Neo-Psychedelia has become the fastest growing musical trend, and the genre that everyone who wants to be associated with. With that in mind, it’s easy to forget that it is people who make all of this possible and get the music out into the public domain in the first place.
Say Psych plans to address this issue by speaking to some of the labels most keenly associated with the best new psychedelia emerging and finding more about the men and women who are taking the time and energy to makes this great music accessible.
Next up, we speak to Al Boyd from Wrong Way Records based in Cornwall, UK.
Hi Al, thanks for speaking to us. Firstly, tell us who’s involved with the label?
Well there’s me, I have a hat stand full of different hats I wear during the day, my partner Nic and our two teenage sons, when they can be bothered. Plus Leanne Crowley is on board doing a sterling job helping out with promotions and is our Northern representative.
What was your motivation to start a record label?
Always been a dream, since I was 11! I mean I’ve always loved music but I’ve also been fascinated by labels, especially small indie ones from the early days of DIY punk, right down to catalogue numbers and cleaved and label design. A vinyl record is a piece of art, the whole package is art. I’m also an ardent vinyl collector, and have loved the medium since I started buying 45s.
Why the Psych Rock genre?
I’ve loved psych music for as long as I can remember, even before I knew what psychedelic music was! But within the genre, there are so many different types and style, and I personally love psychedelic shoegaze. But it’s not just about psych, we hope see in the future lo-fi, post rock and krautrock releases.
Where did the name come from?
I played Brian Eno/ John Cale’s cracking album “Wrong Way Up” when I was toying with various names, the rest is history.
Tell us a bit about the bands on the label
Well it’s pretty fluid, and there are other exciting projects still under wraps, including the possibility of another band from Manchester! In order of appearance:-
Rancho Relaxo – Psych/shoegaze – From Norway
Presents for Sally – dreampop/ shoegaze – From Somerset
93MillionMilesFromTheSun – psych/shoegaze – From Doncaster
Cult of Free Love – psych/ eastern/ electronic – North Wales
Glider – lo-fi – Falmouth
The Valkarys – psych – Edinburgh
Muertos – psych/ garage – Basildon and Mexico
Junkyard Liberty – psych/ psychedelic folk – France
Dead Gurus – psych rock/ garage/ shoegaze – USA
This Other Kingdom – neo-psych – Dublin
Control of the Going – psych rock – Manchester
Déjà Vega – psych rock – Manchester
Did you have a vision for where you wanted the label to go?
It’s early days, however a lot has been achieved in just over a year, the vision has already outstripped itself, so more of the same please.
Biggest triumph/ high to date?
That’s a real difficult one because there have been many like seeing the first release in the flesh, but I think the biggest buzz was hearing The Valkarys played on BBC 6music for the first time, and hearing Stuart Maconie rave about it and the label!
On the flip side, have there been any disasters/ downsides/ lies?
We’ve lost a couple of releases because larger labels have stepped in, real bummer and they both happened in the same week. Plus we could always sell a few more records hint hint.
What to expect in 2017?
Well we will see releases from the 2 Manchester Bands listed for sure and we have 2 records on pre-order, a This Other Kingdom album “Rêveur” and a very Limited BLACKLIST 100 Rancho Relaxo 12”, plus we’ve already released the Dead Gurus album “ACID BENCH”! There are several others lined up, so we envisage 2017 being just as busy if not more. We have also put our toe in the gig water again and we had our first gigs of the year, co-hosted with Astral Elevator last weekend. Both headlined by Fuzz Club’s Throw Down Bones and supported by Wrong Way’s This Other Kingdom. Then on April 7th, along with Bad Records, we have Lorelle Meets the Obsolete and Déjà Vega playing in Falmouth. Then in May, again co-hosted with Astral Elevator, we have 2 shows called “Wrong Way Unmasked” which will showcase some of the bands on the label in Manchester on May 12th and in Bristol on May 19th.
Plans for the future
Keep the label small but establish itself by widening the fan base.
Anything else you want us to know?
Thank you Leanne and Backseat Mafia for listening to me and a big thank you and take care to all of you who have bought our records. Without you none of this would be possible.
https://wrongwayrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wrongwayrecords/
http://wrongwayrecords.com/
