Sex is Disgusting

Sex is Disgusting is the filthy project of dudes who like looking at cool stuff, listening to cool stuff and making cool stuff. Writhing since Summer 2008 they enter their second year in existence still passionately promoting records and shows. We talk to them about what makes each of their releases special why a lack of cash isn't going to stop them any time soon.

"We started when we both decided that rather than squander all our student loans on pointless stuff like books, laptops, pencil cases and cocaine" says label co-founder James Hines "we thought it would be very cool if we were to put out a 7" by one of the numerous bands on this island that were not getting the attention they deserved." Self confessed record geeks, he and Andy Auld are glad they put their collective knowledge together and decided to DO something other than rummage in bargain bins. Instead of griping on message boards or whining that shows were shit, they took a look around their hometowns, sorted out a basic deal and set to work. Eventually SID001 Human Hair was brought kicking and screaming into the world. . "Actually getting the thing made and into people's hands is easy." he says "As long as you have the slightest bit of common sense anyways...."

Somebody must be using their brain. Since then the community built around young independent musicians, artists, designers and writers in the UK has gone from strength to strength. Be it in Brighton, Manchester, Cardiff or Glasgow there's a welcoming network of people trying new things and taking action. And, while it's always been there, they're now making themselves known. Check Fair Oh's on the Guardian, Male Bonding going Sub Pop and SID taking on VICE blog. Just don't call it a scene thing. "I'm glad you said community and not scene because thats a much more friendly and accurate way of looking at it. A scene is something that from the outside is seen as exclusive, pretentious, unapproachable and thats not what were about and thats no way to run a label and no way to get people to come to shows." Putting on live bands is the other wing of the SID label. They know how fun it is when noise meets beer and how easy it is to do when one friend is the sound man, another's designed the flyer, one is promoting and some guy even volunteers to stand on the door. "I think the people/bands/labels/promoters within the "community" were involved in are all good people doing their own thing for the right reasons. These bands and labels don't just start up for no reason, its no coincidence. Quite separately a lot of people around the same time were getting very frustrated with the uk music scene's output and with the exposure that these awful bands were getting. Slowly more decent bands start cropping up and inevitably labels to put this stuff "out there". Its all born from the same frustrations, so we all help each other out and promote each others endeavors."

Look at their show history and it's easy to see what they're on about. Summer's shows culminated in an all day "Dude Fest " headlined by Finally Punk and shouting "You don't need to be a dude to be a dude" they consistently accommodate US touring acts and the best stuff coming out of the UK. Could they even pick their best? "I'd say the Wavves show we did on their first tour was great cos we got to see Mazes live for the first time and they smashed it" they say. The guys have now put out Mazes' first 7" Bowie Knives [it's almost sold out]. The three piece's pop writing meets fuck-you recording sum up the label perfectly. "The crowd initially were not very responsive to Wavves - which seems to be the usual response to a hyped band - but it eventually turned into a proper party. Say what you will about Wavves, that night at least they tore the place apart." Like that show, they're getting used to seeing the place busy. With the country still slumped it's reassuring to know that beneath all the official gloom there's something - forget deflated - fit to burst. "More recently we did a show with Human Race, Lovvers and Male Bonding and the place was packed, i've never seen the venue like it. I think it showed that there is a genuine and wide interest in these uk bands and people are excited about whats going on at the moment."