Backyard Music Collective, an artist-run, grassroots music distributer, which is all about local Sydney music.

We caught up with Andrew Scott to discuss the initiative.

 

JK: What was your inspiration to start up Backyard?

AS: Lots of local musicians were making some really great albums themselves, often with the help of crowdfunding. It makes it easier to release music independently and a great way to build up buzz around the project, but I found once the album has been “launched” and all their immediate fans, friends and family had a copy – its was alot harder to keep the momentum going. So I saw a need for a new platform for independent musicians to sell their own music, in a way where they could “share” their fans and build longer term interest. Also I kept hearing things from (often musician) friends like “No-one makes good music anymore”, “todays music all sounds the same”, “I don’t even like Miley Cyrus” and I just screamed “THE WORLD IS FULL OF MAGIC IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK!!!” I understand now that was an odd thing to say.

JK: What is the criteria for selecting artists?

AS: Its all about quality, local music. We started out of the inner west, so we started just collecting albums from people around us. However it didn’t take long before we started accepting stuff from all around Sydney. Theres so much great music out there and I’m not one to draw boundaries. We’ve got a lot of jazz (partly because I’m a jazz musician) but we’ve also got a whole bunch of rock, folk, acoustic songwriter stuff, hip hop, some lovely world music and a few things which are just too hard to categorise!

JK: Obviously, our focus is on jazz and improvisation, can you recommend some from your selection?

AS: I have too many suggestions to list, however here are 4 favourites.

1. Jess Greens “Tinkly Tinkly” for cheeky songs and killer horn arrangements.

2. Farfinkel Pugowski is a rare find with a cult-like following.

3. Ben Hauptmann’s “Lekker” for Midi-induced, grungy insanity.

4. Spyglass Gypsies because whenever we play this to people they smile. (And I’m on it!)

Plans for the future?

We’ve been experimenting with selling our albums in local cafe’s and businesses…..let’s just say “watch this space”.

LEAVE A REPLY