Milwaukee can never have too many people working hard to broaden the audience for homegrown music. So, when two members of Menlo decided to start a co-op record label, Sparkler Records, there was no shortage of bands hoping to get on board.
While individually bands appear to wield little power, when they band together they can help one another with publicity, artwork, gigs and more. That's the theory behind Sparkler Records, founded by Gregory Borden and Joe Kirschling. And it appears to be working.
"Milwaukee is our home, and we feel that there are still a lot of people we haven't reached yet with our music," says Tim Johnson of Strangest Places, one of the bands involved. "Sparkler seemed like a wonderful way for not only us, but the rest of the bands on the label to help each other reach higher levels of recognition in Milwaukee and beyond. The label is a very positive thing for our band, and we're proud to try and bring a bigger level of excitement to the Milwaukee music scene with Sparkler."
We talked to Borden recently to find out about the beginnings of Sparkler and where it's going.
OMC: Tell us about the genesis of Sparkler Records.
GB: I had this idea a while back about starting a record label, but I didn't want it to be very conventional. I pitched it to my friend and drummer Joe Kirschling and he loved it from the start. We sat down talked it through, ran it by some other music people and it began.
The idea of a co-op record label isn't rocket science or anything, it's actually a very simple idea. We want to help bands do what they do better. We want more exposure and we want to be a catalyst for the Milwaukee music scene. We split all our costs equally and Joe and I run it. Our slogan is "support original Milwaukee music" and we stand by that.
OMC: Did you talk to other folks in town that had started labels? What did you learn from that?
GB: I talked to Joe Vent (The Yell Leaders) from the defunct but excellent Don't Records. He is sort of my mentor about all things music. Joe's been there and he has helped me figure things out and sidestep common pitfalls. He told me some of the horror stories of Don't Records, the Milwaukee scene and the music business in general.
I try to apply some of this knowledge to what we're doing, and some of it has helped us out. There are other labels springing up in Milwaukee or have been around awhile, No Karma, Easter, Latest Flame etc. and we're starting to talk to them, too, about promotional ideas and other possible avenues we can pursue together. Things are getting good Milwaukee, get ready.
OMC: Do you find it hard to balance your duties at the label with all of the work it takes being in a band -- songwriting, rehearsing, recording, booking gigs, etc.?
GB: Yes and No. Joe and I try to run this co-op label as smartly and efficiently and cheaply as possible. It takes some time and thinking to do this, but we're getting bands that want to support this, and want to help out. And that's what this is all about.
OMC: There's got to be something involved in running the label that you hadn't expected. What is that thing?
GB: We have meetings every two weeks in my living room, and a lot of us see the same things, and want the same things. We get really energized after these meetings, I think it would be lame to say it's like band therapy, but it really is. Joe and I have a plan we pitch ideas, talk about them and move on them. So I guess it's the camaraderie and re-energizing that I never expected. They are definite benefits of being a part of this.
OMC: How many bands does Sparkler have?
GB: Currently we have six bands. Menlo, Capital 8, Strangest Places, Koala, New Blind Nationals and On A Sun. The music ranges from pop/rock to indie noise pop. My own personal theory is everyone on the label should be able to play a show with someone else on the label and it not seem odd. How do you like that for a definition?
We're currently seeking some more bands and have a few on the radar screen, but we only work with bands that are already trying to go somewhere, i.e. playing shows, recording, have or are pursuing a Web site, etc. and obviously they have to have good music, too.
OMC: Do you think the music scene in town is healthy? Are there lots of good bands and lots of places for those bands to play?
GB: Is it healthy? No. Is it getting healthier? Definitely. I really think all it needs is a good kick in the ass. I believe the city of Milwaukee is changing more than ever before. The Calatrava, Midwest Express Center, Miller Park and even the 6th Street bridge are setting the tone for what's to come. The architecture reflects the cities attitudes, and it says progressive.
It's like Milwaukee woke up and said, hey we can build something that's practical and has style, too. Well thought-out clubs, bars and restaurants are popping up everywhere and challenging the city to step forward. Those Info books that are floating around are unifying that movement even more. This city is begging to be released from its inferiority complex and I think it's coming soon. All of this I believe reflects on the music scene.
