Ardent vinyl lovers Tsurumi Records are extending their passion to digital giveaways this Spring. Love is in the air and Tsurumi Records wants to share theirs with everyone. It kicks off today with 10 free downloadable tracks that sample their catalogue. The Tsurumi Sampler will be available for free until the release of their 5th album Last Chance Summer Dance by latest label signee Fonzarelli.
Tsurumi Records is home to garage punks The Beautiful Mothers, the lo-fi rock of The Second Academy, the elegant noise that is Tokyo’s Golden and now Fonzarelli, an epitaph solo project turned indie rock spectacle.
With a focus on a love for vinyl, Tsurumi Records has one simple goal: release music that listeners can’t live without. Remember a time not too long ago when you could purchase an album without a sample listen, simply because of your faith in the label that released it? Tsurumi Records remains a trustworthy source for refreshing and interesting music. For more information on Tsurumi Records visit www.tsurumirecords.com.
To listen to and download the Tsurumi Sampler for free, click here:
A while back, we started a feature where we interviewed the heads of a bunch of cool indy labels to try and get inside the heads of the maniacs who continue to pour their hearts and souls into bringing indy music to the world. One of our newest, most favorite labels is Tsurumi Records, a vinyl purveyor of fine garage punk. Here's what Jeff, one of the two Tsurumi Records head honchos had to say.
How did you get started running an independent record label?
I've played bass in bands since highschool and was always involved in putting together recording sessions and making our CDs, cassettes, and a 7 inch. I moved to Japan for 2 years and when I returned, I felt like I didn't need to jump right back into live shows. I was lucky to hear some demos I dug but didn't see anyone else stepping up to release. So, I decided to start a record label and mortgaged my house for cash.
What motivated you? Did you tap into a particular local scene or were you aiming to capture a sound?
In Japan, I got an appreciation for the under-appreciated records, deepened my passions for live shows, and fell in love with vinyl again. I was already exposed to the music career of Eric Balaban and the Seattle scene. I guess the sound and scene I was aiming to capture is some sort of connection I felt between music I've been exposed to living in Tokyo/Yokohama , Seattle, and the Midwest.
Your music is particularly multi-cultural with your strong link to Japan, how'd that develop?
During my stay in Japan, I hung out with a cool Rock N Roll DJ guy, Macky Ramone. He would spin records between bands at live houses. He also introduced me to tons of Japanese bands. and records of American bands. Prior to living in Japan, The Beautiful Mothers toured Japan with Macky. We got to meet a lot of great musicians at all the shows. One of the greatest was Silent Tongue. who later became Golden.
Which was your first release?
We simultaneously released The Second Academy's "The Grave From Out of Which We Briefly Wander," Golden's "Golden," and The Beautiful Mothers' "Chikara." We wanted to come out swinging!
Who's been your biggest selling artist to date?
They are all selling about equally. Spikes in monthly sales are when the bands play shows.
There's so much to learn about running a label, share with us some of the lessons you've learned along the way.
I'm still learning. The biggest thing I can say is start by inventorying all your resources - your skills, your contacts, your friends, available storage, tools and computer programs you have or can borrow, and of course money. Figure out everything you can do yourself. Then figure out how you will get done the things you can't do. Then figure out what you need help to do, even though you can do it, because you won't have time to do it all. Then beware of all the offers from the "independent music industry." There are a lot of great people and services, but like any industry, there are a lot of people selling things you don't need or won't need at that time. Don't be afraid to say no. Our goal is to keep overhead as low as possible to spend as much of the money as possible on pressings and promotion. Plan to ask for a lot of favors, unless you have big bucks backing you, and be sure to give favors where you can. Thank everyone who helps you with anything you can like free T-shirts, records, liner note credits, food, guest lists, etc.
What's been your label's high point? Low point?
There's been 3 High points so far; the first time we set the needle on the record. The low point is doing the books; I hate accounting, but it's gotta be done.
Who would you like to work with, but haven't yet?
A good booking company. And any of the labels on our myspace influence list to do something like share bands on a bill or put out a split release.
What changes do you see ahead for the music industry?
I think there's a "local economy" backlash going on against corporate America, including corporate rock, that's helping our recessing recovery. And gas is expensive. I'm hoping we are going to see more cool scenes get created, with fresh soundtracks, and new small labels capture the magical moments. When I was growing up in Cleveland in the late 80's there was an amazing local scene. Local labels pressed the records (before CDs existed) and some of those are the favorites in my collection, like The Amazing Pink Holes. Online music is also changing and kind of in a similar way. Myspace and most other online content pools overwhelm visitors with an un-digestible number of bands. With the growth of social networking, I think music discovery on-line is going to be more community based. the "local scene" on the web will be the soundtrack from the favorite bands of your social scene. I'd like to see music expectations to be more fresh and "local" and the music industry rally around that instead of targeting mass markets, often built through business plans that repackage hit-formulas and limit creativity.
