Feature / Music
Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2008

Words: Michael • Posted pre-2010

LINKS TO ALL THE PAGES

Double or Nothing Records (Nicholas Smith)

What are your top five albums that were released in 2008?

  1. Hammer Brothers - The Kids Are Dead
  2. Hour of the Wolf / Lewd Acts - Split
  3. H20 - Nothing to Prove
  4. Internal Affairs / Dälek - Triumvir 12"
  5. Years Spent Cold - Moving Heaven to Hell

What band did you discover in 2008 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Power Trip from Texas: a solid mix of thrash and crossover with a taste of modern hardcore. They really are not doing anything new; they are just doing it right. Crucified from California: fast, raw, angry Clevo-style hardcore that doesn't put me to sleep. No vintage stupid gear for some shit sandwich doom sounds, straight raw power with good songwriting. The singer let me BBQ and swim at his house for three days while I was on tour.

How will you remember 2008? (In terms of music)

As far as hardcore, I would say pretty stagnant and disconnected.

Vinyl record sales saw a significant increase this year while hard copy sales continued to dwindle. Is this a return to the glory days for vinyl or just a phase? Explain.

I believe it is a return to the glory days. People can steal as much music as they want and there is nothing we can do about it other than make the tangible product better. That includes vinyl, packaging, posters, artwork, and anything that reflects the artist that music can be combined with. Major labels are going under because everything is so niche oriented and there are people loyal to the music style they embrace. So it's only fair to make those releases more personal and artistic, rather than some mass production of a disc and paper. I think vinyl has showed throughout time it can last and I think it will be steady for a while.

What was the most memorable moment for you in 2008? (Can be in terms of anything)

Ending my six-year contract with the U.S. Army and then finding out two months later that my former unit is going to Iraq.

What can we look forward to from you in 2009?

More new releases than I can think of off hand. More split 7"s. More killer bands. Some new Kids Like Us/Mongoloids record covers. New Know The Score record, Stray Dogs...Hard as Fuck. Finally moving back to Cleveland. Various uncalled-for remarks on bands, labels, and people I don't much care for.

What three records are you looking forward to most in 2009?

Steel Nation, Know the Score, and Crucified

Homepage: http://www.doubleornothingrecords.com

Related features

Demos You Want To Check #3

Music / New Kids On The Block • May 8, 2026

The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and die out and new bands present themselves to the world. How on earth are you expected to keep up, right? Well, it never hurts to help! So here we are, your humble … Read more

Jason Paul + the Know It Alls

Interviews • May 8, 2026

Here in Scene Point Blank Land, I sometimes get lost in the inbox of endless submissions and new music. I find things I like, but the great digital expanse still makes the records feel, well, a little too distant. Music is supposed to be personal, even if I'm not standing … Read more

Unseemlier

Interviews • April 24, 2026

It was about a year ago I discovered Unseemlier, shortly before the release of I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere. It's a wordy title and a somewhat unwieldy band name -- and I’ll use that “a lot going on in a little space” metaphor even further to talk about the … Read more

Guest List: War On Women

Music / The Set List • April 24, 2026

It feels like a lifetime ago when Mitt Romney referenced a "war on women" during the 2012 presidential cycle. A lot has changed, a lot has stayed the same -- but a new politically-charged band formed in the aftermath of that comment, calling themselves War On Women. Now, roughly 14 … Read more

Sacrosanta Decadencia Occidental

One Question Interviews • April 16, 2026

Maria (Sacrosanta Decadencia Occidental – vocals/artist) SPB: The artwork of your album took over a year to make. What was this long experience like for you? Maria: If I were to put it shortly, the first thing that comes to mind is a long and winding road: exhausting but exciting … Read more

More from this section

Demos You Want To Check #3

Music / New Kids On The Block • May 8, 2026

The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and die out and new bands present themselves to the world. How on earth are you expected to keep up, right? Well, it never hurts to help! So here we are, your humble … Read more

Guest List: War On Women

Music / The Set List • April 24, 2026

It feels like a lifetime ago when Mitt Romney referenced a "war on women" during the 2012 presidential cycle. A lot has changed, a lot has stayed the same -- but a new politically-charged band formed in the aftermath of that comment, calling themselves War On Women. Now, roughly 14 … Read more

The New York Dolls: Reflections and Legacy

Music • March 30, 2026

I first discovered the New York Dolls in the mid-to-late 1980s, just as I was beginning to stretch the boundaries of my musical journey. Up until then, my exposure to music had mostly come through my parents, aunts, and uncles. They planted the initial seeds, and those seeds quickly grew, … Read more