substancezine.com article - july 2001
[local mirror @ mono211.com - go check out the site, it rocks.]

You want your MP3 too? You will feel lost. You will have to scroll through thousands of mediocre (if you are lucky) stuff as long as you are searching without knowing what to search for and trying to rely on the help of sites like MP3.com. They are good for the artists as they give them a platform, but as a listener you will have a hard time finding stuff you will enjoy. This column will serve to feature some MP3 –only labels for you.

substance. How long has this label existed, and who's involved with it?
Hollywood: Mono started back in 1996 as a .MOD label - we've always released music only in electronic form (save for a limited-edition CDR from Lackluster a couple of years ago). I (h0l, aka Hollywood) started it since I had a bunch of friends making great music on their Commodore Amiga computers, but none of it was getting heard anywhere. Thus, Mono was born, and we quickly built up a network of BBSes and a homepage on the net where people could grab our tunes. Over the years, Mono has gradually changed, separating out into Monotonik for IDM/electronics and Mono211 for much more breakbeat/hiphop material, plus mono-RAVE-ik for subi's ravings and other sublabels, too. We've changed to mp3 format and now keep a dedicated domain at www.monotonik.com or www.mono211.com :)

s. What made you start it as an MP3 label and why not vinyl or cd?
h0l: It was started as a .MOD label and that was because I was into the Amiga demo-scene, and spreading .MODs by floppy disc or BBS was a great way to get your music heard. When MP3s came along, it seemed natural to transition to them. Monotonik+friends are interested in staying MP3 only because it means we can do things differently - release as often as we like, have instant distribution, keep it simple and fun. There's so many labels doing vinyl or cd out there, but hardly anyone doing quality 'labels' on the net – normally. You have to search through the thousands of awful groups on mp3.com just to find the good ones, and so on. It's good to change that.

s. What was the biggest success so far for you?
h0l: I'm pleased that real-life labels pick up our artists, at least partially because of the influence of Mono. Lackluster getting picked up by DeFocus Records in the UK was at least partially because they heard his music on our site, for example. It's a great feeling. Also, being invited to the Ars Electronica net.culture festival in Austria last year was a great honor. Also, a positive half-page feature in "Spin" magazine late last year was a great validation of what we're doing.

s. What do you think about the Napster issue and do you sometimes wish you could get some money out of your label?
h0l: The only thing I hate about Napster is the way it's being run as a corporate entity and how they're trying to legitimise it. If it was anarchic, fair enough - but they're a multi-million dollar company making money off legitimate music artists who SHOULD BE GETTING PAID, whether they like it or not. And now they're trying to slide into legality. I don't respect that. I'm not worried about getting money out of Monotonik personally, because I have another career, and Monotonik is simply a very fun thing I do in my spare time. But it worries me that our artists don't get paid, sometimes, sure. But then I look at the type of music we're in, and, let's face it, even 'famous' artists like Cylob are still penniless and on the dole. So I don't feel like there's really much money to be made. At which point, why not make it fun? Anyone who releases with Mono knows it's not a money-making thing, much as I'd like it to be. But they can go ahead and release their music anywhere to make money after releasing it on Mono, and we certainly don't mind.

-René