New record label debuts first album

BENDIGO Vinyl’s new recording label, Bendigo Records, has just released its first studio album. 

The debut release from the label will come from Nat Vazer who’ll be dropping her second full length recoding Strange Adrenaline. 

The record was released on 6 October and is now available on vinyl at independent record stores, JB Hi-Fi, and digitally via streaming services. 

Owner of Bendigo Records and Bendigo Vinyl, Sam Edmonds, said it was a “really, really exciting” project. 

Bendigo Vinyl sold a lot of Vazer’s first album, so management reached out to Brunswick-based musician to ask advice on what artists might want from a label. 

At the time, Vazer had been signed to a label that had folded due to COVID-19. 

“One thing led to another and then we were pressing the record and releasing it, which is fun, we’re looking forward to it,” said Mr Edmonds. 

“This is the first thing we’ve pressed on vinyl, we’ve recorded stuff, but we haven’t pressed before, and so that’s really exciting.” 

Mr Edmonds said he wanted Bendigo Records to offer a deal that was interesting and different from competitors. 

“I think most label deals, unless you’re doing top echelon stuff, you’re mostly paying for your own vinyl, so we’re trying to make that as easy as possible,” he said. 

“CDs aren’t selling, vinyl is. That’s a way that artists can actually make money that isn’t off streaming because streaming’s not paying much at all, but then they have to spend a lot of money to get to the place. 

“It’s a lot on the artist.” 

Most artists earn about 0.001 cents per play, said Mr Edmonds, aside from big, international names. 

“There’s a set pot of money that Spotify will pay out to artists every year, and then it breaks down into a percentage of what the overall plays in the year are,” he said. 

“Taylor Swift’s seen plenty of cash through Title, and Apple Music, and Spotify. 

“But somebody like Nat, or any of the local Aussie bands that aren’t getting pushed in the algorithm and account for 0.0000 per cent of plays in Australia overall, are getting next to nothing. 

“I worry for the songs that aren’t getting written because people can’t afford to do music full time.” 

On 21 October, Nat Vazer will be playing at Bendigo Vinyl, followed by a full band gig at Handle Bar on the same day.