Candlelight

[Russell]

Having read through the vinyl thread on the Opeth board I have a question for you Lee, probably a really obvious one

What do you think about how candlelight is being run now?

Doesn't it really get on your tits (metaphorically) that you put a hell of a lot of work into the label, signed some of the greatest bands ever etc. etc. and now some money obsessed idiot is fucking up the reputation you worked so hard to create??

Yeah, really stupid question in fact, but I still wanna hear what you have to say about it

 

[veil the sky]

baa! i think candlelight are signing some really cool stuff man!!

centinex anyone????
also the arcturus cd with the old stuff is being released through candlelight here!

 

[Lee_B]

To be honest I was a little bothered in the beginning, especially when they signed such useless bands as Christian Death and Agent Steel. Old has-beens weren't what the intention of the label was all about. I'm not so bothered these days. It's old news. They've even signed a decent band at last! (Kaamos)

The Opeth vinyl thing is ridiculous. From what I can gather they licenced the vinyl rights to Displeased and got 200 copies of each release as payment. It doesn't take a genius to work out that if you're left with only 800 LPs to sell, and double albums at that, then you're going to have to do them as cheaply as possible in order to turn any sort of profit. Hence the poor quality vinyl and the lack of a decent presentation. They're entirely pointless, and should never have been made. It's nothing more than a cynical attempt to wring a few more $$$ out of the fans. Unfortunately it worked since I believe they're now sold out.

Lee

 

[veil the sky]

hmm yeh Christian Death. I'll agree with you on that one.

The next Candlelight compilation they released post your-good-self was a bit ......er wtf!! Christian Death and Extreme Noise Terror!!! I was discussing with mates what the hell was going on, but i think it's started to turn around. Kaamos, nice!

 

[Lee_B]

Originally posted by veil the sky
hmm yeh Christian Death. I'll agree with you on that one.

The next Candlelight compilation they released post your-good-self was a bit ......er wtf!! Christian Death and Extreme Noise Terror!!! I was discussing with mates what the hell was going on, but i think it's started to turn around. Kaamos, nice!

Their problem when they first took over was the fact that they didn't have a clue about metal (still don't..), so I think they just signed whatever they'd actually heard of. It's product, not music. I'm guessing that they've now employed some sort of A&R guy, or that Steve has collared one of the PHD warehouse guys to do a bit of scouting for him. At least they're signing some bands that haven't either peaked in the '80's or are related to / mates with Emperor...

Lee

 

[veil the sky]

hehe yeh i hadn't noticed that actually.

who exactly took over? i know that blackend/phd/candlelight are all one big metal conglomeration now but who's actually in charge of CL?

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by veil the sky
baa! i think candlelight are signing some really cool stuff man!!

centinex anyone????
also the arcturus cd with the old stuff is being released through candlelight here!

Some, but nothing compared to what elitist is releasing now That Arcturus looks cool tho....I saw an ad a while back but couldn't find it in the shops!

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by Lee_B
Their problem when they first took over was the fact that they didn't have a clue about metal (still don't..), so I think they just signed whatever they'd actually heard of. It's product, not music.

PHD started off as a label at first didn't they? Not surprising it failed and they went into distribution Do you have more freedom working as an imprint of earache than you did with your own record company?

 

[Lee_B]

Originally posted by godisanathiest


PHD started off as a label at first didn't they? Not surprising it failed and they went into distribution Do you have more freedom working as an imprint of earache than you did with your own record company?

Yeah, they started as a label, and had various offshoots like Metal Other records, etc. Hat's off to Steve since he was only 17 when he formed PHD and they've become, i believe, the forth biggest indie distributor in the UK. One of their other labels Golf Records is doing very well with the Euro licences of bands like Less Then Jake. PHD also do Blackend, Loudspeaker, Rhythm Vicar and probably more.

No, there's still no difference in the freedom as such. I still sign what I like. If anything with Elitist I'm more financially restricted, as I have a set budget in which to do things with. With Candlelight it was my money and I'd spend what I liked

Lee

 

[veil the sky]

Yeah, they started as a label, and had various offshoots like Metal Other records, etc. Hat's off to Steve since he was only 17 when he formed PHD and they've become, i believe, the forth biggest indie distributor in the UK.

shit. if i hadn't been wasting the last 3 years of my life studying philosophy i could have gotten somewhere by now

oh well at least when my last exam is done and dusted next week i can start something worthwhilelike start a distro company. probably a well overcrowded market now though.. i'll go into promotions

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by Lee_B
Yeah, they started as a label, and had various offshoots like Metal Other records, etc. Hat's off to Steve since he was only 17 when he formed PHD and they've become, i believe, the forth biggest indie distributor in the UK. One of their other labels Golf Records is doing very well with the Euro licences of bands like Less Then Jake. PHD also do Blackend, Loudspeaker, Rhythm Vicar and probably more.

A lot more I was looking it up a while back, they also do copro and casket i think, and quite a few other smaller labels...

