Over the last year or so, I have become increasingly fond of the artists on the roster of One Little Indian Records. Shain from the label kindly took time out to give us a little insight and history of this fiercely independent label. Their list of artists are pretty diverse and eclectic. Personally, I love the work of Kelli Ali and Jesse Malin. I expect Offical Secrets Act to break into the mainstream this year in a big way (feature to follow this week ). In the meantime, here is what Shain had to say:

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? When? First band signed and/or first release?
The label began in the mid 80s, and it was founded by Derek Birkett, his wife Sue and another member of his band, Flux of Pink Indians. The label began as an outfit to release the band’s music, as an alternative to all the other more corporate options available at the time. Flux was an anarcho-punk band, and the label sort of emulated that ideology. The first release was indeed a Flux of Pink Indians release and one of the more prolific initial signings was The Sugarcubes, a band that Bjork fronted. Currently Derek is the sole owner of the label, with a staff of twelve handling everything in-house, including radio, press, marketing, international, digital, A&R and licensing.

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
We run our label and warehouse out of an old airplane parts garage in Tooting Bec, South London. The warehouse is on the ground floor and we work above it, on the first floor. We have a small kitchen and meeting room, as well as a few couches in the foyer for people to relax. We do our own international distribution and shipping, as well as in-house mail order, so it’s nice to have the stock downstairs for easy access. Our office is quite unassuming and because of an elongated driveway and abundance of tropical plants on it, it looks more like a garden centre. We share the block with some houses and a primary school.

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
My name is Shain and I am one half of the in-house press team, who handles all promotional campaigns for the artists on both One Little Indian and our sub-label, Tangled Up Recordings, and a label called FatCat Records based in Brighton. FatCat joined OLI in a joint venture deal in June, so we handle their press, marketing and other matters from London, while A&R remains in Brighton. I represent such acts as Frightened Rabbit, Nina Nastasia, Twilight Sad, Brakes, Rose Kemp, Kelli Ali, Hauschka and Max Richter.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee?
Our two most exciting new signings are Offical Secrets Act from London and Kill It Kid from Bath. Both were signed over the summer and are hotly tipped for 2009. We are also in the midst of campaigns with Kelli Ali, formerly of the Sneaker Pimps and Shelleyan Orphan, who released their first album in sixteen years in October and are prepping a career-spanning box set for release in the summer. To me, they are one of the UK’s most criminally underrated folk bands. We also just put out a record from Paul McCartney’s project, The Fireman, in conjunction with MPL Entertainment. Go buy it if you don’t have it. It’s fantastic.

The latest artist to join the label is:
I’d say Kill It Kid. Awesome band and a very exciting prospect. Also, The Fireman is a recent signee for us.

MP3: Kelli Ali - “One Day At A Time”

Remember the excitement you experienced as a child when you came downstairs on Christmas morning and discovered that Santa had visited the night before and left a present or two under the tree for you? I experienced a similar level of excitement this morning when I received an e-mail from Big Star drummer Jody Stephens sharing news about Ardent Music and the label’s first release.

You may have heard of Ardent Studios, yes? It’s a Memphis recording studio that was founded by John Fry in 1959. A few artists you may or may not be familiar with have recorded there over the years (Cheap Trick, The Replacements, R.E.M., The Posies, and Afghan Whigs to name a few).

Ardent has seen success as a label over the years as well. Notable releases include albums from the legendary Big Star and solo efforts from the band’s frontmen Alex Chilton and Chris Bell. Ardent Records would reinvent itself in 1995 as a contemporary Christian label. A plan was recently unveiled to launch a separate secular from the label which has been dubbed Ardent Music. The key players of Ardent Music are John Fry, Jody Stephens, music blogger Rachel Hurley (best known for creating the music website Rachelandthecity.com), and emerging music marketing ace Joseph Davis.

The imprint’s debut release is from Memphis’ Jump Back Jake. The album is titled Brooklyn Hustle/Memphis Muscle and is available to download (320k MP3s, FLAC or Apple Lossless files) for a limited time for a mere $4.99. CDs and 12″ vinyl (pre-order) are available for $10 each at the band’s store page.

MP3: Jump Back Jake - “Easy Answers”

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? When? First band signed and/or first release?
The label was started by Charlie Lorenzi in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1997. The first band signed to the label was Killer Dolls, a high energy NYC-circa-’74-influenced rock ’n’ roll outfit.

