Reciting Roger Richards' interview

Extreme is one of my most favorite labels, as its boss Roger Richards once said, his aim is to make the label "Innovation, Experimentation, Challenge, Diversity, Unfolding, Perpetual, Soundscape, Production, Beauty and Surprise".

Next is an article constructed 13 years ago. Although cited many times on various platforms, I still feel it's one of the most valuable and powerful statement for the music industry - how to remain individuality? how to maintain the originality of the music? you may find answers in Roger's words below:

In 1994 I asked Roger Richards, chief of Extreme Records, a few questions. In 1996, he finally responded. I had hoped to work his comments into an article, but I never had time to do it and this interview fell by the wayside. -- Mike Brown

(From Roger Richards):
Dear Mike,
In answer to your questions.

0. What is your title?
I never think of myself with a title but officially I am the Director. Words like "President" or "CEO" remind me of corporate monoliths that EXTREME certainly isn't.

1. Tell me about Extreme's beginnings. Who started the label and what is its mission?
The label was started by a person called Ulex Xane to release his own music and power electronic music from around the world on tape. I became involved in 1987, highlighted by the tour of Club Moral (from Belgium), and then took over the reigns after that. It was a very amicable arrangement and Ulex and I are still friends. We don’t release much power electronics now, although MERZBOW is certainly a contender on occasions, and the label has diversified since then.
The mission of the label is to release innovative and experimental music from artists with a unique voice. The style of music is not a constraint although we seem to have drawn the line as far as releasing rock music. An important part of the label’s philosophy is reach a larger audience, outside of the usual experimental niche.

2. Which artists comprise your current roster, or is each release contracted individually?
The current roster of musicians is SOMA, PABLO’S EYE, FETISCH PARK, SOCIAL INTERIORS, KATO HIDEKI and MO BOMA. Other projects are contracted individually but it is hoped that this will lead to working with the musicians again on another project. We are more and more reluctant to do one-off projects as this does not give the label much scope to develop the artist.

3. How did these artists get signed? Did they send demo tapes, are they friends of the owner, or what? Who decides what gets released?
Over the years it has become a balance of artists Extreme searches for and artists who search for Extreme, with demo tapes. We listen to every demo we receive (which does delay the response process) and respond to every artist (unless they did not include a replying address!). We do have friends who refer groups to us, such as when Jon Hassell recommended we listen to MO BOMA’s “Jijimuge”, and many of the artists also become friends over time. We find it important to have some level of relationship to enable communication beyond saying if it is selling or not selling. I decide what gets released. I would have to say that is my most important role.

4. Which Extreme artists have been the most successful?
MUSLIMGAUZE has been the most successful artist, along with LIGHTS IN A FAT CITY and SOMA, in terms of sales. PAUL SCHÜTZE and SHINJUKU THIEF have also been successful in terms of the identity and presence created by their releases on EXTREME having helped launch them on their musical careers.

5. Which artists on the label are your favorites, and why?
It is very hard to count favourites. Running a label you are in a situation where favouritism doesn't work as you need to maintain a relationship with each artist. To provide a generic answer; favourites are those artists who are also doing something for their own release rather than sitting back and expecting the label to do everything. Most artists do, so it is good.

6. How many copies of each release have you sold, on average?
Have distribution problems hurt sales? Sales on each release vary and we don't like to talk about "units". It is in the thousands, rather than tens of thousands. Distribution problems definitely hurt sales as critical praise often does not translate into commercial success. Obviously distribution is something that has improved and needs to improve with each year.

7. What kinds of reactions do you get when you post press releases to the net? Are they definitely helping?
The net has served as an interesting forum for people who are eager to know. That is, they want to know ahead of others what is happening. If the release is not actually in the shops at that time then we get some feedback about people wanting to get the release. It has been a good thing that FIFTH WORLD MEDIA was established so that people can purchase on-line and obtain the release ahead of the time it takes to have the releases in store. Now, this on-line service is offered by many companies such as BACKROADS and PLAYING BY EAR.

8. Why does the compilation "Assemblage volume one" contain mostly older releases? I thought that since some of those were already covered by the _X-X Section_ compilation, you would want to provide a sampling of the more recent albums, like those by Mo Boma, Robert Rich, Soma, and Vidna Obmana. Who should buy "Assemblage vol.1" ?
Assemblage volume One is a sampler to represent past releases on Extreme, between XCD-011 and XCD-024. Unfortunately one CD can’t capture all of the various musical styles. X-X Section was released to highlight musicians currently on or soon to be on Extreme, along with other musicians in Australia performing music suited to the label. What is important to note is that each piece of music on X-X Section has not been released elsewhere. To cover artists on more recent, and as yet unreleased, albums there is Assemblage volume two. In response to feedback about ASSEMBLAGE volume one, there are unreleased tracks on this album.

9. Some of Extreme's releases have found favor with chill out dj's and fans of techno and industrial dance music. Are these markets being specifically targeted? Why or why not?
These markets were not being specifically targeted with album releases as the good DJs have been discovering Extreme releases and they like to keep things to themselves. Additionally, this market has a sense of passing in and out of fashion and it is hoped that the music on Extreme can last longer than a particular fad, as all good music, in any genre, should. However, we have been doing 12" vinyl and CD singles/Eps in Europe, with releases from SOMA, MUSLIMGAUZE, PABLO'S EYE and soon from FETISCH PARK. It has been causing quite a lot of interest in Germany and UK. There are now CD Ep releases of MUSLIMGAUZE, PABLO'S EYE and FETISCH PARK in North America and other parts of the globe.

