12 Questions with 9×9 Records
NSG’s David Lancaster caught up with Al from 9×9 Records to talk about Bill Harry’s old Merseybeat office, running a record label in Liverpool, and how an idea born in Vegas became a reality !!! 9×9 Records are a record label run as a sister company to independent Liverpool record store 81 Renshaw. They are primarily run by all round music mogul Neil Tilly, back in the 80s he used to promote gigs and run fanzines. In late 2016 he bought 81 Renshaw and transformed it into the record store and venue music heaven that it is today.
DL: What is 9×9, and what is the ethos and idea behind the label? I hear there is a great DIY vibe about it all, how did it all come about ??
Al: So with the shop and venue up and running, a label seemed like the next logical step. We sell loads of records… why not make some ourselves? As far as having a DIY vibe, yes, we’re inclined to agree, but that’s because it’s our approach to everything. The shop, the venue, the label… no one’s gonna do it for you, you have to be proactive and make stuff happen.
DL: So 9×9 is a relative of 81 Renshaw, a record shop, and live venue at the top of Renshaw Street here in Liverpool, a little gem really, can you tell me the history of the place and how 81 Renshaw came to be?
Al: In Spring 2016 Neil was touring America with his partner Kay, they stopped for a coffee at a place in Las Vegas which turned out to be a bar, café, and record store with a fanzine library at the back. It seemed such a great idea, he actually said “I’m going to set something like this up when we get back home”. 81 Renshaw Street was the ideal fit and we opened in December that year. There have been some changes over the years, but we’ve still got the same passion for music and great customer experience as when we opened… we’re just better at it now!!
DL: Is it right that it was Bill Harry’s old Merseybeat HQ, the old Liverpool music paper/magazine ??
Al: Bang on, that’s what explains the daily walking tours (when there isn’t a global pandemic on.) If you want to see a replica of our office head down to The Beatles Story on Albert Dock.
DL: 9×9 already have a few releases under your belt, coming up next month you have the Bobhowla debut album, something from up and coming Liverpool band The High Rip, and a live record from Thom Morecroft, exciting times, can you tell us about those releases and what else the label has planned for the first half of 2021?
Al: What else the label has planned in THE FIRST HALF OF 2021? Good grief Charlie Brown, are three releases, not enough? That’s one for each member of staff and they all have other jobs to do and all!! To be fair there is more stuff in the pipeline but nothing we can talk about just yet. Don’t worry we’ll let you know as soon as we can!! Yeah so first up we’ve got the debut album from Bobhowla, ‘Everything’s Wrong but It’s Alright‘, a local singer-songwriter with years of experience as a solo acoustic act and bandleader. The album has been produced by Rod Jones probably best known as a founder member of Idlewild and it sounds ace. It kind of throws back to that wave of great northern British indie bands of the late 90s and 00s: Doves, Elbow, etc. while also sounding fresh and new. It’s a bit of a tour of his mind you know? Plenty of styles and influences on the pallet delivered by bloody good pop songs. It’s a banger. The week after we’ve got a live single by Thom Morecroft called ‘The Beast’ recorded at the launch of his album (The Feng Shui and the Sushi, released by 9×9, 2019). I mean there’s not much to say about this other than it’s absolutely magical. At the end of a sold out full band show, Thom returns to the stage to perform this solo. It’s a personal and touching song that’s almost a little too revealing. It’s a great tune and he absolutely nails it. On the B-Side is The French Girl which was left off the vinyl release of the album due to time constraints (but was on the CD and digital release). And then in March, we’ve got Liverpool four-piece The High Rip’s debut album ‘Rule Of Four’. It’s a high drama post-punk affair packed with great tunes. There’s a sensitivity in the songwriting and it’s carried by a really tight band with a pop-driven ear. It’s catchy, it’s dancey, but it’s still saying something. Lovely stuff.
DL: If you guys could magically transport your shop/venue/label to any other city in the world, where would you like to set up? Maybe Berlin, New York, or Nashville ??
Al: Might be a cliche, but why would we want to be in any other city? You could ask that question to shops, venues, and labels all over the world… Liverpool would be in the top 3 answers I reckon… this city basically invented pop music.
81 renshaw logo
DL: Obviously you are working with and getting to know local bands and local artists, prior to the virus, how healthy was the local scene on Merseyside?
Al: Hate to say it, but how it was is kind of irrelevant now. We’ll say this: there was plenty of interesting stuff going on, despite what seemed like an aggressive and concerted effort to destroy any grassroots music scene by removing creative spaces through will or ignorance. When the pandemic eases it’s going to be like starting again fresh and while the deck will be stacked against us, there will be a real thirst to get things going.
