LABEL OF LOVE
AV8 RECORDS – EASTBOURNE/LONDON
Label boss: Nick Graff/pete Wilkinson Interview: Charles Donovan
Where are you based, what do you do, and why?
We’re based in Eastbourne on the South Coast of England and in London but have a great team of people spread out across the country. Nick Power from The Coral does all of our press and copywriting, Deano does our Twitter and the amazing Russ The Webmaster does what his name says.
Why the name?
The label was set up by me and Pete Wilkinson originally to release music by his solo band Aviator. Pete had had the name AV8 in his head for years.
When did you launch it and how have things changed since?
The label was launched in 2015 with the sole purpose of releasing one
CD: No Friend Of Mind by Aviator. It started with me messaging Pete on Twitter and asking if he had any plans to release new music. After a long conversation in which we discovered we knew a lot of the same people from growing up in Liverpool, we put the idea of AV8 Records together and put the CD out from a website we’d set up.
Getting asked by Paul Hemmings (The La’s) to work on an unreleased Tommy Scott (Space) album changed everything. It made us realise we could work with other artists and not solely release music by Pete’s Aviator.
What were your influences?
You have to admire 4AD – anyone fearless enough to release a collaborative record by Scott Walker and Sunn o)) is doing it for the right reasons.
We’re both massive fans of Factory Records. The care that went into the design of their albums really made you feel their passion for the music. We think every record should be special – from the artwork on the sleeve to the extras, like signed prints, lyric books and frame-able prints of the sleeves.
Who are your competitors?
We don’t really have competitors. What we do is pretty unique: no contracts with bands, just collaborations. So many of the people we work with are amazed that we pay as soon as we get paid. There are some real horror stories out there that have put talented artists off releasing anything. We strive to be different.
Any advice for someone who wants to start their own label?
It depends if they’re doing it for love or money. In our minds, it needs to be for love and to work with artists we admire and respect. There’s no better feeling than getting a test pressing in the post and seeing an artwork proof. We’ve been lucky that most of the people we work with have some sort of following already.
What has been your highest high? Releasing Caravan by Nick Power on vinyl. It’s one of our favourite albums and was only ever released as a promo CD with a book of poems of the same name. Pete knew Nick from the early days of The Coral and I decided to follow what I did with Pete and send Nick a little message via Twitter. Ten months later there was a beautiful shiny orange vinyl. Not long after, Nick joined us at AV8 doing copywriting for our releases.
…and your lowest low?
We don’t really have lows. From the first release to the most recent it’s been a happy ride. How could it not be? Me and Pete both had Echo & The Bunnymen posters on our walls at 15 and now I find myself working with Will Sergeant. Pete actually went on to join the band!
What album from any period do you wish you could have released... and why ?
No one knows if it even exists, but
Pete and I are both massive fans of Love’s Forever Changes, so how amazing would it be to get hold of the mythical/lost follow-up album Gethsemane and get some of Paul Simpson’s artwork for the cover!?
Who would be your ideal signing? John Head. An amazing songwriter from Shack, he’s never released anything solo. I have heard so many amazing songs by him that aren’t available.
How do you find your acts?
Ha… from the above answers it sounds like me getting in touch via Twitter, but actually it’s just been a matter of people seeing what we’ve done and having a chat, showing a little passion and seeing what comes out of it. I struck up a conversation 15 years ago with a fella called James Redmond. James was in the original Tramp Attack and a later incarnation of The La’s, but had never released anything. This year we will be releasing his solo album featuring members of The Coral and The Zutons. It just shows that a bit of interest can lead to anything.
Where would a newcomer start your label?
Our website [see end of next column], where we have a jukebox and all the artwork from each release.
What can long-term fans look forward to?
James Redmond’s album Video City 2, Ian Skelly has a new solo album ready for release next year, Will Sergeant is recording a new album for us, an archive release by Skyray (look them up on bandcamp). Pete is planning his next Aviator album after last year’s brilliant AV8OR and Nick Power is plotting his next move. He’s been sending me demos for the past few months. The future’s looking really positive. It’s the best job in the world – apart from spending long weekends packing and posting all the orders!