Supreme Echo is music label from Canada which is running couple of years. It is define itself as
"EXTRAORDINARY UNDERGROUND ARCHIVES". The man behind is
Jason Flower, music freak, who is really into many genres of music. We meet two times before - first time in Poland, in Wroclaw on d.i.y. punk music festival and second time this summer in Slovakia. Jason is great guy, and absolutelly loves talking about music. So we spend our time thatway. When you are open to trades vinyls try to write him. He is interesting mainly about East-European punk/metal/new wave but also jazz and many, many other styles too. Contact you will find on Supremeecho myspace.
Supreme Echo is my lovely label, therefore I want to give it a space on my blog.
So here are interview with Jason.
m: Introduce little bit your self... j: My name's Jason. I've been writing, recording, archiving, producing, and playing music since 1984. The first real band I was ever in, Dementia will be released on Nuclear War Now Productions later this year. I guarantee it to be some of the most painful, evil and juvenile noise anyone has ever heard. As for 2010, my band Mexican Power Authority will be recording and releasing a new LP of heavy rock music inspired by metal & punk.
m: What is main idea of your label? Introduce it little bit...How did you found title: "Supreme Echo"? j: The main purpose of Supreme Echo is to document little known and forgotten music groups from a few specific regions of the world which I am most fascinated with, as well as the region of Canada which I am from. So far: the former Socialist Republic of Poland, the Republic of Georgia, and my home province of British Columbia. The label name was inspired by a defunct cassette label from Southern India. All my releases are 100% authorized based on visiting & working directly with the artists.
m: You had the label BREAK EVEN before, and you’ve put out many records. There is some different between these labels?
j: Yes, everything is different. Firstly I’m maintaining a very high standard of re-mastering, restoration, graphic design, written information, printing and pressing. Secondly, Supreme Echo creates archival documents; no modern groups. I don’t have the time or money to promote active bands. The label is not a profit making venture, but simply a passion. It takes a long time to complete each title because I am very meticulous in gathering complete information, only using original images and recordings, and travelling to meet the musicians.
Break Even was originally a label to represent my friends self-releasing their own cassettes of their groups, which I recorded in my basement. I started recording bands in 1988, and in 1989 began to help produce cassettes and vinyl in small quantities. These releases were in fact self-financed by each individual group which all agreed to the "Break Even" label slogan simply to further legitimize their product and its promotion. It allowed many local bands to create the illusion of being on a label, and it helped promote them internationally. Some notable musicians I recorded later went onto be in such groups as: Submission Hold, 3 Inches of Blood, Ghosts, Kinnie Starr, and Hot Hot Heat. Break Even eventually took on a life of it’s own and helped create a total of roughly 70 individual releases on vinyl, cassette, and cd.
m: Tell briefly about your releases and about your future plans.
j:
http://www.myspace.com/supremeechoJERK WARD "Too Young To Thrash" 1982-84 12" Maxi-LP. SE 2009.
$22 / $25 / $30 PPD WORLDWIDE
17 song teenage adrenalin overdose of blazing hardcore thrash with guest appearances by the Neos! Contains full "Flesh & Bones" '84 demo except one song replaced by an early version from "BYO - Medium Raw" Comp Tape '82, and an unreleased track. Packed with all original artwork + photos circa '82-84, plus a booklet with interview + art. All songs professionally 24-bit remastered. Deluxe 140 gram 12" virgin vinyl, cut at 45 rpm for extra volume and power. Hand numbered first pressing of only 300!
http://www.myspace.com/jerkwardRETSEPTI "Anthology of Georgian Underground, Tbilisi 1987-92" CD. SE 2006. $15.00 PPD WORLDWIDE
10 songs (full repertoire) of well arranged dark-punk and cold-wave with raw Georgian vocals, recorded 1989-90. "A dark, desperate feel, interesting guitar work, and a twisted vocalist! Check this out." (MRR - Oct. 2006). "...very glad to have it" - Middle Eastern Division, Harvard University (May 2009). Deluxe gatefold ecopak cover, hand stamped inner-sleeve, plus 16 page booklet with lyrics / photographs / interview & history of underground music in the ex-soviet Republic of Georgia. All songs professionally 24-bit re-mastered.
ALL YOUR EARS CAN HEAR: Underground Music in Victoria, BC, 1978-84
A professionally printed 80 page soft-cover book packaged with 2 CD’s containing 79 songs by 46 bands (over two and a half hours of music). It features loud punk rock, new wave, psychedelic hippy left-overs, power-pop, and hardcore thrash.
VICTIM OF SAFETY PIN "Polski Punk Underground 1977-82" LP. SE 2003. SOLD OUT (but collectors can write to me and I can try to get you one).
The critically acclaimed, first and most accurate documentation on the development of punk, new wave, and hardcore in the former People's Republic of Poland. “This document provides not only in depth history's of each band featured, but also a well constructed history of rock and roll in Poland, and it's eventual evolution into punk - and how it all fits into the sociological, cultural, and political world around it.” “Seriously, I feel that this is one of the most interesting and crucial pieces of punk rock's forgotten history, and I recommend it most highly.” (MRR - Nov. 2003). 17 songs, 14 groups, 20 page booklet with massive essay and biographies. 1100 pressed.
I’ve also written a thorough biography for Armoros, which is released in their 3-CD boxset released by Marquee Records from Brasil.
UPCOMING RELEASES:
ARMOROS (1986) LP = alternate mix of demo + 3 rare songs.
