YouthClubTapeClub are a bunch of young people who put out their own records and organise their own clubs. Ros Murray told RainbowNetwork all about it.

Who are you and what do you do?
We are a non-profit record label, there's seven of us involved in total. We started up because we were bored with there being nothing exciting going on in our hometown (which was Oxford), we were as much disillusioned by fake independent culture as by mainstream offerings. There is no particular musical agenda, and we try to be more than just a label by organising youth club tape club nights and getting involved in other fun stuff that's happening, like Ladyfest London and Homocrime, which is a queer club night still in the planning stages.

Why are you not for profit?
It seemed to us that young people are encouraged to go out and get pissed every night, and spend lots of money rather than to do something creative and to really get involved. It is ludicrous to charge £15 for a CD when a CD-R costs next to nothing to burn, and when hardly any of that money is going towards the band. Music is something that should be enjoyed, and really should be free. But I think its fair to say that it is practically impossible to make any real profit from a DIY independent label anyway, the real skill is in not losing money, especially when it so difficult to get distribution. We try to strike a balance between charging as little as possible but charging enough to be able to keep putting releases out.

Who would be your dream signing?
I think all the records we've put out so far have been dream signings to me! The most important thing is that the music is something that we find really exciting, and it isn't going to be released by someone else if we don't do it. We've got a few projects coming up that I am really excited about, like a possible Hello Cuca 7", a gig we're putting on for Flamingo 50, Lack of Reason, Reverend Pike and the Blue Minkies in May; also Homocrime. Of the things we've already done, The Gossip live tape was a dream release because although they've already got stuff on other labels it never quite seemed to capture the live show as well as a dictaphone right in the middle of the crowd did!

Do you have advice for other people wanting to start up their own music distribution thing?
Don't be afraid of talking to people, do stuff because you really love it. You shouldn't worry about whether or not a release will sell because if it's good of course it will!

Who's your favourite band at the moment, and why?
I love Red Monkey because they're doing something different but completely unpretentious and true to themselves, I love the Phantom Pregnancies because they are spontaneous and not bothered about perfection in any sense, I love the Blue Minkies also because they are silly and they make me want to dance all night, I love Hello Cuca for their guitar solos and rock posing.

Is there anything else you'd like to say?
Don't be afraid to do stuff, the worst that can happen is that it can all go wrong and then you can laugh. Fight boredom! Remember to take your vitamins, wear a vest if it's cold and eat your greens.