MONSTER INTERVIEW : CHRISTOS TRIANTIS - GET THAT BEAT

J'ai fait la connaissance de Christos Triantis il y a quelques mois via son webzine Get that Beat qui est aussi un label et une émission de radio. L'homme est passionné et passionnant, j'ai donc voulu en savoir plus à son sujet.

Interview !

When did you create your label, Get That Beat ?

Thank you for having me. Get That Beat was started in March 2019, one year after I relocated from Greece to the United Kingdom.

What made you decide to create a label ? You already had one before ?

The whole story starts back in 2008 in Athens, Greece. It began as a label, a record store, and a webzine. Having been involved in music from a very young age and participating in several bands, I wanted to channel that experience into the music world. It's always a good thing to get involved with things that you love. Apart from writing music, it's a great way to stay in touch with other musicians and help them make their mark on the scene.

Do you work alone or do you have a team ?

Everything i do up to date is an one mans job.

Is it difficult to own a record label ?

Yes, it definitely is, especially when you're running a small label. There are so many things to juggle! From finding bands to sign to your label, dealing with production and the artistic side of things, to handling distribution and marketing—and let's not forget the financial management. All of that requires a lot of skills. If you're good at them, then you're good to go. But sometimes you have to deal with rejections and those "too cool for school" snobs, which also requires a certain skill to not get discouraged.

Can you describe the job of a record label owner, what you do and what bands on the label do ? I mean, for exemple the band goes in the studio and records the songs and you are in charge of the making of the record (ordered to a pressing plant I suppose) and the cover etc?

Record labels play an important role on an artists success or failure. Normally, a label should cover everything—recording, mastering, artwork, and vinyl cutting—and then pay the artists a percentage. But nowadays, with it being so easy for anyone to set up a record label, things have really changed. Now, it's usually the artist who pays for the recording and mastering, and sometimes even for the vinyl production too. The labels just put their name on the release in exchange for handling distribution, getting a percentage, or receiving some album copies in return. So in that case labels are just distributors not labels.There are only a few labels that are successful in all aspects of the game, and they really stand out.To tell you the truth i prefer the oldschool type of labels.

What are your best sales with the label ?

With Fuzz Overdose, there were a lot of best-selling titles. For example, The Mongrelettes, The Meanie Genies, and The Gruesomes all sold out very early after their release dates. Unfortunately, with Get That Beat, I haven't reached those standards yet due to some personal bad stuff going on and bad timing but i think Aqua Barons album sells pretty good.

What are your favorite bands and artists in general (not the bands on your label)?

I like stuff from a lot subgenres....To name a few Dead Moon, Radio Birdman, Lords Of The New Church, Ramones, Social Distortion, Buddy Holly, The Third Bardo, Bill Monroe, The Creeps, The Dubrovniks, Bad Religion, The Real Kids, New York Dolls, The Romantics, Marble Orchard, The Sonics, The Ventures, Link Wray, Jackie Mitoo, Downliners Sect Very Early Pink Floyd Ash Ra Tempel ...oh and Motörhead and Black Sabbath (Ozzy Era).

You have now a webzine called Get That Beat too. Why a webzine more than a blog ? What's the difference for you ?

To me, there's really no difference. I just don't want to do opinionated articles—blogs are more into that. I wanted a page that's more informative. But yeah, I don't see much difference between the two.

Why not a fanzine printed on paper?

Printed zines are really cool I love them.There are plans in the works for a printed magazine 2 or 3 issues per year.But unfortunately, you have space limitations. Plus, from a financial aspect, a webzine costs less. One of the main reasons I chose a webzine is to reach a younger audience that definitely won't buy a magazine. The younger audience and attracting new people to this kind of music is my priority.With a webzine, you can also update content instantly, which keeps everything current. There’s the advantage of multimedia too—videos, audio clips, interactive elements—you can't get that with print.

You have written a great review of the last Darts LP, called Boomerang. It will be released on april 26th, how did you get the songs before its release? That's magic !

Usually, in these cases, people involved send their stuff for promotion to webzines, blogs, and so on. It's no different here.

I have seen you promote bands on Rogue records which is a french record label. You also reviewed the Wylde Tryfles last LP Outta Tyme (great review by the way) which is a french band. How is 60's Garage Punk going in the UK at the moment ? What are the main bands ?

The scene in the UK? Really good question. To be honest with you, I don't know. The circumstances right now don't make me feel like I'm fully a part of it yet. Four years is really a small amount of time to tell you what’s what. I have some conclusions—both positive and negative—but I need more time to see how things develop.

The bands I really like are The Speedways, The Lancashire Bombers, and The Sleazoids. One thing that's for sure is that Brexit ruined a lot of things regarding the music scene around here. It turned the whole scene inward. It's really difficult for labels to export their releases because buyers from Europe avoid UK music sellers due to custom duties. There are also big issues in the event organizing sector.

On the other hand, the French rock 'n' roll scene is exploding right now. Bands, labels—everything is booming over there.

You also have a radio programme. How can you do all those things ? Do you have people around you to help ?

No, as I already mentioned, this is a one-man show. I get up at 5:00 each morning after organizing the tasks from the previous day. A lot of exercise, eggs, and football breaks help, but in general, it's not ideal—it often leads to burnout and other problems. But what keeps me going is the passion for music and everything around it.

When did you start your radio show ?

I made a first attempt back in 2021 with two shows. Since march 2024 i'm trying to do it on a regular basis every 10 days

Can you describe us what you generally broadcast on the radio ? Interviews, live bands, concerts, records?

For the time being, at this early stage, apart from the show Fuzzadelic Hits for Real Kids, which is a live show and focuses on new releases, everything else is playlist. I try to do themed sections and tributes. There are plans to expand it with other producers on board and also with more reliable equipment.

How do you prepare the radio show ? Do you go to a radio station with your records or is everything record in your home, etc ?

Everything is set up in my office there is some kind of a small studio there.

Last questions : do you collect records ? If you do, what kind of records do you prefer (7'', 10'', LP ; CD) and why ?

I used to collect records, but I'm not a fanatic anymore. After so many years in music, I've learned to respect the music and not just the format. It's nice to reminisce about the vintage and nostalgic stuff, but honestly, I don't really care how I listen to a good song. Whether it's on vinyl, CD, tape, or MP3, it's still a good song. Music is all about the spirit, not the material stuff.

Thank you very much, Christos !

Fernand Naudin