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

Chuck Ragan

Fly fishing tour guide

Interviews / Don't Quit Your Day Job • April 14, 2025

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we caught up … Read more

Jumalvauhti

One Question Interviews • March 27, 2025

Kalle (Jumalvauhti – bass) SPB: Who is your favorite band/artist from the 2000-2010 era? Kalle: It's hard to say, but Destiny's Child definitely can't go wrong.  Read more

Bronson Arm

One Question Interviews • March 26, 2025

Black Bickel (Bronson Arm) SPB: What is your favorite stretch of highway to drive in the US? Bickel: My favorite stretch of highway is that bit between Milwaukee and Minneapolis, two cities that Bronson Arm always have a great time playing. So if we are leaving Milwaukee, we are usually … Read more

Unstable Shapes

One Question Interviews • March 25, 2025

Kevin Hurley (Unstable Shapes – bass) SPB: What is your favorite Fugazi record? Hurley: While we can debate the best Fugazi record, a personal favorite of mine is The Argument. It was my entry point for the band. I was admittedly way late to the party on them and as … Read more

Retirement

Bike Shop

Interviews / Don't Quit Your Day Job • March 23, 2025

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we chat with … Read more

More from this section

2024: A Year In Review

Music / Year End 2024 • January 13, 2025

It's a new year – hooray. And things are off to a fine start, too. If the thought of corrupt governments, AI domination, unmoderated social networks and endless war is causing you to retreat into the past, we don't blame you. In fact, we encourage it! Our writers have summed … Read more

Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2024)

Music / Year End 2024 • January 4, 2025

It's 2025, somehow. When did this happen?! Okay, okay, four days ago. But honestly. It feels like 2012 was only a few months ago. Is it just SPB who's feeling a little, well, timestruck? But don't worry – we've got you. Did 2024 pass you by, too? Still not caught … Read more

Pass The Mic: Artists and labels on 2024

Music / Year End 2024 • January 4, 2025

It's a SPB tradition to formally "pass the mic" to our artist and label friends to tell us about their year in music. What albums did they enjoy? What shows did they see? What are they looking forward to for the new year? We're joined this year by a host … Read more