Daemon Records: A Decade of Independence
Directed by Franklin Lopez
Daemon
Amy Ray’s independent, not for profit label Daemon has long been one of the good guys. Ray has used her stature (and money) earned as a member of the Indigo Girls to advance both an eclectic musical vision hand in hand with a sense of social responsibility. This film documents the growth of the label, which was formed by Ray in order for her to release a record by one of her favorite bands, the Ellen James Society. From that beginning, she has released records ranging from hip-hop (pH Balance, Justin Hale) to garage rock (the Rock*A*Teens), and as you would expect, folk-rock such as Kristen Hall and more. Being a non-profit, Daemon is not bound by the harsh constraints that even a “regular” indie label would be, thus the label has released numerous benefit records for a wide variety of causes. But at the heart of it all, it’s what’s in the grooves that matters. Amy chooses musicians that move her – and a look at her list of releases proves she has varied tastes – most of them good. For an independent label to survive and prosper for a decade is a rare thing. For one to do it with a heart, that’s rarer still. No matter if you agree with everything she says, or like all the music she puts out or not, you have to respect Amy Ray and Daemon Records.
Daemon Records, P.O. Box 1207, Decatur, GA 30031; http://www.monsterbit.com/daemon
