The Re-Launch of an Un-Record Label: At Sleepy Records It's About Community, Not Cash

At the newly re-launched not-for-profit record label, Sleepy Records, artists don't just croon and pout for publicity shots, they make vital decisions about pricing, cover art, and production, and retain 100% ownership of their music.

Baltimore, MD (PRWeb) February 14, 2007 -- Five feet tall with pigtails, Ann Tabor runs Sleepy Records with the profits from cupcake sales, makes deals on a handshake and finds administrative support in the form of two Shih Tzu puppies who have their own Dogster profiles. She's not your average record exec, and this isn't your average label.

Originally launched in 2003 by Tabor and her boyfriend, Mark Robinson, Sleepy Records was equal parts realization of a childhood dream and kiss-off letter to big corporate conglomerates content to starve their artists while feasting on the fruits of their labor. But before things could even get started, Sleepy Records, so named because of the sleepy sounding music the pair had been listening to, reluctantly closed its doors in May of 2005 when Robinson died of cystic fibrosis.

When I first came up with the idea of a nonprofit community-type label, which was largely inspired by Constellation Records in Montreal, everyone thought I was nuts

As much as the label meant to her, Tabor found it too painful to work on Sleepy Records for a while. It wasn't until she began singing in a just-for-fun band, The Teacakes, that Tabor thought to resurrect the old label. Founded on the premise of community rather than capitalism, the label is committed to developing long-lasting relationships with burgeoning indie bands and solo artists.

"When I first came up with the idea of a nonprofit community-type label, which was largely inspired by Constellation Records in Montreal, everyone thought I was nuts," Tabor laughs. "They just couldn't imagine how I'd keep the thing running without taking a huge percentage of profits." But keep it running, she does. Through sales from Sleepy Records' online shop as well as sales from Little Mouse Vintage, an online boutique whose profits go to support the label, Tabor brings just enough money into the label to keep it powered. She also accepts personal donations and hopes to generate additional revenue through events and the sale of Sleepy Records compilations.

Now that Sleepy Records is up-and-running in earnest, Tabor has partnered with several indie artists from other independent labels, whose albums are for sale through the Sleepy Records Shop. She is also currently promoting the forthcoming debuts of Acacia Sears' Dialtones and Little Name's How to Swim and Live, two of the original artists produced by the label.

Indie pop music reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura, Little Name's debut album features 12 tracks and will be released later this spring. Acacia Sears' 12 tracks pay homage to the strong acoustic influences of Lisa Loeb, Aimee Mann and Dar Williams. Dialtones is currently available for pre-order and will be released on March 13th.

"Acacia and Lee are more than artists on my label, they're my friends and personal cheerleaders. I never got a driver's license, so Acacia rescues me when I'm feeling cooped up and Lee sends me really long, encouraging e-mails. This record label is an amazing community and so much cooler than the label I envisioned as a 12-year-old girl," Tabor muses contentedly.

Sleepy Records is an independent record label/distro working as a community of artists rather than as a formal system with contracts, etc. Artists retain 100% ownership of their music, as well as the ability to make decisions on pricing, packaging, artwork, etc. Sleepy Records helps with distribution, promotion, booking--everything your average record label does, but tries to take as little from an artist as possible, while not becoming "starving execs." To learn more, please visit: http://www.sleepyrecords.com.

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