Sex Is Disgusting

Sex Is Disgusting

22 April, 2009
by: Stevros

You might have missed it whilst you were scoffing ice cream cones and shoving 2ps into arcade games but Brighton, thanks to its liberal and diverse population of homosexuals, hippies and students is fast becoming the place to be if you're into noisy lo-fi British pop.

Two guys who have had a big hand in championing this are James Hines and Andrew Auld who both run a small ethical, progressive and sustainable label called Sex is Disgusting. Using the vernacular language and attention to detail of the legendary Factory Records, the ethos of Rough Trade (before being taken over by "indie" conglomerate Beggars Banquet), and the musical stylings of K-Records founder Calvin Johnson, they have already managed to get Nottingham crunky, nihilistic, whatever-wave art-punks Human Hair's new 7" distributed as far as New York and Japan and are generally making face melting music possible by assuring Graffiti Island, Pens, Mazes, The Pharaohs and The Bitters will find their own ecological niche.

There's loads of small record labels out there who don't make any money, putting out bands. Why do it yourself?

Making money is not our object. Only a few UK labels were putting out the British Music we were into and we felt that some great bands were getting overlooked. It also seemed like it'd be fun and rewarding which thus far it has been, with only a pinch of annoying. We press the records we want to hear.

CD sales are dropping like flies and vinyl is past its sell by date. You chaps have a large online presence; why not trade in i-Tunes style, MP3 format?
 
I like the artefact – the idea of a record as an object and not only a vehicle for music. There is much more inherent value in a record, from packaging to liner notes and artwork and a good record will always sell.

Human Hair have only played a handful of shows and been seen by a handful of people, but the tracks speak for themselves and that's why the record has sold well. We're both record nerds – you can't kiss a MP3?

It seems to me that the record buying public in the UK are much more interested in the latest release of absolutely anything from the United States than our own bands, wouldn't it be a better business plan to put out small American bands over here?

Therein lies the problem. Many British labels are solely concerned with what is going on overseas and whilst we acknowledge that a good release is a good release, we'd like to redress the balance. We feel like we're a small part of a very exciting shift of gaze toward home-grown bands and it seems like there are a lot of really good bands right now all over these isles.

To address the last part of the question – we really have no business plan as we're not a business. We're just a pair of dweebs.

To the untrained ear your first release appears to be an inaccessible noisy band from Nottingham, with non sequential, off-kilter riffs, that preach about the end being nigh, sleep deprivation and being sick. Why is this the release to kick off your discography, how did it come about?

Andy heard the tracks and told me that we were putting them out. I heard them and instantly agreed. Initially they were going to be our second release as we already had a Graffiti Island 7” in the works, but we got impatient and wanted to put something out immediately. Human Hair were ready to go and Graffiti Island were not.

We love Human Hair and I'm proud that they are our first release.

How did you manage the impressive feat of getting the first release from a pretty obscure, unheard of act into the record shops of New York and Japan?

God only knows how Harukai in Japan heard of it. I guess it was the Lovvers connection – but I don't know. He just emailed me one day asking for 25 copies.

As for NYC, Arturo from Academy Records got in touch through the Terminal Boredom forum – it was as simple as that. He also runs Convulsive records with his girlfriend Amelie who are putting out the Pheromoans 7”. Good people.

So what is the plan for Sex is Disgusting? Follow the footsteps of many now defunct labels such as SST, K-Records, and Factory create a bit of a fan base, a legacy for fighting against the storm of commercialism within music and then go on an indefinite hiatus?

Good records, good shows, good times, not to go bankrupt or hate other by the end of it and to make an impact.

I heard a vicious rumour that you may be putting out a 7" for broody LA post punks Le Face, is this true? It's a bit of a departure from your current upcoming roster, are there any other tricks up those sleeves?

Firstly, nothing is confirmed, it was just an informal conversation online! Secondly, there are many bands closer to home we'd like to put out, so it may be a little while before that one comes to fruition.

We mainly want to concerntrate on the UK, but when a great band like Le Face shows some interest it becomes pretty hard. We'll still be very much a British label but expect to see some bands from other regions appearing on our upcoming releases eventually. The Bitters are from Canada and we'll be releasing something by the later in the year – exciting.

I did some internships at record labels a while ago one of the questions to get on to the program was what are your three favourite artists ever which was a bitch to answer...so I'm asking you pair, what are your favourite three artists?

James - Raymond Pettibom, John Stezeaker, David Hockney

Andy – Greg Ginn, Greg Ginn, Greg Ginn

Apparently due to the credit crunch and benign economic depression we are currently in, there will be a resurgence of independent labels and musical counter culture resistance, just like the ‘70s.  Do you have any tips for people thinking about starting up their own label?

Name it something else?

I don't think I have the authority nor the experience to enable me to give anyone advice on starting a label. It's pretty easy to do – we're just having fun as clichéd as it sounds. Everyone should give it a go.

Press the records before selling them. Communicate efficiently. Only work with people you know and can trust. Send the records to people in a timely fashion. Keep people informed if there are delays. Don't stress

Sex is Disgusting have a party in London on the 27th at the Old Blue Last, featuring Human Hair, Graffiti Island, Thee Fair-ohs and Teen Sheikhs come and buzz one out!

Click here to check out all London Live Music

Stevros