Interview: Turn Of The Century Records

Name: Turn Of The Century Records
Location: Chicago
Founded: 2011
Current Roster: Acidic Tree, Victor Shores, whenskiesaregrey, Empire, Slurred Terms, Pinkus, Having Antlers, Things Fall Apart, I'm Dead To Me, Playtime Revenue, Forever Losing Sleep
Contact Them: Facebook, Official Site, Tumblr

How did Turn Of The Century Records come about and what's the story so far?

Its been just over a year since I started Turn of the Century, in October 2011, and well I like to think we have come a long way. The basis for the label was me wanting to live out my dream of working for a record label, and seeing as no ones really hiring I figured why not start one myself. I was living in the Northwest and most my friends made good music so TOTC was a way for me to throw their jams on cassette and help them out. I worked with some cool bands from the Northwest and then started expanding and helped out a few bands from other parts of the country which I was stoked on. I'm May of 2012 I moved out to Chicago and Turn of the Century sort of took a break where I was not doing anything with it and called it dead but that didn't last too long (about 2-3 months). One night my friend Tim (of cool bands I work with and cool ones I don't) and I were having a few beers at my apartment and I brought up the idea of bringing back TOTC and he was into that. I recruited some other friends to help along the way and here we stand, survived the first year and the second one seems to be going rather decently. We are about to put out release number 11 coming up here and have a few others planned then just sort of taking things as they come. Im glad to be back and running and stoked to see people interested in the bands I choose to work with.

What are your plans for the label in 2013?

The new year is looking like it is going to be one giant party honestly. I get to work with a lot of my friends I made in the last few years and even some new ones I met recently. We used to be primarily a tape label with one CD release and now we just finished up (or are real close to finishing) our first record and have a few records lined up for this new year (as well as a few cassettes). All in all I have about 3-4 releases lined up between now and say april and then after that I am just taking it as it comes. I plan to slow down a bit though. Get some time to work the kinks out and really spend some time promoting the label and the bands we work with. 2013 is looking to be a good one and I hope others are as stoked as we are.

What's important in the bands that you work with? How do you choose bands to work with?

In reality we don't have any specific requirements or such for who we work with Most of the bands I work with are my friends and have a lot of dedication to music so that makes it easy for me to work with them. As far as choosing bands I have never really thought of that. A lot of the time people come to me or email us and say they want to work together and I think that's really cool. It is cool to know that people actually want to work with us and support Turn of the Century. There are occasions where I really dig a band personally and I branch out to them and see if they want to collaborate and work together. I really like listening to new tunes and such so that is cool.

What's your overall aim for the label?

I don't really had a goal when I started this thing and don't really have one now. I guess if I had to say something I would say the aim of the label is to help my friends music get out there and to have fun doing it. I work a desk job during the day so this label is just a cool way to get me out of that for a while and just you know have fun.
Shout-outs to the bands we have and are working with. To Jessica, Tim, Thom, Ben, Keegan, my parents, relatives, and anyone else who has helped with the label or motivated me in anyway. You all rule as well as anyone reading this. Thanks!