I'm doing good! Just the start of a weekend! Long week of redefining the look of Give Praise as we get into the hot summer months! A lot of releases coming up so I am cranking in the 20 hour days! Also - I think the hardest thing I drink these days is a cup of tea without sugar.
Tell us about how many bands you release right now? Do you have any criteria when you choose a band?
Right now, I have about 4 projects at the pressing plant / releases that are ready to come out. I am working with ENDLESS DEMISE, SOIL OF IGNORANCE, INTESTINAL ROT, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION, AGATHOCLES, TO DUST, BENT SEA, after that there will be a whole new batch of releases going in. The summer is a really busy time around the Give Praise camp. These bands are all really close with the label and bands I have been working with for a while and also working getting hats, etc. as well as being a big part of their future release catalog. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION is going all over the place these days and I will get a chance to see them and SOIL OF IGNORANCE at Obscene Extreme America in August.
The criteria is really pretty simple. I have to make sure the band is touring and working on promoting themselves and also that they have released a demo or a EP or something to basically show that they are willing to work as hard as I am. It's really important that a band gets itself out there, I can tell people so many times what to pick-up or what band is good, but the best way to judge is really to see a band play a show or go on tour.
Does geographic location matters for label’s success? Or personal qualities matters more here?
This is a really good question - I actually get this one a lot. Basically it's funny, when I tell people that I live in Massachusetts, they think I live in Boston, which is the 'big city' in Massachusetts. I actually live on Cape Cod, which is a island about a hour and half from Boston or any bigger populated area for that matter. I really enjoy living here and enjoy the country feel and being out of a city. This of course has several drawbacks, I don't get to as many shows as I would like, but it is worth it for me to live here. I have never really been a city person. There was a punk scene here years ago (I even sang in a few bands), but now it's pretty much all dried up.
With the internet and the huge bang in mailorder, I don't really think this matters - other then I don't table shows really anymore. I support grind and punk music as much know as I started. I look at my person live and the music in the same way. I am constantly 'working' in one way or another, it's just not easy to get up and get to a show or a record store.
So, to answer the question, I think personal qualities matter a lot more, as no matter where you live, it takes constant work for a label to survive.
What is the most perspective young band on Give Praise Records and why?
As far as new bands, there is a new band that I am really excited about. TO DUST is a brand new band, and they sent me a e-mail and we started talking and I am working on their debut EP. This band has a huge pedigree about twelve miles long of past bands - BUT they also have a seriously unique style and really demonstrate a finesse for grindcore flair! Definitely a band to watch out for! They are veterans of the scene and have been active for a while and this is their chance to work on a more fun project, so I think it is really going to do well.
Let’s talk about history a little, tell us about your start. What made you decide to form a label?
Basically I have always wanted to run a label since I was about 16 and saw my friend Paul selling records on a pool table at the Orleans Juice Bar. He ran a label called Burn Hairy Butt Records and I was in bands at the time, so would see him set-up and sell stuff while I was playing. I had talked to him a bunch of times and he actually had two daughters, so he couldn't always make the shows. One night, he had to leave and he had his whole set-up and I told him I would take it over if he wanted. He said yeah, and that turned into me going to the Juice Bar every weekend and selling records, shirts, tapes, etc. out of my car and on the pool table.
Eventually Paul sold all of his stock and I traded with him, for my time, so ended up with a bunch of records and started a distro. It was called Skate Squad. Max from 625, told a few bands about me and they wrote me to see what I was doing. I eventually released my first EP from FRANK CASTLE GONNA BREAK YOUR NECK from Russia. It was then when I decided I needed a little bit more of a professional name so changed it over to Give Praise.
Who’s also working in Give Praise Records? Or you do everything by yourself? If yes, what really gives you a headache in this job? Mile-long queues to the post office or ugly girls who accepts your packages there?)
Yeah, it is all me, with some help from family and my fiance. My mom does all my bookkeeping for me and gets all my tax stuff ready at the end of the year, she also helps out by running to the post office and helps me stuff records when I have a big order, so does my fiance, she helps out and packs records with me and goes over new stock with me. My dad does all of my EP cover printing, which helps out a lot, since I can always get them pretty fast.
