Wax Mage Records Celebrates Its Heavy Haze Compilation

 

WaxMage

Sun  7/24

The notion of colored vinyl is nothing new. However, two local Gotta Groove Records employees, Heather Gmucs and Sarah Barker, have taken the coloring of vinyl into a new psychedelic artform with surreal, head-trip inducing results.

It was roughly a year ago when the duo created Wax Mage Records, which offers the public hand-poured, hand-pressed, one-of-a-kind records. Now the outfit is taking the next step in its evolution by creating a small pressing compilation called Heavy Haze featuring bands Above This Fire, All Dinosaurs, Bask, Bridesmaid, Cloakroom, Druids, Ride To Ruin, Seeress and True Widow.

To celebrate the compilation, Wax Mage Records has scheduled an album release show featuring live performances by Columbus metal/stoner rock act Ride To Ruin, Iowa psych metal band Druids and Cleveland thrash act All Dinosaurs taking place Sat 7/24 at The Happy Dog.

CoolCleveland talked to Barker about her creative world of vinyl.

What was the original concept of Wax Mage Records?

Heather and I are both employees of Gotta Groove Records. We’re press operators and Heather started experimenting with color vinyl a little bit before I started working there. She showed me these experimental techniques with the different color vinyl and whatnot. So we’ve been kind of messing around with this for a long time. We did a couple of one-off records and sent them to bands we liked. Then we really started with messing around with different techniques, and that’s when we came up with some really crazy-looking records. At that point I was like, “Hey why don’t we start an Instagram account to show people what we’re doing.” We wanted to see if people are interested. And they are. Then it kind of took off. It became this kind of record label.

So is it your experience that people are buying a Wax Mage Records release based on the surreal-looking vinyl or the actual music on the album?

It’s a mixture of both. Although it seems like the people who have been buying most of our records don’t really care what’s on it. There are a couple of people buying anything we put out and they often say they don’t care what it sounds like. They just want to have this record. People do buy it for the music too. I feel like this could become pretty popular because it is so special. We do love to work with bands to get a design that matches their music and packaging. It’s really fun to do that.

As for the upcoming Wax Mage Records release show, how did that come about?

When we first decided we wanted to do compilations, I was thinking about all of my favorite bands. And then it was like, “Why don’t I ask some of my favorite bands to do it?” I decided to keep the theme like heavier music, like rock and metal. All of the bands on the Heavy Haze compilation are bands that I listen to. So this show at Happy Dog is to celebrate the release of the first compilation. The record actually hasn’t been pressed yet. We’re still waiting, so it’s more like a pre-release show but it should be fun.

While you’re work in color is amazing, I love the album you created using cut-up pieces of a Black Sabbath cassette tape inside of clear vinyl. Very cool.

That was just me goofing around but that’s what we do: “I have this idea. It might look cool. Let’s try it.” That was my cassette tape that got tangled up in my truck. So I brought it into work and threw it on the press.

Wow, you’re still listening to cassette tapes. You are old-school!

It’s pretty popular now, and it’s a really cheap option to get their music out there. It’s also small and easy to have a collection of tapes. Tapes are also kind of customizable with a lot of color options.

So does that mean Wax Mage Records may dabble in colored cassette tapes in the future?

I don’t think so. I think we’re kind of in love with vinyl. It’s the entire experience. You buy a record and while you’re listening to it, you’re looking at the album cover and reading the liner notes. It’s not just something you stick in your car as you’re driving around. It’s a little more personal. Also, it wasn’t just recorded digitally and transferred digitally. It has a little bit of soul, I guess.

Finally, we have to ask, did you watch HBO’s recently cancelled show Vinyl?

I’ve never seen it, I’m too busy pressing records.

Cleveland, OH 44102

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