Issue 22: Spaghetty Town Records
Issue 22: Spaghetty Town 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. Sometimes, we interview independent artists themselves. 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’s a pleasure to spend this issue highlighting Spaghetty Town Records. Over the course of the past nine years, the Atlanta-based label has established itself as the premiere purveyor of all that’s fast and fun — punk, dirty rock, power pop, and anything else that may catch their ear. Spaghetty Town has been an instrumental force in helping artists to blossom, and have put out releases from the likes of Fast Eddy, Ravagers, Pale Lips, and Criminal Kids. In the interview you’re about to read, you’ll learn about how Spaghetty Town Records came to be, their advice for artists who want to pitch to a label, what it’s like to run a label, which commandment they’re leaving in The Band Bible, and more. Read on, and enjoy.
What's the origin story of Spaghetty Town?
I’m a lifelong music fan. Buying cassettes in the 80s, then vinyl and CDs in the 90’s, then largely vinyl in the 00’s. I have worked at radio stations, a major record label, in music licensing and at a media PR firm. I even worked at a well known rock club in the NYC area in the early 00’s when the music industry imploded. I regularly go see bands live. I’d watch these amazing bands and I started thinking that they might need a little help with promotion and marketing. Here I was, years under my belt of music promotion and PR. So in 2015 I decided to take the leap and started Spaghetty Town Records and I haven’t looked back.
What drew you towards working in the music industry, and what keeps you in it?
As long as I can remember, I’ve loved music. As a kid I would read liner notes, look at what other bands were on a label’s roster, or what other bands were thanked on record. Then look into those bands. Running a label has it’s ups and down. Some days you just want to throw in the towel. This gig is kind of thankless. Running a label, you’re usually in the background. But I love to watch bands grow, I love being part of their successes. That’s really what keeps you going.
Is there anything you'd recommend artists do and/or know before they reach out to a label?
Be familiar with the label, they probably should be fans of the roster. I still get a lot of emails from artists that don’t fit the label, at all. They are usually paired with what sounds like a generic email blast. Depending on the month, I might get 20 to 30 demos. Artist need to find a way to stand out from the rest of them. Oh, and I wouldn’t suggest sending your pitch via IG or FB messenger. They often get buried in spam or overlooked. I would suggest emailing the label. Or contact the label and ask what the best way to send their demo is.
That said, how can an artist make sure they nail their pitch to Spaghetty Town?
First off, actually send a pitch. I get a lot of emails that are one sentence, with a Dropbox link. Sometimes, it’s just a link, no message at all!? Remember, you are pitching me, you’re selling your band to me. Tell me about your band, including photos/video. Send me a streaming link to music. Include your social media. You need to put in the work and show me that you are serious. Get me excited for your band! If I have to download WAV files, put them into a player, search for your social media, find your videos etc, then you’ve likely already lost me.
Lastly, which "commandment" would you like to leave behind in The Band Bible?
Be an active band! And by active I mean, play shows, go on the road, meet other musicians, grow a fanbase outside of your circle of friends. They will be your biggest champions, telling their friends about this great band they saw and buying your merch. I know, it can be hard to step outside of your comfort zone and not everyone can do long stretches on the road. But you can probably do long weekends. If you are content being the big local band, living on the internet, that’s fine. But don’t be unhappy when your band plateaus and you aren’t getting new fans. An important part of growing your band is playing out, locally and outside of your region.
A tremendous thank you to Spaghetty Town Records for taking the time to share such fantastic insights. To keep up with all they’re doing, click here to visit their website.