For hipster_bebop_junkie and others who couldn't access the article, here it is:
http://www.saucerlike.com/articles.php?x=display&id=17
perfect partner: An interview with Ecstatic Peace’s Andrew Kesin
Interview by Moshe Levy for saucerlike.com
Many Sonic Youth fans still don’t know, but Andrew Kesin is one of a few people who have a major influence on their sonic pleasures and collections. Well who is Andrew Kesin? After gradating from Rutgers University with degrees in Political Science and English, Kesin, a New Jersey native, moved to Boston and played in
Bob Evans from 1989-95. After releasing a bunch of indie stuff the Bob Evans band signed on as part of a label deal with Electra/Eastwest- headed at the time by (now Universal exec vice president) Sylvia Rhone. The band was dropped along with TAD and about 35 other bands in what was known as “The bloodbath of '95”. In 1998, Kesin started working with Thurston and Kim. While starting his own design firm
VISIBL producing web and video projects, Kesin got more and more involved in various Sonic Projects including the production of two films “Daytrip Maryanne” and "Small Steps conversations with Pauline Oliveros” and doing some work for the
www.sonicyouth.com and
www.smellslikerecords.com websites. Those successful collaboration led to a business partnership between Andrew Kesin and Northampton neighbor Thurston Moore now, running together the Ecstatic Peace label.
Q: Do you think you have the best job in the world? How did you find it?
A: Thurston started the label in 1981 and has built up a catalog of over a hundred releases since that time. I started working with him in '98 on a film project and then became involved in the label, the website etc as a result of some long conversations on long drives. We formalized our partnership last year before we did the deal with Universal. I’m not sure anyone in the music business would say they have the “best job in the world” but I am lucky to have a real passion for what I do.
Q: Are you running all the business side of the label?
A: My responsibilities at EP are to essentially run the label on a day to day basis. I handle most of what you would consider "the business" dealings - but I talk to Thurston all the time about a variety of things. I also work directly with bands, managers, lawyers, foreign distributors, and the folks at Universal to do whatever needs to get done and help us make good decisions on signings, distribution, marketing, etc. Right now, we're in an extremely formative stage of our development - setting precedents every day - so communication is important. Driving between our offices in Western Mass and New York gives us time to hash shit out and working in collaboration with Thurston has been incredibly easy and great. I also do a lot of the graphic design for the label - website, posters, stickers, identity, and some CD layout. Thurston also loves to do that stuff- he laid out most of the catalog releases on the label and does the ads in wire, signal to noise, arthur, etc. We both feel strongly connected to a visual articulation of what we're trying to do and it's been cool to evolve the label's identity a bit.
Q: What kind of a boss is Thurston? Does he make his employees prepare coffee for him?
A: Thurston is my 50/50 partner, not my boss. As business partners go, he’s fantastic to work with.
Q: Does your work in Ecstatic Peace allow you enough time to work on your own projects?
A: um... no. On top of the more than full time hours that I put in with the label, I also maintain a design partnership that does design, web, video, etc for clients. My own projects have needed to take a back seat to all of that but I jam in as much as I can at night.
Q: How is your documentary, “Her Noise”, coming along?
A: That evolved into a few different projects: Daytrip Maryanne, Small Steps, and the upcoming piece on the Magik Markers.
Q: Are you going to release Daytrip Maryanne and Small Steps on DVD?
A: We do have plans to release Small Steps as a DVD in conjunction with a CD of a live performance by Pauline. No plans to release Daytrip Maryanne though.
Q: Any other personal projects you are currently involved in?
A: I think we’re going to do a book of my photos, more web and video stuff than I can even list, poetry, etc.
Q: Can you give us any info about the forthcoming solo album from Thurston? When do you except it to be released?
A: We’re hoping to have something ready for fall 07 but there is no pressure on him or us. Thurston is in the writing stage now and I think he has a good portion of it written. There is a live track from him on our latest zine compilation(sweet release #3) that may show up in this batch of songs.
Q: Can you give us any info about the forthcoming solo album from Lee? When do you except it to be released? Is it collaboration with WWVV?
A: Lee has a bunch of projects going so we haven’t gotten specific about the project other than that we all agree that we want to do a record. Lee is producing the forthcoming James Jackson Toth (aka Wooden Wand) record but it is a completely different project.
Q: Can you tell us a little more about you’re your upcoming CDR series?
A: These are going to be a live series- The first one is a Magik Markers set at Tonic, the second is Wolf Eyes with most of Sonic Youth.
Q: What can you tell us about the Magic Markers/Ranaldo session? Are there any other sonic recordings on that series?
A: There is a plan to have Lee make a studio record with the Markers. We have a ton of different live stuff to choose from including plenty of sonic related stuff but we’re taking this one step at a time…
Q: Are we going to witness College Girls Gone Wild on CD?
A: Not sure. Might be a good candidate for the LIVE CDR series but there is no specific plan afoot.
Q: Two years ago Don Flaming wrote that the Wylde Ratttz album might be released on Ecstatic Peace. Any news on that?
A: No real news. Like Don said, it might happen but there is a fair amount to unravel there…
Q: There are two Bark Haze releases coming soon on Important Records. Are these the same recordings you planned to release on your label?
A: I believe there is one release composed of two sessions but I could be wrong there. We did plan to do something when Important stepped in and asked Andrew MacGregor/Gown. I think having someone else do that first record is a good thing but I would hope to release some form of Bark Haze at some point.
Q: You were part of the crew who filmed the Sonic Youth gig at CBGB’s. Do you know if this footage is going to be used for a documentary?
A: I have no idea. That’s a question for Braden King at Truckstop media. Chris, myself and a few others just shot it and gave Braden the tape. It's his project.