This is the first interview I have been able to complete and I had the pleasure of being able to have a good talk with Greg from the newly formed Arrest Records Australia. He was really helpful, insightful and just an all round good guy. Have a read and take notice of what he has to say. He is definitely one of those people that put their all into hardcore and its not for financial gain but purely for the love.
Greg Bower and I own and run the Arrest Records Australia label as a brother to the Arrest Records based in Manchester New Hampshire, just 45 minutes north of Boston. In my next answer Ill detail how I started, yet the reason for doing Arrest Records was I loved everything that they put out ever since I stumbled upon Word For Word when the Keepsake album was released. I would always get Johnnies pre-order packages and when I started to approach Persist I had a new pre-order arrive and just threw an idea to Johnnie to do an Australian branch and sell each others releases and also I would not sit at a show with one CD for sale. Plus at the time I volunteered at Sunshine Coast shows and shows at Princess Theater where I would help with sound, selling drinks, security or crowd safety, it was free shows and I've been to alot of shows would get bored and started to enjoy being more a part of the local scene other than just a fan.
Is there anyone else that plays a behind the scenes role in the label or do you get it all done yourself?
Its called slave labor and I make my 8 yr old son do it all and at the shows he cannot make I take up his slack and do all the rest. Apart from that it really is about community and respect in the hardcore scene and people helping each other out and getting the word out which can be worth more than any paid add, plus I am willing to help out any one that is cool, genuine and not out to waste my time or others.
In talking to you previously, you mentioned that it was through running a zine of your own that you got an Australian leg of Arrest Records established. Whats the story on that?
I originally did a few interviews for a zine done by Sean Dawson, Sharpend Zine. Years ago I did an interview with Justin the singer of the band Alcatraz (Who if everything works will be released through ARA). If you do not know of Alcatraz go check them out they are great dudes and has members of First Blood in the band. Basically they are good friends and live together so if you drop in on a good day to their house its nearly a who's who of hardcore. Justin offered a lounge to crash on if I ever got to San Francisco. Fast forward to last year the third yearly trip to USA and in San Francisco. I paid for tickets to see Bad Brains and made Justin take me because I had no clue where the venue was. Riding on the tram back to Outer Sunset where he lived we were talking about a lot of things hardcore and I just had an idea then and asked if he would allow me to release a CD of his band for the out of print track and CD. I returned home and Justin never replied that well so I then offered a great band that I felt was very underrated to join my label and I started something that was meant to be slow.
Do you receive your finances from the States or does a lot of it come from your own pocket?
I do not receive any money from any one, I just increased my credit card and now I work two jobs. My day job pays the mortgage, bills, food and entertainment. The other job is a contract job that can earn alot of money from and its just me doing my normal job at home on weekends and nights. So if their is any lacking in the label it is due to being over worked and no time left in the day.
Is it expensive to run a label?
It depends on how many releases and what you plan to do with a label but personally with my label I know by the end of the year, with all I have planned, I will spend over 20k.
For anyone looking to start their own label out there, what do you think they need to be able to offer bands signed to them? Paying for distribution and printing? What do you offer your bands?
To start a label you need money that's all and to have a realistic expectation that no matter how much you or your friends love a band it probably wont sell and if it does, it may not even get your money back. Especially when you consider young bands. That being said if they sell well that should be a welcomed bonus. Unfortunately that is the reality when a CD you release is instantly available for free and your sales don't really happen. For small bands like the ones I have you cannot afford to pay for recording and artwork but I work it that I pay for all printing and pressing of releases and distribute them to select stores and over to Johnnie In USA. Each release we put out in the USA or Australia we swap a percentage for each other to sell through our own stores and at shows. All bands are different but I offer them a percentage of products that I produce of their bands release and I sell the rest. There is one band who was very keen so they are contributing money but I realistically believe they would not sell more than others on the label. I do it this way as bands have offered to pay for the pressing and use the logo but the expenses in mailing and distribution would be confusing so if I can afford it I cover it all then there is no confusing mess and the bands have CD's so they can make money from hard work that they put into what they do. Which is another motivating factor of being a label, hoping they do well financially well too.
Do you receive a lot of demos from bands looking for releases or do you spend your time scouring myspace looking for them yourself?
I have not received any demos other than the ones I have asked for probably because bands are lazy and just say listen to my myspace. It depends on my mood if I do that or not. A CD I can take to work so I can listen to it or in the car is better. I have a post office box that they can mail to also. But also I am 37 (this month so CD's please) this year so I know a lot of the bands that are out there and have young friends who also give me heads up on new bands. Other than that I do know people, mostly in bands, because of my helping out at shows and being around for a lot of years, I am literally that old guy at shows.
With the artists that you sign, do they represent your own musical tastes or more what you believe people should be listening to?
I definitely choose based upon my taste, where I know their are bands out there that are the in bands. Bands that might do well, I do question if its the latest fad band. But I just choose what I love and believe should be more widely recognised. Young kids today have not experienced the bands that have created the vast styles under the one name of hardcore. The bands I choose are to me rooted from the basic concept that hardcore grew from. So listen to these bands, they are the best and newest bands that should be recognized in this hardcore scene.
