Saskatoon label releases Rehashed ‘Gravesest Hits’ cassette
If you attended Amigos on Friday, March 16 you likely noticed the newest release from local boy thrash wonders Rehashed, a cassette tape entitled Gravesest Hits.
You can thank local punk rock label Teen Frenzy for that.
Formed by Leif Carlson, Morgan Billard and Aaron Scholz, the trio are taking up the cause of championing prairie punk rock via short-run releases.
The label’s first two releases were from Cross Eyed, a short-lived hardcore duo, and Blaq Magic Pyramid’s CD – the cassette version was released by Calgary’s Bart Records.
Ominocity caught up with label dude Aaron Scholz for a quick chat on cassettes, psycho-sexual neurosis and the possibility of releasing a laser disc.
Ominocity: Tell me a bit about the history of Teen Frenzy and how you came to be.
Aaron Scholz: The name Teen Frenzy was originally just a silly imprint to put on albums that my former bands were releasing to a small circle of friends. There was no motivation or financial ability to do anything else. Last year, Leif, Morgan and myself were contemplating starting a record label. After spending a weekend with a good friend and role model, Kevin Stebner, who runs Bart Records and Revolution Winter, we learned that prairie-based labels are completely necessary. Kaley Evans of Leaning Trees has proven that on his own. Anyway, the three of us drank some beer, had a few meetings, and decided to use Teen Frenzy as an umbrella term to signify our involvement with musicians in whatever capacity we are able.
OM: So why do you do what you do? Does Saskatoon really need a tape label?
AS: Well, in one way, the label is simply an extension of pregnancy envy. I can’t comment on how my partners feel about this, but I’ve long ago accepted that my longing to create things has psychological connections. Women have the gift and ability to create life. As a man, I don’t possess the proper equipment, and so fulfill my subconscious desires to do so by giving birth in creative ways. Whether any of it can be deemed art is another conversation, but Teen Frenzy most certainly exists in part to quiet my psycho-sexual neurosis. How Freudian! Written like a true first year psychology major, which thankfully, I never was.
And to answer your question, no, Saskatoon doesn’t need a tape label. What it needs is an increase in people willing to support and promote its musicians. Teen Frenzy is not exclusively a tape label. Cassettes are just the most affordable way for us to release physical formats for musicians at this point. The dream is to expand on to other formats, whether that be vinyl, laser discs, books… the sky is the limit. The three of us having meetings a couple times a month and we are always thinking about how we can best serve the musicians we work alongside.
OM: Any upcoming releases you can share with us?
AS: Teen Frenzy will be helping to release some recordings for Haunted Souls, which should see release in April. Other than that, we are keeping future projects quiet for now.