SKANEWS Webzine - 7 Wow Interview

S. SHAFER
7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD interview
(11 / 2000)

Skanews : Steve, long time i know you, i remember you wrote me at the end of the Eighties to have some information about Les Frelons and French Ska scene... Long time you love Ska... How do you discover Ska music?

S. Shafer : I first became aware of ska in the early eighties, when bands like The English Beat (with "Special Beat Service"), The Specials ("In the Studio") and Madness (the US-only "Madness" album) were still being played on the local alternative radio station (WLIR), even though 2-Tone had already died out in the UK and many of the bands were not even playing what you would strictly call ska anymore. In the mid-eighties, the new US ska scene started to produce some great music, coming from bands like Fishbone, The Untouchables, and The Toasters; and by the late eighties, there was a really good NYC ska scene (Toasters, NY Citizens, Scofflaws, Skinnerbox, Urban Blight). I first became aware of what was happening in Europe by picking up a copy of Unicorn's "Skankin' Round the World, Volume One" in 1989. I was blown away the first time I listened to it (I didn't know that Bad Manners were still around, and couldn't believe there were all of these new ska bands like the Potato 5 in Europe). I was hooked and had to get my hands on more. I mail ordered a ridiculous amount from Unicorn Records in the UK, and managed to track down these amazing skazines, like George Marshall's "Zoot" and Kevin Flowerdew's "Do the Dog," which kept me up-to-date on the Euro ska scene.

Skanews : You have work in the past for Moon Ska USA. How long do you work for Moon Ska, What was your job at Moon Ska. How do you meet the first time Bucket ?

S. Shafer : I was the director of promotions for Moon Ska Records for eight great years. I created all of the promotional and marketing plans for the label, in addition to overseeing the production of over 90 albums, signing bands to the label, and working with our affiliate labels in Japan, Europe, and South America. I was a huge fan of The Toasters in the late 80's and in 1990, started writing reviews of albums and shows for "Roughneck Business," a fantastic skazine out of California. I happened to write up a review of a live Scofflaws show and declared them the best ska band in New York City (and in 1990, they were). Bucket, who was touring in California at the time, read my review and, even
though he was a bit miffed that I didn't think The Toasters were the best NYC band, wrote me a letter asking if I would work for him to promote Moon Records (at the time, the only people at the label were Bucket and Chris Acosta from the NY Citizens, and they could only work on it part-time). Obviously, I jumped at the offer and met him at a Toasters show a few weeks later.

Skanews : When have you left Moon Ska and why?

S. Shafer : I left Moon in August of 1999. In 1998, the popularity of ska went bust (essentially, the major labels and the music press declared it dead). All of the independent ska labels were hit hard by this turn of events (most of the record stores returned all of the ska albums in stock). Unfortunately, at Moon, this resulted in a change of philosophy and management (and some unwise business decisions that had been made in the past few years only complicated matters). All of a sudden, they decided that there was no need for a promotions department (all of my staff were fired), or even to promote new releases. That was a clear signal to me that it was time to move on.

Skanews : You run now 7wow. Can you introduce this label? (story etc...)

S. Shafer : A few months before I left Moon, I was approached by Carlos Malcolm's manager to see if I was interested in starting up a ska label with him. The financial backing for the label did not work out, but the idea was planted in my head?I had to figure out how to get my own label going. So, I decided that the way to launch my label with very limited funds was to start up an e-label, where the label would sell mp3s of singles and albums, and avoid all of the costs and risks associated with manufacturing and distributing CDs. Since I'm a big Prince Buster fan, I decided to name the label after his brilliant instrumental "7 Wonders of the World."

Skanews : Can you explain to us how to buy the tracks we like on your website?

S. Shafer : Using RealAudio, you can listen to a sample of every track for sale on 7 Wonders. Once you have selected the single tracks or albums that you want, you pay for the music with a credit card (and we use a secure credit card processing service) and then download the mp3s directly into your computer. It's that simple.

Skanews : How much does it cost a track that people want to buy?

S. Shafer : People can either buy single tracks for $1.00 or whole albums for $9.00.

Skanews : How can pay the people to have the track?

S. Shafer : Right now, we only accept payment via credit card, but we will soon accept payment through PayPal (which lets you email money from their Paypal account to 7 Wonders' Paypal account).

Skanews : People can also download cover of the record?

S. Shafer : Yes, for some of the albums, like Zimbobway's King Kingston Orchestra, or Buford O'Sullivan's "The Sexy Eye," you can download a PDF of the CD artwork (both which were created exclusively for this purpose), print it out on a color printer and insert it all in a jewel case. We're also
assuming that after people buy these albums, many of them will burn the music onto a CD-R.

Skanews : On 7 wow, people find lots of exclusive tracks?

S. Shafer : The majority of the music on 7 Wonders cannot be found anywhere else (and the rest is mostly hard to find!).

Skanews : What are the bands and musicians who work with you?

S. Shafer : Currently, we're working with the following bands: Carlos Malcolm & His Afro-Jamaican Rhythms (JA/USA), NY Ska Jazz Ensemble (USA), Dr. Ring Ding (Germany), H. P. Setter (Germany), Capone & The Bullets (UK), Victor Rice (USA), Jin Jin (Germany), Provibes (Germany), dr. Green (Lithuania), The Delroys (USA), Winston Irie (Guyana/USA), Orange Street (USA), Take 5 (USA), Zimbobway's King King Orchestra (USA), The Sifters (USA), The Speakeasies (USA), and Buford O'Sullivan (USA) -- and we have jazz records from Rick Faulkner (from NY Ska Jazz Ensemble) and Los Mas Valientes (USA), plus electronica from Subatomic Sound System (USA). We're currently talking with several bands and labels about working together, so check the site frequently, since we add new music and bands every month!

