February 25, 2010

Sole’s Black Canyon Music

Sole's Black Canyon Music - the rhino beetle can't be crushed

What is Black Canyon Music and why was it created?

Black Canyon Music was officially born in Arizona, but today it become an umbrella for all my self released projects that haven’t been on a label.  I lived a bit north of the “Black Canyon” highway in Arizona, and the name always struck me.  I had spent a few years in Barcelona and when I got back to the states I ended up in the complete isolation of “Oak Creek Canyon,” a sort of uncivilized version of Sedona, AZ.  It was there that I did some of my most serious thinking about my future, and it was there that my relationship with anticon records completely broke down and I almost quit making music.  Black Canyon is an acknowledgement of this process of taking control of my business or wander in darkness for eternity.  

How can people access Black Canyon Music?

Soleone.org will be the best place. My records will be everywhere they have always been, just under different management.

How would you like to see your past releases distributed ideally?

My past releases?  I don’t even know if there are more than 30 indy record stores in America that have the shelf space to be able to stock my back catalogue! ideally, I would like everyone to purchase music direct from my website, every time you buy a CD imagine you’re buying me a nice dish of channa masala or 4 blocks of tofu or 4 lbs of ginger…  I’m very happy with how my music will be distributed, it would be nice to get something a little more solid in Europe, but back catalogue is just that, get it off the website, buy the new cd in the store, let everybody get their beak wet a little bit.

Is there a current business model you plan to follow in the creation of Black Canyon Music?

Right now I’m following the time tested DIY aesthetic.  Cut out middlemen, reduce costs, reduce price to the consumer, trim the fat, work hard.  Reap the benefits of your labour.  No more free rides for middlemen.  I have always felt like the lawnmower man when it came to internet hustling and since thats the final frontier I’m open to whatever can happen there.  I’m working on a few web applications right now with my web programmer  that I think are kind of revolutionary.  Every time I put out a record there will be some sort of experiment to go with it, maybe a free download, maybe a fake twitter campaign… who knows…  right now the core of my business is reeling in my assets, notifying everyone that I’m now doing my own thing and trying to get an email list that is comprehensive… I have different lists that I have been compiling which consist of thousands of writers and radio personalities I’ve acquired through trading industry lists with other hustlers out there.  Thats why my anticon story was aggregated everywhere, it was my first press release I’ve done like that.  so those are small things, I’m trying to do what I can to reduce the amount of bullshit time I spend doing non art things and almost automate the label.  I know it won’t work that way, but that’s what I’m working towards, something sleek, light, profitable, and hopefully innovative.

Will the creation of Black Canyon Music change your relationship with labels you have worked with in the past including Fake Four, anticon, etc.?

Well it certainly effects my dealings with anticon, it negates all business ties.  As far as Fake Four, I’m really happy with Fake Four, everyone in the band is happy working with Fake Four and I don’t imagine we’ll take SSRB off Fake Four, it may be a new label but they are quickly becoming a powerhouse.

Final thoughts?

I wish they would make snow salt that wouldn’t bother dogs paws.  I learned a really good recipe thats kinda like hummus but more cheesy, you take say 1/3 a cup of tahini, a can of cannellini beans, a touch of garlic, some salt, some olive oil, blend that shit together.  Then dice a bunch of mint, throw it in there, blend it a bit so it looks like parsley but doesn’t turn the dip green, holy shit this is so fucking GOOD!  I like the new kaos pad.  I didn’t enjoy the movie Antichrist.  If I wasn’t vegan i’d go ice fishing.  The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell is a great book.   Every day you forget something new.

soleone.org
blackcanyonmusic.com

6 Responses

  1. Alright, then I guess I’ll have to be the retard to ask the question: why the capital I in time?

  2. @noyz319 oh, I thought it had something to do with the fact that there’s “Tim” in “time” therefore he was making some analogy of some sort that escaped me, like he was in tIme or something… I’ll take the typo too.

  3. yeah we gotta keep Sole in the game.
    for the past few years I’ve been getting a funny feeling about anticon; Sole breaking off pretty much vindicated my growing discomfort.