Perhaps no one has their ear better tuned to Austin’s indie scene than Dániel Perlaky. As head of Indierect Records, Perlaky has been among the first to recognize the talent and help promote such seminal Austin acts The Arm, Ghostland Obervatory, and current label signees Belaire and Lomita. Indierect has established itself as a cornerstone of Austin’s labels and Perlaky has become a force in his own right in helping to direct increasing attention to local artists through projects like his annual SXSW publication The Austin Independent. His answers below are some of the most elucidating we’ve received on the current state of running a small label and Austin’s music scene. For more information on the label and Indierect artists, you can check out their website at www.indierect.com
Label Profile: Indierect
Year Formed:
During SXSW 2003
Present Artists (Texas artist*):
All Austin Artists
Lomita: “Stress Echo” (w/bonus), “Downtown Mystic”
Belaire: “Haunted Castle” 7″ vinyl; “Exploding Impacting”
Past Artists (Texas artist*):
All Austin Artists.
Purchase New York: “In Vitro Veritas”
Ghostland Observatory: “delete.delete.i.eat.meat…”
The Arm: “Call You Out”
Promotional work with Ghandaia, Household Names, Handsome Charlies, The Noise Revival but this was during a time that the label didn’t yet exist. We started out as a promotional support system for artists we liked (see below).
Recent Releases:
Lomita: “Downtown Mystic”
Belaire: “Exploding Impacting”
Upcoming Releases:
The next Lomita record yet untitled
Possibly a 12″ full length vinyl of “Exploding Impacting” with new material
Full-length Belaire CD yet untitled
What was your impetus for starting the label:
We started out as a group to help Austin artists better market themselves to the visiting music press and industry representatives during SXSW. We focused on helping bands collect and refine their promotional materials and attempt to get more press, radio, and better booking access. The final step in helping a band look more professional was to sign them to a “label” so it looked like there was a label already taking a chance on them. So Indierect was started as an in-house way to step up the credibility of our artists.
What would you describe as the label’s general aesthetic:
I don’t think there’s a cohesive sound for our music but the bands are very carefully selected for their talent and originality within their respective indie subgenres. As a music fan I listen to all types of music and I think the label’s aesthetic reflects those tastes. I truly believe that a music fan will appreciate all of our records despite the wide sonic differences. I think to some degree, it may have hurt the label some to have such a wide range of music because we aren’t becoming known for any particular niche sound.
How do you view the label in relation to Austin’s overall music scene:
We simply hope to help our favourite artists get their sound out there. I think because I love so many musical styles within indie rock, I sometimes see our artists as a cross-section of some of the more interesting subgenres happening in the Austin scene. If I had the financial ability to do so, I would put out ten times as many records as I have.
Ultimately the label is not intended to be a financial venture for myself (in fact, it costs me money that I fund from my graphic design businesses). Indierect is a way for us to present some of what we believe to be the best of Austin music and support the local scene while helping contribute to the global music scene. Our ultimate aim is to be financially successful for our artists so that they can continue to make more music as well as create opportunities whereby they can reach a wider audience that will appreciate their art.
You’ve had some success in getting some international distribution deals for Indierect artists - what suggestions do you have that might help artists or labels make those connections?
I think it is very important to have some local success and build on that by touring. Our only international distribution success to date has been with Belaire, who I believe to be the most internationally accessible band. The label offers and distribution deals came to us through the band’s visibility on myspace. Secondly, since several members are in Voxtrot, we received some significant national distribution help from Voxtrot’s manager, James Minor. I think the most important thing is to play solid shows in town and build your way up to the best venues and gain the trust of the bookers there. Then you have the opportunity to open for larger touring acts that can give you assistance as well as give you credibility when approaching regional and national booking agents. Touring is still the most effective way to gain exposure with those groups but your tour will be infinitely more successful if you utilize social networking sites like Myspace to build fans in your target cities. I also see a lot of value in spending money on college radio campaigns and press campaigns by professionals. If you can’t afford that then do what you can on your own to build a good media kit that you can utilize to get label or booking agent interest. A manager is invaluable for these tasks.