Skanews : Why is it much interesting for people to buy music on website like you than buy a record in a shop ?

S. Shafer : Well, you can listen to a sample of every song that 7 Wonders sells (whereas the listening stations at record stores are usually limited to the few CD's that the labels have paid the store to feature), so you know what you are getting before you buy (we also have news, tour dates and info up for each band). You have the option of buying one track from an album, if that is the only song that you really like. Also, our prices are much cheaper (CD's at Tower Records here in New York City are now $17.99; 7 Wonders sells albums for $9.00).

Skanews : Bands have the same royalties?

S. Shafer : Bands license their music to the label on a non-exclusive basis and we split the sales 50-50 between the artist and the label.

Skanews : Is it hard for an e-label like 7wow to exist?

S. Shafer : In many ways, it is much easier for 7 Wonders than a traditional record label. 7 Wonders does not have to risk large amounts of money manufacturing and distributing CD's (which may or may not sell, and getting paid by distributors is a whole other matter!), all we need is a digital copy of a song or album up on our server. The internet is our free distribution system that can reach anyone in the world who is hooked up to a computer (and fans can get the music instantly). But many of the rules that are the same, where the technology is irrelevant : you still need to be able to figure out which bands are good and know how to effectively promote their music to the fans.

Skanews : What do you think about website as Napster or gnutella ? Napster just sign a contract with big major label as BMG. Are you ready to sign with Napster tomorrow ?

S. Shafer : Large-scale music file swapping sites violate musicians' copyrights, so, they are illegal, pure and simple. I think that it was insane that a company full of lawyers and businessmen formed around Napster. The premise of the company was completely unsound, since it's all based on denying musicians their royalties (and how exactly did they plan to make money if everyone was trading music?). Can you imagine a business forming around an idea to deny you your pay for whatever you do to earn a living?

S. Shafer : I am not opposed to having 7 Wonders merge with (and be funded by) a larger company, as long as I still make all of the creative decisions (as to which bands to work with, how to promote them, the mission of the label, etc.), and the terms of the contracts (50-50 split of sales, etc.) remain essentially the same.

Skanews : E-music and labels as your is very popular in USA?

S. Shafer : The market for digitally downloaded music is still fairly small, but I have read (and believe) several internet studies that predict that it will explode in the next several years (as more and more people are hooked up to the internet through super fast connections, like DSL and cable, and the time it takes to download music drops significantly).

Skanews : In France 99 % of the people, musicians and label don't know e-music and labels as your, what is your reaction ? Do you think that e-music and label as your is the future of the music ?

S. Shafer : Again, what 7 Wonders is doing is still pretty radical (in the past few months, the major labels have just begun to offer only part of their catalogue for sale via digitally downloads--7 Wonders has been doing this for almost a year now). I don't think that e-labels will ever replace traditional record labels, and I think that CD's will be around for some time still (I still buy CD's). 7 Wonders is simply catering to a growing number of people who want to be able to download music from the internet on demand.

Skanews : In France, lot of people don't want to pay with cards in the net because they don't want that some people rob they key code... is also a big problem in USA?

S. Shafer : In general, it can be a problem if companies with websites do not take the proper precautions, but there are the same risks when you use a credit card in a store or order something over the phone. 7 Wonders uses a very secure and reputable internet credit card processing company, and we have never had any problems with credit card numbers being stolen.

Skanews : How can do a person who want to buy some 7wow tracks without payment cards?

S. Shafer : They can always send us an international postal money order (or wait until we have Paypal up), and we will email them a password that lets them download the tracks they paid for.

Skanews : Do you think that in the future, e-music will "kill" record shops?

S. Shafer : No, I think that record stores, really CD stores, will be around in some form (especially record stores that specialize in certain types of music), though they will have to learn to compete better with e-labels and on-line CD stores.

Skanews : What are the plans of 7wow for the end of 2000 and 2001?

S. Shafer : 7 Wonders will be sponsoring a regular ska and reggae night in NYC (along with Adam Liebling's Read Magazine), to help support the local acts on the scene, as well as providing bands coming through the area with a venue to play. Of course, we'll be working with more bands and featuring more great ska, reggae (and jazz and electronica) from around the world on the site (we're talking with many bands at the moment, but can't name names). And generally doing what we can to work with bands and labels to support and unify the scene.

Skanews : What do you think about ska and reggae music today?

S. Shafer : In the US, the ska scene has gone underground again, so it will be several years before it is really healthy again (the major labels' recent involvement in the US ska scene really did an incredible amount of damage, since the reality never lived up to their hype: a lot of stores will no longer stock ska music, venues will not book ska bills, etc.). The good news it that it appears that the ska/reggae scenes in Europe and Japan are rocking, and this will inspire bands here to do their thing (it's what happened in the early nineties). I've really been impressed with recent CD's from Japanese reggae/dub act Dry & Heavy ("Full Contact," "King Jammy Meets Dry & Heavy in the Jaws of the Tiger"), Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra ("Full Tension Beaters), Lord Tanamo/Dr. Ring Ding & The Senior Allstars ("Best Place in the World"), The Butlers ("Fight Like a Lion"), The Top Cats ("Mr. Donkey Paradise"), and the Allstars ("Nemo").

Skanews : If you want to tell us other things.... feel free

S. Shafer : Everyone should check out the site at www.7wow.com. Feedback is appreciated!

Interview : Jean-Pierre Boutellier / Skanews.