What are you doing to stay on top of new and emerging technology?
If I want to do something, the first thing I do is google it. It's one of the wonders of the web. Instantly you have a bunch of ideas to research. If it sounds like it could work, follow more links; New and emerging technologies are always available on line. I also read WIRED magazine, which highlights a lot of trends in short blasts. Lastly, I ask friends in the tech industry. As an example, before we built our website, I had a bunch of them over for beers and talked about all the web authoring tools out there. We ended up building our site using Joomla, an open source framework a little like word press but with more features. One technology I think is going to be useful to small businesses is "cloud computing" as a way to minimize costs for computers, storage, and programs.
What's the biggest challenge facing you today as an independent label?
The needle in the haystack. There is a TON of content out there that can get in the way of connecting with a new audience.
How is most of your product sold? Mail order? Web-based? At shows? Is this changing?
Right now, most of the records are sold at shows. We are completely set up for mail order and web-based and see sales here improving as we get more visibility through reviews (like Ripple Effect!) and word of mouth. We just formed a physical distribution deal with CPI in Cleveland to make releases available to all local record stores and other retailers. So, we're hoping to see a change to see many more sales outside of the shows. We have also set up a new digital distribution deal through Organic Entertainment, which includes all the digital download places and availability on those digital jukeboxes in bars. It will be interesting to see how digital and physical sales compare as we grow.
Seems that the sound of the bands you sign keeps evolving. What do you look for in your bands?
I'm looking for a sound I don't already have in my record collection. Right or wrong, I have this kinda two-band tolerance for a sound. I'll love the first band that gives me a new sound. Then maybe one more along those lines cause there local or not local and all my friends somewhere else know them. After that, I can't really find bandwidth for another record in my collection. unless their live show blows me away - then I want a copy to remember the show! The mix tapes we put out are a good indication of sounds we like.
How do you find your artists?
We'll find new music by going to shows, talking with friends, and record store shopping. Then we get to know the artists to see if they might be a good fit for Tsurumi Records. Besides the music being great, we've got to get along as a team and be able to agree on the goals for the pressings and promo.
What are you looking for now?
Story telling with balls. We love music that blows us way in lyrics and performance, where production is a secondary concern.
What does the future hold for you in terms of upcoming releases?
We are recording the new LP for The Second Academy in June and plan to release early fall. We are also working with a new band, Fonzerelli, and expect to go in the studio in August to release in late fall.
What would you like to see happen for the future of the music industry and your label in particular?
We'd like to see more opportunities for a small label to promote and participate in bigger media outlets, like commercial radio, festivals, and television.
The sun’s come out at Ripple Central, sparkling off the crests of the waves outside our window, glistening off the sandy beaches. Perfect weather to put the top down on the convertible Ripple Ghia and hit the road in search of carne asada burritos and rolled tacos. Oh yes! Pope load up the Pepto Bismol, we have Mexican food to find. And for the road trip, the perfect soundtrack.
Johnny Action Figure – Good Eye
With the sun shining, let’s start with some pop. “Johnny Action Figure!” I scream out to Pope who’s got his butt planted in the navigator’s seat and therefore controls the stereo. Within moments, the sheer sunny pop bliss that is JAF fills the Ghia speakers. Big rolling runs of bass and piano bring in “Phantom Blues,” the first track on this mini-smorgasbord of pop smarts. Coming from Reading Pa, the action men lace their pop with tons of good jazzy beats, big band swing jive, delectable harmonies and more melodies than can be found on an entire season of American Idol. In doing so, they effortlessly blend the old and the new, creating the . . . timeless.
Imagine Elvis Costello in a heated love affair with the Beach Boys and you’ll get a feeling for the craft here. “Young Rider,” is pure California-meets-NYC pop bliss, sparkling and shiny, yet edgy enough to hold the crowd in a cool underground beat club. Toss in some Steely Dan ultra smooth and some The Shins indy coolness and the picture is rounding out. “Until You’re Gone,” just brims with everything that was cool about the ‘80’s with it’s big bass lines, stop/start riffing and layered harmonies.
Yep, the drive’s off to a good start.
