Newcastle-based acid record label Acid Waxa first came to our attention when we discovered the incredible Emotinium by Roy of the Ravers (listen above). We caught up with label boss Micheal to find out more about the label’s origins, mentality and plans for the future. Find them on Bandcamp and SoundCloud.
Why did you start the label and why choose to release on tape?
Simples! I started the label for FUN and also azza love letter to acid (aww, cute!!) Putting the releases out on cassette was an obvious and economically sensible choice, given that most of the releases to date were recorded straight to tape in the first place + that and the fact cassettes are loads cheaper and more immediate to dub ‘n’ distro than vinyl
Going on from that, what do you hope that the artwork and aesthetic of the label adds to the music you release?
I suppose the artwork gives the releases and label a visual identity, which is complimentary to both the music and artists. There was never a set idea with how I wanted things to look though, nor did I want the releases/label to feel like a brand. It all came together very naturally, in phact! Javier Fabregas drew the logo, Robin Da Reise gave me some flowers and Henri Claudel and Broshuda made/make the sleeves
What do you look for when seeking out music to release on the label? The acid sound is clearly a unifying factor, but stuff like Emotinium is really mellow whilst Acid Elf’s Insanus is pretty nuts.
Using my ears as fins and Soundcloud as gills, I surf the web in search of fresh and exciting new analogue acid sounds, which through using the latest in aquatic acid technology; I am able to identify whether or not something is a “goer” and/or has the potential to blossom into something beautiful/lush!
The whole “Roland wants to destroy the 303, Roy of the Ravers and the acid sound” story, is that just a bit of playfulness or a genuine comment on the demise of acid since its heyday?
You mean the story about Tadao Kikumoto wanting to destroy Roy of the Ravers and the acid sound FOREVER? Yeah, that’s 303% legit! Why, you ask?? Well, that’s simple – the TB303 was not produced with the intention of black and brown people using it to invent wiggy dance music in Chicago and India. No, it was produced for and marketed to boring guitar players as a programmable bass machine, which they could play along to in their boring home studios. Hence why Tadao is so furious with Roy et al – they took his little bass buddy and created a monster! Now history and culture can never be the same again.
What brought me, and probably numerous others, to the label was Roy of the Ravers’ Emotinium. How did that track (and RoR’s LP) come to be on the label?
Simples! I asked Roy if he fancied doing a release and he said yes and sent me a load of tracks! Then a baby woz born called 2 Late 4 Love (aww, cute!!) Emotinium wasn’t included in the original bundle of tracks, however. Roy re-discovered that one on a tape, which he found stuck under the driver’s seat of his car. He then emailed me saying that he had this other track, which he though would be good for the tape. Fast forward a year and a bit later and the Feel My Bicep boyz of Belfast are opening their deejay sets with it nearly every night and it’s coming out on wax!
It’s at this point that I am contractually obliged to inform you and your readers that the official launch for the 12″ EP version of 2 Late 4 Love is happening on Saturday 27th August at The Old Police House in Gateshead, which is just a short walk over the High Level Bridge in Newcastle, for NE1 not in the know! Me and Roy are very much looking forward to it and he doesn’t play live much either, so I thoroughly recommend it to any Roy phreaks out there!
What’s next for the label release-wise and where would you like to go with it and/or what would you like it become?
Well we’ve just released 3 new albums by Halvtrak, Roy Of The Ravers & Gem Tree + the 2 Late 4 Love 12″ VINYLALLY came out this week! I’m also planning on releasing another batch of tapes in October + I’d like to do a 12″ EP version of the Halvtrak album and a load of other vinyls too but this all depends massively (and depressingly) on money and whether I can get a P&D deal or knot coz at the minute – I’m working full time azza Support Worker and am still totally skint! I’ve had fuck all support/interest from distributors and websites beginning with B as well so we’ll see!
On a chirpier note, I’m excited to start doing some Acid Waxa nights and focusing on the live aspect of things a bit more! Roy’s gonna be doing a lot more live appearances (hopefully in the UK, DE and in France and Spain before the end of the year) + I’m bringing Chris Moss Acid to the North East in November as well! I also want to get Halvtrak and Stak Etop over to the UK at some point to play at some raves as 0.5W. They played their debut show in Tampere last month and it was mega! We’ll hopefully be releasing that as a live bootleg ‘n’ all!
