What do you guys look for in a band when you take them on to your label? Pete: The ability to tour. I still look for bands who work hard above all. They've got to be able to get in a van and play shows day in day out. It’s the only way a band makes a name these days. Obviously things like having great songs, a good image, and are committed to making a release work as part of a bigger picture are key as well. Alex: There’s not a specific formula per se. Things such as song writing ability and live performance are all well and good, but like Pete says, bands need to be able to get out there and tour as much as possible. Bands need to be personable and incredibly driven too. If you sit down with a band and can see that they’ve all got their heads screwed on and are solely committed to their band, much like what happened with us and While She Sleeps, then it makes the option of taking them on so much more inviting.
Can you tell us what a typical day would involve for you, as part of Small Town Records? Pete: Emailing, emailing and more emailing. Liasing with bands/management/agents/press/distribution/media/publishers etc... Keeping people happy and making sure our fans / bands fans are kept 100% up to date with everything that happens. Alex: Lots of people have this idea that everyone in the music industry is like Andrew WK and partying all the time. Truth be told, it’s just an office job, it’s just our product is music and our brands are bands. I guess the bonus is that it is more laid back and we get to listen to tunes in the office!!! Sorry if i’ve spoilt anyone’s perceptions!!
What's the process like then, before you put out a record/release for a band? Pete: ensuring that the right marketing is done is key. Making sure the press world know about it, through mags, websites, tv, radio etc... making sure fans know what’s happening and they are aware that this is not just "another" record but that it is special, that it is something that will impress them and be a valuable addition to their music collection. Making sure tours are booked, and bands have a plan with regards to their own promotion too. Making sure our distribution are seeking the right retail campaigns off the back of what the band is doing and how the press is going. It’s like spinning plates on sticks, keeping momentum on several different aspects but they all must be moving together at the same time and in the same direction!! Alex: You’ve always got to make sure everyone is aware of deadlines too. Bands always seem to be completely unaware that deadlines and production lead times exist!! It’s just a case of being able to juggle process management in terms of the production and distribution of a record, and people management in terms of getting what we need out of the bands, the press, the management and the agents in order to make the release the biggest success it possibly can be.
Since you started out, what has been the hardest challenge for you as a company, and why? Pete: Usually funding. There is so much we and our bands want to do, and so many things that would bring us more money also if we had the initial capital, but unfortunately we have to make do with what we have. Alex: It’s no secret the music industry is pretty skint at the minute, so money is always a problem. It’s just a case from our point of view of making sure we utilise all possible revenue streams that we can in order to make it by. And that doesn’t mean whacking extra money on records to cover overheads, but finding different ways of utilising the works of our artists in order to generate a further income for both them and us.