You recently just signed a flurry of bands gearing up for their first releases (Legions, Reality, Marathon to name a few) did you need to get approval from above to do this? Or are they pretty relaxed when it comes to the Australian leg of the label?
Johnnie is cool with whatever I do but with him hes has a lot more competition with so many more labels and he mainly selects from bands that he is friends with from the New England area. Where as I have the whole of Australia to choose from, not just Brisbane. The only thing I need to check with USA is that we have our numbers running consecutively, Johnnie is stocked to be able to have the opportunity to release these over their and I myself cannot wait for the new releases from America and I soon will have the new ones from Hammer Bros, Villain, Watchfire and Think Again. A couple of these are in transit as we speak so keep an eye out for them for sale soon. Also with Johnnie, we have similar tastes so we have faith that what each other is going to release is going to be what we like. I signed so many recently because I know these bands needed to have their releases more available and I didn't want to pass up and miss out on them not being a part of this label.
Now that you run a label have you been able to give up the '9 to 5' and kick back and listen to records all day? Or is there still a full time job involved?
No kicking back. Like I mentioned before I actually work more, I structurally design houses wall frames to be prefabricated in a factory and my two bosses were former work makes at the last work place. They are cool and flexible with my running off to shows early haha. Plus I have the net so its always on in the back ground so if I don't just sit online all day it mainly means I am working. I do have ideas to do other things and get out of what I do but the pay is good, I get a company car and all the money I get allows me to not stress and release what I want to, but I only dream of being that guy who has a job revolving around what I love.
How do you feel about illegal downloading?
I hate Illegal downloading, especially when a CD I have only released a few months ago is there for all to download and I have only sold a handful. Also talking with the local record stores they are really struggling to survive too, due to downloading. One told me a kid heard one of my bands playing in the store and was very keen to find out who it was but then left to more than likely go home to download it. I do realise that young kids find it hard to find work and don't always have the money but when I grew up it meant alot to hold the actual Cd or record and appreciate the artwork and lyrics. Honestly if I was to rely on sales to pay for any bills I would be in trouble, but I am in a unique position to afford all and not stress over sales numbers. But we need to keep the small labels and record stores alive so the scene can be as strong or stronger than it is and offer out the bands there are beyond their own city or country.
Just a few quickies to wrap everything up:
What do you think the best way to spend a Sunday arvo is?
If not online doing label things, working or at a show I would say playing golf with my son ( but that is rare).
When you arent releasing records what do you like to do?
I like to go to shows, listen to music, play golf and travel. I will be off again with my family to the USA again in October to be a tourist, hang out with old and new friends, go to shows and be dragged onto every roller coaster by my son. Last year in Vegas he convinced me to go on a double loop with a corkscrew roller coaster in an air conditioned theme park at our casino hotel.
Im not going to lie, your son sounds like a fucking good kid. Selling records and smashing roller coasters at 8 years old?! Best record you ever bought?
That is so hard to answer but I would say any release from Over My Dead Body which I never got to see but I always felt that everything they did embodied the true spirit of hardcore. That's my opinion anyway.
If you could release one record for any band who would it be?
Alcatraz, which could become reality, I am friends with them and love the fact that they have no egos and just want to have fun after all the years. So new bands, be a real person and every fan should be treated on an equal level. Hardcore should always be about good friends and good times together, that is worth more that the money lost or gained.
Anything you would quickly like to talk about? Something I missed? A record/band people should suss?
Support your local record store and small labels as well as mine, when you buy a CD or record you become a part of something that means a lot to the bands and labels beyond the money aspects, but all the efforts of bands and labels is worth the time by your appreciation.
Support Persist, Had It, Vanity, Legions, Reality, Fires Of Waco, Marathon, One Vital Word, Headaches, Phantoms, Provoke, Ill Brigade, Word Up, Spray, Warbrain, Thick Skin, Alcatraz, every other USA based Arrest band and there are many more beyond my label I love and respect. I cannot put every band I love out but I will try my best so more of you can experience what I get from listening to the bands on this and other labels that need to be heard.
Support Persist, Had It, Vanity, Legions, Reality, Fires Of Waco, Marathon, One Vital Word, Headaches, Phantoms, Provoke, Ill Brigade, Word Up, Spray, Warbrain, Thick Skin, Alcatraz, every other USA based Arrest band and there are many more beyond my label I love and respect. I cannot put every band I love out but I will try my best so more of you can experience what I get from listening to the bands on this and other labels that need to be heard.
All of you should probably head over to the Arrest Records Australia, throw some money Gregs way and purchase some really great records. I personally purchased 'The Untold Story' by Persist when I travelled down to Maruya last week and it has been on heavy rotation in my car ever since. You will not be disappointed.
http://www.myspace.com/arrestrecordsaustralia
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arrest-Records-Australia/283524811273?ref=ts
http://arrestrecordsaustralia.bigcartel.com/products
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