Tell us about the artwork concept behind Frkwys – who designs the sleeves, and how do you achieve the results you want?
“The artwork is compiled by Kevin O’Neill at Will Work For Good. Kevin’s been a part of every Rvng release from the ground up. Our Peter Saville. The portrait concept is part documentarian and part family portrait. You can choose which artist is the weird uncle. OK, they all are.
“For the Excepter 12″, I ran all 1100 jackets in leatherette wraps and adhesive tip-ons. The cost on each jacket was already insane and then I got the freight bill from California. Holy fuck. For the second series, I killed the leatherette and produced some beautiful black jackets and adhesive tip-ons with Stumptown Printers in Oregon. We manufacture all vinyl locally with Brooklyn Phono.
“Everyone should be blessed equally for buying music in its physical form.”
Frkwys’ name obviously alludes to Folkways. Do you feel an affinity, however abstract, with that label?
“It is a bit abstract but I do feel an affinity. Like Moses Asch’s label, what we’re doing with Frkwys is documenting a music movement but enabling the movement to happen in order to document. We’re not travelling the world for field recordings but we might put together some artists in a live space or living room and preserve the sound.”
The first release on the label was Frkwys Vol.2. What happened to Vol.1?
“Not to worry. It’s coming together but continually evolving. We really didn’t make it easy on ourselves releasing Vol. 2 before Vol. 1 but that’s the freaky nature of this pursuit.”
Do you feel like the subscription model is going to be something we see more and more of? Is it the future of vinyl?
“The vinyl market is at a saturation point. There are so many records available now compared to just five years ago. I’m all for it but it does create a sense of bewilderment for buyers. We’re about to see pressing numbers drop, a number of labels that adapted to the “vinyl craze” dropping production with them, and records becoming specialty items all over again. I feel like fans that buy the 100 to 1000 records you press from release-to-release naturally constitute a subscription base and there’s no real need to differentiate reward levels. Everyone should be blessed equally for buying music in its physical form.”
Can you tell us anything about your plans for Frkwys in 2010 and beyond, or is it all under wraps?
“Under wraps but keep an eye our our Facebook for subtle and not-so-subtle hints.”
Are you particularly feeling the work of any other labels out there?
“I love Mississippi Records. So much care going into those records. A few NYC labels that I really respect are Golf Channel, Sacred Bones, and Olde English Spelling Bee. Beyond the City, D-I-R-T-Y Soundsystem and DC Recordings always bring it. I’m a full on geek for label culture.”
What advice would you offer to someone thinking of starting their own label in 2010?
“Go for it but do it well.”
Kiran Sande
Pingback: Juan Atkins and Faust meet Psychic Ills on new FRKWYS – FACT magazine: music and art