There’s a million ways to start working in music. And a million other ways to set up and run your own music organisation.
To explore some of these options, we're shining a light on some of the brilliant people working independently in the region.
Here Danni Skerritt and Ruby Tingle, collectively known as No Such Thing Records, delve into setting up and running an independent record label.
Read or listen at your leisure!
Tell us a bit about how you started out working within the arts and cultural sector.
Ruby (R): It was from a young age. I always felt like an artist. There was never any other option for me. I always knew it was going to be art and music. And they both had to work together as well. It's always just been more of a battle to make that happen rather than different routes in and out.
Danni (D): I always knew that I wanted to do music. My mum was a roadie so I got to go on loads of tours and see how things worked. And my dad DJ'd in Brixton, so it was all around. Then I started setting up music events and I was writing for theatre as well. I started running open mics and I guess the best open mic was the one that I met Ruby at and we connected straight away. And then over the years we just collaborated with each other and here we are!
R: In terms of setting up the label, it was always this thing that we talked about like a pipe dream. Then lockdown happened and we had time, so we thought let's do it, let's make it happen.
What made you want to set up your own record label?
D: We'd been talking about it for years. And we know so many incredible artists and musicians and creatives that we were like, why can't we make a platform and bring all these people together? People that we love and want to support. Why can't we give them this platform to do their thing? And as Ruby said, lockdown happened and suddenly there was all this time and we were able to put those ideas into action.
R: It was probably perfect timing for setting up in the sense that we'd had quite a lot of experience by that point. Being musicians ourselves, being on labels, releasing music, and performing live. I think we got to a point where we felt like we could handle it. We wanted people to enjoy the good experiences we’d had, and avoid the bad ones.
What are some of the biggest hurdles you’ve faced whilst running No Such Thing?
D: We had a lot of favours to call in at the start. Getting venues and studio space for less than they should be for instance. But it can only take you so far. I'd say that's the biggest hurdle, watching other labels who may get this massive grant and you're thinking, oh man, if we'd had that grant, think of what we could do because we're doing everything on a shoestring! And for me, one of the big ones is you get it in your head that you just don't want to let anyone down. That for me is a huge hurdle. Hoping we're doing the right thing and that it's gonna work out okay. And things falling through as well. Always having a B plan. Before it was just like, we don't need no B plans! Whereas now it's just like, oh man, what are we gonna do? This was our marquee moment, now we need to move it or do something.
R: Because we're releasing artists as well as putting other artists out, I'm always trying to make sure no one's clashing and fighting for the space. It's just organisation I suppose, but it's taken a while to get on top of it.
D: Absolutely. And making sure that we sign the right artists. I've only just understood that in the past couple of years. That it's more than just being a talented artist. We want an artist who embodies the ethos of the label. Someone who works hard. I need someone who's on the same page as what we're trying to do.
R: And they have to be nice too! You don't wanna work with people who are horrible. It's such a simple thing. You can be amazingly talented, but if you’re not someone others want to be around that's not gonna work.
D: The art of negotiation is a wild thing too! And knowing when to pick your battles. Deciding not to make a thing about something, even when you’re fuming! Just going, you know what, I’m gonna save this bullet for later. Those are hurdles which I'm still climbing. I'm not jumping yet!
R: That’s a lot of hurdles we’ve just listed!
How do you balance the creative and admin elements of your work?
R: What I've started to do is have a day for each thing because I've got my visual arts career and I'm a recording artist as well. And then running the label and you've got all your admin to contend with. If you just compartmentalise a little bit and try to break it up, I think that's the only way because otherwise you might go mad!
D: I've got lists for days. I suffer from ADHD so if it's not written down, it's not happening! And yeah, having different days is amazing. One day will be specifically on A&R, going through all the tracks. One day will be sound engineering and mixing and mastering. Another will be all about getting back to everyone who's sent things in and emails. A bit of structure is amazing. Even though it's loose. Some days I'll be like, I do not fancy doing admin today so I'm gonna switch this round and I'm gonna listen to everyone's music today.
R: Yeah you’ve gotta go with the creative vibe. Or sometimes something comes up and you've got to deal with it. So you have to always have a little bit of your mind in that zone.
What do you find most exciting about working within the arts, and running the label as part of it?
D: Discovering new artists! Visual artists, musicians. Just being in awe of people's creativity and then trying to coax them over to No Such Thing. So for me it's seeing new stuff and really nurturing the artists that we've got on the roster at the moment. Those are the key things which I'm all about at the moment.
R: Yeah, it's the fluidity of it as well. When you're doing things from the inside, behind the scenes, it gives you a different perspective and you feel like it's a more united front with everyone. Because you're working as a creative with creatives and you’re all banding together to make all this stuff happen. It starts to feel like a good battle, it's really rewarding. Also seeing things come together from just an idea. Watching that slowly evolve and pulling people into the project to make it happen, and then suddenly you've got this amazing thing and you’re like, oh god we all did that!
Amazing, nice one! So finally, anything to plug?
D: We've got loads of cool releases coming out. We've got BITEZ releasing with us, so we're gassed about that. I produced a track and BITEZ killed it. It's seriously dope. Then we've got Kaspa. He's gonna be releasing at the end of February. Then March is pretty cool because we're artists as well and we're doing a cheeky tour in New York! And then we come back and Ruby has her EP coming out as well in May.
R: Yeah as Danni says, I've got my second EP coming out in May. It's a new style, working with jazz. And then I've got a solo exhibition in November and December at the Whitaker Art Gallery. And hopefully that will pull in people from the label as well.
"It's more than just being a talented artist. We want an artist who embodies the ethos of the label."
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