"I started Power Negi in 2007 originally to have something to back my old bands 1st split with. From there I've helped out/worked with a bunch of awesome bands. It's safe to say I'm happy with everything I've managed to do.
I've just finished the Jackals 'we are jackals' 7" - ceremony/ other hardcore fans check it out... and a split 7" for two crazy bands, Suckinim Baenaim (Israel) and Batalj (Sweden) came out really nice (for locust fans etc). Got three more releases planned for the year: Henry Fonda one sided 7" which is about 7 or more super fast power violence songs out on a bunch of other labels too.
We also have a split 7" between Hammers and Crocus which hasn't even been written yet but will happen!
Finally we have a 3 way 7" between Black Mass, Kasa and my own band Guillotines. That'll probably be my final record - or last one for a long time. This is an expensive passion.
I originally started this to release a split CD between my first band, Moby-Dick, which was a grind/punk/hardcore band which wrote about political, social, and personal stuff and a german screamo/punk band Ding Dong Dead. I kept everything as DIY and as cheap as possible. From there I got talking with a lot of bands and labels and decided there was nothing better than investing what small amount of money I have in bands and the music I love.
I would like to think I was a little different... I don't stick to one genre, but really I just help bands that I think deserve it as well as bands I like. I only work with people who have real punk/DIY ethics, people who just want to make music and not money. A lot of labels carry this view, I think it's the best view to hold. Punk before profit, DIY or die. In short I guess I'm similar to most.
This can happen literally anywhere. I mean, who cares where the label is based as long as they're doing the right thing? By this I mean helping the bands, promoting the records the best they can. Take the label React With Protest for example - Lars who does that lives in Germany in the middle of nowhere but it's one of the biggest screamo/punk/hardcore labels about. He's hosed Cry Me a River Fest for about 10 years and it sells out every year. Things like this could happen in the UK if people put their minds to it!
I would honestly urge anyone considering anything like this to do so. Tapes and CDs are really cheap to do - anything that helps bands out is good. If you're doing it to look cool, make money or get 'known' then fuck off.
To me both punk and hardcore are the same and to me punk is about making music, challenging views, fucking major labels and making your own releases. It's about doing it for the sake of it, not for the money. Anyone who is in it for the money is in the wrong place. We are about friendships, having fun at shows, putting on shows, releasing records on whatever format you want, selling them cheaply, helping each other, helping bands and most of all writing music. This should be true for people in all areas of punk and hardcore. It doesn't matter if you're powerviolence, mosh, skramz, screamo, fast punk, heavy, crusty, slow, whatever - everyone should embrace the DIY punk/ hardcore way - it's the best!"
xxx
jake
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