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
Currently, Ann Arbor, Michigan. We are very active in the Detroit/Ann Arbor/Chicago music scenes. The label started out with one small office in Buenos Aires, which makes sense since BA is a huge city with a population of 12 million and property downtown is just as expensive as in any other big city. In 2001 No Fun Records expanded its operations to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where it mostly operated out of our then partner’s record store. In 2003 we moved all operations to the U.S., and our HQs moved to a house in Ann Arbor, where it’s comprised of 3 offices. The bigger office is where we run all the communications and logistics from, where our publicist and the interns’ workstations are, etc.. A second office serves as the shipping room, and it also houses our online store catalog, current releases and back catalog stock. In there we also keep the label’s archives and other types of product, such as a variety of tour merch. A third room is available to store gear (the label is run by active musicians) and to host occasional bands on tour. No Fun Records also runs No Fun Booking, and so we bring national, and international bands on tour. If their tour schedule brings them through town, the label usually hosts them. Then there’s the kitchen….our in-house publicist couldn’t live without the kitchen allowing him to brew super strong coffee! This is due to the fact that he lived in Sweden, where he developed a taste for strong coffee in good European tradition. He also often brings us homemade Swedish rolls to go with the coffee, and different types of pickled herring for the Swedish Midsummer celebration (coming up shortly!). You know we’ve gotta be pretty nice people to have for a boss if the publicist feeds us.

Going back to your question, our main home is online of course www.nofunrecords.com soon to be re-launched as a new updated site with an all digital store and all. Stay tuned.

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
Claudia Leo. Sometimes I’m referred to as “Claudia Detroit” or “Motor City Baby” by the South American music scene. Officially, I am the label’s Vice President. In terms of hands-on work you can generally find me working on promotions, artist development, tours and licensing, or supervising such work. Charlie is the label’s President and he concentrates on sales and monitors the production of the releases. We work together on business development and contractual agreements with the artists.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee?
A few of the latest would include:
THE HARD LESSONS. Garage-tinted indie pop from Detroit.
THE AVATARS. Garage pop from Ann Arbor.
THE CYRIL LORDS. Garage pop from Detroit (You’ve gotta check these guys out! Best pop record on the label ever!).
LOS GATOS SALVAJES. 60s Beat from Rosario, Argentina.
LOS KAHUNAS. Instrumental surf from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
THE DEFECTORS. Creepy garage-punk from Denmark.

The latest artist to join the label is:
THE DIALS. Amazingly fun powerpop/new wave from Chicago. Their new album “Amoeba Amore” has just come out, and –attention Midwest fans!– official record release parties are scheduled for June 28th in Chicago at the Double Door and July 3rd in Hamtramck (Detroit) at The Belmont (along with also No Fun Records’ artists Coronados) . You can get your brand new copy of “Amoeba Amore” by contacting the label at orders@nofunrecords.com, or through the label’s eBay store, or at CD Baby.

IN FACT, HOW ABOUT WE RUN A SPECIAL OFFER FOR ROCKSELLOUT.COM READERS? OK, so here it is, limited-time offer:

If you are among the first 10 Rocksellout.com readers to contact the label at orders@nofunrecords.com you’ll get The Dials’ new CD at regular price ($12) autographed by the entire band PLUS FREE Dials swag! Your package will include Dials stickers, pins, and tour posters. Hurry! The first 10 will be winners, but

For more info on the band: The Dials

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
Yes, always! Coming up on No Fun Records:

LOS PEYOTES. Ultra raw and primitive 60s teenage garage punk from Buenos Aires. They’re about to leave on an exciting European tour that will find them playing major European garage festivals in Germany, Holland and Spain, and also recording their new album in Spain. Their first and only full length to date “Cavernicola” was only released in Argentina. No Fun Records will now be responsible for introducing this amazing band to audiences worldwide, as we are releasing it to the U.S. and rest of the world on both CD and LP format. “Cavernicola” on LP also marks the band’s first 12″ vinyl record ever, and it will be available during the band’s upcoming European extravaganza..

UTOPIANS. Powerful female-fronted rock action also from Buenos Aires. The singer definitely reminds us of a young Patti Smith. These guys barely average 21 years of age and have a bright future ahead of them, they’ve already gone on European tours, have played the BBC, etc.. They have just returned from a tour of Chile in support of “Inhuman,” their upcoming release on No Fun Records, and are currently in Uruguay promoting the album. An official records release party is scheduled for next month in Buenos Aires, for which the label will specifically travel to be in attendance. We are that committed to our artists.

www.myspace.com/nofunrecords

Download: The Avatars - “Wait”
Download: The Dials - “Flex Time”
Download: Forgotten Boys - “God’s Trash Can”
Download: The Hard Lessons - “See And Be Scene”

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? When? First band signed and/or first release?
Bonnie Schlegel started the label in 2000 to release a band The Halo Project she loved. Bonnie and I were in a band together for over four years called Bald Rapunzel. She asked me to be part of the label, then our friend Sara Klemm, who was putting out a benefit compilation for the emerging DC Books to Prisons project at the time. Now, I am the only person doing the label.

