Moshi Moshi Records

Moshi Moshi Interview

Moshi Moshi Recods is a small London bases independent label whose roster includes everyone from Hot Chip to James Yuill. With the success of acts such as Hot Chip and Hot Club De Paris, the label has expanded to one of the finest indie labels over the past 10 years. Their musical palette is diverse - To illustrate this, they have released excellent limited singles of the likes of Florence and the Machine, Bloc Party, Friendly Fires and many more up-and coming artists from their acclaimed Singles Club. However, there is also no denying that there is an excellent consistency of tone and feel in their selection. I had a chance to speak to one of the founders, Michael McClatchey who is looking to take out the bands in Japan in the near future. So, anyone interested in their Japanese dates, please give a shout!

- Can you tell us the history of Moshi Moshi Records and visions of the label?

Michael: Moshi Moshi was started in 1998 as a hobby by three friends who worked for major record labels and wanted a chance to indulge their own musical tastes outside of the day-job. The intention was to work with music that we believed in but which our bosses didn't get, or didn't think was commercially viable. For the first 5 years it remained something we did in our spare time, then in 2003 I decided to start working at it fulltime. Shortly afterwards we released the Bloc Party single and Hot Chip album and things started to take off.

youtube : Hot Chip - Down With Prince

Our vision is still fundamentally the same as it was when we started - We work with artists we believe in and do as good a job as we can to convince everyone else they should be believing in them too.

- How would you describe the typical Moshi Moshi audience?

M: I’d like to say we have such a diverse range of artists that we don't have a typical audience but I think that would be a lie. There are certain characteristics that unite them, the key one being they tend to be more serious about their music, whether they be a 14 year old hipster from Brooklyn or a 40 year old ex-punk from Bolton.

- The label has grown up very much over the last decade. Have you seen any change of the scene, compared with the time when you started?

M: The scene is always changing. That’s what keeps it interesting. What's fashionable changes every few years. Our aim is to see through the 'trend' to whether there is a genuine conviction and belief behind the music. Only then will it be something that might endure.

- How do you think the internet has changed the way you do business nowadays?

M: The internet has changed everything, sometimes for the better and sometimes not. It’s impossible to conceive how we would have reached a global audience for our music with our budgets without it.

youtube : Strawberry Cables - The Wave Pictures

Although the fact that you can create an mp3 for a fraction of the cost of a 7" single is also a great benefit to small labels with not much money, at the same time there is a generation of music consumers coming through who seem to think they can have whatever they want, whenever they want, for free, without appreciating the repercussions for artists and small labels. But on balance I'd say for us the internet has been a good thing.

- How are you coping with the gradual change of vinyl to mp3? What measures are you taking to keep up at a competitive level with other labels?

youtube : Bless Beats & Janee feat. Double S - Sex In The City

M: The changeover to mp3s has been a good thing for us as I mentioned earlier, but we still love the look and feel and sound of a 7" and I'd like to think we will always continue to release music on vinyl. 

- Can you tell us about your 'singles club' where you release one-off 7"singles?  For example, what about the idea behind it and the selection process?

M: When Moshi Moshi started it was to release 7" singles. As we grew up we moved away from doing the one-off singles. Then we realised how much we missed it and so started the singles club. There's something very exciting and fresh and instantaneous about releasing a one-off single with an up-and-coming artist, and it’s given us the opportunity to work with some amazing artists we otherwise wouldn't, people like Florence and the Machine and Friendly Fires. There are a couple of rules we abide by - we only print 1000 copies and the bands can only use one colour on the artwork, to give the series some continuity.

youtube : Still Flyin' - The Hott Chord Is Struck

- Can you also talk us through your long-term album artists?

M: We have quite a few - Tilly And The Wall, Au Revoir Simone, Slow Club, Still Flyin', The Very Best, The Wave Pictures, Thecocknbullkid, James Yuill, The Mae Shi. I'd suggest folk go to website or their myspaces to find out more. I'm notoriously bad at describing music and I'd rather let the bands speak for themselves. All I'll say is they are ALL worth checking out.

- Who have you signed recently?

youtube : Slow Club - Trophy Room

M: This year we have worked with some amazing new artists. The Drums, Kindness, Samuel & The Dragon and The Very Best are all bands I'm immensely proud to have worked with, and people I'm convinced you will be hearing alot more of in the coming year.

- In terms of design I can see a distinctive style in your label as well. Who do you use the most for sleeve artwork?

M: That’s probably just coincidence. We try to encourage our artists to do their own artwork and the whole they do, and do a good job at it. I think it’s important for an artist to have an idea of their own visual identity.

youtube : Kindness - Gee Up

- Because of your name, I thought you were a Japanese related label (as moshi moshi sounds familiar! it means hello on the phone in Japanese), but apparently not? However, have you released anything with a Japanese distributor/label? How are you getting on with Japanese market?

M: We have released a few albums in Japan via licensees, but not as many as I would have liked. What I'd really like to do is get some of our bands out there to play at a Moshi Moshi party. If there is anyone out there reading this that would like to help me do this please get in touch! 

myspace: moshimoshirecords

Written by Chika Aoki