Interview // Michael Kucyk - Nervous Jerk

Nervous Jerk is without a doubt one of Australia’s most exciting record labels. Perhaps the simple explanation for this is the fact that it’s founder Michael Kucyk has an inherent aversion to boring things. For him, having a record label is much more than just licensing releases, it’s about supporting the bands and the music that he is passionate about. Choosing the creative over the commercial Michael is not concerned with shifting units and we spoke to him broadly about the growing atmosphere in which both ideas and ideals are seeming more realistic.

//////

I was reading that Nervous Jerk is an “uncontrolled reaction to the state of the independent music industry”. Is this a just general statement, or are there specific things that really piss you off?

I think that was misappropriated a bit. It’s more an uncontrolled reaction to the local independent music scene and the bands that blow me away every weekend. Representing and being completely devoted to this roster of bands that were otherwise neglected and don’t get the right level of support. Nervous Jerk disassociates itself from the ‘industry’ and operates from a different perspective. I just want to help create and release amazing records without being obsessed by how many units are going to be sold. That’s obvious in the frequency of our vinyl releases which are sluggish movers and rarely breakeven. We also don’t participate in that buy an ad in our magazine for our support game either, relying heavily on word of mouth and connecting people that are genuinely passionate about the music itself.

Most know who the culprits that play the ad=editorial game are, but what would you say are the best local media platforms for supporting independent music?

I guess it changes on a case-by-case basis but I’d like to prioritise media folk that are associated with the artists, relate and understand the music and are able to translate it to appreciators that see with the same eyes. Community radio is always a focus point - 3RRR, FBI etc and Mess+Noise magazine are pretty devoted and broad. Local promotion has always been a bit of a weak point but that doesn’t really phase me. For instance the biggest supporters who got behind the Dead C/Hi God People 12″ were overseas folk like Byron Coley and Thurston Moore, Pitchfork and other web based publications, which in turn gave some good exposure to these southern hemisphere unknowns.

This attention from Byron and Thurston came when you were running Art School Dropout right? How did this label inform the founding of Nervous Jerk?

My understanding is that I’d send two copies of everything to the pair, only Byron would pocket them both in return for scribing favourable reviews in The Wire. But that’s cool. He’s still a total tastemaker, has been an influential force in American independent music for decades, and is an amazing wordsmith who has practically created a new language. Old label? I dunno. I guess you just learn lessons over time and it gets to the point where you just want a fresh start. A new identity. Build something more consistent and set up the systems that will best service your artists and releases. Secure reliable PR, distribution and export opportunities. That side of running a label is totally depressing and exhausts too much energy. I just want focus on the fun stuff and work more directly with favs Sly Hats, Kiosk, Birth Glow, Hi God People, Fabulous Diamonds and Eddy Current Suppression Ring.

Image // Hi God People

Are you friend with many of the artists associated with Nervous Jerk? What are your thoughts on the friendship/business dynamic?

Excusing a few, I only vaguely knew most of these artists personally before working with them. There have been instances where I’ve been cautious about mixing friends and business, and similarly, there have been acts that have passed on the label not wanting to stale a friendship and be stuck in a negative working atmosphere. But we’re generally a pretty good judge of character and these folk are all on the same wavelength - exceptionally talented, committed, open-minded, modest, appreciative and youthful. Ultimately I want to represent a group of artists and bands that will not only work well with me, but also work well together - touring and playing shows with each other, recording, collaborating, co-writing, remixing etc.

I usually feel compromised when friends ask for support slots…

With the bands working together, do you have or are you planning to form a space in which creative sparks can fly? Or do you think it will happen more spontaneously?

These bands seem to share a mutual respect and appreciation for each other, so I guess this will happen spontaneously. The Sly Hats record ‘Liquorice Night’ features some vocal cameos from Nisa Venerosa (Fabulous Diamonds) and Ellen Carey (Birth Glow) and apparently the album’s last note is some wobbly sax from Fabulous Diamonds’ Jarrod Zlatic. Both Geoff O’Connor (Sly Hats and Crayon Fields) and Mikey Young (Eddy Current) are sound boy geniuses with some classic production techniques. I’d like to get them behind the controls on some forthcoming records. Geoff and Adelaide’s ghostly tribal folk duo Birth Glow would be a perfect marriage.

Image // Fabulous Diamonds

When it comes to international vs local (and maybe you can help guide this question a bit) how much attention is paid to Melbourne from the broader music community and how much is it a matter trying to gain attention? (Basically, is it good to be an artist from Melbourne, or is it a struggle?!)

Melbourne’s a pretty good place to be in at the moment and is really supportive of its bands. We’re lucky enough to have two historically significant community broadcasters that promote a lot of music that Triple J wouldn’t go near, two street depresses - Inpress and Beat, heaps of independent record stores and too many active live venues to keep track of. Plus widely read information bases like Three Thousand. Melbourne seems to have a high turnover of live venues and its tragic when stores like Synaesthesia close, but they seem to naturally regenerate elsewhere in another form.

