Questions by Litocranius, answers by Roman - BIZARRE LEPROUS label manager
We haven’t interfered in Roman’s orthography!
Greetings from Romania my brother. How are you and how are the things going on for you and for your mighty label Bizarre Leprous Recs.?
Hello friend! Thanx for questions - all is here fine but something busy with all my personal things!!! Some few problems with bands -delays.......!!!!!
First of all tell me please how you got in contact with metal music, especially with the most brutal one? What impression did it make on you?
Before 18years i listened some rock, punk music and my friend gave me some old demos of grindcore bands like Blood demos, Grave demos, Agathocles demos!! I really liked it and i started collect this music!!! I had more than 1500Eps, 1200 tapes and lots of Cds!!!
Do you play on any instruments? Have you ever played in any band?
No, i don´t play any instruments!§I tried to sing in one band here with ym friends but band is RIP!!!!
So... you turned the business side and you founded Bizarre Leprous Recs. Please tell us what made you to start this extremely brutal home recording?
10 years ago i started my BLP label and i wanted to do new bands from world on tapes and vinyls!!Now i have out 70 releases and i press grind,gore grind, death/grind nbands from all of the world!!!But never i wanted to do business label - i want to help new bands, underground and peoples to get new killer music!!More labels are doing label onle for money!!Its really shit!!!!
Roman, can you try to characterize Bizarre Leprous Recs. and reflect on its history and tell us how did you managed in your first year on the metal market?
I started 10 yeas ago and i pressed only tapes and vinyls!!I visited a lot of gigs and i traded more of my releases for other things and i sold this stuff on gigs!!It was really nice time!!!!Later i tried to press CD and i collaborate with other labels too!!!!
How popular were your releases at that time; did they receive much attention in Czech Rep. or outside? Can you reveal us how many releases did you put out in your first year with Bizarre Leprous Recs. ?
Yes , great responses!!My first release was split EP AGATHOCLES/PLASTIC GRAVE, second split tape BLOOD/MALIGNANT TUMOUR......and some few comp EPs from Australia, Brasil, Canada.......more great grindcore, noise bands!!!I got more fucking great responses from CZ and from world too!!I traded with big labels like elapse, Morbid recs...etc!!!!
Do you follow a certain line with the bands on your label ,or does Bizarre Leprous Recs. consists only in bands you personally are into?
All bands are my friends so i don´t press my releases under consigment with bands!§I know personally all peoples and its only about music!!As i said - its not business - its all about music and friendship!!So if i like some bands i listen all and i contact this band - we meet us on some festivals ...and we talk about all!!Bands are free and they can use all what they want to use for cover, shirts - so you can see on covers of BLP tituls - more crazy porno, SM, brutal pictures - but its only about image!!!In last time i have a lot of bands under BLP and its really hard to press new bands becuase my favourite bands do in time new Cds .. and i can not do every month 2-5 new Cds!§Its really crazy now!!
The sales are undoubtedly an important factor for running a successful label. As far as I know, you don't limit your releases ,but can you tell us which were the most pressed releases ever recorded in Bizarre Leprous Recs. history? Also, please inform us about your label releases-rough estimations!
First pressings was 300-500copy!!!Now i do 1000copy of each release and some releases are repressed!!Best selling release are PIGSTY, IMPETIGO and ROMPEPROP!!I sold more than 2500 copies!!!
In my point of view Bizarre Leprous Recs. is one of the few worthy brutal labels ever. Can you tell us how is Bizarre Leprous Recs. organized? How many persons are involved in it, and why did you made two sub-divisions in U.S.A. and Holland?
BLP is only I!!I do promotion for bands, pressing , distribution!!In last 1,5 year help me my wife with all because its for me really shitty to go in my official job and we have two children too!§So its crazy!!More people from USA and other sides of world ask for BLP tituls and i was looking for new distribution!!Holand office is RIP now but USA office is really succesfull!!!People contacted me and they gave me offer to do distribution for BLP!!!We tried to do it in this countries and now i have more diostribution in world but official office is in US only!!
Do you have personal contact with all your bands, including here those signed with Bizarre Leprous Holland or U.S.A.? Is this so important for you? Is there any aim you want to reach with your label?
As i told you already - all is only about personally contact - or very good contact (mails!!!) - some news bands are from US and with this help me Kevin from US office of BLP!!!
What were the necessary things for you to sign a band? How much money do you pay to record an album?
I must like this music or we want to help new bands so some releases aren´t so perfect but its originally and people from India can listen indias band , or Indonesia, Asutralia,Brasil....Its music!!
We pay to band all studio costs and we do pressing, promotion in world and we spread all about bands to zines, to people!!!Each band get from us 15% of all pressing !!So 150copies from 1000copy pressing!!
How much time do you spend on Bizarre Leprous Recs.?What are the things that you enjoy most in managing this label?
Uf, each day i must answer a lot of mails and letters from world!!I´m in day in job and after job i do this label!!Its realyl shitty with time but i like this contact with music, people, bands - i enjoy new releases!!Best is wheni get good responses on festivals, gigs from people on my work, bands are succesfull and we enjoy great time on gigs !!!
Have you got any special interest beside music?Are you working or studying?
Yes, sure - my family!!I´m married 10years already and i have two children!§So my freetime i stay with my family!!!Its very difficult but children are really best freetime!!!
Now you have got the opportunity to announce the future plans for Bizarre Leprous Recs.!Do you intend to expand your label ,or do you focus on keeping it a small underground home recording?
No - i want do only underground bands and i want not to do bigger label - i ´m not BUSINESS LABEL!!!!If people will order and we can do more bands it is for me more important before selling a lot of stuff for bigger money!!!My future plans are only news Cds and vinyls for my BLP bands!!!
What does money mean to you in this regard?Could you or do you even intend to make a living out of your work with Bizarre Leprous Recs.?
Money, everywhere all is only about money!!!!!If i wil have my job in fabrique , my family is OK and BLP sell normally releases its best for me!!So i will try to stay normal and no big label like Nuclear Blast,Relapse or.......
Thanks for your patience and for doing this intie.I hope I did not bored you to death.Nevertheless ,it's going to help you to get more attention which you surely deserve.Any last words for our readers?
Thanx for this intie and one thing for people - please support true underground, more great bands play better
music as bands under big labels!! See my web page and listen my MP3!!!Thanx for support to all people!!!!
Good luck my friend and all the best!
Interview by Litocranius, August 2006