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enabled other bands we work with to know that
some of these bands really do make it. I am
very selective about bands we work with and
do a full 'dedication check' before adding a
band to the maybe list. This includes how often
they're posting on social, how many gigs
they're doing, and their overall attitude to get-
ting involved with us. This probably makes up
50% of our selection process, with the other
50% being how good the music is and if it's
suited to the other tracks on the album.
If you could meet one of your inspirations
and ask them one question, who would you
like to meet and what question would you
Name, age & location: taken part in any courses to improve your ask?
Dan Allman, 30, Reading, UK. career along the way? That would probably have to be Mike at Fat
The music side of things is pure passion, but
What do you do - or what do you aim to do? obviously I've done my fair chunk of reading Wreck. It’s just amazing to see someone who
I run and manage independent record label up on music industry best practices, how to put is such a talented musician transfer all those
skills to running one of the most established
Thumbhole Records, which puts out compila- together press releases and how to run a label punk rock labels out there. I'd probably just ask
tions of upcoming alternative bands from effectively to get music to the right places. On him what his favourite pizza was or something,
around the world. We work with the bands top of that, in my day job I'm a digital marketer, as taking advice would mean I'm changing the
closely to give them as big a push as possible designer and developer which has really
and hopefully find them some new fans in helped us ensure we've got a good digital foot- label from something unique I'm trying to build
my way. But he's definitely an inspiration and I
places they might not have been able to reach print on social and on our own websites to love what he does.
otherwise. make sure we get good exposure.
Advice to others that may want to follow in
How long have you been doing it for - and In your eyes, what makes your company
what made you choose this career? stand out? Why should others come to your footsteps?
Go big or go home! I've found that in the early
I set up the label in 2012 after a band I was in, you/get involved? years I was very cautious about how much to
Hold Your Fire!, disbanded. During our time as We work with bands who might not be out advertise, which bands to approach, etc. Now
a band we'd built up a big database of promot- there on the likes of Spotify/iTunes yet, as well I wish I'd just got all my ducks in a row in the
ers, journalists and other bands from around as bands on the cusp of breaking out into the
Europe and I didn't want it to go to waste. In- mainstream who have been going for years - first place and hit it hard from day one. I'm six
years into this and only just starting to feel like
stead I put out the feelers to put together a as well as a spectrum in between. This helps it's really got some oomph behind it. Get your
compilation album of bands we'd played with new bands get a good start, and helps estab- idea down, establish the brand, and get some
and heard on our travels. This was the first lished bands get promoted to areas of the advocates on board. I'd also say the best ad-
Punkalicious compilation, and following that I globe they might not necessarily have reached
had requests from bands who'd seen it to be otherwise, thanks to the other bands on the vice is to not do everything yourself. I've tried
that, and it doesn't work, especially not with a
involved in the next one. This has evolved over compilation promoting it to their own fan day job as well. Get some key people to help
the years to be a mix of bands applying, and bases. There are tons of 'playlists' being set you out, PR companies, maybe a web devel-
us seeking out new music through various up these days on Spotify especially, and we oper. They don't have to be the hottest of the
methods to put together the best compilations feel like these playlists have stripped away any
we can. kind of emotional attachment to compilations hot, but it takes some weight off your shoul-
ders to focus on the bits you really want to
of old like the Punk-O-Rama series which was
What does a general working day or week a huge part of my musical upbringing! I wanted do.
usually consist of? to try and re-inject that back in to the current Where do you go from here? Plans for the
A lot of social media work goes into label man- music scene, but use it to support new music
agement these days, ensuring we're chatting that deserves to be heard. On top of that, we future?
As it stands, we'll continue on with the ‘Tracks
to fans and potential bands about the label and don't just chuck bands into a playlist and forget You Might Have Missed’ series, hopefully
getting the right messages out. We also spend about them. We creating ever-changing pro- branching out to work with some other inde-
time putting together physical copies of the lat- files on our website, support their local gigs on pendent record labels to push their bands as
est compilations, which is a new service we're our social pages and will always try and put
providing. Then the big chunk of spare time is out new news from them years after they've well as more unheard/unsigned artists. We're
also looking to get more involved with some
spent researching our current bands and find- featured. live events here in the UK. We're working
ing new audiences, whilst keeping our ears closely with the Pile Up Festival team who are
open to new and upcoming music we've found Highlight(s) of your career so far? putting on some great shows this year, and
through SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Last.fm and It was great to have bands like Trash Boat and
other services which allow easy discovery of TrueHeights appear on our compilations and have huge plans to take the alternative festival
scene by storm next year.
new and upcoming talent. then see them really start to gain some major
attention/sign to bigger labels. Not saying we Website for more info:
Have you had any professional training or were directly responsible of course, but it has
www.thumbholerecords.com

CLEVELAND
Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’ HELIO TERRA

In April, we headed over to Cleveland, OH for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction. As luck
would have it, our hotel was ten minutes walk away from a vegan cafe called Helio Terra. We nat-
urally made it our mission to go there every day, sometimes more than once. Top of our picks was
the Awesome Grilled Cheese Sandwich (their name, not ours, although it WAS awesome!), which
featured cashew red pepper dip, roma tomato, caramelized onion and fig jam in between toasted
sourdough bread. We also tried the Roasted Vegetable Flatbread, while our friends had the Black
Bean Burger. Helio Terra sell juices, smoothies, wraps, salads and more, so if you’re ever in Cleve-
land seek them out. Nice prices for healthy comfort food. www.helioterravegancafe.com

BV CV / EATIN’ AIN’T CHEATIN’