Vinyl File: Interview with 1-2-3-4 Go! and upcoming releases

You're the lucky reader of the 18th edition of the Punknews.org Vinyl File. This column aims to keep you informed with upcoming releases as well as spotlighting interesting releases, your favorite band's own collections and labels with an history of vinyl releases worth talking about. As always, Vinyl File is brought to you by Ben Conoley.

Now that we are 100% completely off NOFX, it's time to move on to new places. After all, we've got a load of people to talk to and records to drool over. This week we are pleased to bring you an interview with Steve Stevenson, better known as Stevo! from 1–2–3–4 Go! Records. Stevo's label is responsible for releasing a whole bunch of great records and has recently been busy emptying wallets with a full plate of albums coming out this fall and winter.

Of course we also have information on soon to be released records from the likes of This is Hell, Saves the Day and more.

Click Read More for the full article.

VINYL FILE SPOTLIGHT

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your background within the music scene.

Next to "where do you see yourself in 5 years," "tell me a little about yourself" is probably the worst question in the world. I mean, few questions beg to have lies as answers more. Anyway my name is Steve Stevenson and my first name is in my second name…which has been found hilarious by everyone from Portland, Oregon to Paris, France. I often think of changing my last name to my mothers maiden name because Stevenson is an adopted name from my fathers side and I think the name Steven DeCarlo sounds a lot tougher. I’m a lazy man though so I doubt I’ll ever get around to it. I’m 28 years old and I live in Oakland, California. Proper sentence structure is not something I’m skilled at. I got in to punk when I was around 15 years old when I heard the Dead Kennedys for the first time. It literally blew my mind. I had no idea people made music like that. I was hooked ever after. Not even my brief obsession with third wave ska could shake it. I moved to Seattle when I was 17. I started working at a local punk record store called Singles Going Steady in ’99 which is right around the time I started thinking about doing a label. It wasn’t until 2001 that I actually started the label and doing shows in the Seattle area. I booked shows in the back of a pizza place downtown called 2nd Avenue Pizza. I met a lot of the people I know and love today because they came through town to play those shows. It was small, a little dangerous and was almost always an amazing (if not well attended) time. In 2002 I did a show with Against Me!, The Assistant, 1905 and Fiya and there were over 125 people crammed in a room who’s capacity was 40 max. I’ve never been so blown away by a show where I was simultaneously expecting someone to die of heat stroke at any moment. I ended up being Against Me!’s tour manager for a short time in 2003, short on account of not being all that good at it amongst other things. At the end of that I moved to the bay area and I feel like that was when the label started to take off. I started putting even more effort in to it and doing more full lengths instead of mainly 7"s. I also had a job that paid me more than $9 an hour…which really helped!

What made you decide to start 1, 2, 3, 4 Go!?
I started the label for a couple different reasons. Firstly to put out records by bands I liked that no one else was really chomping at the bit to release, which is probably the single biggest reason anyone starts a label, or at least it should be. Secondly I wanted to give something back/toss in my few bits to the music and community that have meant so much to me. I don’t know if punk saved my life or not but I know it gave me some place to belong and something productive and meaningful to do with myself. Without it I don’t know where I’d be.

When did you start the label?
Late August of 2001, although I’d been talking plenty of shit about starting a label for at least three years prior.

Were you into vinyl at all before you started 1- 2- 3- 4, Go!? Did you always release albums on vinyl?

I was retardedly in to vinyl before I started the label. I used to make lists of things that didn’t exist on vinyl that I was determined to find, despite their lack of existence. Like All The Stuff and More Vol I from The Ramones. I was convinced it must be out there somewhere…most likely Germany I thought.

As far as my releases go, vinyl has almost always been in the majority. I feel like CDs have come up a bit more lately to even things out but I’ve always been more focused on vinyl.

What kind of role do you think vinyl plays in the punk music scene?
At least half of it is nostalgia. The foundations of our musical style of choice are built on 7"s and LPs because that’s pretty much all music came out on back then. I think a lot of that nostalgia is based in the "rules" of punk. Punk has a lot of rules. None of them are written down and most of them are made up bullshit some asshole you know (or his older brother) decided were the rules. But one pretty standard "rule" of punk is that vinyl is "punk" and other formats are bogus. All the best old punk records were on vinyl so somehow it is imbued with special punk powers that no other format possesses. Some of the nostalgia isn’t quite as pretentious as all that. Some of it is just that it harkens back to a time when punk was something very different than what most people consider punk today. Seeing a new piece of vinyl in some ways is a nod to people who appreciate that time and the ethics and aesthetics that go with it. Audiophiles will also say that it just sounds better. Although with the quality of some recordings I don’t think it would matter what format you were listening to it on.

