Chinese version：http://news.wwr.com.tw/site/news/198


Arbutus Records
Official Website: http://arbutusrecords.com/
Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/ArbutusRecords


WWR: Is Arbutus a business to make a living? What is the main business to keep Arbutus running?
Sebastian Cowan (SC):  Arbutus is a for-profit company, but it doesn't exist for that reason. I started it because I wanted to run a record label, and because it was a way to help my friends. It was - however - always a goal to create a financially sustainable future for our artists, and turning a profit goes hand-in-hand with that. Arbutus' main sources of revenue are record sales and artist management.

WWR: As mentioned, you run the Record Label and also manage bands, including Grimes. How do you manage(d) these artists?
SC: It was all very organic. I was working to grow the artists whose music I was releasing. As this turned into new opportunities for the artists, someone needed to step up and fulfill those opportunities - do that work in order for the band to keep growing. As I was the only person doing this kind of thing for these bands, I naturally grew into the role.

WWR: I'd like to know the selling of following format CD/LP/Cassette/DIgital in Canada. Can you make a list in order from the most (selling) to the less?
SC: We work with most of our artists worldwide, and I don't believe Canada differs drastically from the UK or USA in this respect. On average, 60% of our revenue is digital, followed by CD and then LPh. I think this is standard for most indie record labels. There are always exceptions, for instance: Sean Nicholas Savage sells significantly more physical then he does digital. One hardly sells any cassettes, but that's not the point of making cassettes.

WWR: Arbutus is not a typical Record Label, as the consist of friendship, artists, works. And you also mentioned films and literature, what’s the story? (We saw links of “Movie Star” on Arbutus web site, and we don’t understand that part...)
SC: This has a lot to do with Montreal. It's a place where lots of artists and musicians move to, and as a result our peer group (ie. community) comprises of such persons. Arbutus is a record label that promotes the music it releases, but these musicians wouldn't be who they are without the people that surround them. There are film makers, writers, visual artists, and other musicians. It's important to respect the influence these ppl have had, both directly and indirectly. By way of example, Arbutus has published three books so far. "Movie Star" is a subsidiary label, designed predominately to help develop new artists without actually expanding the Arbutus roster. I believe it's important to work with a small and focused roster, developing it over a long period of time. A lot of labels try to sign bands that are hits right away, and although I'm happy when that happens, if it doesn't we continue to work and build the artist because we believe in them.

WWR: Please describe Montreal.
SC: Montreal is a city that experiences a lot of corruption and economic turmoil, similar in some ways to that of Baltimore or Detroit. For this reason, one can move there and grow their art without needing to devote the majority of their time to working a full time job. In fact, it is very difficult to find work in Montreal (if you don't speak french), and thus most ppl are unemployed - which is OK because the rent is so inexpensive! Beyond this, everybody lives in the same neighborhood and often in the same building. With the very high physical concentration of creative people, it is an exciting and inspiring place.

WWR: Please describe the best and worst parts of Blue Hawaii show. (many of us are expecting it.)
SC: ha! It's all good. They're an amazing live band. I'm a big fan of the recorded material (of course), but nothing can prepare you for how stunning the live performance is. Equal parts beautiful and fun.

WWR: Alex used to work with you running the label, now he spend more time making music, do you think
SC: I always wanted Alex to help me run the label, but it is (and always has been) very important to him to always do his own thing. We are brothers, and are very close to one another. We've been through a lot together, and will always be there for each other. It is for this reason, perhaps, that we work together doing distinctly different things.

WWR: What are your top albums of 2013?
SC: Everything Arbutus released!! Doldrums "Lesser Evil", Blue Hawaii "Untogether", Sean Nicholas Savage "Other Life", and BRAIDS "Flourish//Perish". But, if we don't include those albums, I really liked Pional "Invisible/Amenaza EP", Bill Callahan "Dream River", Fuck Buttons "Slow Focus", Jon Hopkins "Immunity", Kurt Vile "Wakin on a Pretty Daze", DJ Koze "Amygdala" and Jai Paul's "leaked demos" (if you can even count that).

WWR: What is the most important thing one must have to start a music label?
SC: A very strong work ethic, good taste in music, and a little bit of luck :)

WWR: Tell us about Arbutus 2014 plan?
SC: We have records by Sean Nicholas Savage and TOPS that are just being finished up, and will be released in the spring and summer. I'm really looking forward to those, as both artists are at really exciting points in their careers. Blue Hawaii is recording *right now* so if we're lucky we might get a little EP for the summer, otherwise we'll have to wait longer. Doldrums also had some demos I got to hear last week, so that could be another record before the year is out!