Miscellaneous - Interview

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 10 / 8 / 2009

intro

Edition 59 is a German label that specialises in reissues of records from the 80s and singles and EPs from exciting new acts in editions of just 59 copies. Anthony Strutt speaks to owner, Werner Truckenbrodt, about his label

Edition 59 is an offshoot of the German indiepop label Vollwert Records. It specialises in both re-pressing long out-of-print records from the early 80s and also in putting out singles and EPs by "young, fresh and creative musicans and bands from around the world". Each of its three inch cds are limited to a mere 59 copies only. There have now been nearly forty Edition 59 releases. These have included re-releases of EPs and singles by Creation Records' owner Alan McGee's bands, the Laughing Apple and Biff Bang Pow! and the June Brides' Phil Wilson. There has also been recordings by usually debuting indiepop acts such as Melbourne-based band the Motifs, Preston-formed group the Cavalcade and German project My Laundry Life. Vollwert Records has also recently re-released Biff Bang Pow!'s 1985 debut album, 'Pass the Paintbrush Honey' and 1987 third album, 'Oblivion', each in a limited edition of 99 copies. Werner Truckenbrodt, the owner of both labels, spoke to Pennyblackmusic about Edition 59 Records. PB: How did you come up with the idea for Edition 59? Why did you put its releases out on 3 inch CDs rather than vinyl? WT: Above all, the DIY-ethics of Roque's Cloudberry Records (Durable Miami-based indiepop label-Ed) inspired me. In the first place, Edition 59 is not a commercial project, but a project with a very personal touch. It is the artist that matters, his personality and his creativity. That's why I publish only tracks by artists whose music I find interesting and who – in regard to music - are tuned on the same wavelength as I am. As for vinyl, of course it's great. But as you can imagine, it is too expensive for a 59 copies edition. PB: Why have you decided to put out only 59 copies of each release? WT: I like this odd number. PB: Is it more expensive to produce 59 copies of a 3 inch than a 5 inch cd? WT: Yes, but they look better. And the customers take advantage of them as shipping is less expensive. PB: Of the 3 inches were the re-releases remastered from the master tapes or just copied from the original vinyl copies of the older material? WT: I am not a friend of re-mastering. It risks distorting the original music. I only make an exception when the original master tapes have been lost as was the case with the Laughing Apple recordings. PB: Were the Biff Bang, Pow! EPs and singles not remastered then? Why did you not include their original covers? WT: No, re-mastering would have adulterated the original sound. I like Biff Bang Pow! as they were. It is still a fresh and powerful sound, even after all these years. They don't need any re-mastering. As for the albums, I did not want to make a one-to-one copy of the original covers – I would have found that a bit boring. Anyhow, the covers re-adopt graphical structures of the original ones, thus making reference to them. The albums are limited and consecutively numbered editions, too. So they also have a very personal touch. PB: What releases have been the most popular? WT: The Biff Bang Pow! EPs, Phil Wilson, Laughing Apple, and especially the Motifs and the Cavalcade. PB: And where has been the best market for you? WT: Without any doubt it's Japan, followed by England, Spain and the USA. Germany by contrast is still sleeping. PB: Has MySpace been a great help? WT: MySpace is an excellent communication platform. Many people get to know Vollwert-Records and Edition 59 through MySpace. And many of them thus keep in contact with it. One should not over-estimate though the commercial role of the web. From 3000 people visiting your MySpace site perhaps only two will buy a product. PB: Do you sell these only online? WT: Yes my webshop. And, more recently, through a couple of mailorders in Japan, France and the USA. PB: Which bands have been especially helpful? WT: All of them are helpful. One of the characteristics of Edition 59 and of Vollwert-Records is that the atmosphere with all the bands and the musicians is really familiar. It's not the commercial aspect that matters. It's working together to release good and interesting music. I especially, however, yield thank to Alan McGee and Joe Foster (Creation Records-co-founder and also a member of Biff, Bang, Pow!-Ed). Both of them are not only extremly helpful in regard to their own releases. Alan is very generous , making not much words about what he does. And Joe has supported me in many ways during the last year. PB: How did you discover My Laundry Life? WT: Andre Daners, who runs My Laundry Life, contacted my via MySpace and I was excited by the feeling of his music and his creativity. He is one of the most cordial people that I know. PB: What are your future plans? WT: On Vollwert Records is planned a new album by My Laundry Life for December and an album with cover versions of the TV Personalities, the Times and Felt by Arash Torabi and his wonderful project, the Painted Word. On Edition 59 are planned new releases by St. Christopher and Mexican Kids at Home and further re-releases by Phil Wilson and Biff Bang Pow. And in late Autumn I will start with a series of 7“ vinyl with a great new British band. PB: Thank you.

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