Iron Man Records will be at Moseley Record Fair on Sunday 3rd December 2023

People go to record fairs for a variety of reasons. Some go to buy and sell rare or hard-to-find Vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and other music-related items. Others go to discover new music, explore different genres or eras of music, or to meet friends or network with other music enthusiasts. I like the social aspect of going to a record fair, browsing through collections, listening to music, and meeting like-minded individuals who also share an unhinged passion for music. Iron Man Records will be at Moseley Record Fair on Sunday 3rd December 2023. MOSELEY ALL SERVICES CLUB, 91 Church Road, Moseley, BIRMINGHAM, B13 9EA. 12pm–4pm. FREE ADMISSION! For more details visit: https://moseleyrecordfair.com/…

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Tour Management: Crossing the UK/EU Border – Transporting musical instruments or equipment

No more ATA Carnets for small artists carrying their own musical instruments and equipment. MU member and founder of ukeartswork, Ian Smith says: “This in very real terms is great news.....It’s a game changer for smaller bands and musicians who do not have the budget to pay for a carnet, when in fact they're only taking over an instrument or two and an amp/mike.” Please note: This information and all information in this post does not constitute legal or immigration advice. It is accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change without our prior knowledge. Temporarily taking musical instruments or equipment to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland…

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Tour Management: Going to Ireland and crossing the UK/EU Border using a Carnet

If you have Tour Dates in Ireland and you're travelling with a Carnet for your Musical Equipment, Mark at Iron Man Records explains how to keep it simple when crossing the UK/EU Border in a Splitter Van. I took Sinead O'Brien to Ireland in October 2022 working as Tour Manager via Holyhead to Dublin Port. Here's what I would recommend if you have Tour Dates to play, the UK/EU Border to cross, and a Carnet for Musical Equipment to deal with. The first thing to do is book your Ferry as required. Be sure to buy a “Passenger” ticket for a 9 seater Splitter van as it is classified as a…

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John Sinclair – The Music & Activism that define his Revolutionary life

In Episode 26 of Essential Conversations, Ann Delisi spoke with John Sinclair about the music and activism that define his revolutionary life and career. This is one of the best interviews with John Sinclair I've heard to date. If you are an artist, writer, poet, musician or performer of any kind, give this a good listen. Turn off the Television, put your phone away. You may learn something. John Sinclair is an activist, poet, and writer whose life and work is connected by one theme – resistance. Sinclair co-founded the White Panthers, managed the MC5, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the possession of two marijuana cigarettes. His imprisonment…

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Where do you see Independent Record Labels heading in the future?

I have no idea where other Independent record labels are headed in future. Perhaps I can give you an idea of where I may take Iron Man Records if anything goes to plan. Which often, it doesn’t. But the quote “When all music is digital, all independence ceases” continues to permeate my thoughts. I want to keep the record label focused on releasing records, digitally and also on Vinyl. I want to leave the artists to work on writing, rehearsing, touring and recording. I’m not interested in getting more involved with the artists beyond releasing their music. I don’t like the idea of taking more control or involvement in what they…

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What are your thoughts on Vinyl? Are the costs of Vinyl production affordable to Independent labels?

“When all music is digital, all independence ceases.” I suppose, what I’m trying to say is that whoever controls the digital platform controls the market. Whether it’s Google, Apple, Spotify, YouTube or Amazon, if all music is digital then at some point you will have to engage the digital platform for access. If you lose access to the platform, you lose access to the music. From an artists perspective, either you place your music where the people are, or you have to encourage people to find your music where you are. The first one is easy, the second is not so easy. But either way, the lack of scarcity in the…

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How has Iron Man Records adapted to the growth of digitalisation?

Iron Man Records has had little choice, it has had to learn to adapt to digitalisation regardless. From 2004 until 2014 the label has seen a steady decline in physical sales both online and through physical outlets. From 2014 until 2017 this has continued at a faster rate and from 2017 to 2018 there has been a sharp drop, the decline has got much worse and deteriorated rapidly. This decline, which has accelerated in recent times, has effected not just Iron Man Records products, but all physical products the label makes available for sale. The physical distributors who take stock from Iron Man Records and distribute across the UK, Europe and…

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What does the term ‘Independent’ mean to Iron Man Records?

