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Welcome number6 in a series of record label question and answer sessions.
This months session is with Benbecula.


Tesselate : What are you hoping to accomplish with the Label, and where can you see
yourselves in 5 years?

The label is extremely focussed, but hard to put into words. Sometimes
you have a sense of aura or presence about something, and it manifests
itself in day to day decisions. You can see its effect but cant touch it.
Scotland is a great place but has its shit the same as any other. The
culture is unique however, very different to anywhere else, and so to look
as far ahead as 5 years would simply be a time that everyone has got the
point or in some way has a grasp on the "feeling" that we do. And of course
that we have all have nice cars.

Tesselate : When you released ' various music volume one ' , how did you go about
getting it out there, was it mainly promos to friends or did you contact distributors / shops?

volume one was self financed and although we had talked to a few
distributors, baked goods in manchester took interest when they saw that we
were serious about what we were doing, that we were prepared to go the whole
way.

Tesselate : Do you have any news on Benbecula artists playing in the Uk?

A new promotions team has been put together recently and we are slowly
but surely pushing out there. There is a massive crowd of people who still
havent heard the music that need to. There will also be increased radio
presence.

Tesselate : You have three words to describe Benbecula, what are they?

Its cold there.

Tesselate : How does the your process for selecting the tracks you release work?

It varies greatly between artists: some of them are experienced
musicians who know instinctively if a track "has it" or doesnt. Some of the
others need guidance and advice that albeit from us at benbecula, is usually
good advice. We dont waste time releasing tracks when there is an inkling
the artist will reject it later. All releases must be loved by the artist
til the end of time. Otherwise there is no point and we are wasting each
others' time.

Tesselate : Which artist / group apart from the Team Benbecula is producing music that
makes your head open up and listen?

There honestly isnt enough hours in the day to relax to other material.
A very boring answer is the true one: rely on the golden oldies ...

Tesselate : What are your top 5 albums of all time? [any genre]

--> Horace Andy - "The Best of Horace Andy" (Studio One)
--> Jeff Mills - "Waveform Volume One"
--> Aphex Twin - "Selected Ambient Works Vol 1"
--> Suicide - "Suicide"
--> Ivor Cutler - "Dandruff"

Tesselate : Have you ever had any trouble from people about Benbecula artist ' Christ '
using the word Christ?

No, absolutely nothing.

Tesselate : Did any of the Benbecula team visit All tomorrows parties this year, if so,
what were the highlights for them?

Sorry no.

Tesselate : Out of interest, why does the Christ album get a US release before Uk and
europe?

Its something to do with imports impacting centralised distribution
sales. It gives them a small head start.

Tesselate : Who / what are your inspirations / influences?

Ivor Cutler, the weather, foliage, family, friends and anyone else that
knows me.

Tesselate : You have one wish, which will be instantly granted, what do you choose and
why?

A million quid of course.

Tesselate : Does Benbecula have an office / HQ or is it a home / web based label?

Yes we live in a burrow.

Tesselate : Which print / online magazines / newspages do you regularly read?

None, we really are out of touch. We spend far too much time on the
internet so probably your usual fanzine sites.

Tesselate : What are your thoughts on file sharing over the internet? do you think it
has a negative effect on you, and the artists on your label?

The artists have differing opinions. Broadly speaking one or two tracks
from an album are very good promotion, however the entire album complete
with artwork is taking the piss and damaging. People dont seem to realise
that lost sales this way could make or break a label, and then there will be
no more files to copy.

Tesselate : If you could steal a favourite track from any artist / group for a Benbecula
release, what would it be and why?

Oh fuck thats too difficult, but pretty pointless too. People mention
Boards of Canada a lot with Benbecula artists and so I would probably choose
"Everything You Do is a Balloon", an absolute classic piece of music.

Tesselate : What has been your most popular release so far?

Christ's Pylonesque.

Tesselate : What has been your favorite gig / event you have played at / attended?

It would probably have to be Sonar 2003. Expensive trip however.

Tesselate : What can we look forward to in future Benbecula releases?

We see the spectrum of music a vast jigsaw with only a few pieces
inserted so far, so if people dont get it so far perhaps in a year or two
they will. It will take time. Some very good releases coming up from local
artists Greenbank, Operator and Frog Pocket before the end of the year. An
album from Reverbaphon and then another EP from Christ..

Tesselate : What was the last piece of music that you listened to?

Three tracks from Christ.'s new EP. It will be very different from
Metamorphic.

Tesselate : If you had the power to go back in time and alter it somehow, what would you
do and why?

Shoot down the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Tesselate : The artists on the label, are they friends of yours? or people that have
sent you demos / you have approached?

A bit of a mixture, however it makes a massive difference to be able to
go for a pint with someone now again, and this is probably the main reason
most of the artists are Scottish.

Big thanks to the Benbecula for answering all our questions.
Remember to check out Greenbanks new release on Benbecula.


Next month : Angstrom

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