About 30-odd years ago, a little thing you might have heard of called punk happened and changed everything. The first wave of punk music was great, and so was hardcore, and post-punk, and indie, and all the other weird noisy abrasive stuff that you can eventually draw a lineage back to punk from. This you probably already know. Nevertheless, as good as all that music is/was/will always be, the ethos of punk – of being able to go and do something yourself – perhaps remains the most enduring aspect of its legacy. Basically, independent labels are pretty much responsible for the best music of the last 3-4 decades, maybe forever.
In 1977, the Desperate Bicycles, a band at the forefront of independence in music, sang “it was easy, it was cheap, go and do it” as a call to arms for others to follow in their footsteps and set up their own imprint. That’s an inspiring idea for sure. The thing is though, it’s not really that easy, and it’s certainly not cheap. Managing an independent label is really hard work and costs the world. Believe me, I should know. That in mind, we thought we’d start a regular column giving props to our favourite independent labels, showcasing their music, providing mixtapes, that kind of thing. Here’s the first in the series…
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Like most long-standing independent labels, the continued success and relevance of Slumberland is a product of sheer bloody mindedness and balls-out perseverance. Unlike their mattress making namesakes, these guys don’t know when to lie down. They just keep going, getting better, releasing genre defining records. Solid work. And then there’s the little matter of Crystal Stilts, the band not only responsible for one of my favourite albums of the last 5 years, but also reigniting my love for the forgotten darklands of the mid 80s.
Having celebrated their china anniversary (that’s 20 years, dummy) just last weekend, with parties in both L.A. and San Fransisco, we thought it perfect timing to talk to one of the key, but nevertheless relatively unsung, labels in the history of indiepop. We fired over some simple questions to the label’s head honcho and he fired back loads of great music in response, alongside some photos from the recent birthday celebrations. Not a bad deal.
If you’re that way inclined (i.e. have good taste and a firm moral compass), you can buy Slumberland releases direct from their online store here. Support music and all that. As if to further tempt the money from your cold, heartless hands, below are three songs from past, present and future Slumberland releases to listen to while you read, plus a 10 track mixtape containing the music that helped shape the label.
Summer Cats
Who?
Slumberland is just me at the moment, Mike Schulman.
Where?
Oakland, CA
When?
December 1989
Past
Henry’s Dress - “A Is For Cribbage”
Henry’s Dress – “A Is For Cribbage”
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Current roster
Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Crystal Stilts, Brilliant Colors, Sic Alps, Cause Co-Motion…
Why?
Me and some other folks were in a bunch of bands (Black Tambourine, Whorl/Big Jesus Trash Can, Powderburns) and we wanted to document what we were doing. We were equally into horrible noise and pop, and most of us had never played instruments before. Our music seemed so out-of-step and primitive that we couldn’t imagine anyone else wanting to put it out, so we did it ourselves.
What?
Only work with people I like, treat them fairly, let the artists control the music and presentation. We’re all about great songs and great sounds. I’m not really interested in following genres as such (indie pop, lo-fi, shoegaze), just finding music I love and I know I’ll want to be listening to in twenty years.
Present
Summer Cats – “Your Timetable”
Summer Cats – “Your Timetable”
Slumberland 20th birthday party
High point?
I guess the most recent high point was having The Pains of Being Pure At Heart play on national TV. Not that it’s necessarily a big goal of mine to get the bands on TV, but it was a pretty amazing milestone for my little one-man label.
Low point?
Probably the years from 2003-2006. I wasn’t putting out much new stuff cause I wasn’t hearing much new music I loved, and it looked like vinyl was totally dying, which was very dispiriting. It seems silly to be so tied to a physical format, but I hate CDs, love records, and am pretty uninspired by digital downloads.
What’s next?
Lots of great new records, from folks like Tender Trap, Brown Recluse, Neverever, Devon Williams, Procedure Club, Crystal Stilts and Frankie Rose & The Outs. We’re going to be doing more reissues too, including Chin Chin’s super-rare C86-era “Sound of The Westway,” an omnibus comp from The Ropers, and finally the long-planned compilations from Henry’s Dress and Whorl. The past is the future!
Future
Neverever - “Teardrop Tattoo”
Brilliant Colors
Evidence that everything comes from something, below are 10 songs that guided Slumberland into existence; the first 5 allegedly being songs you wouldn’t expect to have influenced the label, the last 5 being those you probably would. What’s more, in Orange Juice and Jesus & Mary Chain in particular, you’ve pretty much the blueprint for the indiepop Slumberland has spent two decades defining, refining, and generally helping exist and be heard by the world.
DOWNLOAD – SLUMBERLAND MIXTAPE (RIGHT CLICK, SAVE AS…)
Tracklisting
1. Mekons – “Where Were You”
2. Dils – “You’re Not Blank”
3. Birthday Party – “The Friend Catcher”
4. Glenn Branca – “Structure”
5. Sonic Youth – “I Love Her All The Time”
6. Orange Juice – “Blue Boy”
7. The Jesus & Mary Chain – “My Little Underground”
8. 14 Iced Bears – “Cut”
9. The Verlaines – “Doomsday”
10. Jasmine Minks – “What’s Happening?”
Thanks to Sam Leung for the photos, save Pains of Being Pure At Heart.
