I know that it's premature to consider a label to great when it only has three releases out, but I don't think I've ever been so impressed with a young label since I ran into these guys from Hell Bent Records. Besides releasing three seriously good records, and a heck of a lot more on the slate for the rest of 2001 and 2002, I am more than excited to keep following the endeavors label partners, Joe Oz and Cutlets. Although my contact has been limited to just Joe, I can judge from his sincerity and absolute enthusiasm for keeping the torch of burning punk rock alive that Hellbent Records is truly going to make a name for themselves in the upcoming months. Interivew conducted over email in early August of 2001.
Jordan: How do you plan to differentiate Hellbent Records from the plethora of other music labels that make up the independent music scene?
Joe: I feel the worst thing about most labels right now is that they are all so predictable, it's almost as if you know what the new "fill in the blank" label band is going to sound like. Hell Bent doesn't ever want to have a "Hell Bent" sound. Diversity is very important to us. A lot of labels pigeon hole themselves because they either put out all "youth crew" hardcore records or all "metal" hardcore records or all "emo" records and if they want to do something different, it doesn't go over well or they get criticized for doing something different. We want to keep everyone guessing.
It is also very important to us to keep all activities the label is involved with on a personal level between the bands, the label, and the kids. In every mail order record we right a note asking how the person heard of us and ask them to let us know what they think, because it means a lot to us.
Jordan: Why was the label started? When did it start? and describe your initial financial condition upon taking in the big dive...
Joe: Hell Bent was started because as I started getting older it seemed like all my friends were just starting to disappear, kids I saw at shows weren't there anymore, they all went to college and "grew up" and it scared the shit out of me. This music that was our only outlet and the one thing we all could relate to suddely didn't mean anything anymore and I personally became more and more jaded as the days went by and it seemed like the only kids left were the ones who were involved in the scene in someway, shape, or form, whether it be a zine, label, distro, or a band. I don't want to "grow up," I don't want to be accepted, and I want to do my own thing, so I started a label. I really just couldn't see myself doing anything else. I guess overall, it was just time for me to stop singing along and start getting involved.
The Kill Your Idols/Full Speed Ahead split was released in Jan/Feb of 2000 it didn't really have a set street date cause I didn't know there was a such thing at the time but we've come a long way in a year and a half. Thats when we started putting out records.
Our (or my) initial financial condition upon starting the label consisted of my life savings up until that point in my life, which wasn't much and some maxed out credit cards, good thing the record sold so I could pay them off right away!!
Jordan: The Hell Bent records logo has pentagrams on it. So it's really true then that you are nothing but a bunch of crazy devil worshippers right?
Joe: Let's just say we are god's unwanted children. As darth helmet said in SPACEBALLS, "Evil will always prevail over Good"
Jordan: What's the biggest challenge in finding new acts to sign?
Joe: Every band we work with is a risk, in order for a record to do well everyone must work hard. The label must do their part and the bands have to tour and play shows and work. One hand washes the other. A label can put tons of money into a band in advertising, tour support, etc. and the band can not tour, not play shows, or even break up and if this is a developing band and this happens a few times, you may not have a label anymore. A band has to be willing to put everything into the band and bands should expect no less from the label they are on.
Jordan: Your KILL YOUR IDOLS split release with FULL SPEED AHEAD was something a lot of people were swooning over in the year 2000. What pressing is that split in, and are you looking forward to doing similar type splits in the near future?
Joe: We were super stoked to be able to work with the Kill Your Idols guys. KYI happens to be mine and my partner's favorite HC/punk band right now. So much attention was given to the split because KYI works so fucking hard and they are an incredible band.
The record is in something like it's fith pressing and the first two were pretty big pressings. There were 2000 pieces of vinyl pressed alone. Splits are so much fun. It is also the only way for us to work with bigger bands that are on bigger labels, that may be under contract and also friends of our's bands' who also are on bigger labels. It's easy to get a few songs from a couple of established bands and come out of it with an awesome release!
