Steve Westbrook, creative sound director for Portland, OR-based Buried In Time, answered five questions and reveals to its audience the means, methods and madness involved with getting their leftfield electro-experiments off the ground.
Igloo Magazine :: When did Buried In Time start up and what was your inspiration?
Steve Westbrook / Buried In Time :: Buried In Time started in 2006. This year is our 5-year mark. Mostly what inspired me was the music around me. I made some friends who were making great stuff and I’d heard some people out around town and really liked what I heard. A lot of it was really refreshing and no one was releasing it. So, I figured I should do it. The artists involved were into it and the first compilation was born. It’s also something that had been in the back of my mind for a while… you know… curating some releases. I’ve been lucky with the artists I’ve met here (Portland, OR) and the friends I’ve made. People don’t give up their music lightly so I’m glad they believed in the idea of the label and wanted to be a part of it.
Igloo :: Who were some of your initial artist relations and did your location help or hinder progress?
SW :: Everyone on the first release is a friend. Someone I would see around town at shows or parties or BBQ’s etc. They were all part of my social circle. At that time in Portland there was a lot of energy in the electronic scene. There was a weekly called Laptop Lounge that went on for more than a year. every Tuesday night. So, I would see a lot of the same people every week. It was this ongoing gestation of music and ideas and general drinking and being merry. there was always someone playing live… always a show to go check out. Lot’s of people were writing lot’s of music… so I think as far as being around the music and having a creative climate supporting the energy behind the idea of starting a label I’d say that being in Portland was a really big help simply because of the energy here at the time… and of course most of the music I’ve released over the years is from people who live in Portland.
Igloo :: What were some of the challenges (if any) starting up a label? …and how did you envision the label to stand apart?
SW :: The challenges are the same as they are today. Getting people to pay attention; attracting distributors. I’d say it’s even more difficult now. Music changes. Trends change. The internet makes the world smaller but it also makes it incredibly dense. It’s the same old story of trying to get the signal louder than all the noise. And with music piracy, once something is released you just have to consider it gone and rely on the good graces of the fans.
Being persistent and keeping up with releases and making the music as accessible as possible are key. Convenience is kind of where it’s at for a lot of listeners so we have to make that part of the distribution model. But there’s also people who want a record they can put on a turntable and play. We like that so we do that too when we can.
As far as how Buried In Time stands apart… I don’t know… every label stands apart (or in lock step) by the music it releases. I like to let the music do the talking. I try like hell to get it out there and let people know it exists and get them to listen to it. It’s hard to deny the focus of the label. I’m pretty stubborn in that regard and maybe that’s what sets Buried In Time apart but that’s for listeners to figure out. Hopefully we’re doing something different.
Igloo :: What is your motivation in keeping the label moving forward into the next decade?
SW :: It’s all about the music. Finding things that need to be heard and shared. Keeping the weirdness alive. I think people want to hear it and I think it also provides a counterpoint to the musical conversation taking place these days. There’s always room for something that doesn’t quite fit. There’s a lot of music to be heard. Busy producers are busy… :)
Igloo :: Tell us more about how you (and your staff?) take the label’s “sound” to the listeners and fans. Distribution, campaigns, live shows, word of mouth etc.
SW :: Getting the music out there and in people’s ears is always a challenge. For all the convenience of the internet it’s still easy to get lost in the crowd. I’ve done ads in various magazines over the years but I rely on word of mouth a lot and use all the usual social networking sites. Of course, people like the good folks at Igloo are a help by just existing and being interesting and know how to write about music. When it comes to the internet I hate pestering people so I try to use the email list sparingly and try not to dump link after link on Facebook etc. That reflects my own tendency to hide or tune out companies or organizations who update me too often. I update people only when there is an actual update. Maybe that’s my weakness (LOL). Being persistent and keeping up with releases and making the music as accessible as possible are key. Convenience is kind of where it’s at for a lot of listeners so we have to make that part of the distribution model. But there’s also people who want a record they can put on a turntable and play. We like that so we do that too when we can.
The label is mostly distributed on line via pretty much every download store short of Bleep and Beatport. I’m liking Bandcamp a lot these days. It’s so simple and transparent on the label’s end and also for people who shop there. But, Buried In Time is everywhere on the net. Juno Download, Addictech, iTunes, Bandcamp, eMusic etc. Just about wherever people download music you’ll find us.
We also sell physical releases directly from the website. The handful of vinyl and CD releases we’ve done are available directly from us and a handful of actual record stores.
Live shows seem to happen in flurries though some of the artists on the label stay pretty busy with gigs especially in summer. Gigs are the artist’s domain. I stay away from getting involved in booking shows though try to help where I can. Everyone has his own schedule and short of doing a tour I stay out of it. I always announce shows on the Buried In Time Facebook page. We’ve done some touring in the past and I’m sure we will do more in the future. Getting out there and connecting with fans is always important and will always be the best way to build an fan base.
We are planning a 5-year anniversary party of some kind… though it’s up in the air as to who/what/when/where. Stay tuned!
Visit Buried In Time at www.buriedintime.com. [Igloo reviews featuring Buried In Time]
