I think I've nearly everything Havoc has released, so I'm quite a fan. So it's only natural I had to interview Felix Havoc. The website for the label is fantastic, it has gotten me through many a lazy day at work reading Felix's articles, looking through photos, listening to mp3s. Bands on the label are; Wolfbrigade, Misery, Code 13, Damage Deposit, Destroy, Aus Rotten,Martyrdod, Vitamin X, Caustic Christ, Skitsystem, Nine Shocks Terror and loads more 1. What first prompted you to start a label? I was in Destroy, we had a 7" on Relapse and a split on Reduced to Slavery records. Both went out of print fast and weren't re pressed. I felt like I would have done a more aggressive job of promoting and distributing the records myself, and kept them in print. So the old saying "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself" really applied. My first release, which was my own bands 7" is still in print since 1992 and sold over 10,000 copies. So that's a good illustration of taking the Do It Yourself part seriously. 2. What's been you most sold release so far? By far Aus Rotten "Fuck Nazi Sympathy" ep, I think 24 or 25,000 copies since 1993. Blows my mind, none of our other releases even come close. 3. Did you find it hard finding a manufactoring plant/what plant would you recommend? I've been using United since the early 90's. Pressed over 200,000 records there. I have a good working relationship with them. There have been some problems, but they are always worked out. I do my CDs and some LP printing throug Polar Bear in Winnipeg and they are great to work with. A lot of my printing is done locally by Bryan at Clampdown press. 4. Have you lost money from distro's, shops, traders, credit card fraud etc Any advice on how to avoid it? Of course, over the years several distros have failed and gone under without paying me. I usually work on a cash or trade basis, so that I limit my exposure to this sort of thing. Credit Card fraud is a problem, we' don't accept credit card orders from SE Asia or Eastern Europe for this reason, which sucks for the few people from there who want to make legit orders. But our software won't allow it. I have had a few people steal records from my distro at gigs. 5. Do you have many old releases gathering dust under your bed? I have a lot of back catalog in the basement. Some of the slow selling old stuff I've been giving copies away in orders just to get rid of extra copies. Some stuff sells better than others but everything moves eventually. 6. What distribution would you recommend for a band/label? I use several different distributors but I think Ebullition is the best. I also do a ton of trading with other labels for releases to sell at the store here and at gigs. 7. Do you use companies outside the 'd.i.y network' to distribute your releases to record shops, is it worth it? Yes, I use some more above ground distributors to get my stuff into different venues. None of them move very much of my stuff, but it's good to get a few things out there to expose people who aren't too tuned into the underground to my releases, they might get a catalog or come to our website and get access to more underground DIY releases. I'd like to think of Havoc as being a label that has some accessibility but is still very DIY, serving as sort of a gateway label to the underground DIY scene. 8. Is there anything advise you'd like to add for folks planning to release a piece of vinyl or CD? I would say, don't do anything in a hurry. Take your time and do it right because you only have one chance to get it perfect. Record in a good studio, do good mastering, good original artwork, nice layouts, etc. There's so many records coming out these days, yours needs to really excel to stand out from the pack. Too many bands/labels do things in a rush to get releases out in time for tours. 20 years from now those records are still going to be around and no one will remember or care if they were out in time for tour or not. 9. What are the next planned releases for the label? Just released Martyrdöd and Regulations LP/CDs two great new bands from Sweden. Forthcoming, new 7" from Vitamin X, new 7" from Caustic Christ, new LP from Skitsystem, new release from Nine Shocks Terror, and I just picked up a new band called 365 Dagar Av Synd (ex Dodsdomd) from SWeden. thanks, and for more into check out http://www.havocrex.com Havoc Records www.havocrex.com P.O.Box 8585, Minneapolis, MN 55408 USA