NEOS (1981-83) LP/CD = full discog + rare songs, remastered.
BEYOND POSSESSION (1984) LP = White Noise + debut BP demo.
v/a QARTULI 70's LP = Anthology of Georgian psych, fuzz + groove.
v/a QARTULI 80's LP = Anthology of Georgian punk, new wave, + metal.
I make no promises about when these will get done!
m: What’s your most successful release? What about feedbacks to your archival work?j: v/a Victim of Safety Pin on Supreme Echo was the fastest to sell out. Neos 7” + CD on Break Even did very well, also some cassettes had to be repressed many times, such as: Mexican Power Authority and Empty. As well, the book I helped create, titled All Your Ears Can Hear, won an award for best non-fiction in our city in 2006.
Based on the depth and detail that each release has, I’ve received praise and positivity from both critics and consumers alike. The only negative feedback I’ve ever received was from a reviewer who really couldn’t comprehend that Soviet-era underground music was not to be compared to the West, but rather to be seen as something which like all underground music, has taken on a life of it’s own and evolved as such. It’s only been in the past 5-10 years that anything “exotic” to the Western ear has become “cool” and “hip”. In the past, most Western ears completely ignored non-Anglo sung music, and I refuse to accept the ignorance of simply seeing and hearing the world through a Western prism.
m: How did you chose bands which you want release on you label? Which criteria?j: I read a lot and occasionally discover music which nobody else has yet exposed, then I become obsessed with presenting it to the world. In the case of Poland, it dated back to when I discovered Polish jazz and punk in the 80’s. I realized that the first era of punk in Poland had never been properly documented, so I did it. Since then, many archives have been released by Polish labels and many old groups have reactivated.
…for Georgia it happened through discovering Mzetamze – a women’s folk group which intrigued me to travel there with my wife…where we spent 5 weeks interviewing musicians from the 50’s to present and collecting music. We LOVE Georgia!!! Me vedzakhis Sakartvelos!
With my hometown of sleepy Victoria, it’s a matter of documenting something that (in my opinion) nobody else has yet done thoroughly nor accurately enough. With Victoria, I’m merely animating projects which are everyone’s baby and that everyone has the right to contribute to. To me, Supreme Echo archives are soundtracks to forgotten scenes of the past.
m: I know that you love different kind of music from different parts of world. Can you put some few names - the most ignore or forgotten bands (scenes) according to you - from past and from present? j: No; that’s really the hardest question to answer…but I will say that there were rock bands everywhere in the 60’s. Now it’s 2009, and you can imagine there are still underground groups everywhere, even more than ever thanks to the internet and all the technological break-throughs. Get out a map, type a country name and a music genre into an internet search engine and find it for yourself. The world is yours to discover.
Thanks Miso, see you next time in Trencin!
ok, that was Jason. And I just put here info about bands where he played: (just for better imagination for his passion for music)
"A 'work in progress' list of the bands I've played with in Canada and Europe. I've played in over 20 groups, but I'll need some time to remember them all! Abbreviations signify my role in the group: Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums."
B.A.T.T. (1984) - pre-teen noise influenced by Venom and W.A.S.P. V
DEMENTIA (1987-88) - evil death metal. aka XANIMATION. V
Released: 1 demo tape. Soon released by Nuclear War Now! Productions.
TOMORROWS HOSTILITY (1988-89) - classic Canuck style hardcore thrash/punk. V
Recorded: 1 demo tape. Some masters lost, some remaining.
S.P.C. (1989) noisecore. G
Rehearsal recordings only; not sure if they still exist.
CON-FUSION (1989) crossover. G
Short-lived group that didn't do anything.
STICK FARM (1989-91) crossover group; hardcore & metal. G
Released: 1 demo tape, 2x 7", plus 2 vinyl compilation appearances.
MENSTRUAL SPONGE (1990) female fronted noise novelty group. G
Released: 1 demo tape without me.
DAYWORLD (1990) my friends funk band that needed a singer. V
Released: 1 mildly embarrassing demo tape.
PEZ (1990) fast melodic punk rock. B
Recorded: 1 unreleased demo tape.
CROTCH (1991) grindcore. G
Rehearsal recordings only.
MEXICAN POWER AUTHORITY (1991-1997, 2007-present) underground mish-mash. aka MPA. V
Released: alot of tapes, vinyl, and cd's; see MPA myspace for full discography. Active.
BLACK KRONSTADT (199?) Anarcho-crust. D
Original line-up, played live once in Vancouver; rehearsal recordings only.
ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET (199?) early version of Enfa / lak. D
Recorded: 1 horrible unreleased demo tape.
ENFA / LAK (199?) riot grrrl art-punk noise. D
Released: 1 horrible demo tape.
SEAT BELT (199?) post-everything. G/V
Released: 2 demo tapes.
BOUNTY, THE HIGH TASTE OF ADVENTURE (199?) stoner jamrock. G
Recorded: 1 unreleased demo tape.
HERMIT (1994-99) noise. D
Released: a few tapes and records.
THIRD WORLD PLANET (1995-99) power-violence before it had such a name. aka TWP. D/V
Released: alot of tapes and vinyl.
ATAK (200?) heavy Polish hardcore punk. G
Live recordings only.
AUTOMATON (2005-06) beat & new wave influenced Polish rock. D/V
Recorded: 1 demo, planned to be issued as a postumous 7" EP.
on the end I posted two pages from booklet "Victims of safety pin" LP.
by the way - soon more about polish punk on my blog!
support underground hidden treasures!
mišo
