We Don’t Know Who You Are Either

Theory 8 Records -- up until two months ago I had no idea that there was such an animal. My first exposure to the label wasn’t scribbled by some street teamer via Internet message board, or paid for by-way-of Alternative Press back cover ad or Fuse Television commercial.

About three months ago, I had my car stereo tuned to Oxford, Ohio’s WOXY (97X) and happened to catch a beautifully aggressive opus by none other than Nashville-natives Forget Cassettes, a post-rock, female-fronted duo of the highest caliber. Some genius at the radio station, who was industrious enough to explore their CD further than a “single” (or some publicist-touted track) continued to drop their songs into regular rotation. A few weeks later I e-mailed Forget Cassettes requesting an interview.

Though I still haven’t managed to touch base with the band, I did receive a series of brief e-mails from Theory 8 figurehead Aaron Hartley, who politely offered to send me a copy of their disc and another recent label release (Apollo Up’s tremendous Light The End And Burn It Through). When Forget Cassettes and Apollo Up’s full-lengths came in the mail, I rocked them something proper and gave only a little further thought to the small independent label that brought these releases to my mailbox (my bad!).

When I saw that these bands had booked two nights in Ohio and Ohio-lite (Covington, Ky.) I figured I’d extend an invitation of a basement floor to the bands and their label folks. So I dialed Aaron Hartley up….four beers and some two hours later and I knew for certain, that this unsung hero behind the label was 100 percent dude. So I crossed my heart with a pledge to devote substantial time and energy to properly rocking all future Theory 8 release. You should too….

Interview conducted via e-mail by Tim Anderl. Photos provided by Aaron Hartley.

Name: Aaron Hartley
Label: Theory 8 Records

BW: How did Theory 8 records start? Was there a catalyst that gave you the incentive to start the label?

AH: Theory 8 records started in the fall of 2000 after I graduated from Belmont University in Nashville with a degree in Music Business. I went to school to learn how I could start my own label, I have always been a huge fan of labels like Dischord, Matador, Merge, etc. and wanted to do something in the same vein. The only catalyst that gave me the incentive to actually do it was finding bands that I loved so much, that I would blow lots of money on, ha.

BW: What was the first record released on Theory 8?

AH: The Goodbye Letter's self titled EP...very HUM influenced emo, but a reflection of my musical tastes (and a lot of other currently cool indie kids) at the time. The band broke up six months after the record came out, so needless to say, we learned a lot of lessons there.

BW: Is the label self-sustaining? Do you have a full-time job that subsidizes this endeavor?

AH: I have full time job that helps feed my family and pay the bills. I've only been doing this for four years this August, so I am not frustrated that we aren’t turning huge profits. Regardless of whether I was a record label or not, first and foremost, I run a small business and most small businesses don't even last 5 years and if they do, they take at least that long to turn a profit. I consider myself in the growth stages of running my own business. 2005 will be our fifth year as a label and probably our biggest yet with follow up records by Forget Cassettes and Apollo Up all ready scheduled.

I am very proud at what we have accomplished though with our roster of bands and small budgets. We had Copeland before they signed to Militia and I worked with Embraced who we were able to get into Hot Topic stores, which for a label our size was amazing. And we had a top notch producer, Mike McCarthy who has worked with Trail of Dead and Spoon record the last Forget Cassettes album. I guess you could say one of our mottos is "Where there's a will, there's a way,” but I like our other motto better, "We don't know who you are either..."

BW: Is it difficult to balance your family (with twins) and the demands of the label?

AH: Here is the average day for me...get up around 7am with the twins, get ready for work, go work a full day, come home, fix dinner, play with the boys until they fall asleep, pack orders for Theory 8, answer emails, fall asleep. When the boys were first born, I was trying to do all of these in a different order than above and it wasn't working. It can be very frustrating trying to hold a crying baby and answer emails. What I realized is that those little guys are the most important thing in the world and if I take care of their needs first and make them happy, then everything else I have going on will naturally fall into place. That is where I am right now. I wouldn't trade it for the world. There is nothing like walking in the door after a long day of work and having two little guys smiling and laughing because they are excited to see you come home. No indie rock record will ever top that...I just can't wait until they are old enough to help me pack orders!

BW: How did you discover the talent on Theory 8? Were any of them bands that you didn't know before seeing them live or hearing a demo?

AH: I have worked with a few bands based on what I have heard from their websites, but I have never begun a working relationship with a band based on a demo I blindly received in the mail. Can I take this moment to tell all the bands out there that it will save you a lot of time to focus your efforts elsewhere. Contact one of my current bands and book a show with them, impress them and then maybe I'll find out about you. The last 3 or 4 projects I have picked up have all been highly recommended by the bands I am currently working with. I began talking to Beth from Forget Cassettes during The Sincerity Guild's first demo recording session back in 2001. Beth turned me on to Apollo Up and Mike from Apollo Up turned me on to The Whole Fantastic World, the newest member of the Theory 8 family. My goal has always been to be an established local Nashville label where we are all such good friends that all of my bands are passing the word on to their friends about what I do. I am getting closer and closer to that everyday.

BW: What attributes are you looking for in a Theory 8 band?

