H-Town Rock Interviews: Bandcamp

No, it’s not like that. Get your minds out of the gutter! We're actually talking about music!

While we’re aware that this statement has become both a sad mantra and a convenient excuse within the scene, Houston really doesn’t have the best reputation as a music town. Granted, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary available (just look at last weekend’s Westheimer Block Party for a day full of proof), but that doesn’t change the fact that local and touring acts all have their own horror story of what happened to them at a Houston show (Two Gallants anyone?). Yet, for every detractor and naysayer, this city is replete with champions – bands, singers, writers, and radio DJ’s – all of whom are invested in this town and who desire to help Houston reach its potential. To that end, H-Town Rock was pleased to send down with Matthew Wettergreen, Philip Beck and Ian Wells of KTRU’s Revelry Report about Bandcamp, their upcoming project for educating anyone and everyone involved in the Houston music scene.

H-Town Rock (HTR): Anyone who's ever attempted to get involved in the Houston music scene is familiar with the hard road that must be climbed to get anything done. So, with that in mind, tell us what you plan to achieve with Bandcamp. What is the general impetus behind creating/holding such an event?

Matthew Wettergreen (MW): I wouldn't say getting involved in Houston's music scene is any harder than it is in any other major city, in fact, in some ways it's much easier. Houston's not as saturated with musicians as, say, Austin - any working musician there will tell you how hard it is to stand out amongst the dozens of gunslingers. Anyone sufficiently motivated here can pick up an instrument and get right to it.

Philip Beck (PB): If there's anything uniquely difficult about Houston, it's the perception - and this is a perception almost exclusively held by people outside the scene, in Houston or not - that Houston's scene is somehow naescent or inferior because of a lack of national attention. It can be frustrating to play here years and never have an unfamiliar face at a show (assuming that's something you as a musician want) because the population at large has perhaps bought into this myth that nothing's going on here and won't make the effort to see for themselves.

HTR: What do you see as some of the principal issues and concerns you have with the Houston music scene?

MW: Going back to Austin, it should be said that there's a reason people keep telling us that Austin is the live music capital of the world. Austin as a city is well oriented to support its musicians - I'd like to see Houston as a city whose government understands the role that a scene plays in the living city.

HTR: What are the bright spots that you see in the scene? Any singers, bands, labels, etc. that you see as doing great work in Houston?

Ian Wells (IW): The scene is full of bright spots, depending on how you define them - Indian Jewlery and Fatal Flying Guilloteens have finally started to get some well deserved national attention, The Young Mammals are definitely ambitious local favorites, Richard Ramierez is extremely well known to those who know him, so to speak, and there are so many more - but don't take it from us. Read up on The Skyline or Space City Rock or the Houston Chronicle, Houston Press, or Free Press Houston, or listen to KTRU and KPFT, or just go see some shows. We won't presume to tell you what you'll ultimately enjoy.

HTR: Who are you bringing in to lead these sessions at Bandcamp? Will these lecturers and/or discussion leaders all be from Houston or will you be bringing in some outside speakers?

MW: A sampling of slated speakers includes: Dan Workman of Sugar Hill Studios on Making career choices in the music industry; Dennis Lee, host of the Vinyl Frontier on KTRU, on Professionalism; Jason Saldanha, Producer for Sound Opinions, on The role of the tastemaker in music licensing; Gretchen Schmaltz of Western Civilization on Booking a tour; IndieHouston.org on Applying to SXSW and Promotions; Matthew Wettergreen on online promotion; Heather Wagner on PR; Paris Eley; Sidney Miller; and Sara Winter.

HTR: What are your general hopes and dreams for Bandcamp? What might you specifically like to see take place?

IW: With Bandcamp, we'd like to go a long way towards dispelling the myths [about Houston and music in Houston]. But Bandcamp is first and foremost about the musicians and providing them the tools they need to practice their craft successfully, no matter what their definition of success is. We know that there's a lot to be achieved simply by bringing everyone in the scene together just for some sit-down time, but we're hoping to take it further, bring in all the local labels, engineers, bookers, the whole who's who - reinforce them with some national talent - and answer any of the questions musicians here may have had, but been too afraid to ask.

PB: This all being said, I should remind everyone what we're not doing with Bandcamp: we're not here to lure A&R reps with blank checks to camp outside HSPVA (High School for the Performing and Visual Arts), we're not here to give a course on "selling out" (whatever that means), and we're not here to "break" Houston like Sub Pop did to Seattle. We believe that ultimately raw talent should be rewarded with the kind of recognition so readily given to mediocre music from big-name cities. We've seen what Houston has to offer and we believe that, with a little encouragement to the public and a little focus facilitated to those who want it within the scene, our city can be seen, nationally, for how great it really is.

HTR: Who are the primary sponsors for Bandcamp?

IW: The sponsors of Bandcamp are: Eventbee, an online event manager that can help you to plan your events and sell tickets without using paper; Blockcast, a local events videocast starting in Houston soon; and Black Radio Exclusive, an urban radio trade magazine that has been published for 30+ years.

HTR: When and where will Bandcamp be held? Where can someone get more information? Where can a singer, band, and/or promoter sign up to attend?

MW: Bandcamp will be held at Caroline Collective on October 19th from Noon until 5pm. Anyone may attend and sign up at the Bandcamp website.