TBP Interview - Toby (Transgressive Records UK) 2005

Vor 2 Jahren konnte ich Toby von Transgressive Records (UK)
interviewen. Damals war Toby gerade einmal 20 Jahre alt
und hatte bereits Singles von "The Subways", "Duels",
"Mystery Jets", "The Pipettes" uvm , veröffentlicht.
Mittlerweile zählt Transgressive Records zu den absolut
wichtigsten Labels in Großbritannien, und der Roster
wurde unter anderem mit Bands wie "The Young Knives",
"Regina Spektor", "Battle", "The Rumble Strips" und
die aktuelle Newcomer Hoffnung aus Neuseeland,
So So Modern.


Ein Interview mit dem heute 22 Jährigen Toby ist in Planung. Hier
nun aber das in English geführte Interview.
--
TBP: First of all, please Introduce yourself to our Readers.

TOBY: I'm a 20-year-old, London-based music-obsessive
called Toby L. I run an online music-magazine called
rockfeedback.com, plus monthly, sell-out club-nights
which occur under the banner of The Basement Club
(past acts: The Libertines; Bloc Party; The Futureheads;
Graham Coxon; The Magic Numbers; Hard-Fi; and DJs such as
Boy George and Rough Trade's Geoff Travis),
present/produce/direct new MTV2 series, 'rockfeedback tv'
(debut episodes which went out in June 2005 featured Sonic
Youth, Steve Albini, The Shins, Dizzee Rascal and many more
live and in conversation), and am co-director of new indie
label, Transgressive Records. I'm, unquestionably,
a lucky bastard, that loves every bit of it.

TBP: “rockfeedback.com” is your online mag. It seems
that “transagressive/rockfeedback” is on the same way
than “drowned in sound”, is this the time to build up
a fanzine, a label as well doing own nights on clubs?
Seems like a total change of the UK music industry in
the future, cause it´s also a fact that the DIY generation
of the twenty somethings are now in the main focus at all.

TOBY: I think any time is the right time to work
hard to fulfil and achieve in the any faction of your
interests; it's always important to try and supercede
the outdated models in avenues that you feel are being
poorly-represented. When I first started in music,
found music-journalism cynical and flaccid; at
least now I have an outlet I can personally contribute
to which feels like the antithesis of that
(rockfeedback); club-nights which hopefully aren't
about which haircut you have, but instead what calibre
of bands is playing (The Basement Club); and a record-label
(Transgressive), as run by myself and fellow rockfeedback
scribe and all-round genius Tim Dellow (responsible for
releasing the first singles from Bloc Party and The Rakes
on his prior label, Trash Aesthetics) that isn't trying
to rip off bands. It's a concerted effort to provide a
better alternative for true, devoted music-lovers.
And to entertain myself, of course!

TBP: Major labels all around the world gain huge
problems regarding scounting new acts. The indie
scene runs better and better, and if I look to
some very popular acts of the last time, it looks
that the majors become more a role of publishing
and distribution than a strong new talent
development department, cause the independent
labels are develop new acts, before majors sign them.

TOBY: This is definitely a fair, general
synopsis in the realms of 'alternative' music.
In the UK, the most successful achievers have
been indie labels; the most popular signings of the
last four years... Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, The Strokes,
The White Stripes, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand...
have all been made on indies. The majors, however,
excel in big-spend marketing when acts need to break,
in addition to leading pop artists. Otherwise,
they're pretty much moribund. The clever majors are
the ones working closely with the indies to strategise the future.

TBP: Your demo policy sounds similar then other
indie labels, but everyone knows that it´s very
hard to get feedback if you´re in a band and
sent out a demo. So where are you “around” when
you scouting new acts. What Buzz must happened,
before you going to a gig, cause there are hundret
bands a week in UK around, and all of them will
play in front of a bunch of A&Rs.

TOBY: It's not quite so calculated; usually, a friend
will pass on the name of a band s/he recommends/likes,
or we'll chance upon a band in a club which we really
like the energy and - most crucially - ideas of, no matter
how fledgling in those early days. In reviewing demos
on rockfeedback or signing bands, it's very rare, sadly,
that the best material we receive is from unsolicited demos;
usually, the finest bands are out there playing and
oning their craft before people stand up and take
notice off their own back.

