Issue 12: Jed Morgans of Hideous Mink Records
Welcome to The Band Bible! I’m truly glad to have you here. If you’re a new reader, purpose of this newsletter is to address, break down, and shine a light on the business of being in a band. Each issue, we do this by interviewing (and celebrating!) someone who is making waves through their incredible work with or for independent artists. Learning the business of being in a band is something that is often inaccessible or shrouded in mystery, and it shouldn’t be, so I hope The Band Bible is able to play even a small role in helping to change that.
It was such an honour to interview Jed Morgans, head of beloved independent label Hideous Mink Records. Hideous Mink has championed a host of emerging talent through their label activities and their magazine alike, both of which have been integral to providing early career support. Needless to say, it’s this ethos that made the label a perfect fit to feature in an issue. Here, Jed dives into juggling music with a day job, the state of our industry in the U.K, what it’s like to support artists on their way up, and more. Scroll on down.
For those who may not know, what's the origin story behind Hideous Mink Records?
Hideous Mink was birthed in 2018 as nothing more than a DIY bedroom label for bands we were in/mates with. It’s essentially still this now, we’re just becoming better at disguising that…
Which element(s) of working with up-and-coming artists do you find to be most fulfilling?
Working with up-and-coming artists really gives you the chance to dive full-on into a project and work with an artist in a 360 degree capacity, you can get a lot more creative with ideas and executing them. Watching an artist grow from say a debut single, to then releasing their second E.P is a wonderful feeling, you feel part of the life of the band and really do end up having quite a strong connection and relationship with not just the music but the members too. I feel very lucky and honoured to have been able to work with a ton of amazing artists who have stuck by, and had faith in, what we have done and continue to do at Hideous Mink.
Is there anything pertaining to our industry that you don't think is discussed as much as it ought to be?
Where to start? The enormous gap between the top percent of the industry, who pocket it all and the grassroots percentage of the industry who are the ones working day in day out to keep the industry alive. A big issue we’ve found in recent years is the treatment of artists in the U.K, compared to that of Europe for example. If the issues of being underpaid, especially supporting artists, and the lack of hospitality when touring in the UK compared to being paid and treated fairly in Europe doesn’t change in the coming years, I think we’ll find the U.K scene slipping into a gradual decline that will be difficult to reverse.
Given that many artists often lack a comfortable amount of time to devote to their project while juggling a day job, what's something simple they can do each day to help keep their music careers moving?
This is the on-going struggle for, not just the music industry, but a lot of creative industries and without being too negative, It is just the struggle we must bear - to trudge through the muddy pits of the industry is the only way to get out the other end. If there were a simple trick to this issue, there would be no issue. I have found that prioritising certain work and time has helped me, and continues to help me, navigate this. When starting out, throw yourself into the deep end but don’t bite off too much at once, it’s much more impactful to focus your energy in a specific direction and once comfortable, build off that into different areas. Eventually, you will find that the tables will start to tilt and your ‘music projects’ will start to take over more of your day, with the financial benefits following, and your day jobs will revert to the side hustle.
Lastly, which "commandment" would you like to leave behind in The Band Bible?
Hold on to what’s yours, for as long as you possibly can.
A huge thank you to Jed for taking the time to be interviewed. To keep up with Hideous Mink Records, click here to follow on Instagram, here to follow on Twitter, and here to follow on Facebook.
Lastly, in terms of things going on with Carnival of Oddities, tickets for our February and March showcases at Amersham Arms are now on sale.
With happiness and hedonism,
Lindsay Teske