There’s also the somewhat troubling aspect that I have mixed feelings about, and that’s the speculator side of things. I think a lot of people are buying limited records, not to listen to or for their personal collections, but to sell on eBay later, and there are a lot of labels catering to that. It’s a dangerous situation. When I was 13 I "worked" in a comic book store and I watched a very similar situation go down with that industry. They started making all these limited covers and variants and for awhile people were in to it. People would pay $75 for a variant cover of a comic book that came out the month prior. And then at some point a lot of people soured on it. There was too much floating around, too many people buying for resale and the base of fans that are willing to put up with those shenanigans grew fewer and fewer. There are labels out there going overboard with these limited versions. I think having a few is fine but doing a record on 20 different colors or covers is eventually going to infuriate even those who would have been previously in to it. True fans can’t keep up forever and eventually speculators will see less and less of a return.

What was your first vinyl release?
Spitting Teeth Legacy of Cruciality 7". I think that record was a fairly big sign of things to come. Maybe not so much musically since I haven’t done too many thrash records since but as far as the general feel of the label it’s a good indication of 1-2-3-4 Go!’s desired course. Musically it’s awesome, it has a good sense of humor and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. I can honestly say the only uptight asshole associated with 1-2-3-4 Go! is me.

Have your goals and expectations with the label changed since you started?

I think mainly I don’t buy in to a lot of the stuff I used to. For instance I think that 90% of advertising is pointless. At one point I was running monthly ad’s in two magazines and now I’m down to one. Why? Because I know what magazines people who will actually care about my record label are reading. Not to pick on them at all, but what’s the point in spending $800 to get a quarter page in Alternative Press(or whatever AP is charging) when most of the records I put out aren’t going to be all that appreciated by its readership? I mean I may go out and advertise with them for the Big Rig record I’m doing because I think that people reading that magazine would be interested in another band Jesse Michaels was in but I wouldn’t waste my money putting something in there for the new Hickey reissues. I think for the most part you’re better off targeting instead of flooding the market with ad’s.

I approach distribution with a similar philosophy as well. Like a lot of people, I used to think that a bigger distributor means better distribution, which [as it] turns out is bunch of hooey. I was with a big distributor that talked a huge game and it seemed like all my dreams were going to come true, and then all that turned to shit. I got buried. A big distro doesn’t really care about small labels. We’re just not making the kind of money their bigger labels are so they don’t pay attention or push us the same way. Even if they did it still wouldn’t work. Big distros think success is getting records into Tower (when it was around), Best Buy or Amazon. That’s cool and everything but what the fuck is the point of getting Best Buy to take in 1000 copies when they’re going to return 990 of them? It’s pointless and costly. I’m exclusively with No Idea now, which by "industry standards" is much smaller but I’m doing a million times better. No Idea are good friends to me and they sell records to people who appreciate the sorts of things I’m in to. So when No Idea sells 1000 copies of something I do, I know that only a small percentage is going to come back if anything at all. Because the stores who are getting these records are actually going to sell them and the people who buy them are going to dig them.

What are some upcoming records you have coming up that you are excited about?

In November: The Arrivals and The Brokedowns split 7". Unbelievably excited for this. Both bands are from the Chicago area and they’re two of my favorites period. The Arrivals have a new record on Recess called Marvels of Industry that I highly highly recommend. I’ll use the shallow plug of "Paddy from D4 is in this band now" for those of you who enjoy such things because it’s in your best musical interest to buy this thing no matter what pretenses it’s under. The Brokedowns have no Paddy but they do have a record on Thick called New Brains for Everyone that people seem to be sleeping on right now. I think after people see them at The Fest that problem will be mostly solved.

Future Virgins / Onion Flavored Rings split 7". Two new songs each from two bands that put out criminally few records. Not much else needs to be said - seriously, it’s just that good.

