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

Words: Michael • Posted pre-2010

LINKS TO ALL THE PAGES

Murder by Death (Matt Armstrong)

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

  1. Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling
  2. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
  3. The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
  4. O'Death - Broken Hymns Limbs and Skin
  5. Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

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?

We just had a band on tour with us called J. Roddy Walston and The Business and they rock my face off. They sort of rekindled a love of ass-shaking, beer-drinking, straight-up rock and roll in me. I am eternally grateful.

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

I think I will remember 2008 as a year that I heard some great new music and played a lot of my own. It was a tour-heavy year.

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 think the love of vinyl never really went away; people are just noticing it more now because no one is buying CD's the way they used to. It seems to me that the majority of people who are serious about a band usually download the album for their iPod and then buy it on vinyl so they have a hard copy with artwork. I know vinyl sales have been helping us stay afloat.

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

It was a pretty kooky year for me. There are a lot of moments to choose from, so I'll go with meeting Greg Dulli from The Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers/Gutter Twins. That was something I had been wanting to do for years.

What can we look forward to from you in 2009?

You can look forward to us touring a lot and starting to write new songs.

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

The Life and Times' "Tragic Boogie." This album is amazing and if you don't like it we are no longer friends. William Elliott Whitmore "Animals in the Dark;" Will has one of the most fantastic voices you will ever hear, period. I don't know who else is putting out records in 2009.

Homepage: http://www.murderbydeath.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