Sinister: krazy? not half...

[pulped | AP Tobin]

thanks to s. troussé for submitting that piece on my jeepster profile.  i
write for a webzine called 'the kinda muzik you like', which has been around
for around a year.  it's quite interesting to have read something that was
posted last month, with almost identical questions!  i came up with my
questions on my own, along with the opening paragraph, and it does indeed
seem to be all too similar for my taste.  compare:

http://www.kindamuzik.net/labels/jeepster.shtml

and

http://www.poetrysoc.com/krazy/krazy.htm

hmm, now as i don't really like it even being associated with a potential
rip-off and my work is original, here - and i'm really sorry to post all of
this - is jeepster's reply to me, dated 16 february:

> AP Tobin wrote:
>> 
>> david, here are a few questions for the label profile feature.  feel free to
>> add anything at your leisure...
>> 
>> 1.  Why did you choose to name your label Jeepster?  Does it come from the T
>> Rex song?
> 
> The name Jeepster was chosen by Stef (one of the founders). It does come from
> the
> T-Rex song. The idea being that it sounded like a person and something you can
> relate to rather than a corporate entity, as well as reflecting the music we
> listen to.
> 
>> 2.  How would you describe the Jeepster Sound?  What are the qualities you
>> look for when signing artists to the label?
> 
> Alternative/Pop? We generally go for good song writing skills, prolific
> creativity
> with the intrumentation and a unique vocalist.
> 
>> 3.  If they weren't signed already, is there any band you'd love to snatch
>> up without hesitation?
> 
> Quite a few actually, The Super Furry Animals are the first that come to mind.
> But
> then also Beck, Bjork, Grandaddy, Blur, The Prodigy, Flaming Lips, we could go
> on
> for days :) there's no point being in this business if you don't still love
> music.
> 
>> 4.  Jeepster is a relatively small and independent label.  How important is
>> the make-up and position of the label to you?  Is independence and size a
>> major factor in the label's philosophy?
> 
> Independence is integral to the way we work, small is beautiful. Although we
> can
> see the label growing into the future being small at the moment is very good,
> with
> only 4 full time members of staff there are no internal communication problems
> and
> we can make decisions and act on them very quickly.
> 
>> 5.  What - in short - is the history of Jeepster?  How did it come about?
> 
> Mark had become bored and frustrated with working for major record companies
> for
> 15 years, and Stef had worked in the city for that time. When Mark finally
> left
> the majors with the dream of starting his own company (in which he would
> finally
> have the ability to sign the bands he loved and work on them in a way that
> reflected the music and wasn't just part of a rigid marketing strategy), Stef
> agreed to come onboard with him and invest in the startup of the company. Both
> Stef and Mark's friendship had developed from going to gigs through the
> previous
> years, and here at last was the chance to put out records that were of the
> same
> quality and diversity as the ones that their friendship had grown from.
> 
>> 6.  The internet is rapidly changing the way people consume and listen to
>> music.  How important is this new technology to you, and do you have any
>> plans to use this medium in different ways?
> 
> It's incredibly valuable to us. We don't work on records in a traditional way,
> we
> have no rule book dictating how to make and sell a record. And because of our
> size, we can't compete with a major record labels million pound advertising
> campaign. As a result we have put everything into finding the best way to let
> the
> people who buy our records know about our records. It just follows through
> that
> the best way to do this is not to wallpaper the streets with posters but to
> give
> the information directly to the fans and to help provide the services that
> enable
> the fans to get in touch with other fans and grow the fan base from the grass
> roots. We will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible
> (technically
> and creatively) and continue to ignore the rules on how to do things. We
> create
> music for people, and we'll continue to use technology to let people know
> about
> it, be this through internet radio, wireless area protocol, digital
> distribution,
> or a fanzine element to the websites.
> 
>> 7.  What does a typical day at Jeepster Central look like?
> 
> Well the office is a permanent mess, merchandise covering the floor, paperwork
> all
> over the deskspace, the walls cluttered with posters. We all use computers and
> the
> internet a lot, so our desks are dominated by them. In between fits of
> laughter,
> cups of tea and generally taking the piss out of each other we get a
> surprising
> amount of work done. It's a simple 'heads down' ideal, providing the work is
> done
> quickly and to a high standard, then everything else if just fun and play and
> helps to keep the atmosphere electric.
> 
>> 8.  Aside from CD releases, a good deal of your records come out on vinyl.
>> How important is vinyl to you?
> 
> Most of the bands love of vinyl has encouraged us to continue to release
> records
> on vinyl. But there is no doubt that the format is sadly dying. We'll continue
> to
> put out records for as long as they can cover their own costs as there's still
> no
> beating the sheer experience of getting a new record, removing it from the
> slip,
> and dropping the needle onto it for the first time. Records are very personal
> items, moreso than a CD, it remembers the time you scratch it and that becomes
> part of the character of your particular piece of vinyl, you really can't
> surpass
> it for emotional attachment. That is something that digital media neutralises
> too
> much.
> 
>> 9.  When releasing a record, how important is packaging to you, combined
>> with the music on the disc?  Is there a Jeepster look?
> 
> Again, this is an artist led decision. We try to give them full creative
> control
> and merely advise on feasibility and production angles. Jeepster is about
> putting
> out great music, the finer details like design should be part of the artistic
> process of creating music, we're here to enable it and not dictate it.
> 
>> 10.  Have you ever thought about branching out into other areas such as
>> books or video?
> 
> Not really, we're a record company, we don't want to be the next virgin and
> have
> planes, trains and crap soft drinks or other types of media empires. We're
> very
> happy putting out the best music that we can and sticking to what we believe
> we
> know, thank you very much :)
> 
>> 11.  What does the future hold for Jeepster?
> 
> Who knows? We're going to continue what we're doing, continue to believe in
> the
> music and place that first. We're quite humble about what we've achieved and
> we're
> not aiming to be the 'biggest record label in the world' or anything. It's the
> old
> cliché, we're happy with what we're doing, we love the music, and providing it
> manages to pay the rent for the bands and ourselves, then we want to do this
> forever, anything else, is just a bonus :)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hope all of that is helpful alex :)
> 
> david
> 
> +---------------------------------------------------------------------+
> jeepster own my soul
> 
> david kitchen : jeepster recordings ltd : http://www.jeepster.co.uk/
> mailto:david at jeepster.co.uk : icq 28483699 : mobile 07930 116 705
> po box 14153, london sw11 4xu, uk
> 
> to subscribe to the news mailing list mailto:majordomo at jeepster.co.uk
> with 'subscribe news' in the body of the message

sorry to post all of that, but i'm a bit livid really.  god knows how the
other article could've been published last month, unless it was backdated.
or is someone taking the piss?  please do tell me that's what it is!

cheers,

alex
http://www.pulped.co.uk


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