LimeWire Music Blog

The folks at Lime Wire Music Store recently sat down Matthew Johnson of Birdman Records, the label responsible for Modey Lemon,
The Warlocks,
The Apes, and many more. Check out the interview below.

What was the first release on Birdman?

A 20 minute single that is now out of print. I believe it was by COMMIDE MINSTRELS IN NOTTINGTURD FAN. It was members of Caroliner Rainbow, Mr. Bungle and the SF Opera.

What labels do you admire? Why?

Dischord, Kemado, Absolutely Kosher, In the Red, Merge, Sec Canadian/JagJag, Tee Pee, SST, Anticon, and many others… They all work with music they love and enjoy.

Any band/artist that you regret not signing?

The Dodos

If Birdman had a mascot, what would it be?

Definitely little birdmen made from bottled beer labels.

Ever had to post bail for one of your artists?

Not yet. We’ve had to do many, many things. Most recently we lost a drummer during a tour. But luckily, another drummer was able to drive down and play the rest of the shows. He get’s big props for that. We’ve had to replace fuel pumps and radiators. Lost friends on road. Trevor Butler, RIP my friend. The road is a dangerous place.

Birdman headquarters are in San Francisco, a town with a vibrant music scene. Are there any Bay Area bands or artists that we should check out?

Tons of great stuff around here. Some locals I’ve been really enjoying lately – Gzenghis Khan, Nightling, The Dodos, Sir Lord Von, Ravenson, Buzzer, Apache, Ride the Blinds, and many others….

Would you rather be a roadie for Whitesnake or sell merch for Hannah Montana?

Whitesnake, hands down. Especially if Coverdale and Vai were both there.

If you weren’t here answering these questions, what would you be doing?

Recording some bands probably. Staring at a computer figuring out how to respond to some email. It’s glamorous at the record labels. Better get this mirror of blow off of my lap. Back to work!