Bad Taste: DIY well done

This month, we take some time out to chat to local label and promotions team Bad Taste Records about their adventures in Sheffield. How did Bad Taste get started and who/what were your early inspirations? Bad Taste Records was started by Darkstorm and Trellion in late 2008. We just wanted to create a label that would output the music that we and our peers were making whilst also putting on underground DJ and live hip hop nights. We're completely DIY, but we try to do things to the best quality possible. We love hip hop and we love dirty bass orientated music, so we thought the name suited the label, as we're not pigeon holed to one genre and essentially what we dig isn't the most popular or accessible music. We're inspired by everything from Wu-Tang Clan to Boards of Canada. In terms of record labels; Stones Throw, Fat Beats, YNR Productions, Warp Records, Planet Mu... What have been your best and worst promoting experiences? The best were probably when we put on Stagga & Squire of Gothos at the Harley and also our Tramlines party at Sawa bar. Both nights were roadblock and had the best vibes, although the Terror Danjah and Kanji Kinetic nights weren't too far behind... Our worst promoting experiences were probably the last couple of nights we did at Ethiocubana before they closed down, because people got sick of the venue and stopped coming. One night we literally had eight people through the door! Grim. What is unique about music in Sheffield? There are a lot of amazing producers and musicians who are very down to earth and level-headed. We also have quite a few modest cult heroes like Oris Jay and 65Daysofstatic. Plus with a free festival like Tramlines now a yearly event, the Sheffield music scene will surely thrive. Do you have any advice for other people putting on their own events? Try and do something different. Sheffield's a small place and if there are four nights a month that have virtually the same DJs and genres it all becomes saturated. Save the cash you make from your early events so that you can progress and book bigger out of town acts, especially if they've never played Sheffield before, because it makes the scene more exciting and will attract more punters. Which Sheffield acts should our readers look out for? Apart from our artists *cough cough*, we highly recommend Dankle, K.I.D.L.I.B, Jack Opus and Baka Baka. Also check out Off Me Nut Records, R8 Records and Bedroom Gully. We'd also like to big up ALL Sheffield acts on their grind in general...on this ting! Do you have any nights coming up in December? No, but we have a big night planned for early 2011 so watch this space. badtasterecords.co.uk )