HAUNTED HOTEL RECORDS

Ralph has been running Haunted Hotel Records for quite some time now, and if you love grindcore then you know and respect this label. It was only natural to want to interview him for this blog then. A man who is dedicated to the scene and the genre, and someone I have had the pleasure to call friend for some years now. Enjoy!

1) So man, let's start out by giving a little history lesson about HHR. When did it start exactly and what led you to want to start a label?''

Haunted hotel started in late 2001 with our first release coming out february 2002. The inception happened late one night just hanging out with my friend carlos, drinking beers and spinning records. We were watching the vinyl turn and just really admiring the actual record and thought to ourselves "man it would be dope to make our own".....I contacted the 2 bands I was listening to the most at the time (agathocles and godstomper) and they agreed to do a split. I'm still in touch with these bands (even past members).Alot of people don't know that HHR used to be run by 2 guys (myself and Carlos) but Carlos left NY after our 2nd release and the long distance partnership wasn't gonna work, so I carried the torch solo since 2003.Prior to HHR I ran a cassette label with some friends called EPICAC RECORDS (spelled wrong because we are stupid). We had the name long before mike Patton. We put out a few very short run tapes, basically in the vein of wheelchair full of old men, all stupid stuff, all inside jokes , really terrible. Some locals love that stuff but they get the jokes.

2) Postage rates continue to climb and by doing so destroy small record labels that are bedroom run. That, on top of more people downloading off of bandcamp or ripping albums from youtube, how do you continue to run a label and why? From personal experience, releases don't always break even, and for someone who has a family, have you ever wanted to just say fuck it?
The postage rates are a joke. They have tripled since i started the label. Total scam. I miss surface mail (for overseas) so much. I think considering the EXTREME postage increases, I havnt raised my prices too much. Im trying here. The day the post office gets rid of media mail, i will officially quit the label.
As far as breaking even, I've had to be a little more critical with trades, but my attitude has always been that i dont care if it takes me 10 years to break even....as long as i don;t lose majorly.
The bullshit attitudes and elitism makes me want to quit doing the label. I find myself saying FUCK IT more and more these days. Its really become a thankless job. I know that doesnt go for everyone. Alot of people think money grows on trees, bands and "fans". And I really hate that a releases literally cannot be out for a day without people wanting to download it for free. Its almost like they feel entitled to it. People should really consider that NO ONE is really MAKING any money here. Its just an effort to recoup. We do it for the passion.

3) Have you lived in Yonkers your whole life? Is there a scene there, or are the bands mostly in NYC?

I havn't lived in Yonkers for 12 years. The Haunted Hotel PO BOX is still located there though. I grew up on the Yonkers/Woodlawn/Bronx border (literally the border,Mclean ave/E.238th st). I moved to the Morris Park section of the Bronx for a few years, and recently I moved to the Pelham/New Rochelle area (right outside the Bronx, near Orchard Beach).
Yonkers never really had a scene. In the early to mid 90's there was a great record store called ROCKIN' REX. They would do free shows almost every weekend, even got out of town bands to play. AFI even played there. The store is still sorely missed. In 1998, 3 friends and myself owned and operated a DIY venue called THE SMOKEY TOOTH. It didnt last very long because one of the guys involved was a herion junkie and he literally robbed us down to the last penny. Stole all money and all equipment. We had no choice but to can it. Prior to the tooth (1996-1998)my crew booked shows at VFW'S, bars, church halls, basically anyplace that would let us book shows. We still book shows on occasion in yonkers , but not too often just because we're all old and very busy with daily life stuff (work , kids etc). One thing that drives me nuts is that people think yonkers is so far away from everything, and alot of people wont leave the city to attend a show in yonkers, even though the subway will take you here.
As far as yonkers having a scene.......not really. Yonkers is definatly more known for death metal (mortician,malignancy, and immolation all from here) and its also known for rap (dmx,the lox,d-block,cuban linx and big puns widow live in my moms building ), A few NYHC bands are also from YO (breakdown,killing time, paul from sheer terror lived here,and now abject!) Im sure im forgetting some crucual HC bands.....


