Feature / Music
Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2008

Words: Michael • Posted pre-2010

LINKS TO ALL THE PAGES

Murder by Death (Matt Armstrong)

What are your top five albums that were released in 2008?

  1. Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling
  2. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
  3. The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
  4. O'Death - Broken Hymns Limbs and Skin
  5. Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

What band did you discover in 2008 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

We just had a band on tour with us called J. Roddy Walston and The Business and they rock my face off. They sort of rekindled a love of ass-shaking, beer-drinking, straight-up rock and roll in me. I am eternally grateful.

How will you remember 2008? (In terms of music)

I think I will remember 2008 as a year that I heard some great new music and played a lot of my own. It was a tour-heavy year.

Vinyl record sales saw a significant increase this year while hard copy sales continued to dwindle. Is this a return to the glory days for vinyl or just a phase? Explain.

I think the love of vinyl never really went away; people are just noticing it more now because no one is buying CD's the way they used to. It seems to me that the majority of people who are serious about a band usually download the album for their iPod and then buy it on vinyl so they have a hard copy with artwork. I know vinyl sales have been helping us stay afloat.

What was the most memorable moment for you in 2008? (Can be in terms of anything)

It was a pretty kooky year for me. There are a lot of moments to choose from, so I'll go with meeting Greg Dulli from The Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers/Gutter Twins. That was something I had been wanting to do for years.

What can we look forward to from you in 2009?

You can look forward to us touring a lot and starting to write new songs.

What three records are you looking forward to most in 2009?

The Life and Times' "Tragic Boogie." This album is amazing and if you don't like it we are no longer friends. William Elliott Whitmore "Animals in the Dark;" Will has one of the most fantastic voices you will ever hear, period. I don't know who else is putting out records in 2009.

Homepage: http://www.murderbydeath.com

Related features

Shizune

One Question Interviews • March 30, 2026

Filippo (Shizune – bass) SPB: Breviario d'oblio is something of a comeback after 8 years. What triggered this comeback? Filippo: It was not meant as a comeback. We were almost ready to enter the studio in 2020, then Covid happened and we lost our practice room. It was hard to … Read more

The New York Dolls: Reflections and Legacy

Music • March 30, 2026

I first discovered the New York Dolls in the mid-to-late 1980s, just as I was beginning to stretch the boundaries of my musical journey. Up until then, my exposure to music had mostly come through my parents, aunts, and uncles. They planted the initial seeds, and those seeds quickly grew, … Read more

East End Redemption

Interviews • March 24, 2026

Punk’s never been about polish. It’s about passion, sweat, and the grind it takes to keep going when most people quit. East End Redemption carry that spirit like a trophy. Out of the East Coast underground, they’re mixing hard-earned experiences with the urgency of a band that still believes in … Read more

Meth

One Question Interviews • March 18, 2026

Seb Alvarez (Meth) SPB: Is there a regional food you look forward to when you go on the road? Alvarez: Gravy lunch Read more

Remina

One Question Interviews • March 17, 2026

Heike (Remina) SPB: In the artwork of the last two releases (the EP Erebus and the album The Silver Sea) the black and white art is highlighted with a red accent. It feels like it is part of a story, is this the case? Heike: Throughout all the artworks, there … Read more

More from this section

The New York Dolls: Reflections and Legacy

Music • March 30, 2026

I first discovered the New York Dolls in the mid-to-late 1980s, just as I was beginning to stretch the boundaries of my musical journey. Up until then, my exposure to music had mostly come through my parents, aunts, and uncles. They planted the initial seeds, and those seeds quickly grew, … Read more

Post Office Experiences

Music • March 10, 2026

In a different world, which we think was shortly before COVID and MAGA and all things bad and in ALL CAPS occurred, Scene Point Blank had the idea to write a comprehensive piece about mailorder experiences from the people who dedicate their free time to sending you records, cds, tapes, … Read more

Demos You Want To Check #2

Music / New Kids On The Block • January 12, 2026

The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and then die out, and new bands present themselves to the world. How on earth are you expected to keep up, right? Well, a little help never hurts! So here we are, your … Read more