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
My house in the lovely Riverdale, Maryland. I just rent though I hope to own a home relatively soon.

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
Katy Otto. Pretty much everything, though we just had an amazing new website designed by EXF artist Kathy Cashel that will launch soon. And I am lucky in that I get a ton of help along the way.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee.
Pash, Hope and Anchor, Den of Thieves, New Idea Society, Kathy Cashel, Thank God - two new ones are Now Sleepyhead and The Vonneguts.

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
The full length from Den of Thieves will be out next in the spring. They are from Staten Island and fan freaking tastic. That will be a split with Altin Village Records based in Germany.

MP3: Eulcid - “I Heard It On The Radio”
MP3: New Idea Society - “Drawbridge Kid”
MP3: Pash - “Kill the Rich Boys II”

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? When? First band signed and/or first release?
Eenie Meenie Records is an emerging music label promoting indie pop, rock and electronica. Eenie Meenie artists have been featured in high profile publications such as RollingStone, Newsweek, Maxim, NME, Billboard, Nylon, CMJ and Alternative Press, and interviewed by the BBC and NPR. Our artists have regularly charted on CMJ and have received adds and rotation on AAA and commercial radio stations, such as KROQ and Indie 103.1 in Los Angeles, KCRW in Santa Monica and KEXP in Seattle.

Eenie Meenie Records develops artists and markets their music by providing ongoing and extensive press and radio campaigns, tour support, festival exposure, street marketing, online marketing, film and TV licensing, retail marketing and merchandising. Many Eenie Meenie releases contain bonus CD/DVD materials that include music videos or an electronic press kit (EPK) from the artists. And all releases are packaged in distinctive and often colorful casing that continues to add to the value of each project and to Eenie Meenie’s artistic legacy.

Eenie Meenie sets itself apart from other labels by its consistent musical aesthetic, which is both ahead of the curve and commercially appealing. Due to the relationships the label has developed, Eenie Meenie looks forward to releasing side projects from well-known artists, as well as continuing to develop emerging talent.

Eenie Meenie Records was founded in 1999 by Ms. Reiko Kondo in order to release, promote and sell music from talented emerging artists. The label has released 16 critically acclaimed CDs and LPs to date. Redeye USA distributes the label’s growing catalogue. Redeye is one of the premier independent music distribution companies in North America and has the ability to make Eenie Meenie titles available at all of the major chain retailers. Eenie Meenie releases are available across Canada through Sonic Unyon. In Japan, Eenie Meenie releases are available through Village Again Distribution.

The first band signed was From Bubblegum to Sky in 1999.

The first release was From Bubblegum to Sky’s Vinyl 45 - containing “My Thousand Years With Robots” and “Hello Hello Hi” and the first full length CD was From Bubblegum to Sky’s “Me and Amy and the Two French Boys”

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
We are based in West Hollywood, CA. The office is comprised of two main rooms: one where we, the label reps and worker bees sit and work complete with a killer sound system which you can view here.

and the other room is the boss’s office which houses, you guessed it, the boss and also the print ad archives from all the magazines where our artists have been featured.

Outside is a lovely patio with a fountain and seating area decorated with a southwestern flavor and a private parking lot for guests and clients.

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
Angela Poe and I handle online promotion, online tour support, blogging and generating local interest via the web and local media companies.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee.
A few bands on the label:
Great Northern
Scissors for Lefty
Irving
Goldenboy
From Bubblegum to Sky
Pine*am
Oranger

Most recent signee is: Scissors for Lefty

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
Today (5/15) Great Northern’s Trading Twilight for Daylight comes out and next month (6/12) Scissors for Lefty releases Underhanded Romance

There are a lot of great mp3s available for download on the Eenie Meenie site, so visit the band links I’ve shared above…and enjoy!

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? Me, Daniel Johansson When? First band signed and/or first release?
Me, Daniel Johansson. 2000. Per Bergkvist & the Sourgrapes

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
2 places - Our studio where we record most of our releases, and my apartment where all boring paperwork is done (both in Sweden).

