Sam Valenti IV (Ghostly) - Ann Arbor
From its headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI, Ghostly International has quickly established itself as one of the best electronic music labels on the planet. Its artists have graced the covers of numerous magazines (URB, XLR8R, RE:UP) and tour frequently throughout the world. Here’s an interview we did with Sam Valenti IV, head of Ghostly, about whats makes the label unique, his words of advice for tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, and of course his opinion on the Midwest.

words: mg! / photo: jessicamiller

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What’s Up?

Just got up, but feeling good.

Ann Arbor, right?

Yes, and New York, back and forth, back and forth.

Please explain what you do for a living.

I curate art and place it in a context that is hopefully appealing.

Does being located in Ann Arbor make it less or more difficult for Ghostly to reach the globe?

It doesn’t, because the Midwest is a good hub for touring artists.

I asked Tadd (Dabrye) if he would describe his sound as stuck somewhere on I-94 between Detroit and Ann Arbor. Would you say that Ghostly as a whole is somewhere in between the tastes and sensibilities of the two?

Yes, for sure, and probably Chicago as well. Midwestern dance music is a huge inspiration for the world, but especially for itself. The past still lives with us, the same way that New York’s dance music seems to still set the tone there, but the sound of midwestern dance music has always been irresolutely futuristic.

That’s the thread that keeps this area fertile, is that we are chasing down the future because our minds are free to create. Whether its the factory / rust-belt theory at work, or if its just the dislocation that makes science fiction compelling, the dominant styles are rooted in a metallic but humanistic sound, man and machine, which informs our tastes as a company.

What words of advice would you give to any future entrepreneurs wanting to create a successful label like you have?

Find a way to tie it together, do more than just release records, be it having parties, making clothing or something totally new. It has to be able to be embraced on a level beyond the sound file. Everyone has thousands of songs now, but when people our age (20s/30s) were teens, it was a big deal to buy A cd. Now its in bulk and free. I still believe quality rises, but you need to help people identify the quality. A file has no whiff appeal, no color, no shape.

Also, what can the Midwest do to better develop its talent whether it be musical or business?

I suppose, just get out and see different things. Travel is relatively cheap. We spend the same money for a plane ticket as a weekend in the bar. Go stay on a friend’s couch for a weekend in Portland, or New york or Seattle or wherever, just go take in new ways of living and bring them home.

Where’s midwestern music going? In our interview with John Hughes of Hefty Records, he believes that for the most part it will remain “under the radar.” Would you agree?

A lot of it, sure. But Chicago’s Hip-Hop (Kanye, Lupe, Twista) has become pretty huge, Detroit has a few names that could become big, but we’ll have to see how the major label game shakes out. I’m just happy to see some US indies get some serious pull out there.

The one thing about the Midwest is that it breeds very conceptual artists who aren’t as commercially pliable in the way that new celebrities are. If you think about the biggest names from Michigan, they are personalities like none other, Madonna, Jack White, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop. They are all forceful conceptual creatures that have an authenticity that is hard to develop in other places. That kind of celebrity isn’t going to fare well in the current system of sponsorship and MTV pilots. They’re too real.

Not too long ago, musicians were considered sellouts for working with multinational corporations but now it’s common practice as licensing is about the only way for some small labels to stay afloat. How does Ghostly go about maintaining the integrity of its artists while paying the bills at the same time?

You just choose your alliances carefully. Make sure it feels right. It’s not that complicated.

If there was one thing that you could change about the Midwest what would it be?

I don’t know about the whole Midwest. The negatives about the Midwest are also the positives. It creates an environment that makes determined artists better. The perceived void is also the greatest cultural cauldron.

What would you hope the future holds for Ghostly?

I want us to be an example of a new kind of company. I look up to companies such as American Apparel because they are re-inventing the way our generation consumes. Quality, ethics and of course, fun. I want Ghostly to be a great young company.

Your favorite thing about the Midwest?

Unencumbered space. An understanding of change and nature.

Any words of advice for midwesterngoodness.com?

Keep it alive and changing. And don’t forget to ask people from outside the Midwest about what they love about the Midwest. We might learn something.

Any last words/shoutouts?

Yes. Ohio Roll Call: Geoff White, Jeff Samuel, Skeletons & The Kings Of All Cities (Oberlin!), Twine, Todd Sines and my main man, Mark Kozelek. Chicago and Minneapolis too, but that would take too long.

Thanks!

Thank you.

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//For more information about Sam Valenti IV and Ghostly International:
http://www.ghostly.com/

Credit:
djphoto/wil calcutt
photog/mike segal
illustration/michael segal