29/09/2023
Ok, here we go!
Today, I'm pleased to announce the launch of Mellow Raccoon!
Mellow Raccoon is a new platform for the local music scene. Part Independent Label, part so much more; but all about making the music happen.
Founded by Kieran Bott, a lifelong Alternative Rock musician and PhD Researcher in the field of the political workings and political engagements of Alternative Rock scenes from Punk onwards, the combination of those two worlds afforded an understanding of both the frustrations and missing pieces of our present musical climate and of the forgotten lessons of noted music scenes that made lasting impacts still affecting the world today. Naturally, combining the questions and problems with the solutions and answers seemed like a logical next step. Taking influence from the likes of Dischord Records, adding one of my favourite animals, making a quick drawing and deciding that he looked "mellow"... here we are!
In a society with very few independent venues, independent record shops, independent labels, independent radio stations - the places that traditionally fuelled Alternative Rock movements, gave us shows, helped us build audiences, helped us record and helped us grow. Without the large student "art school" crowds publishing zines, designing and making posters, artwork, merch, giving us secret, dubious, access to facilities their colleges and universities had that made building scenes and networking around them, self-promotion and merch so much easier. The odds are against us today.
At the same time, since those years have gone by, recording gear, high-quality printing equipment, the means to make a record and to make merch have become significantly cheaper. The internet has made networking and socialising easier, if not by contacting your local area, by making your potential audience the entire world.
Furthermore, the difference an active musical base can make to wider society, giving people a much larger voice, is something everyone is missing today. The Rock Against Racism, the Rock for Choice, the Rock Against R**e movements were all fuelled by local music scenes and all made a fundamental difference to society, propelling large numbers of people into activism that got the messages across, built even closer music scenes and made the world a little bit better every time.
Taking the attitudes, sentiment, and most importantly the lessons from previous scenes - from Punk Scenes, the Seattle Scene, Riot Grrrl - these ideas need to be applied to the present society. Our local scene is definitely the friendliest, one of the most talented and supportive, so let's see where this takes us! In the words of the very much missed bassist of the Screaming Trees, Van Conner, in a conversation we had about how the Seattle Scene became what it did, "Seattle happened because we were all friends. We all helped each other every second."
We won't be the next Seattle and this label won't make any of us big stars. But it will definitely give us records, it will give us merch, it will give us much more power and it'll actually give us a fighting chance to move forward as musicians. Working together instead of alone will give us many, many more opportunities.
So yeah, welcome along on this journey! Keep a look out in following weeks as our launch line up will be announced, as label events, shows and compilations are announced. It'll be great for you to be a part of the ride!
Kieran Bott, 29/09/2023
