We had the good fortune of connecting with Scott Rozell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Scott, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I spent a decade as an operations manager for a giant corporation and it pretty much turned me off to the idea of working “for” a group of people that didn’t have anyone’s best interest in mind outside of shareholders. Corporate culture as a whole is a very toxic place to be, and I played the game for a very long time thinking that was a means to an end. I was painfully unhappy and depressed. At the same time, I was playing drums and touring actively with a couple of punk rock bands I had been a part of for a very long time. A total jeckyl and hyde type thing. One thing I always knew I could find peace in, was knowing I was constantly developing and maintaining relationships within the underground and the DIY music culture. I came from that world as it was, and a lot of us all shared a similar vision for music and a more co-operative working atmosphere. I realized at one point I had to focus on what was making me happy, and not worry about appeasing some VP’s at a giant conglomerate. Discovering new music and putting out records was my sanity. That was pretty much it for me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We formed in 2000 with the initial intent of putting out a compilation of local Northwest bands punk and hardcore bands that we liked. Fast-forward twenty years later, a couple of ulcers, and an insane amount of trial and error, we have worldwide distribution and a full roster of artists that are diverse, amazing and embrace the independent ethos. The years have been good to us. We are a DIY operation and intend to stay that way. We have come a very long way, and the diversity of the Blackhouse family of artists is what sets us apart. We have released records by aggressive punk rock bands like The Accused AD to hiphop and rap albums by legends such as Ras Kass and Atlanta native Father, to experimental ambient music from Sterileprayer, the list goes on and on. There was a ton of trial and error with the way we ran things over the years, and even managed to survive a huge distributor fallout that almost bankrupt the label in 2008. We managed to make it through that, and really got our bearings in 2010. We’ve made so many mistakes in our formative years, haha. There are a lot of moving parts with the music industry, so whenever we are hit with challenges in the present, since we are such a small team of people, we all collectively know how to work through it without it being too much of an issue. A lot of new challeneges have presented themselves over the last couple of years, directly linked to us growing as a company. I think as long as you keep an open mind about things as they come, it’s not something that can’t be figured out so it can benefit everyone involved.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve had immense support throughout the years when it comes to where the label is today, and where I am at in my life today. Everyone from my parents, my daughter Quinne, my wife Marie, and a number of close friends I have made over the years in the music world. Family and friends are the most real people you will ever have in your corner, so I dedicate it all to them.

Website: https://www.blackhouserecordsinc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackhouse_records

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/blackhouse_recs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackhouserecordsinc

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF-cI0V3GYBiZotNaXte6Uw

Other: STORE: https://blackhouseinc.storenvy.com

Image Credits
Photos by Philip Corlis, James Farris, Rachel Tate and Dan Couillard.

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