Point Loma-based music label Pacific Records is coming off a banner year, with 2018 seeing numerous and diverse releases, which ranged from boy band hit makers O-Town to legendary rocker Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead with Chris Declercq. While there are a number of San Diego-based artists featured on the label, including Lindsay Perry, Ryan Hiller and Chandler Bay, the label is open to talent from anywhere.”We also aren’t genre specific,” said the label’s CEO and founder Brian Witkin. “We just want to help get great new music out to people.”
Founded in 2003, the label has released dozens of albums with upcoming new releases set to include a digital single, “myroom” (sic) from new hip-hop signing, Finn McCool (Jan. 10), as well as a vinyl album from singer-songwriter Chad Hollister this spring. The Chris Declercq / Lemmy Kilmister track, “We Are The Ones” will be released as a 7-inch vinyl single as well. The label has also been successful at placing their artists’ music on TV programs, including Lindsay Perry’s “Dancin’ With The Devil” on the Netflix/ Marvel Universe program “Jessica Jones.” “After placements and TV sync, sales are the most important, and there, as far as format these days, it’s streaming by a long shot,” Witkin said. “Then it’s CD and vinyl. Things change quickly. This year, physical, tangible sales outpaced digital downloads.” Possibly the label’s biggest release to date will be “Guitar Legends II” due later in the year. The album sound track to a live concert held on Dec. 2 at the Novo Theatre in Los Angeles to benefit members of the military, veterans and their families, the program aired nationwide as a one hour special on AXS TV as well as major network stations, including Fox 5 San Diego. “While we don’t have the exact track list yet, we can mention a partial lIst of artists, with songs TBD: Stephen Stills, Sammy Hagar, Robby Krieger (The Doors), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Joe Bonamassa, Orianthi and Emily Estefan,” Witkin said. A two hour version of the concert will air in 2019. “This is an incredible line up of musicians, so there is that, but it’s also great to be involved with something like this which is for such a good cause.”
In addition to music releases, Pacific Records also plans to have more of the labels artists on tour. “It was great having singer-songwriter Seth Loveless tour as opener for Billy Gibbons last year. That kind of exposure is huge. We see a direct correlation between sales and playing live. it’s important to bring the artists directly to the people.”
Notably, Witkin will also release the debut album by his own group, Cambrian Shores in 2019. I got my start as a musician,” Witkin said. “That’s really the beginning of all this. I hadn’t played in years, but we’ve recently been doing gigs in North County to get our feet wet. I’m just really happy to be playing again,” he remarked.
The music business continues to be tougher than ever, but Witkin is still clear on his motivation for working so hard to promote Pacific Records and it’s artists. “Number one, I love music,” he said. “That’s where it all starts. But I also think we’re creating value for the artists that we work for, giving them a platform to hopefully help them to the next level, get them to where they want to be.” He good-naturedly admits to a slightly ulterior motive. “I would love for there to be another breakout artist from San Diego,” he said. “I want to see that happen.”
www.pacificrecords.com