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
Daniel Johansson. Producing/recording.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee.
Friska Viljor, Lena Malmborg, De La Mancha, Moll Flanders (Most recent signing)

What is the best method for an unsigned band to capture your attention?
Put on a great liveshow

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
Moll Flanders - Out Of Fashion, De La Mancha - TBA

A brief bio of your label: Who started it?
Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance of Superchunk. They still co-own and run the label today.

When?
Summer of 1989 was when they decided to start the label.

First band signed and/or first release?
First release - Bricks “Winterspring” (cassette). Bricks was Mac’s band while in college at Columbia University in NYC. Also featured Ms. Laura Cantrell (who has gone on to quite a solo career) and Andrew Webster (who went on to play in Tsumami).

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
The label was started in Chapel Hill NC, with Laura’s bedroom serving as the first “office”. We now call downtown Durham NC home. We moved here in the summer of 2001, when Merge bought a 3 story building, with our offices on the top floor and our “warehouse” in the basement. We rent out the street level floor.

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
My name is Martin and I handle national press/publicity for the label.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee.
Our most recent signee would be a band out of LA called The Broken West. Their debut album (”I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On”) was released in January (2007). We also recently signed Oakley Hall from Brooklyn NY. Their Merge debut will be out in the Fall of 2007.

Other bands on our roster include: Spoon, Superchunk, Arcade Fire, The Clientele, The Rosebuds, The Ladybug Transistor, M. Ward, Destroyer, Camera Obscura, David Kilgour, The Clean, Richard Buckner, Portastatic, Robert Pollard, Lambchop, The Essex Green, Lou Barlow, White Whale, Imperial Teen, Radar Bros, Tenement Halls, Annie Hayden, East River Pipe, Teenage Fanclub, American Music Club, Crooked Fingers, Neutral Milk Hotel, Third Eye Foundation, etc etc…

What is the best method for an unsigned band to capture your attention?
Well, that’s hard to say. We do not have an A&R department per say, but all demos that are submitted do get listened to in due time. Basically, Mac and Laura still decide what will be released on the label, based simply on stuff that they love and want to be associated with. Unfortunately we do not have the manpower to be out there scouring the clubs on a regular basis scouting for new talent. Things tend to come to us in their own way. It’s not scientific, but it’s worked pretty well out so far.

Used to be that one of the best ways to get noticed was to score an opening slot for Superchunk on tour, so that Mac and Laura would be a “captive” audience so to speak. But since Superchunk doesn’t tour much any more, I’m not sure what the secret would be.

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
Here’s what we have on the horizon:

March 4th: ARCADE FIRE - Neon Bible - CD/LP
April 10th: THE ROSEBUDS - Night Of The Furies - CD
May 8th: THE CLIENTELE - God Save The Clientele - CD/LP
June 5th: THE LADYBUG TRANSISTOR - Can’t Wait Another Day - CD
July 10th: M. WARD - Duet For Guitars #2 (reissue) - CD

In the pipeline: SPOON, IMPERIAL TEEN, OAKLEY HALL, ROBERT POLLARD, and much much more….

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? When? First band signed and/or first release?
Groover Recordings was started back in 2003 by long time friends Christian Örjestål, Niclas Janson, Malte Frisk, Pontus Larsson and Henrik Skyttberg.

The first bands that the label signed was screwed up rockers Streetwaves and neo Daft Punk house unit Phunky Drakes. After that the label signed hip hop act Snook before going back to it’s roots and mainly focus on rock music with a indie feel.

During the time sice we started out in 2003 we have also released compilations with fine artists such as: José Gonzales, Jonny Polonsky, The Steven McDonald Group, Sugerplum Fairy, The Mood Elevator, Anna Waronker, Tribeca, Bobby, Phunky Drakes, Streetwaves, The Natural History, Niccokick, The Walkmen, Lotta Sigeman, Dreamboy, Sofia Talvik, Ulf Stureson. The Martial Arts, Melpo Mene, Bishop Allen, The Sunshine, Hello Saferide, Rich Creamy Paint, Ashley Park, Gerald Collier, The Flu, Pure Joy, Roger Manning Jr, Grand Mal, Steve Reynolds, The Mellowmen Orchestra, The Lisa Marr Experiment, Anna Ternheim, Kent Norberg, Lasse Lindh, The Motorcykle Boy, The Here & Now, Timo Risnen, Callahan, MC F-Shock, Snook Hopewell, The Digs, The Green Fields, Reno Bo, Only Joe Kane, Locksley, The Shorebirds, Ol Yeller, Shade Tree, Joe Algeri & Grant Ferstat, Coydogs, Music Magic, Baby Grand, Peter Morén, The Quarter After, Maia Hirasawa, Thomas Denver Jonsson, The Autumn Leaves, EPs Trailer Park, Jon Bergström, Gabriel Munck and Consequences.

