Are you still and always looking for new vinyl records to listen to? Thanks to maPlatine.com, find out about Casbah Records, a record label that also has a radio show and webzine. Laetitia, the editor-in-chief of this webzine, tells us more about Casbah Records.
– What is the story behind Casbah Records?
Casbah Records was born in 2010 from our radio show “Rock à la Casbah”. This radio show has been airing for over 15 years on several independent radios in France and Switzerland. Back then, there was a group who wanted to release a record and with whom we wanted to do more than just a simple show. Cortona was thus our first release with a 45 RPM.
There has been a small turnover since Casbah Records was founded, but at the moment we are 4, all volunteers. There are the two founders, Raf and Julien and the Casbah Girls: Jordane who joined the show and the label in 2010 and I, in 2015. Each has, more or less, their role and specific tasks: communication, contracts, pressing, treasury, distribution, webzine…
– What is the meaning of the name “Casbah Records”?
Casbah Records is named after our radio show, which is named after the title “Rock the Casbah” by The Clash of whom we are fans.
– How many artists are on your label? What are their musical styles?
Today, Casbah Records has 23 artists. All four of us have relatively different tastes but the signing of a new artist has to be unanimous – without all of us needing to be 100% okay.
It is never commercial music, the releases are never strategical and are not bets: we sign artists because we like them and because we want to make them known to the public.
The musical style is quite large: Dark folk with Delaney Davidson, crazy with the Cowbones and Reverend Beatman, R’n’R fifties with the Future Primitives, punk with Cortona, Bits of Shit, and Mesa Cosa, psychedelic with Magic & Naked and the Rivals, and blues with the Black Pistol Fire and Duck Duck grey Duck.
Our latest releases illustrate our eclectic tastes: contemporary and acid pop by the Swiss Adieu Gary Cooper, grimy punk blues by Lame, garage punk by Mighty Bombs, psychedelic pop by Fai Baba, or even Heavy Kraut Trance by Don Glow.
– Where can we get your vinyl records?
Our vinyl records can be found in all good record stores and on our bandcamp!
– Is there any collaboration that has particularly impressed you?
All of our collaborations have a story behind them and have impressed us. If I had to name just one, it would be when Reverend Beatman accepted our record offer, we were so happy for several days!
– Can you tell us more about your future projects?
We have released quite a few vinyl records these last two years. The next will be released in April and is a co-production with a Parisian label. After this release, we want to rest a little while to ensure the promotional work and take the time to make new discoveries.
– Not only is Casbah Records a record label, you also have a radio show and webzine. What is your communication strategy for these three platforms?
The label, the webzine, and the radio show have a major branch in common: supporting the artists we love, whether it is on a local or international stage.
The three are complementary. On Casbah Records label, we essentially communicate on the artists and groups that we release. For almost three years, a free downloadable quarterly compilation on our bandcamp also supports groups sometimes unknown and that we fell in love with.
– You are in charge of the webzine of Casnah Records, what kind of content can we find in this webzine?
The webzine first enables us to communicate on our weekly different radio shows: “Rock à la Casbah” which lasts one hour and “Le son du pick-up”, a show that showcases 5 songs of an album.
The webzine also offers the possibility of accessing our catalogue of artists.
Lastly, it focuses on, via album reviews, news, video clips, interviews, concert reports, contests, and exclusive songs, the current events of labels and artists that we love or the discovery of new groups.
For the webzine and the show, we act as flashlights: we talk less and less about those who do not need us such as Ty Segall, Black Lips, or Jack White, and we talk more about groups that need to be put in the light.
– How do you organize yourselves for the writing of the webzine?
The editors and journalists are just like us, volunteers. There is a turnover every year but we have 3 to 4 active journalists that have been faithful to us since the launch of the webzine. And of course, ourselves, provide content for the different sections. We regularly post on our social networks to recruit new writers and broaden our tastes and musical discoveries.
– Do you listen to vinyl records? What turntable do you have?
Yes, mainly vinyl records. For many reasons: the sound, the object, the vinyl record player. We all have a quite eclectic collection of 33 RPMs (some of us have over 1000 vinyl records!) and there is never a day when we do not listen to something.
Our turntables are the following:
Julien: the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB DC vinyl turntable, the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge
Raf: the Pro-Ject 2-Xpression Acryl turntable, the Ortofon MC Rondo Blue cartridge (cabling of the tonearm + turntable belt modified by Franck from maPlatine.com), Luxman amp, the Tannoy Turnberry SE speakers, Actinote Aria cabling
Jordane: the Technics SL1200 MKII turnable, the Shure N92E cartridge, the Eltax monitor III speakers
And I… just to prove the saying “the cobbler’s child is always the worst shod”, I have a disgusting Crosley.
– Your biography in vinyl records?
1- Lio, my very first vinyl record, when I was in third grade!!!
2- St Peppers by the Beatles: first hit when I was 11 years old (I am still a huge fan of the song “a day in the life”)
3- The Doors: The album of my teenage years and rebellion à changer aussi en FR
4- Leonard Cohen: The album that rocked the first 20 years of my life à changer aussi en FR
5- Emancipation! The Gun Club, without a doubt my favorite group.
6- Del Shannon! LOVE! My love of the 60’s!
7- Dead Ghosts, a loved Canadian garage group
8- The 39th & the Nortons: a collector for I, the first LP where I am mentioned in the acknowledgements!
9- The Parrots, seen in Manchester last year, magnificent live!
If you wish to discover the vinyl records of this record label, go to the Qobuz page of Casbah records!