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Wingnut Records is 4 YEARS OLD!!!

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Hey yo!! Just a very quick note to mark that Wingnut Records is four years old this week! It only just dawned on me this morning that it was our birthday, so I decided that it would be nice to say a few thank yous and reflect on a thing or two that are unique to our little Wingnut Records project.

First of all, I’d like to say huge thanks to everyone involved in any way. Now that  Wingnut has ‘grown up’ (using that term very loosely!) we can maybe define it a little more. Wingnut is owned by everyone, it is a completely participatory owned and creative art/music project. If you are a musician, a label or a graphic artist that has your stuff on our shelves, then you are our stakeholders. If you have supported us and bought any music, art, t-shirts etc. then you are the one keeping this underground and intersting art in our streets.

Wingnut now retails from five locations with thanks to volunteers and business partners::

The wonderful Bell, Book & Candle in Galway. The funky as feck Moviedrome in Limrock. The amazing Kieran’s Books & Stuff in Waterford City. The brilliant Sound Factory in Athlone. The truly awesome Music Maker on Exchequer Street in Dublin.

Wingnut has carved out a little brand for representing the often ignored and often cutting edge music and art that is produced in this country. We are at the coal face, we are with the artists and we are where it is essential.

It’s great to have new music retail colleagues like Records & Relics and Music Zone in Cork, as well as ongoing reverence and camaraderie with Plugd, Tower, Rollercoaster and the rest of the independents. 

Wingnut has extended to radio on my weekly show Spin ALT on Spin South West, and some media journalists and other radio outlets have recognised what Wingnut offers. We are pushing the envelope and seeing where we can take it!

The next few years will see some more (VERY EXCITING!!!) art projects as well as new releases on the Wingnut label. There is certainly no shortage of inspiration.

Finally, the past four years has been so much fun and it has been just brilliant to bear witness to so much hard work, ideas and heart’n’soul expression from so many of you. It’s such a privilege!! And we are still going very strong; this week alone we have new records hitting the shelves from Hands Up Who Wants To Die, So Cow(Goner Records), Women’s Christmas (Out On A Limb Records), The Debutantes as well as the new 12″ from Dublin’s HipDrop Records.

Keep it REAL!!

RAY WINGNUT 

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Record Store Day -April 19th 2014

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Here is a rundown of Wingnut events in Galway, Limerick, Waterford & Dublin for Record Store Day 2014.

I have only organised one of these events, the rest have been put together by local musicians, volunteers and very kind business partners. There is way more going on than I even realised myself, as people have taken it upon themselves to help us out and organise events in their own community. Privileged to work with so many excellent people….

Limerick::: Live instore performances by MYNAMEISJOHN + GOD KNOWS, and acoustic sets by WINDINGS and FOX JAW. Lots of free Wingnut merch and other giveaways.

Waterford::: Kicking off at 12.30pm and rolling thru the afternoon, Local DJs spinning in The Hive (art space across the street from Kieran’s Wingnut Waterford outlet) feat. some of the Sons Phonetic crew, free merch, records going cheap, giveaways, etc.

Galway::: Live instore performance by MYNAMEISJOHN + GOD KNOWS at around 4pm. Freebies, etc. Also a tidy warm-up for the ensuing Community Skratch Games event on Saturday and Sunday.

Dublin::: Wingut/Musicmaker extravaganza, kicking off at 9pm at Bello Bar in Portobello. This amazing lineup has been put together by the Musicmaker crew and features THE RIVER FANE, BITCH FALCON, BOUTS and NO SPILL BLOOD.

 

Special shout as well for my man Gib Cassidy finishing up the retail side of ELASTIC WITCH. Gib is a wonderful cat, always great fun and amazing passion and knowledge of music. His party at Twisted Pepper on Saturday looks amazing as well!  

 

So get out and get stuck in and have a mighty day. Weather looks like it’ll hold up, so it’s massive vibes wherever you are!

