Andy Pohl (Sell The Heart Records / Tsunami Bomb)
photo by A. Sanchez (@bullyphotos)
What are your top five albums that were released in 2024? (In order 1-5)
- Smashing Pumpkins - Aghori Mhori Mei
- The Cure - Songs of a Lost World
- Alkaline Trio - Blood, Hair and Eyeballs
- Nø Man - Glitter and Spit
- The Jesus Lizard - Rack
What band did you discover in 2024 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? How so?
I discovered the band Home Front this year. I had been seeing their name all over the place, but hadn't taken the time to check them out until December when they played a show in San Francisco with our artist Build Us Airplanes (for their album release show at Bottom of the Hill). Since I was already planning to go support them for the show I was stoked to finally check them out. I was absolutely blown away at how good they were. While I wouldn't necessarily say that they have done something completely new, I do think they have done a VERY good job of incorporating a rad blend of styles into something that is pretty special. Their live show was off the charts. It was a pleasant surprise to see a band that could blow me away like that. It's a good reminder to pay attention and to always be receptive to new bands / artists, you may find your new favorite band in the process.
How will you remember 2024 (in terms of music)?
On a personal level, it was the year that I finally got to perform/tour in Europe for the first time with Tsunami Bomb, which was a HUGE goal of mine that I finally got to check off the list (next is Japan).
From the label standpoint, it's the year that I released more albums in one year than any year previously, so I am both feeling accomplished and exhausted, haha!
What can we look forward to from you in 2025?
It's our 15th year as a label, so I'm plotting a few special things that I am hoping will come together (can't spill the beans on those, though). Right out of the gate we are releasing the new banger from Oh The Humanity!, which is a great start to the year. We have at least 5 other albums already in various stages of being completed, with at least a few more that will come together, BUT, I am absolutely resolute in scaling things back a bit in 2025. This year was probably our biggest year in terms of the number of releases, and though it was fun in theory, in practice it proved to be a mistake since I was just spread too thin and I feel like we didn't see as much come together as I would have liked. That's not to say that I think it was a bad year or anything, but I feel like scaling back will be a better way to really nurture each release and get the most impact.
What records are you looking forward to most in 2025?
Beyond the albums being released on Sell The Heart, I am psyched to hear new music from Mogwai, Bartees Strange, the inevitable 12 albums from King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and the new Fugazi album (.....ok, I cannot prove this is real, but I am hopeful).
How do you try to get your news to fans as media platforms and algorithms change?
Sigh... this has been the bane of my existence. I rely heavily on my email list, Bandcamp mailing list, and encouraging people to share our posts, particularly the ones that are really important (like album announcements, etc). I always appreciate the work that zines/blogs like Scene Point Blank, Punknews, The Bad Copy, Punk Rock Theory, The Punk Site, That's Good Enough For Me, New Noise, etc do to help spread the word -- it all makes a big difference. I've managed to partner with some great PR agents that have really helped to push the news out, too. Can't help but give props to folks like Kevin at Part Time PR, Tim at Sweet Cheetah PR, Mike at Earshot Media, Kendra at Type-A Promo, etc.
Andy Pohl – social media links
- Instagram: @selltheheartrecords
