Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Dischord/SST influences on Earache label?


Question: I remember reading that earache was influenced by the old school US hardcore labels such as Dischord and SST, if this is the case which one was the biggest influence on the foundation of Earache? From:

Answer:Both equally I would say.Obviously,Earache's musical output is nothing like the music those labels put out but their commitment to the independent spirit was a major influencing factor on myself as a fan before i started the label.So,yes,sure- Earache was and is most certainly still influenced by those early 80's USA hardcore labels, because they both demonstrated (and continue to do so actually) an immense affinity to the underground scene.Minor Threat, Dagnasty, Rites Of Spring, Black Flag,Descendents, Husker Du- all superb bands, legends of American hardcore all of them.
Dischord and SST are the textbook definitions of "Long-standing Independent label" which Earache itself kinda aspires to be eventually, albeit in a totally different musical scene.In The UK, Crass Records (Crass) and Clay Records (Discharge) were also blueprints for how i imagined the future Earache label to be like.
Earache also had other wildly different influences which affected its style/graphics and type of thinking in the early years of the label.Notably i was massively into Rick Rubin's late 80's hip hop label outta NYC- Def Jam (Run DMC/ LL cool J/Beastie boys)- the acts all seemed to be street-level and larger than life.In terms of style and presentation and graphics, USA Skateboard magazine- Thrasher -was also a major fascination of mine.It might be considered similar to say, Vice mag today, but for the mid-80's it was completely futuristic, everything i know about photography/typography/cutting edge layout comes from avidly reading that magazine back then.
A casual glance at the mag shows that even the Earache records logo itself is a variation on the legendary Thrasher mag logo.Nuff said.

I had no direct involvement with any of the labels or mags in USA- just a wide-eyed, fan-like enthusiasm and appreciation for what they stood for, from afar.

Closer to home, in the UK,for the day to day operations of the fledgling Earache operation, I gained immense moral support and encouragement from a similar one-man operation label-Children Of the Revolution (COR) outta Bristol.COR kindly co-released my debut record by The Accused(Mosh 1) and got Earache going as a proper label.Pusmort in USA and the Vinyl Solution label outta London also showed me that Indie DIY labels could actually release cutting edge new bands,and survive and even thrive.Heros all.

No comments: