FEATURE
Split Singles Club Is Changing The Australian Indie Rock Narrative By Allison Gallagher
L
ast year, Melbourne labels Milk! and Bedroom Suck Records came together to launch the inaugural edition of the Split Singles Club. The concept was fairly simple – each label picked six artists from their roster and beyond, pairing two acts per 7” split single. The project was initially conceived by Bedroom Suck’s Joe Alexander as something of a solution to music industry competitiveness. “I feel like so often in the music industry, particularly in a smaller community like Australia, there is a hyper-jealousy going on,” explains Alexander. “There is a bit of a misguided idea of what success is, and that someone else’s success means your failure. We wanted to start a project that was about working together, celebrating the incredible music and community we have here.”
20 :: BRAG :: 738 :: 06:06:18
Alexander approached Milk! Records, a label started by Courtney Barnett in 2012, now run by Barnett and partner Jen Cloher. “Courtney and I had been talking about the idea of a series of split 7” with different artists, so it immediately appealed to us,” Cloher explans. “I also liked the idea that the artists weren’t necessarily on either label. Just bands we loved, and perhaps didn’t have the time or money to release.” This initial series featured a number of artists across the Milk! and Bedroom Suck rosters, such as Barnett herself, Jade Imagine, Blank Realm, Treehouse and Dag. It also included several artists not on either labels’ rosters – including Cable Ties, Primo!, and Lehmann Smith. “Each label had a long list of artist we love and wanted to work with,” says Alexander. “One of the great things about this project was we finally got to call them up and ask if they wanted to work together.”
Now, the baton has been passed on to two other labels, Melbourne punk institution Poison City Records as well as the newer Our Golden Friend, helmed by Lorrae McKenna and Skube Burnell. This time around, artists featured include RVG, Harmony, Mere Women, Mon Con, Stella Donnelly and more – again, a selection of Poison City and Our Golden Friend artists along with newer acts not signed to either. For Cloher and Alexander, approaching Poison City about carrying on the series was a natural fit. “I love Andy and Thommo at Poison City and I think they’re releasing some of the best rock albums in Australia,” says Cloher. “Their whole approach and ethic is very similar to Milk.” “Poison City are another super inspired, friendly and hard-working label,” agrees Alexander. “They’re committed to building their local music community and creating a safe, fun space for people to make music. They seemed the perfect choice.”
thebrag.com