Y’all also often serve in somewhat of a management capacity for many of the artists. Do you think this is a growing trend/responsibility that labels turning towards?
Yes, I think that the two are really indistinguishable at our level. It is important for our artists to have their shit together to capitalize on the opportunities (as small as they may be). Having a responsible person who has the band’s best interest in all decisions is key to success. Our artists are our friends and we would never fuck our friends – parallel to that, whatever is bad for our bands is also bad for us so we’re in the same boat. I think it’s very important though for artists to not only value their managers and treat them appropriately but also to not treat the manager as the only one responsible for taking care of business. Every member needs to contribute to their absolute maximum in order for true success to come.
Given infinite resources, what major band would y’all most like to have on the label:
Honestly, if I had infinite resources, I would truly take Lomita and Belaire to the highest possible level. I wouldn’t trade them for a major band at all. However, to answer your question more literally I suppose that …. actually fuck it… I really cannot answer this question any more truthfully than I already have.
What do you feel are the most important elements for success of an indie label:
I think that having money and resources would obviously contribute to success. One’s definition of success also contributes to reaching those goals. For me, I never wanted to be a badass indie label, I just want to help bands I believe in as much as possible. The more time I spend doing this the more avenues become available as far as press outreach and touring abilities. Every little success builds on itself and if I can stick with it long enough I don’t doubt that we could be exponentially more effective with any new band we choose to take on.
What have been your most gratifying and most difficult moments in running the label:
The most difficult is always when bands fight among themselves or break up. It is very disheartening because I feel like I work my ass off doing what I can to help and then it ends up fizzling. On the other hand, I’m proud of the accomplishments of every band on the label and I think their music was/is important to get out there. My only wish is that we could have gone farther with some of our past releases.
The truly gratifying moments come when I see new faces at shows having a good time or every time someone orders a record or leaves a comment saying that they’re happy to have found the band. Music is a part of our lives and plays an important component to a given individuals existence and to be a part of getting our artists out there to enter someone’s life is very gratifying.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the record industry, especially in relation to new technology:
New technology means new tools with which to get around the previously established systems that have generally stifled creativity. The digital world allows us to exist by giving us low-cost methods to promote our artists. The financial viability of mp3s is also excellent since they cost nothing to produce and consumers can get their music cheaper. Also, digital music players allow listeners to take all their music with them and therefore be more significantly a part of their daily lives. I also think that music sharing is a great way to tell your friends (or random people) about music you love – with that said I also think that the music listening culture needs to truly appreciate the work of those artists and assist by paying for music they like. I’m really happy to see the advancement of the music industry through the proliferation of blogs, mp3s, YouTube, myspace, internet radio, and a broader range of indie labels than ever before. Through those avenues, more mainstream music listeners are able to discover and appreciate music that isn’t being spoonfed by a handful of major labels and that contributes to the advancement of the music listening culture as a whole. Now, it’s important for the music culture to vote on music with their dollars as well as their mouths… pay for indie music and tell all your friends so the artists and labels providing these music alternatives can survive in a brutal industry and continue to bring you new bands you’ll fall in love with.
Other than the label’s bands, what’s playing at Indierect headquarters these days:
Octopus Project is one of my favourite groups of all time so that’s in constant rotation. I also spin Ume, Tammany Hall Machine, Golden Bear, Band of Horses, Holland, Blondie, Bonde de Role, Bohren and the Club of Gore, Blonde Redhead, Friends of Dean Martinez, De Facto, dance mixes from Abominatron, Do Make Say Think, Grandaddy, Marketa Irglova, New Young Pony Club, Slowdive, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo… this is way too hard… I can be here all night doing this!!! I listen to shittons of Jazz, a lot of Classical, indie dance mixes by various DJs across the globe, lots of KVRX… sometimes just silence…. oh, and Sade, obviously.
