Michael Roe is co-owner of the Richter Collective music label. This indie label has achieved great success with a band roster that includes Redneck Manifesto, Enemies, Bats, Adebisi Shank and Jogging.
What advice would you have for an act that is just starting out?
The golden rule really is kind of simple really, Just have fun. You shouldn’t really have any preconceptions about where you should be going and don’t feel like you’re owed some kind of a reward for the music you make. You really need to be happy doing it for no money or you will never be happy. Getting paid and praise from press are nice bonuses but you should just be satisfied with being lucky enough to be making music or you should give up and get a job that actually pays well. There is a slight lie that if a band is signed or tours loads they have made it and are have enough money to live comfortably. The reality is I know a lot of these people and they may be on tour with some of the biggest bands in the world and playing festivals all over the world but they also have serious trouble paying their bills and rent from month to month.
Does an Irish act need to leave Ireland to achieve success?
100% No. That attitude is the old, self-deprecating Irish attitude that needs to be wiped away. You need to just believe you can achieve success, work hard enough and be respectful in everything you do and I believe you can achieve whatever you wish. It may seem cheesy but it is amazing what positivity and creativity can achieve as opposed to constantly seeing everything in Ireland as a problem that will be magically solved if you move away. If you can’t get gigs just put them on yourself, If you can’t find a label just release it yourself, if you can’t afford something just find a creative way to do it much cheaper. If you see every problem in your musical career as an opportunity I strongly believe you’ll achieve success.
What’s the best thing about being a musician in Ireland?
The limitless opportunities, the sense of community among musicians and the fact that the music landscape is getting better and better as people are starting to believe that they don’t need to escape to London to “make it”. I also love the way nothing is taken too seriously in Ireland. It will easily keep any musician firmly grounded no matter how much success the may achieve.
What’s the worst thing about being a musician in Ireland?
The defeatist attitude of some musicians you encounter, I believe this is slowly disappearing though and good riddance to it.
What can be done to help Irish musicians make a breakthrough?
I think musicians need to just get noticed by proving they can achieve things on their own (with the help of their friends). People will respect that and take notice if you can prove you can get press, book gigs and tours and release records. It really is one of the only ways to get noticed now.
www.richtercollective.com
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Bats / Shadow Fucking