In December or January: Off With Their Heads & Pretty Boy Thorson Looking For Pussy 7". Both bands are collaborating on Dr. Hook covers. I shit you not. They're recording in November and the songs 'Scum of the Earth' and 'Cops and Robbers' are confirmed to appear. No word on if the Shel Silverstein penned song that gives this abomination its title will appear. If you think the title of the 7" is appalling you need a sense of humor…and just wait until you see the cover. If you can’t stand seeing a cat named "kitty googlesearch" dressed in a Where’s Waldo costume, you’ll be super pissed.

An Uneasy Peace 7": I’m not really sure how many recordings Lance Hahn was involved with before his death that are yet to come out but this be one of them. A.U.P. is an 80s hardcore-inspired band with Lance, David from Drunken Boat/Living Under Lies, Mikey from The Observers/Defect Defect and Stan from Deathreat/Signal Lost. It’s going to be a benefit but there hasn’t been a decision on what it will be benefiting. Initially it was going to be for Lance’s medical bills but things are a little up in the air with his passing.

February and beyond: Ringers Detention Halls LP: Their second record. Yo Yo from Germany did a European pressing this year that is just about sold out and was never widely available in the states so we’re doing one over here.

Big Rig Expansive Heart: Reissue of their record on Lookout Records. Hopefully with some really cool bonus material. This was Jesse from Operation Ivy’s band between them and Common Rider. Crucial east bay punk with no ska elements at all. Also features Kevin Cross from Pitch Black and Doug Sangalang from Screw 32 and One Time Angels. Not sure what size a record this is going to be on. This is still coming together as we speak. Wish I could say more about it but there’s some crucial elements that need to get laid down.

Hickey reissues: Two compilations of their singles, comp stuff and unreleased studio tracks. I’ve been talking about these things for at least 2 years now. I swear they’ll come out in 2008 or I’ll give up booze, and I ain’t going to let anything separate me from the drink.

Are you personally into record collecting? If so, tell us a little about your collection

Right now I’m not as in to it as I have been in the past. I’m taking a lot more pleasure in putting out as many records as possible rather than collecting other people's stuff. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I’ve been working on the label without another job for the last six months and I’m a little strapped for cash. I just don’t have the opportunity financially to go out and buy a ton of records for myself.

Right now I’m actually trying to pare down my collection from probably 1500 to 2000 LPs in to something more like 500 to 1000. It’s tough as shit to do when you’ve spent around 15 years collecting the things but it’s been fun selling stuff I haven’t listened to in forever to people who have been searching for them. Seeing/hearing how stoked they are to finally get it reminds me of the day I found it myself. There’s nothing really like that feeling of stumbling across the record of your dreams somewhere.

What are some records you've released on vinyl that you are particularly proud of?
Recently, the Ringers Curses LP. It looks so good as an LP. Believe it or not in six years of running a label I’d never put out a 12" until that one. No idea what my problem was. If I had to pick from the past I’d start with the Fifth Hour Hero / Sainte Catherines split 7" based on packaging alone. I was the first person to get that type of fold out cover done. A printer called Stumptown in Portland made the die’s specifically for this record and I’ve never seen it done by anyone else since. As far as cool vinyl colors I’d have to say the House on Fire 7". I got seven different random color varieties and they all looked great. That record was a pretty good package as well. Especially if you got one of the sheet metal covers that I hand cut and stenciled. I ripped my hands to shit making those things but they look amazing. Each one was numbered and personalized with the name of the person who ordered it. I like to think that I’ve never seen one pop up anywhere because people are too stoked on it to sell them.

Do you collect any other bands or labels?
There’s no label specifically that I have to have every last thing of right now. As unpunk as it might be, the bands that I’m most in to collecting right now are Built To Spill and Modest Mouse. I’m also super in to country as well and it rules. All the best records are $1 at Amoeba. I’ve gotten so many good 70s outlaw records there and paid next to nothing for them. I’m also always on the lookout for CBS editions of Clash records, a few Pogues pieces and a random assortment of stuff from The Pixies and Frank Black. Because of my years of working at a record store and easy access to two Amoeba Records stores in my area I’m not looking for much anymore because I pretty much have what I want.

What's your most prized piece of vinyl?

An original copy of X’s Adult Books 7" on Dangerhouse. Everything about that record is amazing. From the music that’s on it to the layout/art of the cover. It’s also really cool to hold in your hands the foundation of one of your favorite band’s career. Knowing that most of these were sold to weirdos in LA in the late 70s who were in on the ground floor of this thing. Having it almost makes you feel like you were there too.

What release that's not available on vinyl would you like to see printed?

