In the first of a series of interview’s with independent labels, we talk to 19 year old George Quann-Barnett about his very own Launchpad Records..
Launchpad Records are pioneers of the grime scene, responsible for releasing the likes of Wiley, Tre Mission, Dot Rotten, Durrty Goodz, Manga, J2K and many more. At current, they’re working with Blizzard, who’s to release two EP’s in the next few months as a follow up his debut album. Blizzard’s videos with SB.TV and Don’t Flop have ranked up a hefty half a million views. With this in mind, we thought Launchpad were deserving of our first label profile slot.
What really catches your eye?
We really like individuality. Our first release set us off with the most unique man in music; Wiley. Our eyes were caught by Tre Mission, he was doing something a lot different – doing Grime in a Canadian accent. Tre Mission has gone down really well with Grime fans to date. We saw potential in Blizzard as he is a great wordsmith and unique producer. He has worked his way up and is on his way to the top.
What inspired you initially to launch a label?
Myself and Louis were talking about getting into the industry, I knew from a young age that I wanted to be in music, but behind the scenes. I saw the likes of Dizzee Rascal and Wiley come out of the underground and make an impression on many people, especially in London. The thought of setting up a record label at such a young age may seem peculiar to some but we thought of it as a way to make a name for the many brilliant artists that were being overlooked.
What do you look for in the artists you work with?
We look at hunger (not literally) and hard work ethic primarily in the artists. Buzz is an incredibly important factor as well. If there isn’t a buzz there yet for the artist, myself and Louis identify how we can help create a buzz for the artist. We are incredibly hungry ourselves so an artist that is hungry as well is always a bonus.
What do you do to ensure that your artists reach maximum potential?
We are still only less than 18 months into our label but we tend to make sure that their music is above the rest of the people in their scene. We also value image as well, image is everything. We help their music get onto the likes of BBC 1Xtra and Kiss Radio as well as the best Blogs and websites on the internet. We make sure our promotion is on point so that it gets the artists music can get the best coverage it can get.
Give us a run through of the day to day running of Launchpad Records..
A standard day at Launchpad primarily consists of sending emails, ringing people, sorting releases and making sure that everything we are doing is on track. At the moment we are sorting the release of Blizzard’s first EP release, I have been in contact with video guys mostly today and a few major clothing brands.
Torrents, shares, and free downloads. The devil or saviour of the industry?
Depends how you look at it, I’d say the saviour if it’s executed properly. The internet opens up so many opportunities for people, you just have to be savvy, quick and creative. People still take pride in buying music nonetheless; it will never be a completely dead industry whatever happens.
What advice would you give to people that want to be discovered by record labels?
Remain professional and make sure that their music is unique but still appeals to a wide audience. Approach people from all angles and put the hard work in to address them individually, but most of all be happy with the music that you make…
Watch Blizzard facing off against his English Teacher in the latest Don’t Flop (caution: only suitable for 18+)
–
Questions by Eli Anguelova
@robbieflash
![Justin Bieber Boyfriend Cover - The Dolly Rockers [Up,Up and Up]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/y4OaKS3R7kM/default.jpg)
![How I Became a Music Video Director - [Inside Job]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/R7FzFQWfkjo/default.jpg)
![Video Games - Purple Ferdinand [Up, Up and Up]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/f4z_cMVri2k/default.jpg)
