Don't ever ask me why, but at one point I studied the behaviors and characteristics of alien parties. When I say alien, I'm referring to aliens of both foreign and extraterrestrial variety. The definitive moment of this portion of my life was when I studied the Xylenes, birthed upon the planet Xylenion. The Xylenes made music like we do on Earth, but recordings were rarely made and when they were, they were extremely difficult to find. This situation arose because the Xylenes didn't have record labels. I then realized it was time to showcase Earth-based record labels so fellow Earthlings could get some insight in the process of running a record label, find awesome labels, and sharing a laugh/smile with their brother in arms as they read on.
The first label we chose to spotlight is Lovelost Records. Lovelost was chosen because Kevin, Lovelost's co-founder and owner, does his best to accommodate his artists' needs and is just an all around awesome dude. What lay before you is an interview and a full discography with accompanying mini reviews (in certain cases, links to full reviews SPB's done in the past). This isn't necessarily the outline of every one of these features, so don't be confused if we change it up on you. GODSPEED!
ScenePointBlank: What is your name?
Kevin Lovelost: My name's Kevin, my friend Lauren recently gave me the nick name AK40Kevin... pretty funny.
ScenePointBlank: How did you get into starting a label?
Kevin Lovelost: Um at the time I had a close friend who I ran a webzine with, we called the beast Oddshaped.com. To gain publicity and maybe some "scene cred" we started hosting websites for bands. Catharsis, The Black Dahlia Murder, If Hope Dies, etc. etc. Anyhow, one day we were like, "yea dude we should do an Oddshaped Compilation to get the name out." Of course we were smart dudes and realized that comps are pretty dumb for dudes like us to release so we decided on putting out a real album instead.
ScenePointBlank: So that comp is dead? It won't be popping up on eBay in 5 years for millions?
Kevin Lovelost: Yea, it pretty much never existed, it left the table as quick as it was put on.
ScenePointBlank: Why have you chosen to release music rather than make it?
Kevin Lovelost: That's easy... I suck. I'm one of those people that dissects everything I do and I'm never happy with stuff, so writing music always wore me out and made me frustrated'to the point of me quitting guitar. Which is ironic cause now, however many years later, I'm shopping for a new guitar'so if anyone has an ESP VIPER LTD, put that shit on eBay. But yea, Lovelost is how I keep my hands on music as I "grow up." Oh yeah and I'm just straight up shitty at guitar.
ScenePointBlank: Did you ever try the bass?
Kevin Lovelost: Bass players don't get chicks
ScenePointBlank: What about bass players named AK40Kevin?
Kevin Lovelost: Well, that dude probably gets chicks bass or no bass.
ScenePointBlank: So far all of your releases have been on CD, why did you choose that format?
Kevin Lovelost: It's just the way it kind of happened. I think vinyl is great for collectors and nerds, but it wont play in the car, or when you're snowboarding, or whatever non dorks do. That said, Lovelost might be doing a vinyl release pretty soon, I can't say which and I can't say for sure that it would happen, but I'd be so stoked.
ScenePointBlank: If you were to say what it was, what is it?
Kevin Lovelost: It's like waking up with morning wood and having to pee really bad, so you go outside and pee in the bushes instead of all over your bathroom floor. Sitting is for girls, and guys pooping.
ScenePointBlank: Does the poop represent vinyl? I'm lost...
Kevin Lovelost: Nah, it's just a reason to sit down when you pee.
ScenePointBlank: What do you think about the popularity of vinyl?
Kevin Lovelost: I thinks it's pretty cool. I own two pieces of vinyl'The Hardesty LP put out by Excursion Records (which fucking ROCKS) and the Embrace The End 7inch out on Mokita Records, and only because I know the two fine gentlemen who run both of those labels personally. Vinyl just has a different sound, and some people prefer that, and I have to admit it's kind of cool to have to put the needle and shit on, plus the art is always cooler. I guess it goes back to the whole DIY thing, vinyl just has that feel, and you can get rich on eBay.
ScenePointBlank: When will we see your vinyl collection on eBay?
Kevin Lovelost: I have to play my cards correctly, I have to wait until my stuff has peaked in popularity and then dump it like it's the day after Prom.
ScenePointBlank: You are a true mathematician. What does the term metal mean to you?
Kevin Lovelost: Dude that's hard...it's the jackass kid in front of me at a Dimmu Borgir show who told everyone he's in a Cradle of Filth cover band and that he once shattered a guys eardrum at a party because his vocals are so high, it's Kerry King and his fucking lame as shit tattoos, it's about Metallica's Master Of Puppets and not St. Anger, it's about MTV getting instant credibility because of Headbangers Ball and Metal Maniacs still not reviewing CDs I sent them 5 months ago, it's talking shit on Lambgoat, and most importantly it's not liking As I Lay Dying because they're cool and liking cool stuff is stupid.
ScenePointBlank: When your label becomes cool, I'll be stupid for liking it?
Kevin Lovelost: You're already stupid for liking it, hahaha.
ScenePointBlank: What do you think about the state of underground metal today?
Kevin Lovelost: I think a lot of people are about to make a living doing what they love, and that's rad in my book.
ScenePointBlank: Is this book going to be Lovelost 07?
Kevin Lovelost: Books are for nerds. By the way, I read a lot of WW2 books.