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EARCEL – Curious Broadcast – Radio

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Last Thursday, May 9th was the European Arts Radio Creative Exchange Lab (EARCEL) at Rua Red Arts Centre in Tallaght. The event was hosted by Curious Broadcast (www.curiousbroadcast.com).

EARCEL was basically a show and tell day for progressive Radio Producers, Radio Stations, Sound Artists, Musicians, Composers and Radio rebels. It was eclectic, it was inspiring and it was a lot of fun. There was fire-in-the-bellies and gnashing teeth. There was awe and adulation. There was agreement and disagreement. There was a lot of respect, appreciation and admiration for people working hard to do things differently and do things that are worthwhile in radio.

I got involved in Curious Broadcast in its early stages, and it is really turning into a truly special project. I am going to be looking for other producers, artists and broadcasters to get involved in it. 

POWER ON

 

-Ray

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10past7 and Hands Up Who Wants To Die

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This is just an idea that I have. And like many that I have, I am not sure is it is genius or if it is daft. But just a thought.

Two of my favourite acts in the country are just back from a successful, lengthy and inspired tour of France and Spain. I think that this is absolutely brilliant and audacious and fantastic. I haven’t spoken to the lads about it but when I heard about it, I was so thrilled and excited by it. They were a great collaboration, very different sounds and from opposite ends of the country. But they had a shared goal to travel and do it right. I’m sure that they played in places and used contacts that go back through the years of punk and hardcore and DIY touring bands in Europe. I was really just lit up by the whole story!

And then the other thing that I was thinking about was The Choice Music Prize. The 10grand for the Choice Music Prize is raised by IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) and IRMA (Irish Recorded Music Association). Great, fair play to them! 10grand is a spicy meatball!! I feel bad for the fact that I work in the music industry and in commercial radio and I still do not have a bull’s notion what IMRO and IRMA actually do!!! 

With regard to the Choice Prize, I think that all of the nominees deserve it. They have all earned it and I wish them all well. Nobody values the brilliant work of Irish hardworking musicians more than yours truly.

And then I thought, ‘…wow, 10grand would go such a long way in the world of DIY music….’

For example, it could buy one of those vans that 10past7 and Hands Up Who Wants To Die went and rented! As a matter of fact, IMRO and IRMA could buy a crew cab van and just let bands use it for free! That would be a huge huge cost-saver and in one move, it would do more for up and coming artists than any award that is given to one single act at an awards ceremony.

A van, built for touring. An asset to touring bands in Ireland that can be used by an annual selection of bands. Then that might lead to a recognised circuit in the UK and on the continent of touring Irish bands and artists. Sharing a resource, sharing ideas and sharing contacts. Wouldn’t that be funny and cool! 

I know that this is very simplistic, but we all know that the music industry is arseways, and that the punks get stuff done. By helping the community, it would benefit a lot more people than a huge cash-prize award. 

OK, best of luck to the nominees in the choice prize. I hope that the cheque inspires others as much as the lads in their rented van inspired me.

Gooooodnight!

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What is next for Wingnut….

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I think that it really hit home to me just today about the ‘gravity’ of losing HMV to places like Limerick and Galway. I’m sad to see them go because, while I rock away in my beloved bubble of underground music, I realise the limitations that is there in terms of other people sourcing their favourite music locally.

So, here is what we plan to do. 

First of all, Wingnut Records will remain underground, alternative and predominantly Irish music.

At the same time, we are opening accounts with distributors through our Wingnut Limerick hosts in Moviedrome. From here we will have access to a huge range of international titles and labels. These international titles can at least have the OPTION to be made available in any of our Wingnut host businesses.

Keep an eye out and save up your vinyl money for the next few weeks and soon, you will find your favourite music available in your town again.

And if you cannot find it? Order it. An ordering system is already set up in Moviedrome, just email Paul@moviedrome.ie