Thats right, Trav Humane at Hydro-Phonic Records! And if you dont know who that is well I'll tell you. Hes one bad ass mother fucker in Michigan that has that the whole DIY scene should take notice of. With releases of XXX Maniak and Stone Axe(which is out now!!), and up and coming releases of Fistula, Sollubi, Ravens Creed, anybody that enjoys sludge, doom, or grind need to check it out and support this label. So here it is the words of Trav Humane!!
1.Who are you and where is Hydro-Phonic Records located
I'm known in the Punk and Metal world as Trav Humane. I was given that name back in 1994 when playing a touring with punk bands. I was a "merch" guy from 1994 to 1997 for many bands who probably dont even remember me. The most memorable was with Bobby Steele on an Undead Reunion Tour and the Queers when Hugh (drummer) was still alive and my buddy Eric Coleman played second guitar. I opened a club in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the summer of 1996 called the "DIY Underground". It's infamous as the club that got shut down by SWAT team when I refused to end a HC show with the Legendary "Pist" at police request. Mohawk kids were throwing shit at cops everywhere! I got charged with creating a situation that became out of control.
Hydro-Phonic Records is located in Michigan, among the ice and snow somewhere.
2.When did you start this Hydro-Phonic Records?
HPRX started officially as a label in 2008 with four bands. Those bands either broke up or chose to not work with me because I was unknown. The only band that is even still around from then is Plague Bringer from Chicago... and here we sit over two years later and they still don't have vinyl versions of there albums. I'm working on my 18th release however!
The name for Hydro-Phonic Records came from 1996 when I got busted for weed on probation and was put in a rehab center (sic). The counselor asked me "what kind of pot I smoked?" and I told him "hydroponic". Knowing my musical background, he joked it must be "hydro-phonic weed" ! He was pretty cool for a douche bag! Funny thing about rehab, I saw cocaine, mushrooms, crack and meth all for the first time ever in my life, from the other patients trying to sell to me shit to pay off their rehab bills. But, thats the origin of the name. I sold on Ebay for years until I became a horror movie seller and changed it to Mooncoast Collectibles. Mooncoast lasted over 10 years before shutting down when downloading movies took over.
3.What all bands are on the label?
I never tie anyone down with a contract of "you are signed to my label". I want my bands to want to be with me. I do "record deals" instead of "signing".
Stone Axe, a classic/stoner rock band from Washington State... grindcore legends XXX Maniak... Ramesses from the UK, they used to be the rhythm section of Electric Wizard... Fistula and Corey Bing is the foundation of my label, without the friendship of Corey, I'd not even be doing this shit! Along with Fistula comes every side project such as Accept Death (with Matt from Hemdale) Blackwell with artist Scott "Wizardfool" Stern, Sollubi, Necrodamus,...... Black Pyramid will be dropping an EP soon with us, Green & Wood from California,..... Sourvein just signed on for a few releases with HPRX.. Michigan bands Bullpig, Mountain Goat and Ziggurat. From Japan is the legendary Eternal Elysium and Coffins side project CYN. These guys from Ohio called Watchfire are gonna record for us sometime. I'm talking with Moloch from London and Total Fucking Destruction.
May 14th I'm having a free showcase of 5-6 of my bands, if anyone wants to come out and check out some new shit, please do.. it's on me! Be over 21 years old and show up early. Mulligans Pub in Grand Rapids Michigan, bands at 9 pm! Black Pyramid and Let the Night Roar will headline!
4.What all labels do you yourself enjoy?
I love many labels! Standards like Relapse, Southern Lord and Kreation. Local label Emetic Records with Eyehategod and Karma To Burn. Punkbeforeprofits is one of my best friends ever, and my sister label! Adam at Crucial Blast and Choking Hazard in Canada will be working close with me on some split releases, they do CD and I do vinyl. I like HydraHead, but think they take advantage of their fans.... Shifty, Game Two, PusMort and Man's Ruin are my old favorites! RLP in Detroit is the only Rap label I like.
5. Name 3 bands you believe deserve to be more recognized?
Stone Axe is an amazing band nobody knows. I don't really know why they are on my label. If they could break through, or find a label that could open doors they could be playing with the White Stripes and opening for Classic Rock shows, instead of opening up for Sabbath cover bands. Tony Dallas Reed is an amazing song writer and Dru, the vocalist has a voice so very rare in the music industry. It's not gloom and doom, it's uplifting!
Fistula should be just as popular as Eyehategod and Buzzoven and many other bands that move bigger units! Fistula got derailed with their infamous battle with Shifty records and the fact you couldn't buy anything forever by them. The band split and has existed in numerous forms ever since. I know Corey still has a lot to pull out of his hat if he keeps his eye on the prize. I'm trying to work with him to try and steer Fistula to the status I feel they deserve. It's hard when nobody can be reliable when it's time to record or play shows. Fistula pretty much exists as a studio project now. I hope that changes! I want to get them to Roadburn someday!
Black Pyramid have their eye on the prize however. They are an amazing band for fans of Sleep style doom. They make a lot of good choices career wise and they remind me of when I was friends with the dudes from The Sword... I can tell when a band is moving up. I am very privileged to be able to do an EP with them... I hope to do an LP also, but the chances are gonna be slim when more people discover them soon! I hope they remember me when they get big!
6.What can we look forward to be pressed to wax in the up and coming year?
I have a ton of vinyl releases for 2010! I'm doing my best to release an LP and 7" every month. No other label will be able to claim they had 24 records in their first year!
In about a week the Ravens Creed/Sollubi split 7" is ready. Accept Death s/t LP is at the pressing plant. Ramesses "Baptism of the Walking Dead" is in the mail. Sourvein s/t LP is being remastered right now!
Plus in the Spring/Summer we have:
Doomed from Birth Volume One Compilation: tracks from unknown underground bands
Blackwell s/t 12" picture disc
Black Pyramid 7"
Stone Axe 2 LP
Green & Wood 7"
Sourvein 7"
Fistula - The Goat EP LP
Fistula - Hymns of Slumber LP
Fistula - Idiopathic Lp
Fistula - Mutant Tooth EP
Fistula/ CYN split 7"
Fistula/ Eternal Elysium Split LP
Sollubi EP
Accept Death EP
Eternal Elysium - Searching Low and High 2x LP
Mountain Goat EP
Greenthrone S/T LP
Bullpig LP
Fall:
Fistula Singles Collection 2 x LP
Mountain Goat Lp
and am I hoping to work out deals with Moloch, TFD and The Misanthrope Project.
Anyone reading this is welcome to attend the Hydro-Phonic Doom Fest on May 14th for free. Any newer bands that want to be on the Doomed From Birth Vol 1 Compilation get a hold of me at the myspace.
=In the age of free downloads, I just hope people still want to support something worth a shit!
Trav
Thats it guys, so get over to Hydro-Phonic Records buy some shit, and support this label, cause you know you cant wait to get your hands on all that vinyl!!
