Labels Part 2 (Amended) | March – Rich Egan President of Vagrant Records
If you’re unfamiliar with Vagrant Records in this present day then may I suggest you unblock your subconscious to what music you used to be into. I’m proud to say it, bands like Saves the Day and Dashboard Confessional will always have a special place in my heart. Bands that emerged from Vagrant Records over the past ten years including Thrice, Senses Fail, Hey Mercedes and more are what led me down the musical path I’m still on today. All of these titans at one point or another called Vagrant Records home. Still going strong today, president of Vagrant, Rich Egan, weighed in our monthly discussion on the future of the music industry and the ever changing label race.
What needs did you see not being met in music that made you want to start a label?
Rich Egan:When I started Vagrant it was a WHOLE different music business. I didn’t start it to fill any needs, I just started it to put out music I loved.
Vagrant kind of started out on the top of the heap when it came to the original beloved “emo” bands such as Saves the Day and Dashboard Confessional. How has your view on trends in music changed as you saw this trend explode then change so drastically?
RE:My view on trends is the same as always. They come…..they go. It just so happened that the kind of music were releasing became a trend. Once it blew up the way it did, it then morphed into something completely different and to me at least, unrelated to anything we were involved in. Just as metal morphed into Warrant, grunge morphed into Candlebox, emo morphed into….well…
How important is it to you to stick to your roots when it comes to the type of bands you sign?
RE:Depends on your definition of important. If your goal is to build a brand with a common ethos and sound, then it’s probably important to stay consistent. Our definition of staying true to our roots just meant signing bands we liked, with people we liked. It just so happens, we liked a certain type of music, which was basically punk rock with interesting parts and lyrics that meant something. So most of our bands sounded like that.
What is your take on the current state of the music industry? What has Vagrant done to stay afloat?
RE:Music as an industry is pretty much dead. Vagrant stays afloat like any business, when times are tough, you tighten your belt and stick to your core business. You don’t take stupid risks. Earlier in our history we took a lot of risks that on paper looked really stupid. Luckily for us, they turned out in our favor most of the time. It’s a different day now and no one can afford to be so cavalier. Jon Cohen, my partner has done a great job making sure the lights stay on while also signing really interesting, good music. Edward Sharpe, Placebo, BMRC…. all Jon.
As the head of a label, what do you think is the biggest misconception a band has about being signed?
RE:That they can quit their day jobs. They can’t. All they did was add a second job.
A band such as Saves the Day has had a decade plus career, spending a lot of that time on Vagrant, yet you chose not to do another record with them. Why is this?
RE:I think at a certain point, both parties have to do what’s best for them. Sometimes, it’s best to move on. This isn’t marriage we’re talking about. I don’t think a band has to stay on one label their whole career and conversely, I don’t think a label should feel obligated to put out albums from bands based solely on past history. I’ve rarely seen a label be the right home for a band throughout the entirety of a career (Fugazi maybe the only one that jumps to mind). Saves the Day did great things for Vagrant and vice versa. But they also made great records for Equal Vision and Dreamworks.
Do you feel like veteran bands are getting the short end of the stick from labels? Will it always be about the next big trend?
RE: Vagrant has always embraced veteran bands. From Paul Westerberg and Rocket From the Crypt through Placebo and Pete Yorn, I don’t think that will ever change.
Do you feel like labels are becoming extinct?
RE: Yes.
As an indie label, what is your biggest struggle?
RE: Trying to get people to buy something that they can get for free.
What are some of the benefits of being signed to Vagrant as opposed to a major label?
RE:Do major labels even sign bands anymore?
(6 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
Really interesting read. The Saves The Day question I really liked. I wish he would have expanded on the label dying question.
I enjoyed this edition, it contained a few articles that I really enjoyed reading; but the amount of grammatical and spelling errors contained is a bit distressing.