Unique and valuable, first pressings are vinyl records highly sought amongst music buffs for their distinctive sound.
Perth’s local music scene is similarly unique, with grass-roots record labels making their mark on our State’s sonic landscape.
Join local musician and label head Mark Neal as he sits down with WA record labels championing their own unique sound on RTRFMs new podcast series First Pressing.
From punk, indie-rock and experimental, hear stories from the unheard visionaries shaping the local music scene and the wonderful communities they nurture.
Artwork by Lyndon Blue.
Music by Michael Strong.
First Pressing: Skinny O’Leary on his musical SIDEQUEST
For Skinny O’Leary, the most rewarding part of any video game is the sidequest. In life, he’s said yes to a lot of side quests too…including developing a career in music and artist management through SIDEQUEST records.
SIDEQUEST is both a label and a management company. A multifaceted project championing indie sounds across Perth including Ursula, Mal De Mer and Smol Fish.
Forming in 2021, the project emerged as the music industry was starting to recover from the COVID 19 pandemic…uniting once again in venues and at gigs. It was the perfect time to champion powerful connections that local music can make between people.
10 Jul 2024
First Pressing: Greg Sanders will “live and die with Indie Rock” through Gun Fever Music.
On this episode of First Pressing Mark is catching up with old friend and mentor Greg Sanders of Gun Fever Music.
Growing up in Armadale, the musician and label head first remembers getting swept up in the magic of indie rock listening to Weezer on his walkman.
This love extended into adulthood with the birthing of Gun Fever Music, an independent record label championing local indie sounds from the the likes of Mezzanine, Dead Owls and beloved local outfit Pat Chow.
He’s currently spending time on his own projects while continuing to spread the word and champion some of the finest indie music in Boorloo.
3 Jul 2024
First Pressing: Kyle Gleadell on punk, hardcore sounds and navigating the costs of the music industry with Helter Skelter Records
You can’t talk about WA punk without talking about Kyle Gleadell.
Like many Perth artists Kyle moved to Melbourne and while he was there discovered the underground punk scene, warehouse gigs and fanzine culture. Upon his return he was invited to join Helter Skelter as their bass player and in 2012 launched Helter Skelter Records, distributing records and producing punk music across Boorloo. The rest is history.
In this episode, he speaks with Mark Neal about his love of punk, being an artist as well as a distributor and navigating the costs of the music industry…
Sourced from Reckless Release.
26 Jun 2024
First Pressing: Ben Docherty on championing heavy sounds and DIY distribution with Televised Suicide Records
Today, things are about to get a little bit louder…
In a growing digital world, Ben Docherty of Televised Suicide Records prefers to let the wax of his punk label sell out before he releases his music online.
Launching in 2015, Televised Suicide strives to keep physical merchendise and music alive in a growing digital landscape.
Since its inception it has featured some of the best of what Australian Punk has to offer, from Sewercide to Territory, Drowning Horse, Nerve Quakes and Gaoled.
It’s going to get loud on this episode of First Pressing as Mark Neal speaks with Ben Docherty of Televised Suicide Records.
19 Jun 2024
First Pressing: Adem Kerimofski on innovating sounds, local distribution and transitioning to the online world with Igloo Records
A mainstay in the local music community, Adem Kerimofski knows a bit about independent record labels.
You may remember Adem from a little project called Turnstyle. Emerging out of the grunge tinted sounds of the mid 90s, Turnstyle bucked the trends of mainstream music cementing their unique sounds through the use of Casio keyboards.
Around this time, as a budding young Perth based musician, Adem K launched Igloo Records… a label to accompany his extensive musical discography, from Turnstyle to The Community Chest.
Over 30 years later, Adem’s influence on the scene stands strong, championing Perth and Australian bands of indie rock, garage rock and pop synth persuasion.
12 Jun 2024
First Pressing: Alan Mannings on Perth’s pioneering record label Clarion Records
At a time when record labels were uncommon, Martin Clarke pioneered Perth’s first independent platform Clarion Records.
Founded in 1962, Clarion Records is considered one of the most influential labels of its time for its dedication to promoting local talent and producing high quality recordings through the introduction of new and innovative technologies never before seen in Perth.
As well as uplifting Perth musicians, Clarion had tremendous national success with Johnny Young, The Valentines (featuring some of the first recordings of Bon Scott), Fatty Lumpkin and Chalice.
Mark Neal sits down with local radio stalwart Alan Mannings to chat about the birth of Clarion Records and the early days of the Perth music scene.
You can check out all the independent artists featured in season two of the podcast on this Spotify playlist which will be updated weekly.
Image: Outside Martin Clarke Recording Studio 1968.
Sourced from the collections of the State Library of Western Australia and reproduced with the permission of the Library Board of Western Australia.
5 Jun 2024
First Pressing: Nici Ward on embracing uncertainty and saying yes to risk with Pink House Records
First Pressing returns for season two with a new cast of local label heads championing independent music!
You may recognise Nici Ward as the voice of local indie-rockers Lonesome Dove.
But when she’s not fronting one of Perth’s favourite indie bands she’s running Pink House Records.
From humble beginnings singing Suzie Quatro on the coffee table of her childhood home, it makes perfect sense that Nici started to write and produce her own music, travelling across the country and around the world to do so.
She now helps artists navigate the music industry and release music as unique as them through Pink House Records, one of Perth’s youngest labels priding itself on individuality and professional production.
