Old Lifers Almonds, Cohen

Old for Life

Local label shows small is beautiful

One can’t help but wonder if the key to saving the record industry is localization. Maybe labels need to take some cues from the 100-Mile Diet and make small-scale, locally produced products from the materials readily available and the sweat of their brows. It’s an idea Old Life Records has taken to heart. The small local label, celebrating its second birthday this week, has released music by about a dozen Victoria bands such as Balacade, ‘It It and Almonds, Cohen. Selling copies of the recordings at Ditch Records and online, they’re produced in small batches at a low cost.

“I had a number of friends and acquaintances who were part of the musical community and it was an attempt to provide some organization or to encourage those friends to participate and make some CDs,” founder Cody Spencer says of his motivation to start the label.

While Old Life has released music on a variety of formats—seven-inch vinyl, cassette tapes—they most often use CDRs with handmade packaging.

“I think that function should influence format and CDRs are the most accessible format for small local bands just starting to have fun,” says Spencer. “There’s not much investment because we stick with CDR releases and do all the packaging ourselves, so we can do 50 copies at a time. It’s not like we’re investing thousands of dollars.”

Spencer says keeping the sales to a local record shop and their online store has worked well so far—and you’d be surprised where the records get shipped off to.

“Every once in awhile where Colourbook would get mentioned on a blog or something like that, people from the U.S. or Europe would start ordering stuff,” says Spencer. “We’d go through little phases where that would last for a month or two.”

Spencer says Old Life has releases for Colourbook, the Macadamia Brothers and Slam Dunk lined up in the coming months, but to celebrate their second birthday they’re offering up the third Old Life sampler, with new tunes from all of the label’s bands. The disc will set you back a toonie and will be available at Ditch, or you could snag an early copy at Old Life’s birthday party this Friday. Starting with a picnic before moving to the 50/50 Arts Collective, the all-ages show will have a slew of local bands playing short sets.

So, after two years in the record-label business, does Spencer feel like it’s been a success? “I think it’s been a relative success,” he says. “I’ve made new friends and my friends have made new CDs.”

And hey, it doesn’t hurt that Spencer’s friends are some of the city’s most talented young musicians. M

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Old Life Party ‘09
6pm Friday, June 19
University Canada West Field
8:30pm 50/50 Arts Collective, 2560 Douglas
$TBA • oldlife.tumblr.com