TBP: “white heat”, “high voltage”, “stylish riot”,
“dead disco” and many many more. Those are just a few
names of club nights with a very good reputation.
The place where the hottest acts around play their
asses off. Do you think that it´s the best thing for
new talented acts to play one or more of those club nights,
to gain a good buzz in UK music scene?

TOBY: I think club-nights are definitely a safe,
enioyable way for a new act to actually play to a
guaranteed decent turn-out in a competitive music-culture
such as London. Those named club-nights in particular
are the most fun and best-attended for a small crowd
in London; you never know who'll be in the audience,
industry-wise, and the usually slightly inebriated
attendees themselves are commonly up for a dance.

TBP: What is the london indie mafia, and who
is their “godfather”?

TOBY: Haha! It's too sprawling and varied to
specify such terms, but most certainly the 'mafia'
could be perceived as Camden, seeing as so many key
industry big-hitters are based there (Queens of Noize,
Alan McGee, 679 Recordings, MTV), not to mention a
whole consortium of record-shops and toilet-circuit
venues. It's the first port of call from a
tourist's perspective, musically, too.

TBP: Across the pond, in US and JAPAN, UK acts
are gain big media at the moment. It seems
that Acts like FRANZ FERDINAND, COLDPLAY etc
open the biggest markets for UK acts. Do you
think that the United States are slowly change
their musical tastes, beside the major themes
like R&B and HipHop?

TOBY: Having just returned from New York
after the CMJ Conference, it seems the States
is certainly opening up slightly to the notion
of alternative music making considerable headway
in a mainstream sense. But, that said, 'alt'
has always been of great importance to the key
cities in the US - New York, LA, Seattle, Chicago,
San Fran, etc. - which are more arty in their
inclinations, and are thus more susceptible and
open to such tastes. Middle America continues to
be slightly sluggish in its reception; I don't
think Franz would ever appeal as much Eminem
within the populist culture. It's too skewed,
cheeky and irreverent, despite the great tunes.

TBP: Last week, Germany´s Rock Act No. 1 SPORTFREUNDE STILLER
played together with COSMIC CASINO and MONTA 3 sold out shows
in a row in London. In November, another famous Act, called
WIR SIND HELDEN, come to the UK to play an one off show in London.
And I know many acts from GSA territory who are
interested to come over and doing the same thing.
Is the UK open minded for foreigen acts, beside USA and Scandinavia?

TBP: Certain foreign acts receive pockets of
interest when over, yet generally to just those
already aware of their activities. However, the
UK is a great, effective launch-pad for certain,
emergent new acts to make a mark in the early days -
e.g. many American bands choose to tour here extensively
and make a name for themselves, due to the prestige
that could be heaped on returning home and proclaiming,
'We just broke the UK!' The acclaim of respect
from the UK continues to be an important tool in
establishing the credibility in new talent abroad, it seems.

TBP: What do you think about online Demo Submition?

TOBY: we listen to a lot of music online
these days in consideration of what new talent is out there,
whilst still receiving physical material through the post.
I think the distribution/sharing of mp3s and online link sharing
is a crucial, powerful tool in not only unearthing new,
courageous artists, but also in developing fan-bases and
a community-minded online presence. One thing I've learnt
in doing rockfeedback for five years is just how vital
the Internet has now become in providing unbeatable,
instant-ish exposure; a priority in marketing new acts
you could say; whilst outlets such as Myspace provide
everyone the chance for bands old and new to gain
stature and a platform to reach a varied, global audience.

TBP: At the end of the interview, what are the
main future plans for TRANSAGRESSIVE, and do you
see your record label as a develop department, cause I
know that it is really expensive to release a huge amount
of records, and there are many labels out there who need
to quit after they had a breakthrough artist.

TOBY: Transgressive has barely got started. Our release-
schedule is stretched until the end of 2006, and we'll
work these bands we're fortunate enough to know and sign
(current roster: The Young Knives / Regina Spektor/ Ladyfuzz / Jeremy Warmsley / Battle) until our fingers, minds and hearts bleed to the core.
They're all possessive of genius. Any other acts we work
with in our time will also be of the utmost of relevant
and important to us, and all that will hear them.
We see Transgressive as a vital launch-pad for
new acts, and a long-term home for the future - a brand
for the bands and listeners alike to know and trust.