In Profile : Noisolution Records

Maintaining your independence in the music industry isn't easy but German label Noisolution have managed to persevere since the 1990s. Founder Arne Gesemann recently took the time to answer a few questions that we put to him:-

MG: Noisolution has been going for 20+ years – what inspired you to start the label in the first place? And was it hard to initially make an impact on the industry?

AG: Inspiration was the spirit of punk rock and its DIY attitude. Its always better to do something than to wait for the perfect moment. Be part of a scene. That was important to me so I started, aged 15, selling tapes and writing a fanzine, or organizing shows. After a while I started a vinyl label and moved into a bigger independent company learning this job professionally. There I got the chance to found Noisolution in 1995 and after a while I bought all the rights and took over. So somehow I do this all my life now and am not yet tired. It´s great “work” and as long as the motivation is high and the attitude is optimistic, I'll continue.  

MG: It kind of amused me that you’d been advised (maybe not too seriously) not to try to break into the UK market but you must surely view that as a potentially lucrative area? Indeed aren’t all English language territories desirable areas for rock bands to gain coverage in?

AG: Sure, the music on Noisolution is kind of international and close to the US-UK-Independent music anyway. But usually it´s really hard for a non-British/American band to conquer these markets. The most successful German bands on international markets are the “typical German” ones like Trio, Rammstein, Kraftwerk or in the '70s Krautrock acts. We have a great and very vivid Stoner and '70s retro-rock scene over here, but most of these bands are just successful on the German market. It´s different for US and UK bands and surprisingly for Scandinavian bands as well. 
So most of my colleagues told me not to waste time and money into promotion and marketing in GB. But I´m surprised by the response. It´s very cool and many are interested in our new bands like Coogans Bluff or Black Lung.

MG: Are digital releases slowly taking over from physical ones in terms of sales?

AG: No. Not here. The German market is still very “physical” although the digital sales get bigger and bigger, but the whole market is still more than 60% physical and our sales are 80% CDs and LPs. That´s cool, cause all what we do and sell is so much more than what you can hear. Image, Style, Artwork... all this is important, but also the “feeling for an album” is important. – I personally don´t like streams at all but accept them as a tool.

MG: To date who would you say has been your most successful act or artist?

AG: Hard to say... Mother Tongue (Los Angeles), Smoke Blow (Kiel), Firewater (NYC), Flying Eyes (Baltimore) and Rotor (Berlin).

MG: That last answer rather negates this next question but do you sign mainly Germany-based acts or anyone international who fits the mold?

AG: It´s about music and not nationalities. We try to develop new bands but also work with popular international artists such as Firewater or Foetus. If we get into the music and get the chance to cooperate, we like to work with the artist and their music. That really is a motivation for us.

MG: And finally - do you have a many new releases scheduled for the second half of 2016?

AG: Bad question. :-) First half was brilliant and each month we had a release, but now there´s not too much confirmed for second half 2016. We're working hard on this. Two are fixed now, many are promised but I don´t see a final schedule right now. Sometimes it´s hard, but we work for the music and artists and have to react to their schedules... and finally we can´t go “shopping” for some new acts just because we need some right now.

Noisolution's output both old and new can be accessed via the link at the top of this interview. Expand your horizons and check them out.