On today's episode we’re bringing you the second installment of a mini-series of conversations from Zara Hedderman that explore the various practicalities, challenges and, of course, the joys of running a record label in Ireland. In the first episode, we heard from Leitrim-based Willie Stewart of Nyahh Records, who shared great insights into the label’s catalog and more, since that episode has come out there’s been announcements of exciting forthcoming releases to come from Nyahh so do keep an ear out for them!

Today, we make the journey (in our imaginations, at least)  from Leitrim to County Louth, parking up in Dundalk where we’ll hear from Joey Edwards - co-founder of Pizza Pizza Records, sound engineer extraordinaire and musician in his own right. Founded in 2018, Pizza Pizza Records, is an independent artist-led label, and it struck gold with its inaugural release Wednesday, the critically acclaimed and Choice Prize nominated debut from Just Mustard. That album not only announced Just Mustard as an act that audiences outside of Ireland were getting excited about, but it immediately asserted Pizza Pizza Record’s reputation of a label working with the best in Ireland’s independent acts up and down the country and certainly one worthy of being bookmarked to keep up with the buzzing  independent scene. Today, the label’s roster has expanded to include Clara Tracey, Elaine Malone, Trick Mist, The Altered Hours, and Larry and Elephant.

In this episode, Zara and Joey talk about Wednesday’s impact on Pizza Pizza Records and the initial period of operating as a label, how they maintained momentum and how things progressed from that first offering. Notably, Just Mustard have since signed to Partisan Records – with Fontaines DC and Aoife Nessa Frances as labelmates – and Joey, who co-manages the band, reflects on the ways that working with Partisan has inspired different ways to keep Pizza Pizza going sustainably while keeping audiences engaged. In this regard, community and connection – aside from providing a platform for excellent independent Irish artists - were two things Joey kept circling back on when discussing the label’s evolution and the general DIY climate both locally and abroad. We touched on the role of physical media given Pizza Pizza’s viny-forward MO and its importance within the foundation of DIY communities whether it’s finding like-minded people in local record shops or in the queue at the merch table after a gig. You never know where a conversation will take you!

Thanks so much for joining us again, and for all your wonderful feedback on the Nyahh Records conversation, it’s greatly appreciated. We hope you enjoy learning about Pizza Pizza Records in this episode and maybe afterwards are inspired to set up your own independent label. We’ll be back soon, but until then, here’s Joey Edwards of Pizza Pizza Records.

Featured songs:

Larry - Liar
https://larrymusic.bandcamp.com/album/larry

Just Mustard - Deaf
https://justmustard.bandcamp.com/album/wednesday

Elaine Malone - My Baby's Dead (Redux)
https://elainemalone.bandcamp.com/album/pyrrhic

0:00 - Zara Hedderman intro link

3:20 - Pizza Pizza Origin and Joey’s background in music

11:00 - Label Model or inspiration

13:00 - First release, Just Mustard’s debut album Wednesday

19:30 Co-managing Just Mustard, learning from other industry experts

25:30 - Changes since Pizza Pizza began in 2018

27:10 - Vinyl focus for the label

33:20 - Creating a sense of community via records

35:30 - Discussion on streaming and valuing music

38:10 - Elaine Malone

43:45 - Advice for other people considering starting a record label