THRILL JOCKEY
Feb 1, 2003 12:00 PM
Style: Multigenre mélange with a sect of post-rock, electronic innovators
Established: 1992 by Bettina Richards to create an environment in which label-artist relations are mutually beneficial.
Artists: Isotope 217, Microstoria, Mouse on Mars, Oval, Radian, Nobukazu Takemura, Tortoise, Trans Am; distributes Ersatz Audio (Adult., LeCar, Perspects)
Essential Listening: Mouse on Mars, Idiology (2001); Oval, 94 Diskont (1995); Tortoise, Tortoise (1994), Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1996); Trans Am, Surrender to the Night (1997)
Manifesto: Thrill Jockey allows as much or as little involvement in album promotion, leaves groups to themselves while recording, demands no tours and offers no long-term contracts. “I would not want to release a record that an artist is obliged to record,” Richards says. “I much prefer an artist to return because they want to, because we have earned their respect.”
A 50 percent profit share between label and artist puts both on equal footing and ensures that the better a records sells, the more the artists benefit.
A&R Philosophy: Richards signs artists through an organic process that involves constant listening, attending shows and through word of mouth. “I am first and foremost a music fan,” she says. “The range of the artists on the label is a reflection of my growth as a listener.”
Upcoming: New releases in 2003 from Nobukazu Takemura; Mouse on Mars; Tortoise; Oval; and the label's 10th anniversary DVD, Looking for a Thrill.
Contact: Thrill Jockey; P.O. Box 08038, Chicago, IL 60608; tel. (312) 492-9634; e-mail info@thrilljockey.com; Web www.thrilljockey.com
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