Thursday, June 21, 2018

Power It Up (21.06.18)



Hello Tom and Fabio! How are you guys? You're probably busy preparing packages for shipping, am I right?)
Hello Alex, Thank you for your interest in POWER IT UP. This is where the preparations for the festival season begin. We are also busy finishing our upcoming releases.
I'm very interested in the story of Power it Up, please tell us how it all started ...


It all started 25 years ago when I founded POWER IT UP with my then partner. We had previously dealt with second hand stuff and therefore we had met Kim from Nailed Down, which then became our first release. This year we have our 25th anniversary. For this occasion, we organize a small concert, where we can hopefully greet many people who have accompanied us in the 25 years.

Do you remember the very first release on the label? And are you satisfied with the way it developed, or do you regret something / would you have done something else looking back on it?
The first release was as in question 2 already answered NAILED DOWN from Australia. Yes, a lot has developed, we now have over 250 releases out there. We have always made releases according to our own taste in music. We have always tried to know the bands personally, we have almost always succeeded. That's why we did a lot right.


It was impossible not to notice that your label recently started republishing many of the rare recordings of old punk bands. Why did you decide to do that?) Can you please tell us something more about this punk series?
First of all, it's because I grew up with this punk music, so I also knew many bands from the past personally. It also makes things much easier one has a common background. Besides, I also like the music, it reminds me of my youth.

I've heard that Apathic View Productions has given you all of its inventory. Can you give us more information on this topic guys?
Norman the boss of Apathic View wanted to close his label for personal reasons, he asks me if I want to take over the stuff. I wanted to help Him and that's why we agreed. All good!
Okay, now continue the punk questions ... Was it hard to find all those old records? I know some of the tapes / vinyls were gone for a very long time ... but you managed to find most of the noise ... did it come from a private collection or anywhere else?
Yes, I also have some records in my collection, I could serve myself, I also have some contacts in the world where I can ask if there are friends who help me there. In addition, I always have old band members which I can then ask for info / tapes / posters, etc.
I know that many labels receive a lot of mail while asking to release the record to another unknown band. Tell me, what are your criteria for choosing a new band? Is it important that the band is already famous, tours, gigs and all the shit? Please in more detail.
Yes, in the meantime we get a lot of mails with band applications, so unfortunately we do not have the right post anymore. But I also have to say that most of the releases we do know people in person. That's very important to me too. It has to meet my taste and run on a good base and it does not matter if it's a "big" or a small band. It has to fit. The band has to play somewhere, but that's not always possible (an old band that stopped playing 20 years ago will not be back together again) so it's not always everything to plan ahead.

I wonder how many a decent label like P.I.U. can it get out every year? Do you have something like the standard number?
No, absolutely not, that has always happened Maybe a band is on tour, because then you have to meet deadlines, but often this is then as factories (press shops, printing) work.

And the style of music - which genres do you prefer to work with?
This is different, but you can see how much of our publications.

What about the financial part? Does the label give you enough money to live on, or does it require you to have another, "normal" job along the way?
No with the label I can’t finance my family with two children. I still have a regular job, I work for years in a facility for disabled people. My family supports me with the label / mailorder work as well as some friends. Alone, all this would not be possible.



Of course Napalm Death is no grindcore anymore, but how did you manage to get her into your herd? And is the release done now?
The Napalm Death release we had contact to their record company, I then had contact with the band regarding the cover. Yes, the Double Picture 10 "is now available since April.
One of my favorite questions. Please give us your future plans. What new things can we expect from you? Yes, I can write you the already established publications.
Butcher ABC - North of Hell LP (available at the Obscene Festival)
EMILS - Fight together For LP + bonus EP (available at our anniversary party)
INFERNO - Hibakusha LP (available at our anniversary party)
AGATHOCLES - Thanks For Your Hostility 2x LP
DEPRESSION - Unbelief LP
By the way, as a German you like to drink beer. What is your favorite brand? Did you ever think about making your own label beer? (For example, there are already Iron Maiden, AC DC and others)?)
Since I drink no beer at all, I did not even think about a label brand.
Well, that's all for now, so thanks for the opportunity to do this interview! I hope to meet you at this year's Obscene Extreme Festival. 😉
Yes Alex thank you also for the questions, it took longer but I hope it is OK for you. I hope you will come over at our stand at Obscene, I would be glad if we get to know each other personally.