4) Past and present, what are some NY grind/hardcore bands people should know that have gone unnoticed? And then, what are some bands in general that should have gotten/should be getting more attention from the grind community?

That list is endless. Esp when talking HC/PUNK. One of my favorite bands of all time is AWKWARD THOUGHT. They put out 3 cd's , 1 lp , 2 7 inches and 2 tapes. Just really perfectly executed negative hardcore with some of the most distinct vocals ever. Another blip on the radar was a short lived band called EVACUATE. Fast as hell with clean vox. Really great. THE MALAJUSTED were also great! As far as grind, I always felt DISASSOCIATE were very overlooked. Also felt that (now reunited) ASSTROLAND were also overlooked / under rated. THE COMMUNION really kept what little grind scene we had alive when it was at an all time dead, and they deserve alot of credit for that. ABJECT are the hardest working band on the NYHC scene and are getting some attention now and for good reason.

5) What is next up for HHR?

I finally released EMBALMING THEATRE - "UNAMUSED RANCID FLESH" on vinyl after so many delays and bullshit. It came out great. BIRDFLESH/PLF split LP/CD/CASS is at the plant, CRIPPLE BASTARDS - "LIVE TO HATE PEOPLE" is also at the plant. After that you can expect AMPUTEE / TRIAC split 5" , BEAST IN HEAT - "ROCKY ROAD TO EUPHORIA" CD , THE KILL/ANTIGAMA/NOISEAR 7 inch box set , VIOLENT GORGE TAPEOGRAPHY CD , SOIL OF IGNORANCE / ENDLESS DEMISE split 7" , plus lots more shit. No signs of slowing down what so ever.

6) Im going to name some hip hop artists and tell me what comes to mind..ready?
- Wu Tang Clan
-Mos Def
-Jay Z
- Atmosphere

Ok brother, now you have struck a nerve. Most people I know (who are my age and into grind,hc etc) grew up listening to metal. I did not. From 1986-1994 I was a militant hip hop fanatic! I still am , but during that era this was 90% of my listening. Yes, even as a little kid (i was 8 years old in 86) I was listening to rap. My Dad had the first 2 RUN DMC records and i was obsessed with them (esp king of rock). When I was old enough to figure out how the radio worked, i would always listen to it. I'd sneak out of bed, put on headphones and listen to DJ RED ALERT, CHUCK CHILLOUT,MARLY MARL etc etc, I'd make alot of tapes recorded off the radio. I still have alot of those tapes. Anyways, flash forward to 1992. I would listen to CRUCIAL CHAOS on 89.1 fm (WNYU) on thursday nights (GOT ME INTO SO MUCH COOL HC/PUNK ETC!!!) After Crucual Chaos, the hip hop show would come on from 10.30 - 1.00 am. I listened religiously. DJ MARTIN M was the host. Its never really talked about , but DJ MARTIN M broke WU TANG. He started playing "PROTECT YA NECK" , people were calling up BUGGING THE FUCK OUT. "YO WHAT WAS THAT, WHO DID YOU JUST PLAY....PLAY IT AGAIN" etc, so after like 6 weeks of playing them non stop, he actually got them to come in and he interviewed them. (snippets from that interview were featured on the first wu tang album). That night they played the whole 12" (protect ya neck/after the laughter (called tearz on the album)) and then the song "method man" and one other song (cant remember).......I taped this and people knew i had it. I started lending it out. It came back to me autographed by all sorts of graf writers of the time. It went all over the place. Im surprised i even got it back. Literally over 100 people made a copy of my radio tape. Point being, people, including myself were going absolutley ape shit over the wu tang stuff in 1992 before they even had anything out, just a few songs taped off an underground hip hop show. Mos Def, jay z and atmosphere - blah.
I could talk about the "golden age" of hip hop forever. If there was a game show or trivia contest for it, i'd win.