I think there are some great bands here, and there is a lot of crap. I don't see a lot of separation between these two groups in the public's eye though. We don't have any truly stand-out groups that haven't already made it somewhere else. There are a lot of gems in this town that need to be discovered. The professionalism of bands in this town needs to be challenged though.
There are so many bands that don't know what it takes to put on a good show. I'm not saying I have the answers or are an expert or anything, but not too long ago we played with a band that didn't even have a set list. To me that says I really don't care what songs we play, how long we go, or the flow of our set, and I think the audience can see right through that. If it's a conscious idea to be spontaneous that's one thing, but mostly it's bands just half-assing what they do.
Another classic example is bands waiting too long to start (to wait for more people) or playing too long which happens all the time. A friends band asked us to play a show with them and another band on a Thursday night. Our friend's band headlined and we were slotted second. The opening band (who I actually like) decided to wait for people to show up before they started, and then they played long. We ended up cutting three songs from our set just to balance things out, and our friends still ended up going on at 12:50 a.m. on a Thursday night. Needless to say there wasn't anybody left to see them and they were the ones who set the show up for everybody and they got screwed.
The venues need to catch up, too. There are some that are making great strides. The Reed Street, Cactus Club and Vnuk's have all done major remodeling in the last six months. Sound systems are getting better but need to be pushed. I also think that sound guys should really start taking more of a part in shows and not letting inexperienced bands run shows.
Who thought it was a good idea to let a popular band book a three-band show and play second? They say it has to do with peak crowds. National bands never play second at their shows, why should bands here? Entertaining, well-run shows make it fun for the audience and everyone involved. And if we can have more and more of them, more and more people will go out to them, and the music scene will grow exponentially. Wow. That was a nice little soap box, wasn't it?
OMC: It used to be that good bands had to break big outside of town before they'd get any respect here at home. Do you think Milwaukeeans appreciate the bands here nowadays?
GB: I don't think they appreciate them enough yet, but they are changing there minds. I think Milwaukeeans as a whole are validated by the band's success elsewhere, or on radio. I think more and more Milwaukeeans should search out and find who they like now. The bands are here and they are making some great music. I also think Milwaukee radio needs to respect the music here more.
Time and time again WMSE is the only station that consistently plays anything local. 102.1 and Lazer 103 play local music for one hour on Sunday nights. I think Lazer's hour even starts at 11 p.m. I'm pretty sure I speak for all the bands when I say we appreciate that they play local music, but seriously, can we try some other things as well?
How about a contest where one local song gets put into rotation a week? Maybe it's a call-in from fans. Or just have the music director pick a song or two from some solid local bands that fit their format and slowly put them in rotation. If it does well play it more, if it sucks it falls off the map just like everyone else. When The Gufs hit the local radio here it just catapulted them further. We can do that for other solid bands here now. Would an idea or two like this kill anybody?
{INSERT_RELATED}OMC: What's coming next from Sparkler?
GB: We're slowly growing and trying to unite with other labels and people in the know. We just want the Milwaukee music scene to be elevated because there is so much going on here. That is one of our major goals. To try to be a catalyst. The Buzzhorn got signed recently and brought some more attention to this city. We don't sound anything like them, but we should all recognize the fact that the more bands that make it nationally bring more attention to the bands here.
(Bands like) Hey Mercedes, Pele, The Promise Ring -- they are all nationally recognized but more or less unappreciated here. They are working hard and making amazing music and if we would support them more it would make them bigger and bring more attention to Milwaukee's scene. Before you know it we'll have more and more bands of that caliber coming from here. It's just a matter of time.
OMC: Would you suggest that other bands start labels, too?
GB: Yes. I think there are some great labels starting up now, but maybe there should be more. I just wish that they would take a stance like us and try to be more visible in what they do. Let the music fans of Milwaukee see what they're up too. There are plenty of outlets and more and more being created to do this. Make some stickers, make some shirts, have a good Web site, make flyers, let this town and these people know you're alive.
The Milwaukee Journal is interviewing my co-captain Joe for an article on all the little Milwaukee labels popping up. That's a great start. They recognize something is happening. So, if you are going to do a label great, start one. If you need some ideas e-mail me, call me, Sparkler is happy to help. There are strength in numbers. And soon the country will say, wow all these great bands are coming out of Milwaukee.
Visit Sparkler Records at www.sparklerrecords.com.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
