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Business Interviews Labels & Publishers The Great Escape 2014
Q&A: Robert Luis, Tru Thoughts
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 16 April 2014
With The Great Escape just three weeks away, CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke has been chatting to Robert Luis, co-founder of seminal Brighton record company Tru Thoughts. As the label celebrates its fifteenth anniversary, Luis will headline this year’s TGE:DIY programme for the grass roots music community, chatting to Cooke about what its like running a popular indie label, and inspiring the next generation of music business entrepreneurs.
CC: Let’s start at the start – remind us how and why Tru Thoughts was first established fifteen years ago.
RL: I had been running club nights and DJing for a while and wanted to have a new challenge. I also wanted to have music I could play out in my DJ sets that I felt was not seeing the light of day. And I knew there were a lot of talented artists around that maybe just needed a platform to get their music out to the world.
CC: You have a very eclectic roster. Did you have any specific objectives genre-wise at the outset?
RL: I want to feel passionate about the music or the artist whose music we are releasing. My taste obviously influences what we sign, but equally artists like Quantic and new signing Werkha present music to me that I would not have necessarily looked to sign but when I hear the music and love it and their passion for it, I fully want to support it.
CC: You’ve been in business during a period of great change in the record industry, how has that impacted on Tru Thoughts?
RL: As an independent we can react quickly. I remember when we first signed Bonobo and wanted to do a seven-inch the distributor was saying to us that HMV do not really stock seven-inches from new labels so it might not be the best format for them, but they also understood why we wanted to do it. When we started out, we knew most people would be enjoying the music by downloading it illegally, so we have always been in a world of being cautious with finances and budgets… we are still the same today but have a bit more budget than we did in 1999!
CC: Do you think it’s harder or easier running an independent record label in 2014 than in 1999?
RL: I think it is just hard running an independent label no matter what the decade. It is easier to get music out there because of technology today, but anyone wanting to run a label as a business (not just a hobby) has to be passionate about the music they are releasing, as the financial rewards are not necessarily going to be very big.
CC: How do you find new talent to work with?
RL: I listen to lots of music. I check out what other DJs I respect are playing. I record shop every week to see what good music is getting released. I am fortunate that I get sent a lot of good music too, as I DJ and have a radio show. That constant quest, the desire to be constantly looking for interesting music, is a gene that I notice in many A&Rs.
CC: Do you only collaborate with artists on their recordings or, like many other labels, do you now also get involved in other aspects of their careers?
RL: Nowadays, from speaking to most mid-size to large independents, you often end up being involved in lots of aspects of artist careers, but not officially. We help artists get gigs and give plenty of advice but we do flag up to artists that we are their record label and publisher and not managers. As an independent you have to sometimes do things that managers or agents would normally do for the good of the music.
CC: Do you think being an artist and DJ yourself affects the way you relate to artists signed to the label?
RL: I hope so in a positive way. I know what it is like to release an album and singles so I have empathy with people who work hard to achieve the goal of being a full time artist. It is difficult and musical talent is not enough on its own. You have to be really hard working, away from recording and playing the music too, to have any form of continued success as an artist.
CC: What tips would you have for anyone thinking of setting up a record label today?
RL: Ask for advice from people who actually run a record label, even if they’re not working in the genre of music you are doing. If possible, try to get at least your first three releases sorted out before releasing any music, so you can keep a regular flow of music being released. Plus, I’ve probably got a book’s worth of other advice to add to this too!
CC: And what tips would you have for new artists looking for a label to work with today?
RL: Try to send music to labels in way that will stand out. Nice packaging, a good logo, a sticker, a short and concise blurb about the music. Try and meet with A&Rs direct – plenty of A&Rs are DJs, so go to their gigs and hand them a CD or USB or business card with download link and speak to them. Be confident and polite. Present yourself well (but do not waste too much money doing it). Focus on the music.
CC: What have been the highest highs and the lowest lows of fifteen years running Tru Thoughts?
RL: At the moment it feels great that we have survived for fifteen years. We have a staff of eleven and plenty of artists on Tru Thoughts are actually earning money from the music industry due to their music. The low was probably when Woolworths went into receivership and took our distributor Pinnacle down with it. We lost a six figure sum and it happened just before Christmas, but myself and Paul Jonas – my business partner – still tried to remain positive when that happened. You have to be tough and forward looking to run an independent label.