This Moment in Black History – Public Square
Ok, with the drive off to a blissful start, it’s time to rev up the energy. Hitting the freeway in our mad burrito quest, we need something to terrify the drivers next to us, a warning to stay the heck outta our way. As if on cosmic mind meld, The Pope’s eyes light up in that unmistakable recognition that we need some punk. Suddenly, This Moment In Black History pops in and . . . holy crap . . . we’re not in Kansas anymore!
Raging (and I do mean raging) from the Cleveland HC scene, TMBH need but one second to let us know they now control the stereo and they mean fucking business! Thirteen songs, most clocking in at under 2:30, this is full-on spittle-faced, buzzsaw guitar, hardcore. Instantly, Pope and I form a mosh pit within the confines of the Ghia’s two front seats, and trust me, that’s not a pretty sight! “Forest Whitaker (In an Uncompromising Role)" is the first thing to assault our ears, with its sledgehammer to the brain of bass and hornet’s nest guitars. 1:25 feels like a lifetime as we expel as much energy and phlegm as if we’d been in 13 Gilmore for a whole night. “Theophylline Valentime,” is just an attack, an agro blitzkrieg on anything that resembles common sense. Hyped up beyond the ability to be affected by the natural laws of physics, this is a noisy, cacophony of pure dischord. God bless it.
Then, just when you begin thinking that TMBH are one trick pony of rage and speed, “Pollen Count” fights it’s way out of the stereo and suddenly my ears are alert again. Riding a massive, retro-seventies, fuzzed out riff, this song has more in common with Fu Manchu than Black Flag. Didn’t see this one coming and love every second of it. “MFA” and “About Last Night” bring back the tornado of Ohio dissonance. Then just as our ears are screaming for relief, “Makes My Teeth White,” proves once again that these cats got more than powertools to smash against their guitars. Still full-on punk in its fury, TMBH mix in some subtle moments of quiet, dropped out guitar parts and gang vocals amidst the chaos. Then “My Notes,” takes everything we’d just heard and tosses it right out the window in one snotty, sneering, finger-up-you-ass moment of true rebellion. Synths banging over a mouthed-hip hop beat, TMBH drop into a full-on old school, Run DMC homage of rap. Don’t know where that came from, but damn if we weren’t smiling and laughing the whole way.
From there the chaos returns, some of it interesting, some of it not. In truth, Public Square is too much of a mixed bag for me to rave on and on about it, but damn, it still got us to the burrito stand.
The Beautiful Mothers – Chikara
With our ears brought to near lethal intensity, and our bellies full of carne asada, it’s time to head back to the Ripple office and get to work. Promos to send out, one-sheets to write. Still full of post-TMBH adrenaline, we wanted something punky, something rocky, but with a little more cohesion than what we just subjected our poor inner ears to. Reaching into the glove box I put out this little gem from Tsurumi Records. Now, I can’t claim to know everything there is to know about this little indy label, but one thing I can say is that they are infinitely cool. Pressing their stuff on vinyl, each LP comes with a full CD copy of the album, plus inserts and photos. Lots of cool stuff. More importantly, the Tsurumi guys seem to have latched onto a world all their own. . . some sort of international garage/punk love fest between the Seattle and Japan music scenes. And that’s what the music sounds like, some blessed union of garage grunge and Japanese crust. Heavy fricking punk but totally unique and absolutely listenable. The mere presence of Jack Endino at the helms of this compilation of previous vinyl cuts should be all I needed to know I was in store for a treat.
The Beautiful Mothers is a disc I’d been meaning to review for far too long. This long-player is like one long orgy of thunderously heavy bass and fuzzed guitars. Eric Balaban, the main Mother, comes across like some modern Jonathan Richman, and his crew of Rob Wheeler (drums) and Joey Lazerhead (bass) are his grimy, sweaty, dirty Modern Lovers.
It’s hard to describe just how good this disc is. But any lover of heavy garage punk must tune in. Songs like “Cold Sweat” and “Craigers” are simply terrors of simplified pounding rock. “Last of the World’s Gentlemen” rumbles and roars like a terrified freight train steamlining for my brain. Forget guitar solos on these cuts, there’s no time for that, not when the band can lose itself in the total abandon of the riff.
Not since I reviewed The Estranged and their drop-dead cut “Fast Trains” have I been as energized by a dark and heavy punk record. These cats totally restored my faith that cool shit is still being made and good shit is still worthy of writing about.
Needless to say, with the Beautiful Mothers as our accompaniment, the drive home was a blur. Too short, way to short. I wanted to hear Chikara again. Pope, maybe on tomorrow’s burrito run?
– Public Square