10. What would you like to see Extreme do differently?
I would like to see Extreme continue as it does, placing the music first, but greater commercial success would be appreciated. So, we need to continue to further our promotional and distribution efforts, rather than doing the same thing for only the existing audience.

11. What's coming in the future?
We have new releases from KATO HIDEKI, FETISCH PARK, SOMA and MERZBOW this fall. Additionally, the final part of the MO BOMA trilogy, “Myths of the Near Future” part 3, will soon be released. 1997 already has some new releases scheduled from SKULI SVERRISSON (bass player with MO BOMA), OTOMO YOSHIHIDE (double CD with one ambient album and one noise album), SOCIAL INTERIORS. We are listening to some new artists all of the time and discussing projects with SOMA, FETISCH PARK and PABLO’S EYE.

12. Are you getting paid enough?
Monetarily, definitely not, but that’s my principal reason for running Extreme. Yes, it has to run as a business and make money and pay musicians and finance projects and keep the wheels turning but it is not something that gives me financial security. The music business is a volatile world, more akin to the fashion industry in that flavours or styles of music, eg ambient, go in and out at the whims of the commercially driven media.

13. Does Extreme want to be "big"?
Extreme wants to continue doing what it does. If that means we get ‘big’ then that’s OK with me. I don’t see myself in a stretch limo attending opening nights for the new Extreme release if that’s what you mean. I would like to see each artist on Extreme living a rewarding life creating the music they love.

14. If I blast Soma's album in my next batch of reviews, would you hold it against me?
No problem with me if you ‘blast’ it, provided you have listened to it and have your own opinion about it, that’s fine. I would say that if you consider it is deserving of ‘blasting’ because it does not fit your picture of what Extreme should release then I would have reservations. Either way, it is important to me that you take the time to listen to the next artist released on Extreme and the next release from SOMA too.

15. What are the Top Ten Reasons to Check Out Extreme?
Innovation, Experimentation, Challenge, Diversity, Unfolding, Perpetual, Soundscape, Production, Beauty and Surprise.

16. Why "Extreme"? Is there a correlation between the label's philosophy and the signing of radically political artists like Muslimgauze and Stefan Tischler?
In some people’s eyes, artists like MUSLIMGAUZE and STEFAN TISCHLER are incredibly extreme, literally. To others they are easy listening. If someone has a fixation that extreme can only equal noise music then they will be disappointed and will also be missing out on some great music. We are continually evolving Extreme to represent a label with unique identities and experimental diversity and don’t look for a literal translation or a house sound. Our signature, for want of a definition, is an experimental and innovative diversity. Extreme is a word that speaks of something different, often unique and on the edge. I like music that confronts and I like music that seduces. All are admirable qualities of the word and the label Extreme.

17. (This question is tongue-in-cheek, from a friend) If you're so good at promotional stuff, how come I've never heard of your label?
I’m sure there are a lot of people who have never heard of Extreme. Releasing experimental music does provide real barriers to greater media exposure. I hope your friend takes the time to listen to an Extreme album now that you have told him. I would encourage him to listen many times as the music may not provide a sense of instant gratification, more often rewarding the listener upon repeated playing.

18. A lot of people reading this still aren't going to get a feel for how the music sounds, especially since there are so many different styles from release to release. What would you suggest people start with? Which albums would fans of ambient music probably like the best?
I would always suggest people start with the samplers, ASSEMBLAGE Vol 1 and Vol 2. These will give people a taste of the different styles, although I would add the provision that, from my perspective, the music of an album from a single artist is a better experience than a single track on a compilation. I would suggest ambient music fans try MO BOMA, JORGE REYES, VIDNA OBMANA, LIGHTS IN A FAT CITY, SOMA, PABLO’S EYE and SOCIAL INTERIORS. There is a diversity of styles in this from worldly tribal ambience to electronic and music concrete. (I have listed the artists in this progression).

19. What kind of mindset does it take to enjoy Extreme's music? Who is listening to your music now? Yuppies in Birkenstocks? Rednecks in pickup trucks?
I would suggest the former more so than the latter. I believe the mindset needs to be one open to new possibilities, irrespective of one’s social status and cultural grouping.

20. Have you thought about making some kind of special offers to people through the Internet? Like a contest or a budget-priced CD or something?
No, although we had a giveaway Extreme badge when FIFTH WORLD MEDIA went on-line.

21. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for?
I am thankful that there are many people throughout the world who appreciate what we do.

22. What labels do you like?
I like ECM, Made to Measure, Ocora, Spoon, Celsius Blanco and many jazz labels. Not surprisingly I listen to Extreme the most. That’s why I kickstarted things in 1987, to release the music I wanted to hear.

23. Do you have a mailing list that people can get on?
We have a newsletter that is published by e-mail, historically on an irregular basis, depending on upcoming events and releases. It is now becoming a more regular event and people can expect to receive the newsletter six times a year in future. Just e-mail us, extreme@well.com, or visit our web site, http://www.xtr.com/extreme/

24. What was Extreme's biggest mistake? Its greatest triumph?
Biggest mistake was not getting hooked up to the internet sooner and not being a millionaire to finance all of the great music we hear in our work and travels. Our greatest triumph is often being ahead of what music fashion dictates is right for the times. Many artists and releases have done this, such as PAUL SCHUTZE, MUSLIMGAUZE, PABLO’S EYE and THE FIRE THIS TIME.

25. What is the one question you were hoping I would ask but didn't?
I would have liked to have you ask how is it that Extreme does timeless music, meaning classic music that exists in today’s context as much as it did five or ten years ago or in five or ten years to come. That would have been a great compliment and a question to reflect my vision for Extreme.

** this article is cited from url: http://music.hyperreal.org/library/publicity/extreme/roger_richards_interview