AH: I am looking for something different...I am really tired of the whole emo/pop punk/hardcore stuff that is suffocating the underground scene. Some might say that the first few bands I worked with fall into that category, but I would disagree. Bands like Copeland and Embraced are taking these watered down genres and adding something very fresh to them which I am very happy to see. (PS...I still think Copeland is going to be one of the biggest bands ever in the next few years, just wait.) As I am getting older, my musical tastes are changing and so is what I am trying to release. I don't want to be a "genre" label where I release hardcore bands or emo bands. I want diversity. I think the most successful indie labels who have been around the longest realize that diversity is the key. If you look at my current roster, I think you'll find that diversity there...Forget Cassettes, Apollo Up, The Sincerity Guild and The Whole Fantastic World are all very doing very different things.

BW: What is your most vivid positive memory involving a record or CD? How about a live show?

AH: If you mean a positive memory involving a Theory 8 release, there are really too many to just name one, but I have had the opportunity to watch a band like Copeland who I've worked with go on to a bigger label and just do really, really well. Having Forget Cassettes shoot up to #60 on the CMJ Top 200 was a great thing, especially since that was the first record we ever really did radio promotion for. The live show would have to be when Forget Cassettes played with Trail of Dead at a small bar in Nashville. That was one of the best shows I have ever attended. I convinced the Trail of Dead guys to play at a little all ages club I was running the next night and our sound system blew and the drum kit fell apart, but it was a blast. Unrelated to Theory 8, one of the best arena shows I've ever seen was Bon Jovi on Valentine's Day and I am being totally serious.

Forget Cassettes, photo by Dave Altherr

BW: Has Theory 8 encountered any real significant setbacks? Do you have any horror stories involving the workings of the label?

AH: I don't think we've had any major setbacks...there have been lots of times where I have no idea how I am going to afford all of the records I am releasing, but things always come through somehow. Setbacks for indie labels seem to be the day to day things like cash flow, meeting your release deadlines, getting adequate distribution, etc. I would love to see us get more distribution behind us in time for the next Forget Cassettes release?

BW: What, if anything, do all of the Theory 8 bands have in common?

AH: The first thing they have in common is that they are all amazing bands who are bringing new ideas to the table. Secondly, all of my bands have level heads on their shoulders. They don't expect me to go out and make them stars. They understand the limited resources that we all have and instead of complaining and looking for someone else to work with, they just jump in with me and work as hard as I do to get themselves out there. I think another thing that we all have in common is that we enjoy working with each other. We are all friends and usually when we get together to talk about records or business, we end up joking around the whole time. Any show where 2 or more of my bands play is like a party for everyone involved. I love that. I've always wanted to create a family atmosphere with my bands and I think we've all done that. My bands are also very loyal to what we are trying to accomplish with Theory 8. Instead of just working with me and having plans on leaving for a bigger label, all of them are ready to schedule their next release before the current one is even out. I all ready have releases scheduled into 2005 for my current bands...

BW: Any chance that we could convince you to leak the "side project" news that the radio DJs alluded to during Forget Cassettes' radio interview with WOXY in Oxford in April? Does it have anything to do with their relationship with Trail of Dead?

AH: To be honest, I have no idea what the secret is. I know what Doni has goings on as far as work goes, but I didn't know any of it was secret. With that in mind, I probably can't mention anything without knowing whether or not I should've said it. So I guess I will just plead the fifth on that one. I am sure it will all be revealed at the right time though.

Apollo Up, photo by Dave Altherr

BW: Two of your bands, Apollo Up and Forget Cassettes spent the weekend in Ohio? How was the reception?

AH: The reception was great. It is such a great feeling to have your friends who are in bands that you see all the time in the same town, go somewhere else, headline their own show and do even better in a different city. The Cincinnati/Dayton area has really embraced Forget Cassettes as one of their own and the amount of support we receive when playing up there is phenomenal. Both bands played to over 600 people that weekend, which might not seem like a lot to some, but for us, it is a sign of our hard work paying off. Two sold out shows in one weekend is something to be proud of.

I have to take this opportunity though to thank WOXY, 97x, in Oxford for supporting both of these bands. They took a gamble on adding Forget Cassettes and Apollo Up to their playlist and it really paid off. They added Forget Cassettes and a lot of positive feedback came in from listeners who loved hearing them on the radio. They are the reason these bands are popular in Cinci and Dayton.

BW: Will either of those bands be back in Ohio soon?

AH: I believe Forget Cassettes is playing the AM Holiday shows at the Southgate House in June. Apollo Up and The Whole Fantastic World will be headed up there this summer during their tour.
BW: Was it strange to hear people shouting "I love you Doni" or "I love you Beth" (Forget Cassettes) at either of those shows? How did they react to the "rock star" treatment?

AH: It was strange, but at the same time, I can totally understand it. Beth and Doni are natural performers. Every time I see them perform I am blown away. They just give off this raw energy and play off of each other so well that I can totally see why people are shouting those things. You know, these are my close friends and to get to see them in a position where people are enjoying their music and singing along with their songs gives me the greatest feeling inside. There is no better feeling than seeing your friends succeed. I just feel honored and blessed to be a part of the whole thing.

One side note though...there were just as many guys lined up to meet Doni at the end of each show as there were lined up to meet Beth. I think that says something right there...