DL: What challenges did Covid and the lockdowns bring to 9×9 and 81 Renshaw? Was it a struggle just staying afloat?
Al: I mean the label is going into almost certainly 2, but potentially 3 new releases without the virtue of over the counter sales, and that’s not just at 81, but stores nationwide… which isn’t ideal. But having said that music sales have kept up during all pandemic related lockdowns so hopefully the releases still get the buzz and shift the units they deserve. As for the shop, we have a lot of very loyal and dedicated customers who know the value of shopping with local and dedicated independents, so while we weren’t doing as well as we would have had there not been a deadly virus on the loose it could have been much worse. While the venue had to close, we haven’t at least lost all of our revenue streams as a lot of small businesses have.
DL: If you could have 3 artists from any era or genre sign to 9×9, who would you choose? .. (Beatles not allowed, ha.)
Al:
- John Lennon,
- Paul McCartney,
- George Harrison
Nah just joking, if we can have one each…
Neil: Aimee Mann,
Al: Nick Cave,
Leonie: Bruce Springsteen.
Inside the store
DL: There is very little to almost no money in the music industry now, how does the label circumnavigate that problem as most new and emerging bands just don’t have any finances to start off with?
Al: Actually, music has never been worth more. In the pre stream world, the average consumer spend on music was £40 annually (equivalent to 4 CDs), now the average consumer spend is in excess of £120 a year for the average streaming service. It’s just that money isn’t filtering down. Major labels and streaming giants are absolutely awash with money. The current government inquiry into this is fascinating. As for us, we have obviously invested capital into the label it’s not like you can do it with nothing. Producing music incurs a lot of upfront cost (pressing vinyl, paying for studios, etc.) but if you can shift what you have the back end is ok. But at the same time, we are currently living in a time where artists have the most direct relationship with their fans and supporters as they ever have. Things like crowdfunding sites, Patreon, and Bandcamp have exploded during the pandemic. Home recording is relatively inexpensive compared to previous generations. There are more options for getting what you’re doing out there and while it’s not free it’s cheaper than ever.
DL: Being based in the centre of Liverpool, do you now feel a bit of a responsibility to artists in the local area?, and what advice would you guys give to new acts trying to get their music out there and trying to get a deal??
Al: I mean we do feel a part of the city’s music community. We’re always happy to stock local band’s releases and will give always them a decent push. The biggest piece of advice to new artists would be don’t be an arsehole. Crazy that it needs saying but being sound and being reliable will do you so many favours. Don’t have ‘getting signed’ as a driver for what you are doing. Focus your efforts on making dead good art and every second you are not doing that put the time into building a community of people who like what you do. Labels will come sniffing if you’re good and popular. Make use of the tools listed above to really cement your relationship with your fans, but keep enough back that when a label does ask you what you have there’s stuff that is ready to go that’s new to the ears of the people who like you. And be prepared for it to not work out, but enjoy making your art and playing shows and meeting all the people you do along the way.
DL: What’s your ultimate dream for 9×9, where would you like to be in 10 years from now with the label?
Al: Ultimate dream… hmmm… Sell out to a major, retire to the Caribbean. Nah, to be honest, we hope we’re still putting out music with artists we like and respect. Still making things happen. Ideally without being hindered by an actual global pandemic.
9X9 records logo
DL: How do you see the road to recovery for our local scene and the industry here in Liverpool, what can we all do to help out?
Al: I mean if you’re in the position to help out financially do that. Buy tickets for gigs in the future, buy tickets for live streams, buy stuff from your local indie record store, buy stuff from your favourite smaller artists. I know that not everyone can do that and plenty of people are out of pocket from covid. So use your voice, recommend stuff you like to friends, share stuff on your Facebook and your Instagrams, that sort of thing… it all helps. But most importantly is be ready to be out again as soon as it’s safe. Get back into venues, get back to gigs.
DL: Thank you for giving us the chance to interview you, anything else you’d like to add?
Al: All of our upcoming releases are available to preorder on www.9x9records.co.uk, your readers should definitely do that. And if you like the store more head to www.81renshaw.co.uk browse the store and sign up to the mailing list. Also like, follow and subscribe to both 9×9 and 81’s Twitter, Facebook, and Instagrams while you are at it.
If you’d like to keep up to date with 9×9 records and 81renshaw why not follow them on the links highlighted in pink below.
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