Label - Power Negi, UK 2

Label - Power Negi 1

"This Is Fubar: INTERVIEW. 008 - Power Negi Records.

When did you start Power Negi?

I started power negi in late 2006 when I was in grind/screamo-ish band called Moby-Dick. I made 100 hand made covers for a split with German band Ding Dong Dead; they’re now Lentic Waters. We recorded with Alex from Krupskaya - he’d be in other awesome bands like Fuck Hate Propaganda too. He sort of introduced me to DIY and from there I met loads of amazing people and found out about DIY shows and stuff. Stoke-on-Trent actually had a few things happening around the time. …Who Calls So Loud actually played a show, and Contrasto and other sick bands! The last show I remember being good was one I did - Pariso, Hang The Bastard and Maths in October 2009. From around 2006-2009 I did a few releases on vinyl, a couple of CDs and a tape and I also did a lot of shows. Power Negi has never been just a label, it’s always been about shows and distro too.

Where does the name Power Negi come from?

The name is just a joke name. Obviously this whole thing needs a name so people can find out where to buy the releases/ who to get in contact with etc. It came from the fact that at the time people were saying the word ‘negi’ a lot and thinking it was cool, I was also well into power violence which was a joke genre to start too. My friend Rory mixed the two and found it funny, so did I. The name stuck from there, it’ll do won’t it eh!

You put out releases through bands on Vinyl and on Tape. What do you think the appeal is to these formats?

I put out stuff on vinyl because it sounds better, it looks better and you get more for your money. People, listen, CDs cost a fraction of the price of wax and are shitty; you probably pay more for CDs than vinyl and you’re getting ripped off, don’t do it! I do tapes because they’re cheap as fuck, this means I can do releases I wouldn’t be able to afford usually - tape + download = cheap release, everyone is happy! Power Negi is becoming a tape only label now really because I’m so poor I can’t do anything else. I’m teaming up with Mikee and Em of Ravachol/VinoSangre to release a 2nd run of Ravachol tapes, I’m so poor now I even need help releasing tapes!

I’ll take a second here to say - anyone thinking of starting a label, do it! If you think you can’t afford to do vinyl, co-release it with another label or five other labels. Spread the cost and distribute the release further (the labels don’t have to be uk ones of course!!!) Co-releasing helps bands get heard in way more places, as does trading records with other labels. These two things are essential to DIY. It means ‘your’ bands get heard in other cities and countries and this then helps them when it comes to touring and so on. In a sense it’s an underground globalisation haha!

How do you decide what you put in your distro? Is it personal preference or what you think will sell?

The way I’ve built my distro is by trading with other labels for releases I’ve put out on Power Negi. I’ve traded with dudes from America, Malaysia, Italy, Germany, Russia, most of Europe to be honest, UK dudes of course. I’ll trade for whatever they have to offer. I’ll trade for things I’ve never heard of and things I don’t like because someone who looks through my distro may like it. The other reason of course is because by trading my releases I get bands I’ve put of distributed further, it’s all one big friendly cycle. There’s never been any genre segregation in Power Negi, I go by ethics, not genre!

How many records have you put out so far? And what new releases are coming soon/planned?

I’ve done about 18 releases so far, with 19 and 20 confirmed already. Anyone interested in what I’ve done should head over to: http://powernegi.tumblr.com/ - it has all the old releases there and what still available. Coming next I’m re-releasing the Ravachol “Great Moments in the Void” tape with new artwork, that’s a co-release with VinoSangre like I mentioned before. I’m also doing a tape for a band called Sloth from Holland, I’m really excited about that and can’t wait for people to hear them. They’re amazing people too, everyone needs to get excited!

You regularly tour with bands handling merch and selling your own distro. How do you get on these tours? Do you know all the bands prior?

Yeah, I’ve been very lucky that these bands have been so kind to have me along for the ride! I went away with Bastions in November/December last year (2010) I’ve known those dudes since the beginning, since I was in Moby-Dick, they played our last ever show and it was their 1st ever show outside the walls of Wales! I’ve watched them change as a band and the evolution has been astounding. I have so much respect for them, especially Danny Garrod and Jamie McDonald who’re the foundation stones and only original members of the band. Everyone needs to be on pins awaiting the new record, it’s going to be one of the best full lengths out of the UK in a while! I’ve tour with them a few times now, they’ve stopped taking me cause I drink all their beer!

I also toured with Kasa and The Long Haul in April this year, I’ve known Kasa since they started too, again putting them on in Stoke-on-Trent on their 1st UK tour, 1st date I think too. We ate oatcakes (local Stoke thing…) watched tim + eric and I gained the nick-name Spaggett… I quit my job to tour with those dudes and it was the best decision of my life so far TOURING > ANYTHING. Alex Pennie was driving on this tour, Goodtime Boys vocalist, so I was stoked when I found out they were touring with Bastions a few weeks after the Kasa tour. I had no job or anything to do so I went on that too!

So, to answer your question, yes I know most of the bands prior and they’ve all been more than kind to me. I love all these dudes for taking me places: Bastions, Kasa, Goodtime boys, The Long Haul, Jackals, Julith Krishun, and The Mire.

What's next for Power Negi? Will you be going on any upcoming tours?

I’m actually starting a degree at Nottingham Trent university doing fine art for 3 years. I’ll be starting a band or two so hopefully I’ll be going on tours in bands I’m actually in! I’m doing those tapes I said about and I’ll be building the distro up again because it’s running low now. I’ll be doing some shows with some rad dudes I met from Nottingham too, so anyone needing a show should get in touch, I can’t guarantee anything but I can try."