Heaps of new local happenings and facilitators are giving more power to the community like Cloud City and Joint Hassles. Its inspiring to see young people butt out the roach and turn off the TV to proactively pursue something that they believe in. Something that will benefit others before themselves. Those Cloud City guys basically live on top of each other full time so that their space can host a sporadic calendar of all ages shows, and Harriet Morgan puts her life on hold so that her artist run space Joint Hassles can exist.

Since first touring bands, it’s been amazing to see others follow suit with some pretty ambitious choices. When local bands support international acts, there is an opportunity for networking that can be further exploited when the locals decide to tour overseas. Calvin Johnson was so impressed with Kiosk that he insisted on recording them at his famed Olympia studio Dub Narcotic. There must be some increased interest in Melbourne acts when you consider that Love of Diagrams penned with Matador, Pitchfork regularly feature Crayon Fields and Mum Smokes played All Tomorrows Parties.

Image // Kiosk
Image credit // Lauren Bamford

Cloud City is an example of a venue that is pretty focused to push the all ages angle and the local music industry from media, to events to labels has more people assuming prominent positions at a young age. What is your take on this, not only as factors in their own right, but also as elements that influence each other?

It creates a really positive and infectious atmosphere. There seems to be a lot of people who want to be promoters or start labels, but are unsure of what’s actually involved or how to put the idea into practice. But as more young people get involved, the others seem to develop more security and belief in their own ideas. They’ve got someone to seek advice and learn from, and vice versa. So I guess one thing leads to another. It’s compounding.

And taking it back one step what kind of acts are you referring to when you say “ambitious choices”?

Grass roots independent tours like Wolf Eyes, Weird War, Marissa Nadler and Maher Shalal Hash Baz, and even more professionally backed tours like Gang Gang Dance, Vashti Bunyan and Comets on Fire. Most of those bands I never expected to see in Australia and I’d suspect most struggled to breakeven. Australia is an expensive region to tour. Its very isolated and you can’t exactly tour and play 30 shows like you can in the US and Europe. You’re restricted to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and even those can be hard enough. People seem to be cautious about the acts they tour and rightfully so, but that seems to be changing as more enthusiasts get involved.

And what is on the horizon for Nervous Jerk? There is talk of some international acts… is this still top secret?

Still to come is a 23 track compilation called ‘E.S.P.’ which features mostly previously unreleased works from locals like Always, Crayon Fields, The Stabs and Superstupid, to foreign digs from Michael Yonkers, Kelley Stoltz and Josephine Foster. It’s been a tiring process and sees me totally geek out with excessively lengthy track by track liner notes. Besides that, Birth Glow will give folk the shivers with their mini album in August and Kiosk plan to drop their LONG talked about debut album before the year’s end. Eddy Current Suppression Ring plan to record their next 7″ for us shortly. Unsure of the a-side but the flip is ‘Noise in My Head’ - the raucous 60s garage jam which they penned as the theme song for my 3RRR radio show.

International acts? That’s still at the fetal stage. We’ve been corresponding with a few bands but nothing close to confirmation. I want to stay committed to Australian sounds, but will occasionally work with overseas acts if I love them enough. But make sure the material is exclusive in an attempt to draw attention to Nervous Jerk and it’s local roster. The concept of licensing records bores me given that most titles are available on import anyway. Whatever comes will amaze.

I’m excited and anxious at the thought of presenting some tours again. Cult New Zealand rhythmic noise heads Dead C will be visiting in August/September for a few shows. Other tour announcements are vaulted for now.

So you’ve started a label, things are taking hold, but they’re not always going to be easy. When things get tough what sources of inspiration do you look toward?

Yeah it ain’t easy. It often gets to the point when you get dirty over something and just want to give it up. Usually I just dig myself out by listening to Kiosk demos. When Kiosk began, Sydney had very little to offer other than a music scene that was obsessed with style over substance. The band had some serious conflict with bands like The Presets and The Cops…everyone resented and misunderstood them…refused to acknowledge that they were competent players…too loud…too trashy…just noise…venues even banned them from playing because Jack Mannix was 15 or something. They thrived off this negativity, proved everyone wrong and are now a driving force not to be reckoned with. Kiosk aren’t so active now but Catherine has started this AMAZING lo-fi r’n'b side project Catcall and Angie is playing bass in this hella cool banshee screaming trash garage outfit Straight Arrows. Pretty inspiring stuff…

Image // Kiosk
Image credit // Lauren Bamford

And Nervous Jerk… what’s in a name?

A nervous jerk is an involuntary reaction…a full-bodied nervous shudder. I’m into the idea of it having multiple interpretations though. Most put it down to me being a jerk which is pretty brutal. It definitely doesn’t refer to someone jerking off in fear of getting busted.

End.

Header & Footer Image Credit // Thomas Jeppe