No, there's still no difference in the freedom as such. I still sign what I like. If anything with Elitist I'm more financially restricted, as I have a set budget in which to do things with. With Candlelight it was my money and I'd spend what I liked

Lee

But surely you have more money this way?? Where did you get the capitol for candlelight anyway, bank loan? I'll start me up a record company then, if Steve did it when he was 17, I'm only a few years late

Another question thats puzzled me, why call Elitist Elitist? Because I've never see you do anything remotely Elitist around UM, especially after reading the interesting ( and completely ridiculous ) "Is Slipknot Metal" thread... Of course, you may well be signing the elite, but hey

 

[veil the sky]

it's irony probably since the acts tend to play quite polished and complex music.

right?

 

[Lee_B]

A lot more I was looking it up a while back, they also do copro and casket i think, and quite a few other smaller labels...

I think you're getting confused as to the labels they distribute and the labels they actually own. The list I did was of actual PHD owned labels.

But surely you have more money this way?? Where did you get the capitol for candlelight anyway, bank loan? I'll start me up a record company then, if Steve did it when he was 17, I'm only a few years late

The marketing and promotional aspects are a lot better with Elitist since it's totally worldwide, but the budgets are very tight. Unfortunately in this day and age there's just too many CDs out there and individual CDs are selling less and less. Labels are having to tighten their belts in order to survive, and this goes across the board. Earache's theory is to keep spending the money on promotion, but to cut back on other things. It works.

The debut release on Candlelight only cost about £3500 in total, including the recording costs, the vinyl pressings for the Emperor and Enslaved albums, and the first 1000 CDs. I had about £2500 saved and I borrowed £1000 from my Dad. I had a lucky break where that first album went ahead and started selling really well almost right away. If I'd have started the label with the Solstice or Whores Of Babylon CDs for instance, I would have gone bust and that would have been the end of it..

Another question thats puzzled me, why call Elitist Elitist? Because I've never see you do anything remotely Elitist around UM, especially after reading the interesting ( and completely ridiculous ) "Is Slipknot Metal" thread... Of course, you may well be signing the elite, but hey

I wanted something that would make the label stand out a little. Calling the label Elitist is maybe a little pretentious, but I believe 100% in the bands I'm signing and I truely believe that I'm going to build a roster of enviable and supreme bands. Big headed? Possibly. But I know what I like and I'm going to stick to my guns whether anyone agrees with me or not. So, if not really giving a flying fuck if anyone else likes the bands apart from me is an Elitist thing, then so be it.

Lee

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by Lee_B
I think you're getting confused as to the labels they distribute and the labels they actually own. The list I did was of actual PHD owned labels.

I was talking about the ones they distribute yeah... ah well

The marketing and promotional aspects are a lot better with Elitist since it's totally worldwide, but the budgets are very tight. Unfortunately in this day and age there's just too many CDs out there and individual CDs are selling less and less. Labels are having to tighten their belts in order to survive, and this goes across the board. Earache's theory is to keep spending the money on promotion, but to cut back on other things. It works.

What do they cut back on? Surely you're spending quite a bit of their money on studie costs and stuff, so it can't be that!

The debut release on Candlelight only cost about £3500 in total, including the recording costs, the vinyl pressings for the Emperor and Enslaved albums, and the first 1000 CDs. I had about £2500 saved and I borrowed £1000 from my Dad. I had a lucky break where that first album went ahead and started selling really well almost right away.

Cool, thats aa lot cheaper than I thought it would be

I wanted something that would make the label stand out a little. Calling the label Elitist is maybe a little pretentious, but I believe 100% in the bands I'm signing and I truely believe that I'm going to build a roster of enviable and supreme bands. Big headed? Possibly. But I know what I like and I'm going to stick to my guns whether anyone agrees with me or not. So, if not really giving a flying fuck if anyone else likes the bands apart from me is an Elitist thing, then so be it.

Sounds fair

 

[veil the sky]

The debut release on Candlelight only cost about £3500 in total, including the recording costs, the vinyl pressings for the Emperor and Enslaved albums, and the first 1000 CDs. I had about £2500 saved and I borrowed £1000 from my Dad. I had a lucky break where that first album went ahead and started selling really well almost right away. If I'd have started the label with the Solstice or Whores Of Babylon CDs for instance, I would have gone bust and that would have been the end of it..

solstice and babylon whores... hehe those were the days

lee do you know where i can get a copy of the first candlelight sampler. mines fucked to bits. i've had it quite a few years and its too scratched to play anymore

 

[Lee_B]

Originally posted by veil the sky


solstice and babylon whores... hehe those were the days

lee do you know where i can get a copy of the first candlelight sampler. mines fucked to bits. i've had it quite a few years and its too scratched to play anymore

Whores Of Babylon were the Candlelight band from Bristol. Babylon Whores were on Misanthropy Records (or the "Candlelight graveyard" as it was known around the office.. I should have been on commision..) and were from Finland.

I think the Whores Of Babylon ended up changing their name to the Sound Disciples and signing to Peaceville.

As far as that CD goes, I don't think I've even got one myself. Have you tried www.netsounds.com?

Lee

 

[veil the sky]

oh yeh. slip o the tongue there.

whores of babylon is what i meant.

i didn't realise that Sound Disciplez was the same band. i got this free sampler from peaceville through the post the other day and there's a Sound Disciples track on it. it's damn good too

Babylon Whores were on Misanthropy Records (or the "Candlelight graveyard" as it was known around the office.. I should have been on commision..)

hehe. everyone takes the piss out of misanthropy. hehehe. well she did release some ....er ..crap i suppose. not all crap of course but enough to justify laughing at.