In December, Reputations Records, a non-profit, student-run record label based out of Boston University, saw its Brooklyn-based band, Blue Pages, become one of Hot Topic’s Unsigned Bands of the Month.
With that accomplishment, the on-campus club dedicated to helping local bands make it in the music industry decided it was time to select two more bands to work with in 2011.
Reputation Records chose to sponsor the Boston-based band No Soap Radio and Gentlemen Hall. Hirsh said all services are considered part of a “360 degree record deal,” where a team is created with successful managers to market, to find venues and to get the bands’ names out.
College of Arts and Sciences junior Julie Hirsch founded the club her freshman year after interning with record labels in high school.
“As president, I help with everything and find the best ways for the team to get the most experience and run smoothly,” Hirsch said.
Reputation Records meets every Wednesday to discuss, plan and organize their projects.
Hirsh said that the meetings’ goals vary and include anything from listening to and discussing songs with pizza to “nap time,” when members listen to a 15-minute lecture to learn about the different elements of the industry.
“Rep Records is good access to the music industry and both the bands and students can gain good experience,” Hirsch said. “They learn to go to concerts and work with both bands and contracts.”
College of General Studies sophomore Sherelle Isaacs has been a member since Spring 2010 and continues to help organize for the record label.
“I mainly help with the media group which includes Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr,” Isaacs said. “I am really interested in music and how the industry works.”
Hirsh said Reputation Records represents both well-established and up-and-coming bands.
No Soap Radio, a group working with Reputations Records, is trying to build a following in the college scene said BU freshman Eugene Mundowa, who founded the band in Acton.
“In high school, we played in charity shows and began to write our own music,” Mundowa said. “I would describe our sound as alternative indie jazz, and with all our different tastes in music, it is definitely an evolving sound.”
Mundowa approached Reputation Records after hearing about the label at Splash, the activity fair held by BU at the beginning of the year.
Gentleman Hall, a well-established band based in Boston, provided Rep Records a new opportunity, Hirsch said.
The band is heavily based in synthesizers with a pop sound untraditionally accompanied by a flute. According to their Facebook page, the band released its first EP in 2009 and was awarded “Best Breakout Boston Artist” by MTV.
Their most recent show was this past Saturday at BU Central, which was hosted by the Community Service Center’s Alternative Spring Break program.
School of Management sophomore Steven Frey serves as the Reputation Records web director and updates their website.
“I joined as a freshman last year and I got familiarized with the web portion,” Frey said. “I’m now trying to create a version where more music can be played while also having a stylistic look.”
Reputation Records is working to offer its bands promotions mostly based in social networking, Hirsh said.
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