FUNERAL PARTY

Label spotlight and interview with our friend Brian Cole from Funeral Party Records

October 2015

STR:  Ok so we’ve been friends for a while now and Seizures was supposed to play Louisville last November and hangout in real life but things didn’t work out. But in the time we’ve known each other, we’ve both started labels. Tell me about Funeral Party.

Brian:  I’m still bummed that show didn’t happen. I had secretly been practicing Mario Kart 64 just so I could beat you. Funeral Party kind of started on accident. I drunkenly talked Kyle (Night Sins) into letting me release a Night Sins cassette. Somehow I was lucky enough to talk the international internet playboy, Jared Johnson (label partner), into helping me out. We’ve got a few releases about to drop and quite a few more in the works. I see Funeral Party as the post-punk version of GOOD Music. All killer, no filler.

STR:  Next time, I promise. 

So you and Jared Johnson are the magic behind Funeral Party. I believe I’ve known Jared just as long as I’ve known you. I’d say both of you are international internet playboys. I’ve never asked but I can only assume Funeral Party’s name comes from The Cure. What’s it like running a post punk label from Kentucky and New York?

Brian:  You’re correct. It’s definitely a The Cure reference. We spent months trying to come up with a name. I think we officially made the decision to start a label in March but we didn’t name it until May. Running a post punk label in Kentucky is so weird. There’s not much of a scene for stuff like that in Louisville. Recently we’ve decided to team up with the wonderful people at Dark Entries Radio. They’ll be debuting songs from Funeral Party releases in their playlists. It’s awesome having other Louisville people back what we’re doing. As far as the distance thing goes, it’s not really an issue. Jared and I talk to each other daily. Working with him has been an absolute joy.

STR:  With releases from Soft Kill, Night Sins and Western Medication just this year alone, it seems like you guys are off to a good start. What are some “dream” releases for you?

Brian:  If Kanye West called and wanted to do an official version of Yeezus, I’d send it to the plant tomorrow. Other than that, I’d love to keep working with the bands that we’re working with now. In my opinion, they’re the best bands making music now.

STR:  Please continue the trek you’re on, I really love what Funeral Party is doing right now.Since you brought it up, we should definitely talk about Yeezus now. I would pre order the shit out of it. This blends in with the conversation we’re having. Yeezus leaked on Friday June 14th, 2013 (4 days before it’s release date). I took the day off since I was seeing Cold Cave and NON that evening. I downloaded the leak and listened to the album on the way up and couldn’t believe it was a Kanye record. When I arrived at the show, I could hear people talking about it in the crowd and how it leaked, soon after I bumped into Boyd Rice doing a few lines in the bathroom. When I came back out, Matt Skiba was hitting on my girlfriend and then Cold Cave played one of the best sets I’ve seen from any band in my life. We listened to Yeezus again on the ride home and it was even better the 2nd time. Why do you love the record?

Brian:  Man, I remember you telling me about that. I also remember being super bummed that Cold Cave supposedly sold out of their tour exclusive 7" that night. Haha. I firmly believe that Yeezus deserves all of the love and hate that it gets. I don’t think the hip hop community was really ready for Yeezus at the time. It wasn’t the Kanye West that everyone had grown to love or absolutely despise. It completely came out of nowhere. I was honestly expecting his follow up to MBDTF to be even more radio friendly and full of hits. Luckily, I was wrong. I think that Yeezus is an actual work of art, not just a record. It’s the hip hop version of Pretty Hate Machine or something. A total game changer. You can tell that Kanye’s actually pissed about something and not just acting hard to sell records. I used to believe that hip hop was a young man’s game, but I truly believe that hip hop now belongs to Yeezus.

STR:  I’m on the same page about Yeezus, I’ve been a Kanye fan since an ex showed me the Workout Plan video. Do you think Funeral Party will eventually step outside the post punk genre on a few releases?

Brian:  Oh absolutely. I would be too bored just releasing one thing. I started Funeral Party to release records that I wanted to own. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few releases from other genres very soon.

STR:  I figured that was the case. We like too many of the same genres and bands, I couldn’t imagine you neglecting some of them. 

So just because I wish everyone would do this in interviews, I’m going to make you do this. What are your 10 favorite albums of all time and if you can answer this bonus question for extra credit, what is your favorite song of all time?

Brian:  The idea of a “top ten” favorite records list is something I think about pretty often. It’s hard to pick just ten because I feel like so many records have changed my life and shaped me into who I am today. This list could be very different tomorrow, but here’s my current top ten. 

Spell - Seasons in the Sun 

Jesus And Mary Chain - Darklands 

The Cure - Disintegration 

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska 

Misfits - Static Age 

Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses 

Death in June - The Guilty Have No Pride 

Slowdive - Souvlaki 

American Nightmare - Background Music 

Kanye West - Yeezus 

My favorite song is either “Burn” by the Cure or “Love Vigilantes” by New Order. Both songs have two completely opposite effects on me, but they both make me oblivious to the rest of the world when they’re playing.

STR: Awesome, when does the Night Sins’ record come out?

Brian: The release date is technically October 31st. We’re still waiting on the vinyl to arrive from the pressing plant, so they’ll ship in mid-December. Thanks Record Store Day.

STR:  That’s tight, fuck yeah, thanks for talking to me on the net.

Brian: Thanks for taking the time to listen to me ramble! <3

Check out http://funeralparty.bigcartel.com/ on Halloween to pre order the new Night Sins (Kyle from Nothing and Salvation) record “"Days On Shimmer And Drip"

Brian instagram: @theefuneralparty / Jared instagram: @livefromplanetdeath