It would be easy for Courtney Barnett to make her life the Courtney Barnett show. After all, she’s one of the most hyped artists to come out of Australia in years, nabbing awards and accolades as she makes the rounds of every major festival on the globe.
But Barnett is more interested in spreading the love and hopes that her success gives a leg up to some of her favourite fellow Aussies. It’s the ethos that’s built Milk! Records, the award-winning independent record label she founded with Jen Cloher.
“The goal isn’t to take over the world and be a huge label with a million bands on it,” Barnett recently told the Sydney Morning Herald. “It’s a place for us to make our art and share it with each other. We’re already doing that and I’m pretty happy with it.”
In addition to Barnett and Cloher, Milk! Records is home to the likes of Fraser A Gorman, The Finks, Ouch My Face, and East Brunswick All Girls Choir. The roster will be embarking on a special Milk! Records tour next month to celebrate their new label compilation.
It’s all part and parcel to Milk!’s philosophy of group support. Speaking to Fairfax, Cloher explained that finding like-minded artists is of the utmost importance as an indie artist, before going behind the scenes into how Milk! keep their books.
“I’d say the first rule is to come out of isolation and find your comrades,” she said. “It’s a lot more fun being with other artists, particularly when you’re independent, self-managed, self-funded… you get exhausted and you burn out so you really need comrades.”
Naturally, money is a big concern when running an indie label. “The second one is don’t go into debt,” said Cloher. “Whatever you can do to raise money, whether it’s go play some shows, get a grant, crowd fund… then that’s what you’ve got to do.”
No one had to go out of pocket for the label’s most recent compilation, Good For You, which was funded entirely by sales of Milk!’s 2014 compilation, which was itself funded by a crowdfunding campaign.
“Business wise, each band makes their money off their own sales, but then there’s what you’d call the Milk! Records pool,” Barnett explained, “to put on events; make these kind of compilation albums.”
“We sell T-shirts and merchandise and stuff,” added Cloher, “and that’s really the way the label sustains itself because we don’t do licensing agreements with bands.”
“None of us have the time to sit there and work on each other’s release plans. The main idea was to just have a collective and community because when you’re out on your own you can go a bit crazy.”
As for Barnett sharing the love, she said, “I love that I direct people there to buy my record, but then they buy the East Brunnies album on the side. We get lots of feedback saying ‘Thanks so much for sharing your friends with us’. That’s always nice to hear.”
Good For You Tour
Courtney Barnett
Jen Cloher
Fraser A. Gorman
The Finks
East Brunswick All Girls Choir
Ouch My Face
Tickets on sale Monday, 1st February
Thursday, 3rd March 2016
Fat Controller, Adelaide
Tickets: Milk Records
Friday, 4th March 2016
Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Tickets: Milk Records
Saturday, 5th March 2016
Howler, Melbourne
Tickets: Milk Records
Thursday, 10th March 2016
UC Live, Canberra
Tickets: Milk Records
Friday, 11th March 2016
Anita’s, Wollongong
Tickets: Milk Records
Saturday, 12th March 2016
Vic On The Park, Sydney
Tickets: Milk Records
Sunday, 13th March 2016
Bar On The Hill, Newcastle
Tickets: Milk Records
Thursday, 17th March 2016
Bangalow Hall, Bangalow
Tickets: Milk Records
Friday, 18th March 2016
The Triffid, Brisbane
Tickets: Milk Records
Saturday, 19th March 2016
Joe’s Waterhole, Eumundi
Tickets: Milk Records
Sunday, 20th March 2016
Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
Tickets: Milk Records