Read more here: click

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
My name is Christian Örjestål and i’m sharing a&r duties with Niclas. Pontus and Henrik has now left the company and Malte is in charge of the economy parts.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee.
* The Martial Arts
* Grand Mal
* The Shorebirds
* Lasse Lindh
* Sofia Gustafsson (Latest)

What is the best method for an unsigned band to capture your attention?
We are searching the net and venues. So just make sure to be out there. And if it’s up our alley - we will find it.

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
Yes, The Martial Arts: are our biggest project up to date where we signes a Glasgow based band and produced a Ep and album with them in Stockholm. TMA has since toured Sweden and gotten fine reviews and lots of fans. Now - we are doing our best in finding a home for the band outside of Sweden.

MySpace
Download: The Martial Arts - “Finale”

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? When? First band signed and/or first release?
the label was started in 1993 by justin and conor oberst (bright eyes) to ‘release’ conor’s first cassette ‘water.’ so i guess conor was the first artist. some of the early bands are polecat, slowdown virginia, commander venus, and smashmouth (no, not THAT smashmouth) back then it was called lumberjack records. the name was changed to saddle creek because lumberjack was already taken by a distributor. the label has grown organically from two guys dubbing cassettes, to a legitimate indie label with 11 full time employees.

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
we are based in omaha nebraska. most of the bands grew up here, or live here now. our office is a very average looking office building hidden behind a strip mall. it’s nothing special. a few offices, a warehouse, etc. we are building a new venue/warehouse/office space downtown, so it’s only temporary.

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
my name is jeff tafolla. since we are a small company, we all end up with a few ‘jobs.’ my main job is licensing. i pitch songs to film, television, commercials, etc. when they want to use a saddle creek artist’s song, i will negotiate the terms and fees, and take care of the contracts with the help of our lawyer and sometimes the publisher. i’m also in charge of music video promotion, new media promotion, and the street team.

Who are a few of the bands on your roster? Most recent signee.
Azure Ray, Beep Beep, Bright Eyes, Broken Spindles, Criteria, Cursive, Desaparecidos, Eric Bachmann, The Faint, The Good Life, Orenda Fink, Maria Taylor, Now It’s Overhead, Rilo Kiley, Sorry About Dresden, Son, Ambulance Two Gallants (our most recent signee)

What is the best method for an unsigned band to capture your attention?
the best way to get my attention is to tour. even if i don’t see the show, if i see that a band is getting out on the road, and maybe i recognize the name, I’m far more likely to give a demo a chance, or look up a myspace profile.

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
we have a pretty exciting spring. Maria Taylor’s new album ‘Lynn Teeter Flower’ and Bright Eyes’ single ‘Four Winds’ are both out March 6th. Bright Eyes’ full length ‘Cassadaga’ comes out on April 10th.

Download: The Faint - “Worked Up So Sexual”, Maria Taylor - “A Good Start”, Bright Eyes - Tourist Trap

A brief bio of your label: Who started it? When? First band signed and/or first release?
The label was started by Matt and Darcie Lunsford while they were in high school. It started at a fanzine called Polyvinyl Press, which reviewed a lot of vinyl. It became a label when their friends in the band Braid asked them to release a 7″. The rest is history.

Where does your label call home? Describe your headquarters.
We call Champaign, IL home. Our headquarters are in an old department store building that was turned into office spaces. We are in downtown Champaign and have a pretty big office for being an indie label.

Your name? What are your primary duties for the label?
Seth Hubbard. Publicist plus I dabble in radio promo, video promo, event planning, licensing and A & R.

What is the best method for an unsigned band to capture your attention?
Work really hard. Tour a lot and make good music.

Any upcoming release(s) you’d like to plug?
The of Montreal record came out Jan 23rd and it is the biggest release in label history. It is called Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?. Keep an eye out for it.

Dowloads: click here to visit the Polyvinyl Records downloads section.

COMING UP IN 2007:

31Knots | The Days and Nights of Everything Anywhere | March 6th
Download: “Man Become Me”

xbxrx | wars | April 10th
Download: “center where sight”