{image1}Recognize it or not, Milwaukee is a thriving resource of musicians. And what those musicians are learning is that it takes a lot of effort to get your music heard. To do this, many artists the world over have taken to starting their own record labels to release their friend's and their own work, and Milwaukee is no exception.
The Topscore label, formed by Jon Minor and Jim Schoenecker, is a fine example of this. Although the label is "music business," the Topscore owners see their releases in terms of creative projects in and of themselves, as opposed to basic products designed to sell to a mass market.
Both electronic music artists themselves, Minor and Schoenecker work hard on their releases, which feature electronic music ranging from creative beats to analog sound to field recordings, adding careful attention to every detail -- from sound to exquisitely designed package presentation, funding the projects out of their own pockets.
This dedication to their work (and the work of others they feature) is inspiring. The fact that these types of releases are possible to produce by two guys in their spare time is also a testimony of what a large role technology plays in current creative arts and media.
OMC: When did the label start, and what was your first release
Jon Minor: We started in 1999. I think just wanting to have some music out on 12" vinyl was our main motivation. With that said, our first release was a 12" called "God bless America." It was a compilation with myself, Pressboard, Kemlus and Jeremy Boyle. It's available on our Web site (www.topscoreusa.com) for $6 or you can pick it up at my house.
OMC: Besides "putting out records" why did you consider starting a record label?
JM: I'm not really sure that we considered it a label at first, we came up with a label name and everything but I think it was more of a project for us. We did the first record in a simple fashion but it was mainly about our music and about assembling a good-looking product at the time. I also don't think any of us were really any good at convincing people to put out our music anyway. In addition to that, there weren't as many small labels putting out electronic music exclusively as there are now, a lot of us were starting up at about the same time. (Wobblyhead, Zod, etc.)
OMC: In light of technology's impact on the increase of "stuff," what makes your releases stand out and demand not to be a part of the pile?
JM: One of the things we've always tried to do is come up with alternative packaging to a standard jewel case or a standard sized sleeve. The packaging is just as important as the music to us. Musically, I think we've always been a step to the left of what's "easy" to listen to, maybe more so recently anyway. I think that fact alone demands not to be a part of some pile. I mean, how many times do you have to hear the same stale gimmicks?
OMC: What artists do you have the most consistent relationship with and how did you start working with them?
JM: Label wise, the only artist we've released multiple times (besides ourselves) is Loam. We've known Jim Warchol for a long time, from his past bands and other projects we were involved in. I've always been a fan of what he's done and at this point I really am convinced that he can do no wrong. The one person we've lost track of that we wish we were still in contact with is Jeremy Boyle. He's always done amazing things with sound and composition and I'm sure we've missed out on quite a bit of what he's been doing the past few years.
OMC: What determines if a recording is worth releasing?
JM: Usually we know after the first listen if we are interested in a release. Some things we hear grow on you over a bit of listening, and they are good but they don't give you the same feeling as getting hit by a train. I think there are some things we may have done that fall short of that guideline now, but it's really about that moment in time and space.
OMC: What is your impression of the music environment in Milwaukee? What are you doing to add to it?
JM: I can, without a doubt, say that there is a lot of top-notch music coming out of this city consistently, electronic and otherwise. We have one of the best live venues you could ask for at the Catcus Club, as well as some quieter alternatives like redroom.
What I can say about attendance and support is less than flattering for a city of this size. Milwaukee, as a majority, has a real problem with going out and seeing things unless there's a "scene" to be found. It's amazing to me to look at the local listings and see the same bands playing out every other week and hearing the same people say they go to see those shows every single time.
I think what we add to the live music environment is minimal. If there are musicians that we enjoy that want to play here we will set up a show for them, do video projections and perform as opening support. We'd like to show smaller acts that there is an effort on our part to make it a positive experience. Otherwise we don't play out too often. When we do though, the effort is there to make it as good as it could be.
OMC: How many releases do you have to date, and which stand out as landmarks to you?
JM: Seven official releases and a handful of limited discs written for special events. "God bless America" is the first standout to me. It marks the start of the label and, surprisingly, the direction we would be heading. Notably, Jeremy Boyle's track on the record, considering none of us were really tapping into that realm of sound at the time. Both the old and new Loam CDs stand out as two of those releases that only had to be listened to once to know we'd be putting them out. The to-be-released 12" by Dartanjal is also a standout to us too, mainly because its been started and scrapped so many times that it'll be a miracle when it actually gets done. It's pretty much guaranteed to ship platinum due to the amount of anticipation we've built up.
OMC: Tell us about your upcoming series of releases titled "range" and combining visuals and music in general.
JM: The "range" series is basically a series of releases focusing on digital minimalism. Each disc will contain an audio/video piece and up to 25 minutes of audio saved as a high quality mp3. Each release will be presented in a custom interface viewable on MAC or PC on a smaller than normal CD. We've been interested in the combination of the two (audio/visual) for sometime now. When we first started playing together we were excited just to have a slide projector as backdrop. We've acquired a video projector in the last year, so that's been opening up new ideas for live performances and installations.
OMC: You also host a variety of events in Milwaukee. How are Topscore events different from going to see a band at a bar?
JM: It requires your attention. It's not about going out and being "social" or part of "scene." Come by yourself. Don't bring a friend. Meet new people on your own time.
OMC: Any future events or releases planned?
JM: The Dartanjal record should be the next release besides the "range" series starting. I think it's actually closer to being done since I answered question seven! Visit the Web site for news updates.
