Vancouver Buzz: A Mint Records Retrospective: 15 Years And Counting

As local label Mint Records wraps up its 15th anniversary celebrations, I thought it would be appropriate to do a Mintacular Buzz column.

Personally, I was first exposed to Mint at the tender age of 16 during the rise of the grunge revolution. While Seattle was rocking out to the likes of Mudhoney and Nirvana, two youngish CITR Radio staffers (Bill Baker and Randy Iwata), were influenced enough by the success of Sub Pop Records to start their own scene. The early days featured many all-ages shows at community centres across Vancouver, with lineups featuring the likes of Cub, Sparkmarker and DBS, which felt like a true revolution to my easily influenced self.

Today, Mint has evolved into a true tastemaker. A little luck, a little good taste and the ability to channel a thriving music community have always been the label's ticket to success.I got some Minties to reflect on the label. Baker starts things out with his thoughts on how things developed:

ChartAttack: Did you ever imagine Mint would last so long when you started out?
"It's not like I thought, 'here's what I'll be doing for the next 15 or 20 years' or whatever. It was really more a case of trying to get out of CITR."

CITR seems to be a bit of cult for musicos in this city. How long were you there?
"It seems short when I say it now, but I think Randy and I had been there for about five years. I worked as the volunteer co-ordinator. And I remember coming to work one morning and having a session with a bunch of new people, and I just got to this point where I felt older than everyone. And what really turned the switch for me was when I was showing them the turntable for the vinyl, and one of the people in the group said they didn't know what it was. And I was just like, 'Oh man, I'm way too old for the people here,' and it got me thinking about whether I wanted to become that weird old person where you ask why are they still here, or get a job."

And you certainly created a job in a related field.
"Well, people talk so much about the music on Mint, but the thing is also that Randy and I had a terrific working relationship and we wanted to continue it."

How has the style of bands that you sign to the roster changed over the years?
"It's almost entirely been people that we know because of another band that we've worked with."

The music on the Mint roster seems to have dated quite well. Would you say that if Cub were a band around today that you would still sign them?
"Yeah, and I'm quite happy about that. When I think of my record collection, there's a lot of stuff from that time period that I will no longer listen to, and the world doesn't either, and I would have happily gone in that direction. So it's nice that most of the stuff that we put out has kind of a timeless element to it."

What would you describe as the Vancouver sound?
"It's hard for me to answer that because I've been doing this for so long. Well, there's definitely a variety to what we've put out over the years. I think there was a sound like 20 years ago or whatever, where bands like D.O.A. and the Subhumans had a real sound, and it was the first time I got that concept of there being a local sound that's unique to Vancouver. But now, with the internet, there's the cross-pollination of music that's so prevalent, whereas it didn't used to be."

Has Mint been quick to adapt to developing technology?
"Well, we've certainly followed along. With things like MP3s, there was a point where everybody was just saying, 'This is the end of the record industry,' and some people spent a lot of energy trying to stop it. But it's one of those if you can't beat 'em, join 'em things. And whenever we put something out, we always make one or two tracks available because it's going to happen anyway."

What are Mint's future plans?
"I can't imagine not doing this anymore. It's just such a huge part of my adulthood. It's inconceivable that we'd stop. It's just been such a constant. That said, I don't think we have any grand scheme in the works, other than to keep at it. In the last few years, we've had a few incredible successes, and we've taken some steps to make the business side of things more solid. But I can never see it turning into something where that would be the prime motivator. By sheer luck and whatever, we've managed to stay at this for 15 years. And it would be foolish to pretend we have a grand plan for the next 15, when we didn't even have a plan for this 15."

Next, I caught up with CBC Radio 3 host and Smugglers frontman Grant Lawrence to get his thoughts:

"The reason I was attracted to working with Mint, and trying to get my band signed to Mint, is pretty simply their trademark of quality that the logo has always represented. I have found that even to this day there are a number of bands that are just flat-out envious that they aren't signed to Mint. Certainly in the early '90s, when my band wasn't, we were jealous fools. Mint has one of those rare qualities that if their logo appears on the CD sleeve, chances are you are buying a good, if not great, record. Sure, there's been a few slips over the years, but who can argue the track record of Cub, Huevos Rancheros, Neko Case, The New Pornographers, Nardwuar, The Organ, Immaculate Machine, the list goes on and on."

Lawrence's bandmate and Mint employee, Kevin Beesley Hammond, had similar thoughts on the community and quality of the label:

"Randy, Bill and Yvette [Ray] are the heart and soul of Mint Records. Their hard work for over 15 years is really starting to blossom, particularly with the success of Neko Case, The New Pornographers and The Organ. From the Smugglers point of view, I'm enjoying watching how everyone is reinventing themselves. Grant has the CBC's most popular podcast. Dave Carswell [of The Evaporators and Smugs] has produced/engineered some of the best music from the west coast [The New Pornographers, Destroyer, Tegan And Sara, Immaculate Machine, Theresa Sokyrka], and I'm workin' the business angles at Mint.

"Not to mention Rod [Slaughter] from Duotang developing the awesome Novillero, Brent [Cooper] from Huevos evolving into the Rambling Ambassadors, Sarah [Lapsley] from The Gay working with Shane Nelken in The Awkward Stage, Nardwuar evolving from manic lead singer to MuchMusic video star, Katie Sketch going from stoic lead singer to U.K. Vogue fashion model. Hell, Neko going from punk drummer to the strongest voice in indie music. It's like the slow food movement. It all tastes better when it takes time to prepare."

And last, but certainly not least, Mint's dedicated PR gal, Yvette Ray, had these kind words:

"We've all been working together for so long, Mint really feels like a family. It's never been about finding the next big thing. It's about working with music we love and people we love."

To celebrate all things Mint, be sure to check out their "Ridiculously Early Xmas Party" on Dec. 2 at the Urkrainian Hall. The awesome lineup will feature John Guliak, The Evaporators, Carolyn Mark, Duotang, The Buttless Chaps, The Awkward Stage and Young And Sexy.

In non-Mint news, here are a few shows that are more than worth your attention:

Great local act The Nons will be at Pub 340 on Friday evening with Vapid and Livegirls.

Pint-sized U.K. trash rapper Lady Sovereign will be dropping her rhymes at the Commodore Ballroom on the same night.

Chart favourites Canned Hamm will be at the Plaza Club with Rock'N and DJ Trevor Risk on Sunday.

Finally, I've noticed an intriguing post on the Richard's On Richards website claiming that legendary local Quintessence Records act The Modernettes are headlining a show there on Dec. 29 with The Manvils and Rich Hope. I wonder if they were inspired by the recent Subhumans reunion? I'm going to get to the bottom of this situation and report further in coming weeks.

Send your Vancouver music news, show info, CDs or Funky Cold Media to vancouverbuzz@hotmail.com, or by snail mail to: Attn: Trevor Hargreaves, #408, 65 1st St., New Westminster, B.C., V3L 5K9.