O Genesis is the new record label put together by Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, along with a few like-minded friends. As Burgess plans to both sign and produce some of his favourite artists, he told the Live4ever Ezine how he is keeping it simple but also innovative, and the sound he is striving for with those signed up to his new venture.
O Genesis sounds quite exciting; emulating some of the characteristics of Factory Records, like its view on the artist having plenty of control. What do you think?
That’s a bit grand but if it suggests Factory then wow! I grew up with Tony Wilson feeding me righteous spoutings and crazy music,, it seems the most sensible way to do things and have the artist in mind more then perhaps other labels do.
How about geographically, Factory was based in a northern city, where’s O Genesis based?
O Genesis is a northern label even though I spend most of my time in Cyberspace. We are a team of three boys and a girl in total, two of us live in London and one floats between the two.
Is it wise starting a label right now (economic climate), or were you always going to start your own label not matter what?
The label came about to further my career as a producer! Me and Jim Spencer, ace engineer for The Charlatans, New Order and Johnny Marr amongst others, had been working on records together and we felt that it would make sense to actually put out the records we made with as much love as we put into the recordings. Nic Void, my friend from London, and the ace band Factory Floor, forced me to start a label. Next thing I know she introduced me to Joseph Coward and we recorded OGen 001. Nick Fraser is logistics and has big ideas that make it potentially more than a label – we don’t have a plush office anywhere and expense accounts. Lunches are usually a bunch of grapes.
How do you find producing, and do you find setting up the label generally demanding on your time?
I like to keep it simple. I’m really fortunate that the bands I record are bands I love. I want to them sound like them, and I find it demanding but rewarding in more ways that you can imagine. I was always out at gigs and I produced a few singles and albums for people, and it seemed to be the natural step to see things through to the end and be involved in the artwork, etc.
So what’s the label released up to know and what’s to come?
We have eight releases planned for before the end of the year; Replicas is out 26th Sept, and that is a 3 track 7″ and download, cat number Ogen003. Joseph Coward – Jesus Christ / Worry Wart (OGen001), Electricity In Our Homes – Aching, Breaking, Shaking For You / Drumming Around The Room [parts 1 & 2] (OGen 003).
OGen 004 is a 3-track spoken word release by a 24 year old poet published by Faber & Faber. His name is Jack Underwood and we are releasing his single just in time for national Poetry Day on October 6th. OGen 005 is the communications arm of O Genesis called ERPR, designed so Nick Fraser can run riot etc.
Am I right in saying you’re putting a country album together? I remember seeing you wear a Flying Burritos Brothers t-shirt years ago so I know you like your country…
It’s not a country album, it’s a Nashville record. I’m hoping to bring in soul, gospel and country influences, but it won’t be country, and I always thought of Gram Parsons as being soulful. Yes of course there was a huge country influence in The Flying Burrito Brothers style but Gram was just a cat, a cosmic cat.
You know all them country singers had sadness in there to make those records…
I have a sadness in my soul. I think I said that on my last solo album in a track called ‘Years Ago’.
…and does O Genesis have a mantra, motto or anything that sums up what the label is all about?
All releases so far will have me and Jim Spencer doing the recording, all releases so far have had landscapes for sleeves, the sleeves have either been done by the band, me or Nic Void, sometimes a combination of both. I think Nick Fraser’s motto of, ‘we work with bands we love’, sums up O Genesis. That goes from producing and working with Hatcham Social, sadly not on the label but welcome anytime, through to Joseph, through to Replicas and so on. We admire their work, I also think we will do it best.
Find out more on O Genesis over on their Facebook page.
(Carl Stanley)