Other then that, it is all me, doing everything. This summer, we will start working with a promotions place, that will help get the word out a little better.
Time for an advertisement, hehe) Share your news with us, what new stuff you’re preparing right now?
So I have projects from ENDLESS DEMISE, SOIL OF IGNORANCE, INTESTINAL ROT, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION, AGATHOCLES, TO DUST, BENT SEA at the pressing plant right now. After that, more from DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION, PROLETAR and several others. I have also started to make a bunch of hat designs for the summer, as well as a whole new set of patches!
There will also be a lot of exclusive distribution projects from Karasu Killer records and Power-It-Up records, this summer.
It’s no secret that the Internet nowadays (and not only nowadays) spoils the customer. Yeah, it helps with promotion, but nevertheless, you can almost always download a goddamn MP3 and don’t buy anything… How the Internet affects your sells? What do you think about all this digital movement?
This is a loaded question and everyone seems to have a very strong opinion on it. Basically, I think the internet is going to happen regardless. So many labels, and bands are trying to stop the MP3 leaks, but if you bring one down, another one goes up. So, I try to embrace this the best I can and go with it. The thing the internet will never have is the package and booklets. I take the good with the bad and try and use the online promotion to my advantage. It really doesn't hurt sales, I really push my releases as much as I can and try and offer posters, stickers, etc. with the physical product, so that usually helps.
Ok, now I got pretty obnoxious question. While managing a label, unfortunately, you have sometimes really nasty nuisance like frauds while exchanging, buying and so on. Do you have a list of such fuckers? What was the most unpleasant situation regarding this?
This really hasn't happened very much. I had two big issues, with two bigger distributors going out of business and basically not getting my product or any money back from what was sold. Other then that, it hasn't really been bad. You usually hear if a label or a distributor is really bad about this and I just try and keep my distance.
By the way, one more question about mail. How often do you visit your local post office? I guess for a time you’re managing a label those people working there are almost family to you?))
Hahah - Yeah! I know everyone at the post office really, really well! I am there everyday! The staff there knows all about my record label and asks me about it whenever I go in there!
What bands/styles you would never release?
Hhhhmmm I don't really know, I don't like to think I only do one type of music, although, I am pretty banged into the grind corner right now. When my label first started and I wasn't officially Give Praise, I released a straightedge hip-hop album. I would like to think anything is possible! Honestly, I really love grind, horror grind, stuff like that, so I am more into releasing stuff on that level, since I know more about that particular genre then any other.
What do you think about festivals that are organized by labels? Ever had a thought of carrying a Give Praise Fest?
I think festivals like this are excellent!!!!! I really think it is a great way to get to know a certain label and also to get the know the attitude and feelings behind the label. It really helps people see the faces of the 'behind the scenes' music people, which helps greatly being in the label industry.
I would love to do a Give Praise festival - there are two snags that have constantly stopped it. The biggest one, would be I release bands from all over the world, so getting everyone together at one time would be really hard. The smaller problem (or equal) would be lack of space. I would have to look at a place other then Cape Cod to have a festival. Boston, maybe? I don't know!
Analog format is getting more and more sought after for about two years. Don’t you think this will kill a CD format? I hear a lot from my friends that CDs are selling pretty bad nowadays…
Yeah, it's funny, when I first started about 10 years ago (a little more) I was only putting out vinyl, when the CD sales were huge. Really, the only reason I didn't do a lot of CD releases, was because vinyl EPs were so much cheaper to press. I think the CD format will always be around. It has it's ups and downs. Like right now, the vinyl boom is crazy, but about 5 years ago, it was a lot easier to press records because not as many people were doing it. Also, with cassettes, they pretty much died out, but they were always in the background, and not they are just at the front, but they will fade into the background again at some point. CDs will always be around, maybe not so many, but it will never disappear completely.
Do you have a favorite release? What is it?
Yes, I actually do, and not solely based on music either. It would be DEEP SHIT's 'Creepin' While You Sleepin' EP - The cover artwork on this was amazing. A gun-toting cat smoking some weed. It for sure, got the most comments on any artwork I have ever done.
And that’s it, thank you for your time and your patience! Stay grind, my friend!
Thanks a lot for the support and for the support of everyone! Give Praise relies on it and it is greatly appreciated!
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