013)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito (Feature Album 22 April 2013) Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze (Feature Album 15 April 2013) Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II (Feature Album 7 April 2013) |
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