Disonance Recordings

Disonance Recordings is an American recording and distribution label, currently based in Phoenix, Arizona. Disonance Recordings was started in 2001 by Adam Evans in St. Louis, Missouri.

Birth Of A Label

After working in a St. Louis, MO record store in the mid-late 1990s, Adam Evans (SOLEMN THE ORCHESTRA, EEVA') became disillusioned with the then-current state of the music industry. Evans could see no way out of an impeeding downturn in the industry's future. He cited rising CD pricings, a lack of creativity in the major label releases, the recent upturn in media-sharing sites on the internet, and an increase of music listeners who could no longer subject themselves to terrestrial radio (due to narrow setlists being played well beyond a listeners' point of exhaustion) just to name a few points. Evans saw an ever-increasing rift forming between the labels (and their artists) and the fans. The music-listening public felt less like fans and more like open pocketbooks being drained. They were paying more and more for less and less substancial content, for both albums and live shows.

Evans felt that it was the duty and responsibility of the music industry (and its' many record labels) to allow its' artists to push the BOUNDARIES of music and present new music styles and IDeaS to the public. And to continually strive to expand the public's knowledge of music, while maintaining a quality that had long been lost from the industry. Instead, he felt that music and bands were being forced into rigid genres and compartmentalized; for sake of volume and profit. That bands were being signed because of their similar sounds, not because of their talent or originality.

At the same time, more and more artists with massively successful record sales were coming out to the media AbOUT their bankruptcies. Not because of excess or oppulence, but from horrible record deals and bad bookkeeping at the hands of the labels. Further research found that the standard record deal only favored labels. Most bands needed at least three highly successful albums to break even from their financial defecits to their label. Through major labels' revolving credit (advances) ensuring additional profits to labels, and studios, producers and labels involved in palm-greasing deals enforced by a label's album advance requirements, it was easy for as much as 10%+ from an album advance to be lossed in red tape and returns. But somehow, it always made its way back to the labels in fine print and loopholes.

If these three couldn't be trusted, then artists really had no friends in the music industry. And an artist's best bet for any financial future in music was to get dropped by their label, allowing for a write-off of any monies not recouperated by the label. Hopefully, artists could start fresh with another label and have some bargaining power based on existing exposure and fanbase.

Evans, being involved in his own MusicAL endeavours (SOLEMN THE ORCHESTRA) with friend and long-time collaborator David Downs (SOLEMN THE ORCHESTRA, COMPLIANT, SHE GREW FEATHERS, NEW OCEANS), could not imagine dealing with the hassle of creating music in this kind of environment. Evans took all that he knew from his years of record store sales and his music industry research to craft a basis for an artist-friendly label. Where revenues are dispersed evenly. An artists' creativity would not be stiffled by the worry of album and singles sales. Where radio stations were never pushed to play a song into oblivion for the sake of sales. Where fans again felt connected, like a valuable and vital member of the music community they so loved. This became the core basics of Disonance Recordings.

First Decade

Starting in 2001, Disonance Recordings made its official start, very humbly, with only Evans himself. Disonance initially offered promotional services to artists and bands, but it's intent as a label was to sign acts and carry a roster of artists. Artists that has been overlooked by mainstream labels for years based only on marketability and not talent. The first band signed to the label was Evans' own project, EEVA', in 2002. Evans expanded Disonance's depth in the years to come, with Staging Assistance and Merchandise Sales assistance for shows. Disonance plans to offer recording, mixing and mastering services in the years to come, with the debut album from EEVA' slated to be the first project completed under these services.

In 2004, Evans put his graphic design skills to use for Disonance Recordings and created Resonance Images to offer album artwork, event photography, and merchandise design. This effectively created DR, or Disonance/Resonance; a complete Audio/Visual response to the needs of the emerging new regime in the recording industry. Musicians were starting to gain an equal footing and they required the same access to the quality of imagery and services that the major labels had.

Disonance Recordings initiated 'Guerilla Recordings' to assist aspiring artists to D.Y.I. and do it right, without having to rely on corrupt labels. These recording, performing, networking and video/imaging tips, tricks, how-to guides, videos and words of advice can be accessed via DR's Twitter Feed @DisonanceRecord or thru their YouTUBE page www.youtube.com/disonance.

Disonance/Resonance relocated in 2006 to Portland, Oregon and eventually to Phoenix, Arizona in 2008, where it is currently located today.