When I joined the Idolator Army of Champions, the first thing I asked Maura was whether I could revive the "Shhhh-it!" AnonIMous Super-Secret Music-Biz Interview Series (how many names does thing have?), which is one of my favorite old Brian Raftery (RIP) features. In case you aren't familiar with the series, one of our editors interviews—via the power of instant messaging, warts and all—a grizzled music industry veteran about their job, the state of the industry, and what have you. This week, we interviewed an indie label owner who asked to be called "Andy Capp." Capp runs a burgeoning indie label with artists that are regularly covered in the Stereogums and the Pitchforks of the world, and who occasionally appear in larger, more mainstream press outlets. The label has an indie-beloved roster, but is still hunting for a true sales breakthrough. It hires publicists and, in many ways, operates like an old-fashioned label, with an emphasis on artist development. In the interview, Capp is fairly pro-Pitchfork, stresses the importance of booking agents, and laments the state of distribution:
i also love that many of the big distributors are now asking for a cut of digital sales....'umm, no thanks, this is your detention for being late to class'
Good stuff! More after the clickthrough.
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Idolator
Last month, we noted that, despite media outlets from Pitchfork to Paste to USA Today claiming there was a comma in the title of TV On The Radio's triumphant new record Dear Science, there was no punctuation to be found in the album's actual name. (He missed MTV, Blender, and AllMusic, all of which showed their commitment to the cuddly clause-container weeks after his expose broke.)
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The rest of the Pitchfork Music Festival's lineup has been announced, and rounding out the night where bands perform classic albums is... Sebadoh, performing Bubble & Scrape. Kind of a letdown given a) the speculation about what other bands might be playing and b) my personal preference for Bakesale, but what are you gonna do. Also added to the bill: the Hold Steady, High Places, and Elf Power, among others. Click the album cover for the entire lineup.