“In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: Not necessarily to Win, but mainly to keep from Losing Completely.” Hunter S Thompson — Gonzo Papers, Vol. 1: The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time (1979) Hunter S. Thompson had many wise words that can be useful to anyone wanting to work in the music business. But I’ve always puzzled over a simple question “How did he know?” Independent can mean many different things. For Iron Man Records, an independent record label, it often means working hard and trying to turn available time and resources into…

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This Week: Total Assault On The Culture

Bandcamp Work has started on uploading the Iron Man Records Catalogue on Bandcamp. To start with all releases will be available for £5 or you can Stream the releases and listen for free. All Releases are available on most of the download and streaming platforms already but for those of you who want an alternative to Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, Google, Youtube, Facebook and all the other main providers, Bandcamp seems good. Back In Five Years: Some people wonder what on earth I do for a living. Well, I earn money working as a Tour Manager. I spend all the money I earn trying to keep Iron Man Records going. Here's…

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Iron Man Records would like to release more music on Vinyl. You are invited to get Involved.

I want to invite you to support Iron Man Records releasing more music on Vinyl via Patreon. A small donation of something like $1 a month could help Iron Man Records release some of the recent CD and Digital releases on Vinyl. Here is a list of recent releases that could be made available on Vinyl with your help: IMB6020 POLICE BASTARD – Dead To The World – Digital Release (23rd November 2015) IMB6021 POLICE BASTARD – Confined CD / Digital 2013 IMB6022 JOHN SINCLAIR – Mohawk CD / Digital 2014 IMB6023 DEATH TO FANATICS – Iron Man Records 1999-2014 compilation CD 2014 IMB6027 T.C. Lethbridge – Moon Equipped – Digital…

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A small donation could help Iron Man Records to release more music on Vinyl

I want to invite you to support Iron Man Records releasing more music on Vinyl via Patreon. I have been running Iron Man Records since 1996. I have never earnt anything, of any significance, from the work I have done so far, and neither have the bands. In fact the debts are what the label’s worth. It has been a true labour of love, and I like to think the music has made a lot of people happy. The label has released over 30 records by some fantastic bands and artists and continues to work hard on a daily basis. Iron Man Records wants to make all new releases from the…

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Independent Record Labels of the Internet Era by Kristian Evans

Few people ask me questions these days. I'm probably deluded thinking anyone would actually want to know what I do for a living, and if I told them honestly they would probably think I'm mad. In truth, I like to be left to get on in peace so I don't really care. I think the last time I faced 20 questions was a round of "German Traffic Police Roadside Mastermind," but that's another story. A few months ago, I spent some time on Skype talking to Kristian Evans and answered as many questions as I could, probably more than 20, on the subject of Independent Record Labels in the age of…

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9 Questions answered by Mark at Iron Man Records, Birmingham, 2012.

How did Iron Man Records come about? I started buying records at an early age but soon found that record collecting was an expensive luxury and the only choice was what was stacked on the shelves or anything that hadnt already sold out. I spent time finding good second hand shops but again, the majority of records i found were old vinyl in poor condition or unwanted items and i could never find much I was interested in. I spent a lot of my time reading the music magazines for free in shops on saturday afternoons looking at the features and reviews but again there was never much i really found…

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How does Iron Man Records choose it's artists and how does it promote them?

“HOW DOES THE PUNK MUSIC RECORD LABEL, IRON MAN RECORDS CHOOSE ITS ARTISTS AND HOW DOES IT PROMOTE THEM?” writtten by JANINE LABUSCAGNE BA (HONS) Media & Communication, University of Central England, 2007. “.....There are two kinds of music – good music and bad music.  Good music is music that I want to hear.  Bad music that I don’t want to hear” Fran Lebowitz, Metropolitan Life, 1978 The objective of this study discusses promotional strategies generated by the independent record label, Iron Man Records.  The research examined the use of the Internet as a free marketing tool and how traditional methods of running a label did not have an affect on…

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