In the fall we will be releasing the Crack Rock Steady 7/F-Minus Split CD and limited color 10". Now the Crack Rock Steady 7 sounds exactly like Leftover Crack on Hell Cat Records for some strange reason(wink, wink), and it also features the singer and guitarist from Choking Victim. And you all should know the thrash punk kings from Southern California: F-Minus (also on Hell Cat Records).
Jordan: The promo sheet I got for the NEW DIREXION disc looked very professional. Do you, or your label partner have any prior experience in the music industry? If so, do tell.
Joe: Being in school I have done a few internships for different labels and distribution companies on the east coast. My partner, Cutlets is currently the tour manager for Sick of It All and a temp manager for whoever needs him, he has worked for the likes of Green Day, Rancid, blah, blah, blah, he's a rock star, whatever. But seriously he has handled the business end on the road for a lot of bands and he's a pretty bright kid. Between the two of us, we get shit done. By the way, thanks for the compliment, the one-sheet I sent you was included in the promo pack I send all my distributors and that is what represents Hell Bent and it's bands so it has to look good!
Jordan: What's a band that you'd nearly give everything to sign?
Joe: Chronic Abuse! and The Hampers! Look out for these two bands! They both declined offers from Hell Bent and they will be so huge they will accompany each other on the "dinosaur world tour." I'm serious.
Oh yeah, and the Murphys Law/Run DMC split....Why hasn't anyone with money thought of this already?
Oh yeah, and the Straight Ahead Discography - the mosh part to "Breakaway" makes me want to murder everything moving. One more thing, the re-issue of the White Pigs 7" and the Alone In a Crowd 7"----I'm Done!
This is it, I swear, that guys that sings "Shake Yo Ass, Whatch Yo-self!" "Shake it fast, show me what your workin for" that dude has so many fine honey's in his video, he's a pimp by blood, word, we have got to work together----DUDE, HAVE YOUR PEOPLE CALL MY PEOPLE, YOUR SERIOUS HELL BENT MATERIAL-WHATCH YO-SELF! There's so much more ridiculous shit but I'll spare anyone reading this interview.
Jordan: What advice to you give to young bands who are currently sending demos out to various labels?
Joe: Just play what you want to play - don't sound like everything else. Everything else sucks!
Jordan: So who's a part of the label? Is there a formal office? What's your procedure in checking out new bands?
Joe: The label is me, Joe and my partner Cutlets. Cutlets is my best friend and I'm stoked we are doing this together. There are also a whole clan of jerks that help out, Ollie does the web hosting, Marc does our graphic design, Rich Furley does most of our public relations work, and Bill Cash heads our street team. This is the crew and I love everyone in it! Thanks Guys! 666!
I have an apartment in south Jersey at the shore outside Atlantic City. But the "office" is at my parents house 45 minutes north (also at the shore). My old room was turned into an office, with a computer, a fax machine, a Run DMC-Tougher Than Leather movie poster, copier, etc,. pens and tape and other office stuff. I can't do work unless I'm by myself without distractions so I take 1-3 days out of the week and do the label full time during those days but it sucks because since i've moved out, my mother has become "the cat lady" like in the Simpsons and when I work a full day it feels like my head is going to explode because I'm allergic to those damn flea bags, serioulsy she has like 15 cats. I think I ran one over today. FUCK!
Jordan: People often say that distribution is the most difficult thing with a start-up label, who is Hell Bent distributed by and what plans do you have to increase to channel?
Joe: Right now we are distributed by the regulars: Revolver, Lumberjack, Choke, Very, Temperance, Revelation, Sonic Onion, Sound of California, Hot Topic HQ, the list goes on and on those are just the bigger ones. The complete list can be found on our website. Our next step is to go exclusive with a certain company that deals direct to chain stores, but this is a huge pain in the ass, but it is something that must be done, and yes it does suck. We may have to wait until a couple more releases, we are only on our fourth, but we have our fifth through eight mapped out. The stuff we have planed will be on a much larger scale and we need to be pushed in chain stores, along with everywhere else.
Jordan: Outside of running the label, do you have another occupation? If so, please describe.
