Urinal vinyl record label interview

1. Could you tell a bit more about urinal vinyl record label?

Urinal vinyl record label said:

Sure, well, I've always loved punk and I've always loved vinyl, so it was unavoidable I'd do it one day. I was running a tattoo shop on the coast and the sea came in and flooded the place so I got a few quid from insurance, was a "creative" claim to some degree, but it helped me get started up and paid for my first release that I did by myself. I just wanted to get stuff released on vinyl that wasn't available up until that point, partly just to help the bands out, and partly just to have in my record collection. Never liked CDs much! I was also gigging a fair bit with Contempt, so made sense to take a box of records with me to gigs to get stuff out and about. It's a bit more than 1 box now though!

2. When did you start with the urinal record label and are the bands satisfied with your services?

Urinal vinyl record label said:

  The label and distro was started in 2013, so 5 years now. Was just a small distro trying to raise the money to put out the first release, the first one being a bit cheaper as it was a collaboration between several small DIY labels, about 10 of us altogether I think, maybe even more! As for the bands being satisfied, well some are! I guess the ones I don't release might not be, but I do my best. I have a good reputation with 99% of the people I deal with, and the 1%? Well maybe that's their fault, not mine, who knows? Haha!

3. What bands can expect from you?

Urinal vinyl record label said:

  I'll do my best to get what they want I suppose. It's all DIY, run from home in my spare time, but I still run it all as professionally as I can, not that that's saying much! I work with lots of different bands, some that sell a lot of records through to unknown bands, so every time it's a different thing I'm doing, and if I can't afford to put stuff out for whatever reason I'm still happy to help out with whatever I can. I'm in it for the music and for punk in general, punk means a lot to me and has had a big effect on my life in a positive way. I want it to carry on doing that for other people as well. I can help out with mastering, artwork and so on, also recording will be available again soon, lost my studio by having kids, they needed a bedroom more than I needed a studio, but soon it will be up and running again I hope!

4. Could you give some advice to bands about the underground scene?

Urinal vinyl record label said:

  It is what you make it. Don't expect anything from it. Bring what you expect to find as the saying goes. Punk to me is about cooperation and working together, fuck all the egos, most of us are trying to be better than that. We're all a lot older now, and I guess a lot of us haven't achieved what we believed to have been possible in terms of the society we wanted to live in and become, but we're not jaded because of it! It's just taking longer than we thought, so I guess just give what you can and work together with no expectation of reward other than the reward of actually doing it. That's more valuable than you think, the alternative is pretty shitty!

5. Could you say something at the end for the blog All for one and one for all?

Urinal vinyl record label said:

  I could say loads but I'll try and keep it short and sweet! You can't get more punk than love, hate and fear are from the system, freedom and love, love of music, love of our friends and what we do, and a belief in ourselves. Anarchy works, just be committed to freedom! Change the world 1 7" single at a time! There ya gho, cheesy as fuck, but I believe it, thanks for the interest, Steve

www.urinalvinyl.com