Stanley Donwood, Famed Creator of Radiohead Artwork, Starts a Record Label
The man known most widely for his Radiohead-related artwork (album covers, posters, t-shirt and merch designs, stuff that lives on the web) is launching an independent record label. Stanley Donwood explains:
'SIX INCH RECORDS' is a project that may take a little explaining. The story begins around the time of Christmas 2006, when I drunkenly decided to become a record label boss. Every man needs a hobby, or so the cliché has it, and if I was going to make a late-stage attempt at normality then that was one of the things that I should do. So, still reeling from red wine, I typed out a email to three musicians that I knew, suggesting that I release their music on my as-yet-unnamed record label.Do read the entirety of Donwood's own introduction. Like everything he does, the project sounds kinda complicated, a little crazy, most intricately conceived, and very interesting. I'm a big fan, and I can't wait to hear the music he's curated here. The Six Inch Records launch party takes place in London on January 30th; tickets are £6.66. LOL, Satan. (via the excellent Radiohead fan-blog GreenPlastic, and Rex -- thanks!)
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Wow, talk about choosing the worst possible time to launch this type of venture. Is he paying attention to what's going on in the record industry / music business at all?
@rezpect, did you read Donwood's post in entirety? Yes, I think he's well aware of reality. The guy is not launching a Capitol-killer.
the process he describes for making his beer mat sleeves (if i'm reading it right) sounds exactly like the method a friend of mine attempted. he's a jazz guitarist who plays quirky Esquivel-type lounge. he's also a hell of a designer himself.
his CD design, based in beer mat stock, incorporated a corner with a brass swivel so the front rotates away from the cradle.
even doing all the artwork himself
even with a small run of CDs
even with a good friend who had the exact type of press needed to do it (offered at friend prices)
it was prohibitively expensive and chalked up as a "learning experience" by my eternally optimistic pal.
with so many archaic details to work around while trying to maintain the original vision of the owner, i sincerely hope he sells lots of paintings in the meantime to keep the heat on.
Oh wow! What I would do to live in London right now...
You'll have to forgive my unbridled enthusiasm - it may serve well to state up front that the only artwork on the walls of my abode is by Donwood (unless my collage of travel photos counts - but that would just be self-flattery).
Ooooh! This is exciting indeed.
That introductory page is a great read, too! I fully embrace the beer-mat board in vinyl sleeve idea - CD cases have always bothered me (fiddly little buggers).
yes it does seem ironic in a way, i LOLed when i read the title of the blog post.
hasnt he been paying attention to radiohead at all?
guess he doesnt read boing boing!
love that guy.