Andrew Horne (Specialist Subject Records/Bangers)
1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2015? (In order 1-5)
- Tenement – Predatory Headlights (Don Giovanni)
- All Dogs – Kicking Every Day (Salinas)
- The Sidekicks – Runners In The Nerved World
- Royal Headache – High (What's Your Rupture?)
- Screaming Females – Rose Mountain (Don Giovanni)
2. What band did you discover in 2015 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
I'm not sure how much of an impact it's had on my life but I recently discovered Sunny & the Sunsets and have been listening to the album Antenna to the Afterworld pretty obsessively. I love it, it's just great weird rock with sci-fi themes. I tend to do that with music, get obsessive about certain records and then play them to death in a short space of time.
3. How will you remember 2015? (In terms of music)
I'll probably remember it as the busiest, most hectic year Specialist Subject has had yet, it's been great though. Put out 10 records this year which is more than ever before. Bangers released a new album too which is always a pleasure to be involved with.
I also just got off tour playing bass as part of UK version of Dan Andriano in Emergency Room, so that was pretty exciting! That's a tour I won't forget in a hurry!
4. What can we look forward to from you in 2016?
For Specialist Subject, lots more records! We just started taking subscriptions for our 2016 Season Ticket so we're committed to putting out at least 10 LPs next year now which is a scary thought! Already announced the new Muncie Girls album which is out in March, super excited for people to hear that one and got about 6-7 others in the pipeline already so it's shaping up to be a good one.
5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2016?
Probably the new Martha album. I loved Courting Strong so much very excited to hear what they've been working on for the new one.
6. How relevant is the physical format record/cd/tape in 2015 and going into 2016? What do you see changing in terms of physical vs. digital discussions?
If you look at it objectively physical formats are totally "unnecessary" these days, buying an album is a luxury purchase. It's all personal preference; if people find value and in owning a record, CD, tape and it makes people appreciate that album more as a work of art then it's all good. The only thing that matters is creating music that people care about and people will consume it in which ever way they like.
I'm planning to release most albums we do next year on LP, CD, Tape, and Digitally, I'd hate to think that people would pass up on checking out our releases because they don't collect vinyl or prefer CDs or tapes or whatever. All physical formats are equally dumb in 2015/2016 but having an album available on a physical format still adds a certain level of legitimacy for people vs digital only releases. Ultimately if people are still buying records and it's still a way for bands to make some money and support themselves then that's the most important thing.
