Indie label, Speak n Spell launched in Melbourne in October 2004. The brainchild of Jonathan Wilson, David Shrimpton and David Benge, Speak n Spell was intended to provide deserving local and international artists with a passionate and specialised representation in Australia and NZ. Currently Speak n Spell represent The Editors and The Dears along with the lesser known yet equally as impressive, Inaway and My Latest Novel.
“We try to be really hands on,” explains Benge. Speak n Spell source and sign bands, coordinate press & marketing, schedule releases, organise tours and build the bands overall profile. All of which sound infinitely simpler than they are. Sourcing and signing in itself is a giant task, one that requires a delicate balancing act between art and commerce, “Which is something were dealing with right now,” adds Benge. “There’s an artist in the states that we’d like to put out on our label, but we can’t afford to do it,” Benge says regretfully. “We can’t just sit here and loose money every month until we go out of existence and go oh well, ‘bummer it didn’t work’.”
While the realistic limitations of money do come in to play, Speak n Spell manage to stay true to their ethos, signing bands that they believe will have lasting relevance. “I would love for people to be able to put on one of our records in 15, 20 years time and go ‘man this is an incredible piece of music’ regardless of trends,” says Benge. Speak n Spell pride themselves on their specialised approach; only releasing eight to ten records a year (compared with other labels 30-50). “To quote a friend of mine who works at another label, ‘You throw enough shit at a wall something sticks’ - that’s the reverse philosophy to ours.”
Benge is glad to see the current music climate is rich in diversity and hopes this continues. “It’s the first time music has had so many genre able to coexist at the same time and still have hugely large markets,” he adds. This diversity, he offers, should encourage us to appreciate good quality, despite what is fashionable. He insists that we look upon music as we do art “You don’t think, “Picasso’s fucked” or “I’m so over the Renaissance period’.”
As you’d expect from a man with incredible music instincts, Benge’s parting words are wise indeed: “I would urge people, myself included, to explore music. You should challenge yourself with what you listen to – it’s always good to give things a second chance.”