Like any good businessman, junior Al Mask thought his ideafor the student-run, student-led record label Vinyl Records was simply a means to fill a void in the market.
I was toying around with the idea of how much it would suck to be an independent musician in college with having to book and promote your own shows" make your music design and sell merch as well as do class" he said.
That thought led to the label, a service that - while in its infant stages - is meant to bridge the gap between student musicians and the sometimes intimidating music industry.
It was just a big what if" Mask said. What if there was a service that was free for students run by students" that could create a label and management team that would do everything for student artists?""
And after almost a year of tediously applying for and securing grants for funding - $25"000 from the Kenan Institute - it seems that Mask along with cofounders junior Tripp Gobble and sophomore Grace Kennerly are ready to get down to what they set out to do: signing artists and putting out records.
As a means to get the year kicked off the group will be hosting an artist showcase in the Union Cabaret featuring five student acts.
Vinyl Records will take applications through Sept. 5 from acts seeking a spot in the showcase's line-up. The A&R; staff of Vinyl will then select five acts to play the showcase.
Students who attend the showcase will then vote online for their two favorite acts who will be signed to the label Gobble said.
The American Idol-style system will help alleviate some of the burden on the Vinyl Records staff" Mask said.
""We wanted the students to tell us what they wanted to see" not to have us just sit around and say 'Oh they're better than them' and things like that" he said.
That attitude is indicative of the environment Vinyl Records is looking to create. Ultimately, the label views its mission as a shelter and aid for ambitious (and confused) student artists, Mask said.
We want people to know that there's a space for you to bring your music"" he said. We just want the people who are hungry.""
As it stands now" though" the label is still looking to secure the means to advance its name within the UNC arts community.
""We want to create a sort of legitimate music scene here on campus that we really don't think exists currently" Gobble said.
Everyone kind of hides in their pockets. We want to help push everyone and have people coming to us and knowing that we are providing them with stuff that's going to be worthwhile" Gobble said, noting the tendency for campus music groups to remain inwardly focused.
But the goal is in no way limited to simply incubating talent. The group wants to make its way off campus and showcase the talent of students for Chapel Hill at large.
We want to work with CUAB to get our bands on their bills"" Gobble said. We want to be able to take people that are ready to play larger venues and secure that for them.""
And they want to do it with the sort of grassroots"" DIY aesthetic that has been the fuel for countless bouts of undergraduate entrepreneurship.
""I think we're just trying to be organic. The whole idea is the idea itself"" we're just putting it in motion.""
Contact the Dive Editor at dive@unc.edu.