6 Sept 2023
First Pressing BONUS: Mark Neal on his love of alt-pop and championing diverse sounds in WA with Blue Grey Pink records
Across seven episodes Mark Neal has been catching up with the people behind local record labels to chat about Perth’s music scene and the wonderful communities they nurture.
In this bonus episode of First Pressing, RTRFM music director Matthew Perrett shifts the spotlight onto the label head to chat about Blue, Grey, Pink records.
Blue Grey Pink was founded by Mark in 2017 and aims to platform artists showcasing the diversity and talent of WA’s vibrant sonic landscape; fuelled by a love of the local music community.
Mark chats with Matt about his love of local music, supporting artists to create new and innovative music and representing alternative sounds.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
23 Aug 2023
First Pressing: Tone City Records on their first year as a label and nurturing the next generation of music makers
Sam Ford is a Perth based musician and producer who has worked with some of the biggest names in WA music – from Abbe May to POND, Romeo Walker and the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.
He’s also the brains behind Tone City Records, a local label with a passion for supporting and nurturing the next generation of music makers and putting WA on the national and international map.
Grown out of a love for the local community, the label was founded on an ethos of working across genre, sounds and nurturing the next generation of multi-talented artists.
Mark Neal sits down with Sam to chat about his first year running a record label, his musical origins and the importance of community within the music industry.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
9 Aug 2023
First Pressing: Midnight Elevator on falling in love with dance music, hitting the club after COVID and platforming local producers
This fortnight Mark Neal sits down with Peter, Georgie and Connor from Midnight Elevator.
Midnight Elevator is a Perth/Boorloo independent label and events collective, co-ordinated by Connor Golder, Georgie Berry and Peter McAvan; collectively with the help of incredible artists in sound, spatial and visual aesthetic alike.
Since their inception in July 2020, Midnight Elevator have placed a strong emphasis on local producers and live artists who contribute unique sounds to Perth’s sonic landscape.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
26 Jul 2023
First Pressing: Claire Pannell aka Furchick talks experimental sounds, women in music and DIY recording
Claire Pannell aka Furchick is an Australian experimental artist and owner of Dog Park Records.
Born and raised in Perth, she ran away overseas to New Zealand to pursue music; coordinating The Stomach music centre, Valve zine and Yellow Bike Records with Dave White. She also funded a PhD at this time by working as a sound engineer before heading to The Big Apple, playing in many weird and wonderful bands.
Claire incorporates a DIY and punk attitude into her creations which fuse arts, technology and science with Dog Park aiming to challenge the frontiers of sound and how music is made; from using household items and home made automata as musical instruments to recording live at home with musical collaborators.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
12 Jul 2023
First Pressing: Ryan Borrett on celebrating underserved voices, creative friendships and musical collaboration with Rockton Records
In a share house full of likeminded, creative types, Rockton Records was founded with the intention of shining more light on the projects of friends and artists around them that often sit on the fringes of the mainstream.
Hiding on hard drives or in SoundCloud aliases, the idea was simple, more people might want to hear this music.
Ryan Borrett, the brains behind Rockton Records, sits down with Mark Neal to chat about putting on the managerial hat to champion underserved voices and supporting creative friendships within the talented local music and arts community.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
28 Jun 2023
First Pressing: Ewan Jansen on the magic of independent music and seeking out underground sounds with Red Ember Records
In today’s episode Mark Neal hits the dance floor with Ewan Jansen, founder of Red Ember Records.
Located in Perth, Red Ember Records was founded in late 1996 by Ewan alongside producer and musical confidant Justin Zerbst to celebrate and seek out true underground deep house and electronic sounds in Boorloo.
Since then the duo have taken Perth club sounds around the world, with a global compilation imprint and various collaborations championing Perth’s unique variety of electronic music whilst seeking out true underground sounds.
Ewan joins Mark in the studio to chat about the emergence of the electronic music scene in Perth, how Red Ember Records came to be and the magic of producing independent music.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
14 Jun 2023
First Pressing: Em Burrows on empowering local musicians, challenging big tech and gender representation with Group Therapy Records
Em Burrows is a song writer, educator and producer from Perth who is passionate about gender equity and representation in the arts.
She is also behind Group Therapy Records, a label which started as like minded friends supporting each other in their sonic and creative endeavours. Though no longer running, there is no denying the label is embedded in the local music scene for its role championing independent and diverse sounds.
In this episode of First Pressing Mark Neal speaks with Em about her musical journey – from starting Group Therapy to her philosophy of success and the importance of sustainable creative practice in the increasingly exploitative arts industry.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
31 May 2023
First Pressing: Ray Grenfell on the raucous sounds, DIY punk attitude and socially conscious music of Stock Records
Our series begins with Ray Grenfell, the musician and brains behind Stock Records.
You may know Ray from local band Last Quokka but behind the scenes he runs a socially conscious record label providing a hub for musicians making raucous, punk sounds in WA and beyond.
From hosting WA’s biggest backyard party YARDSTOCK, to passionately advocating for social and political issues through their DIY punk sounds, Stock Records are a community built on the values of freedom, cooperation, openness and, of course, far-out music!
Mark Neal sits down with Ray to learn more about his musical beginnings, how Stock Records came to be and activism in the music industry.
First Pressing is a new RTRFM podcast championing the visionaries behind WA record labels.
Join Mark Neal each fortnight for a deep dive into Perth’s independent music scene and the people that nurture the community.
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