Record Label ‘Cool Thing Records’ Explain How Artists Can Stand Out.
“Cool Thing Records are emerging as one of the most exciting labels around”
- John Kennedy, Radio X.
Photo: Kana Waiwaiku (@kanawaiwaiku)
A record deal is not the be all and end all of a musician’s career. However, it can be pretty useful to have one. But is it necessary to be signed to ‘make it’ in the industry? There are many questions that could possibly be floating round your head; how do I get signed? Can I approach labels? Do I need a manager? Do I even need to be signed? How do I know if a label is right for me?
Here as part of Musosoup’s ‘An Interview With:’ series, we speak to Southend’s Cool Thing Records owner, Luke Branch about what he looks for to sign a band and what can you do to really stand out in such a saturated industry.
Tell us about yourself and your label:
Luke: Hey! My name is Luke and I write songs and sing / play guitar in Asylums, I also play bass in BAIT. I do film composition sometimes plus bits of consultancy too......and I also run a label called ‘Cool Thing Records’ with my best mates.
What sort of band/artists interest you at Cool Thing Records?
Luke: We just look for music that excites us as music fans, there is no criteria. My own record collection is diverse, everything from Brian Eno to John Coltrane to Cocteau Twins to Notorious B.I.G. I don’t have the right to judge anyone’s art so I just use the same approach as when I buy records…do I like the visuals? The songs/lyrics? The sounds? The attitude? Do the titles intrigue me?
Name three things you look for in a band/artist before signing them?
Luke:
1. Do we understand the act?
2. Can we help them enough?
3. Do we get on as friends and collaborators?
What can a band/artist do (other than music) to get themselves noticed by you?
Luke: Just being themselves is enough. It’s our job to get noticed by them, they are the focus.
Does a band/artist need a manager before approaching you?
Luke: Not at all, sometimes it helps though. It kind of depends what aspirations the act has. We obviously have limitations.
Do you take things such as social media presence, followers etc. into account when signing someone?
Luke: We don’t really no. Data doesn’t really come into it…it’s an instinctive thing.
How could a band/artist contact you if they wanted to share their music with you?
Luke: Just email or hit us up on social media, we can’t always reply but we try to. Things can get very busy some months as we all have day jobs and families too.
How does the finance work on your label- do you take a set cut? Or is it all dependent on the artist?
Luke: We just put in our own money; we don’t seek a return. If it happens great but it is not our attitude towards music. We see it as buying materials for a never-ending art exhibition. Sometimes our distributors help financially on bigger projects and albums too.
Do you feel bands/artists need to be signed to labels to get noticed by you?
Luke: No not at all. For some artists it can be stabilising and fun to be part of a community of kindred spirits, others prefer to work alone. Both are legitimate choices.
Do you have a set release strategy per band, or is each strategy bespoke?
Luke: Always bespoke.
What can a band/artist do in order to help build their social presence?
Luke: Use their creativity to inspire interest, make it an extension of the rest of your art. Do it your way.
Who has been your favourite artist to work with to date?
Luke: I love everyone we have worked with for different reasons, they are all special people with interesting ideas.
Who has been the most challenging artist you have worked with to date?
Luke: Probably ourselves ha ha!
Is there anything that would massively put you off working with an artist?
Luke: A lack of kindness I suppose. We all got into this to help people and that’s all there is to it.
Who would be your dream artist to work with?
Luke: For me personally, blimey that’s a tough question. I love The Magnetic Fields.