Radon’s We Bare All in a version that actually sounds right and isn’t a test pressing.

Are there any records you really want but have been hesitant to shell out big bucks for?

I usually get stuck on the cheaper records that are accurately and fairly priced because I always want to find a deal instead. I mean I passed on an original copy of The Supersuckers Smoke of Hell LP priced at $20 that I really wanted because I just didn’t want to pay that much for it. $20 is totally what it’s worth and not a lot of money at all but I wouldn’t do it. I have patience for some things like that. One day it will come to me. On the other side, the truly top dollar (to me anyway) things I want I just can’t find! For instance I would easily lay down $60 to $75 for a decent copy of Modest Mouse’s Heart Cooks Brain 7" but I can’t find the damn thing.

Besides the obvious, what sets vinyl apart from other formats?

The esoteric value is through the roof! My favorite parts are the art and layout potentials that don’t exist in other formats and of course vinyl colors. Although I want to go on record again to say that people need to knock it the fuck off with all of this Pirates Press "splatter" vinyl. You see it so often that it’s lost all specialness to me. There’s a million other cool things you can do. Shake it up a little out there. Not to dump on Pirates but I’d also like to see people use more American plants like United or Erika. I’ve never been one of those "HOORAY USA!" people but I know for a fact that we’d live in a poorer and more heinous country if all our plants were gone and our only option was to use middlemen to get records pressed in Europe and shipped back to us. Be punk, try the best kind of sourcing for your vinyl pressing, Insourcing!

THE PUNKNEWS.ORG VINYL FILE

Normally we don't include sales in our Vinyl File news, but we figure this one is worth mentioning. Facedown Records is holding a charity auction over at that popular auction site. Records from Comeback Kid, No Innocent Victim and more. Money raised from the auction will go to a number of charities, including a San Diego fire relief organization.

Wrapped in Plastic Records has released its first album. Fire Team Charlie's self-titled 7" is available from the label now. It's limited to 300 with hand screened covers, with 30 being record release covers.

Following the lead of some other leading labels, Deathwish/Malfunction are preparing to start offering free digital downloads with the purchase of vinyl releases. Beginning with Shipwreck a.d.'s upcoming Abyss, records from the labels will be accompanied with a coupon featuring a code for a onetime download of the album on 192KBPS MP3s as well as high resolution cover art.

Digital downloads will also be available with the upcoming Daniel Johnston releases of his debut album Hi, How Are You as well as Yip Jump Music. Both albums will be available on November 25 from this website.

Attack in Black's new album Curve of the Earth is now available for preorder right here. In related news, Dine Alone Records has started a blog focusing on their upcoming vinyl releases. In addition to Curve of the Earth the label is also working on a vinyl release for the Moondog demo. Moondog was Walter Schreifels' project in between his time spent in Gorilla Biscuits and Quicksand. While the demo was recorded and traded on bootleg tapes for years, it has never had an official vinyl release. Dine Alone says it should be available in the next few months.
To read the Dine Alone vinyl blog, head on over here.

Fresh off their appearance at The Fest, Four Letter Word have a few new 7"s available. The first is a split tour EP with Off With Their Heads. Also available is the Starting Down the Barrel 7" EP. It comes on three colors, including one described as "ice cold beer." Delicious.

This is Hell's latest 7" came out yesterday. Cripllers features new songs from the band and is available just before the band's upcoming split 7" with Cancer Bats.

Under the Boards, the latest from Saves the Day is now available for pre-order from a number of websites. It's available on three colors including black and "custer."

Pre-orders of the next Me First and the Gimme Gimmes squaredance 7", Willie are starting to pop up, so keep your eyes on your favorite distro site. Of course, as always, those bought outside of Fat Wreck Chords will be on colored vinyl, while those bought from Fat will be black and shaped as a square. The record is out on December 11.

Straight out of Portland, Oreagon, The Sods Pop Kids are back with their second album. Teen Bop Dream is an infectious blend of bubblegum pop punk with enough nostalgia in its sound to make you throw on those Happy Days DVDs - even though there was no punk on Happy Days whatsoever. It's available from Full Breach Kicks.

No Idea Records is taking pre-orders for The Fear, The Fear, The Fear from Defiance, Ohio, the band's followup to 2006's The Great Depression.
If there is anything you would like to see featured in Vinyl File email ben (at) punknews (dot) org.