Joe: Fuck Yeah! You think money grows on trees, someone's got to earn the money the bands take from us. I am a full time college student and through the years I've spent my summers at the same Bicylce Shop fixing and selling bikes and my winter waiting tables to make the "bling bling."
Everything the label has made up until this point has gone right back into the label, and it will be this way for a very long time. I pay those who work for us, but for now myself and my partner do not see paychecks from the label. At least until New Direxion goes on tour with 98 derees or something, then I might buy myself a new pair of shoes or a haircut or something.
Jordan: I noticed you guys are from New Jersey - as a New Yorker myself, what qualities do you think the Northeast has over anywhere else in the US?
Joe: Dude, Cutlets moved to Long Beach and I spent some time there and it rules and also, NWA is from the West Side. When I graduate, i'm so selling out the east coast, East Coast Fuck You!
The only thing cool about the North East is Cro Mags reunions, Straight Ahead reunions, Bad Brains reuinions and Murphy's Law. There is no, I repeat there is no surf here either! And Floor Punch was pretty awsome when they played CB's with Killing Time. NYHC is (or was) the best thing about the North East. Being 16 years old and taking the train to CB's or Coney Island High or wherever the show was, that was the best.
Jordan: What's in your stereo right now?
Joe: Most likely the Jedi Five "Relentless" Record that comes out on Aug 28th. But I also found my "Adventures of Slick Rick" tape and i've been pumping that in my stereo too.
I've been listening to the new Kill Your Idols on Side One - get this record! and the new F-Minus on Hell Cat! Circle Jerks, "Group Sex" gets played once a day while I'm brushing my teeth. And as alway, Weird Al "The Food Album."
Jordan: If you could remove one musical entity, past or present, from existence, who would it be and why?
Joe: I fucking hate MTV - Carson Daily is such a fucking tool and he makes out with the cutest girls (even though there probably stupid anyway). MTV brainwashes kids into thinking what's cool and what's not. They tell kids what to wear and how to think, I wish everyone would just be themselves. It's all a big game, it's like Papa Roach was cool last summer and New Found Glory is cool this summer. MTV's target market is a very loyal one and they are all brain dead. Most of all, they are lazy, they are so content to sit on their ass and turn on the boob toob (which I don't watch unless it's Blind Date or the Simpsons) and be spoon fed their new favorite bands.! Get off your ass and try something new, support a local band or your local scene and not big business -it's about the music and the message - not the dollars and the cents, there's a world outside, join it sometime.
Jordan: Any final comments?
Joe: Whoah. Sorry, I went off a little on that last question. Thank You, thank you, thank you to anyone who has supported the label, helped out the label, or even heard of the label, all is much much appreciated. Thanks to Jordan for giving a shit about our stupid label and Thanks to You for reading my babble, I didn't mean anything I said, well, I meant some things. Thanks!
Jordan: How do you plan to differentiate Hellbent Records from the plethora of other music labels that make up the independent music scene?
Jordan: The Hell Bent records logo has pentagrams on it. So it's really true then that you are nothing but a bunch of crazy devil worshippers right? 
Joe: Being in school I have done a few internships for different labels and distribution companies on the east coast. My partner, Cutlets is currently the tour manager for Sick of It All and a temp manager for whoever needs him, he has worked for the likes of Green Day, Rancid, blah, blah, blah, he's a rock star, whatever. But seriously he has handled the business end on the road for a lot of bands and he's a pretty bright kid. Between the two of us, we get shit done. By the way, thanks for the compliment, the one-sheet I sent you was included in the promo pack I send all my distributors and that is what represents Hell Bent and it's bands so it has to look good! 
The only thing cool about the North East is Cro Mags reunions, Straight Ahead reunions, Bad Brains reuinions and Murphy's Law. There is no, I repeat there is no surf here either! And Floor Punch was pretty awsome when they played CB's with Killing Time. NYHC is (or was) the best thing about the North East. Being 16 years old and taking the train to CB's or Coney Island High or wherever the show was, that was the best. 
