What is your name?
My name is Alec Empire and I have been involved in over 100 productions, run my own labels but have also released many records on other labels including major record companies.
What are the full names of your labels?
»Digital Hardcore Recordings«, »Geist Records«, »Eat Your Heart Out Records«.
Why did you choose these name/s? Do they mean anything? Do they have any relation to the music you release?
I chose these names in order to create platforms on which new and different music styles could be developed by the artists including myself. The names pushed me and other musicians into new directions, like it was ok to go further when releasing records there. A name can present an opportunity to become creative.
»Digital Hardcore« was always special because the label name was used as a genre definition by journalists after it became clear that no other label had or will ever produce similar sounding records. We used to master all releases at Abbey Road Studios in London to achieve a unique sound, create a label identity this way.
While the name »Geist Records« describes a more complex, intellectual sound, »Eat Your Heart Out« had to be less defined… I wanted a name that made people curious instead of explaining exactly what they’d get. This allows me more artistic freedom.
Are you still happy with the names? Do you sometimes want to change them?
I still like the names. If I felt a name was putting my music in the wrong spotlight or limit me in any way, I’d just create a new one. Generally speaking I never ›produce‹ for a label and adapt to its image. My music always comes first. If it fits a label, fine… An example: When I re-issued the albums from »Mille Plateaux« on »Geist« a while ago, they would not have fit »Digital Hardcore«.
People, especially critics, create groups in their minds, so they understand things better. When we stand in the forest we see the individual trees, when we climb a mountain and look down, we see one forest. Our brain does the same when we listen to music.
The lines can blur but each piece of music is seen in the context of the label and artist it is released by. The artist needs to be aware of that.
Is it really important for a label to have a name and to put it on the back of a record when most people are mainly interested in the artist/the music?
It varies and depends on the music genre. In electronic music the label name is often more important than the artist name. So it is essential. A label name can create a strong bond between music/artist and people/listener. This is where I see the key role of labels, the business structure of the past century will be less important in the future. It will be about helping the artist to present the strongest selection of music pieces to an audience and linking him/her with other artists (this can include film directors, visual design artists, producers etc). Setting up distribution is less interesting these days.
Each music fan chooses his/her music differently. Following release plans, observing the various steps a label takes can be exciting to many music fans while others just want a song they like (which in my opinion is simple minded and doesn’t show great interest in music and requires no real taste.)
What other names of record labels do you like?
In the very beginning »Mute Records« must have sounded cool to people because of its meaning. I was too young to witness it though. »Two Tone« is a great name with a strong identity that still lives on. »Blue Note« is also very strong and tells the idea well. »Sugarhill« still resonates when I read it. »Alchemy« because I just like it…
