Tape[Talk] Interview: Ritual Tapes
RecentlyĀ I'veĀ been rapping with Chris Gelpi of Ritual Tapes, a Louisiana cassette and record label whose identity is definitely making an impression. I actually first heard about Chris and his label through another interview we did with Randall of Graveyard Orbit. Iād been keeping up with RT for a couple months after that, and finally got to meet Chris at Austin Cassette Fest in May.
His set up was spectacular, and his live vending presence pretty much blew my mind. As someone whoās always trying to up their vending game, I was definitely impressed (to say the very least.) But the visual persona wasn't even the best part of the set up. After all, the main attraction is the music. His listening station was great, and the jams did NOT disappoint! The Nevermind Me Winter* Tapeās packaging display was sexy as hell, and the labelās propaganda game is simply putting others to shame. This awesome pack was complete with an āAbout Meā style booklet, sticker, pin, contact card and my personal favorite, a tarot card. I can without a doubt say that Ritual Tapes is in perfect tune with labeling and what it means to leave your mark as brand. I think itās really kick ass to see a label with such a strong musical roster going above and beyond to create a memorable experience for both consumers and listeners alike. Itās what keeps people coming back for more. HATS OFF TO YOU, GOOD SIR.
I reached out to Chris to ask him some questions about music, running his label, and everything in between, you know how we do. I always love hearing what label owners have to say, and I was especially siked for this one. Twas a blast---check it out. Ā
Tell us about getting Ritual Tapes up and running.
In the spring of 2013, I set up a cassette label based on small bits of information Iād learned from the internet.Ā I originally operated under the name Haunt Yourself Tapes with a hand painted ghost as a logo.Ā I put out 3 tapes: Shark Bait ā Phantom Feelings, Healing Powers/Wade Split, and a split between a friend of mine and one of my half-assed projects.Ā After a few months, I was getting tired of how long the name was and how I was struggling to expand it beyond my ghost doodle.Ā I met Randall on Reddit and spoke with him about releasing the Geodesics EP.Ā During the planning process, we both hit some kind of revelation that we had to take major steps to get a little more serious about our hobbies.Ā He started Graveyard Orbit that summer,Ā I changed names to Ritual Tapes a month later, and together we co-released his EP and have been good friends ever since.
As soon as the name was finalized, I picked up the domain and sent some cash to Lee Keith InnesĀ for a new logo.Ā Really great guy and a talented artist!Ā Heās done a lot for my friend Chris at Get Into It Records and Iād recommend him to anyone.
Honestly, I think that change was much needed.Ā Since then Iāve hit close to 16 official releases and maybe 3 āotherā that include split releases, compilations, and singles. Ā Itās been pretty busy.
Thatās awesome to hear. I LOVE the logo and branding youāve created for Ritual. That plus some seriously sick releases are no doubt a recipe for success, Iām blown away by what youāve done with the it all. What was the moment you realized you just had to start this label?
Thatās a tough one.Ā I think it started in 2010. I picked up an old Marantz deck for $2 at a Family Thrift Center in Baton Rouge, so excited about making real mixtapes again.Ā The first thing I ever made with it was a mix for my soon-to-be girlfriend for her birthday. Ā Ā Now we live together and she helps out when she can.
At the beginning of 2013, I ordered Bos Angelesā āTaking Out The Trashā discography tape from Tye Die Tapes.Ā I have no idea why, I wasnāt a collector at this point... Probably because I loved the album and that was the only way to get my hands on the full thing.Ā I remember holding that Bos Angeles tape, thinking about how Iād never seen a light blue tape before, noting how the construction was simple but really looked like something I was glad I paid money for, and wondering how I could do this kind of thing and where to start.
In March of 2013 I spoke to a friend who had been thinking heavily about starting a vinyl label.Ā We played with the idea of joining up and doing both tapes and records as one entity, but I think I got really impatient.Ā I have a hard time working with other people creatively as a co-owner.Ā When I broke away from that idea, I think that was the crucial point in that series of events where I finally cracked down, researched, and invested in other peopleās music as a label.Ā Truthfully, I still really want him to start his own and he said he plans to.Ā Iād love to be able to work with him, combining efforts under our own projects.Ā It would be nice to have someone to bitch with about cracked cases and cutting j-cards in person.Ā Label life.
Hahaha Label Life is making the Thug Life look pretty weak!
*Tell us about your passion for the cassette tape.
Well to sum it up: since starting this label, my collection went from 2 or 3 to something like 150 and I havenāt counted in a while.Ā Cassettes are really interesting bricks of media to me.Ā Yeah digital is great and sounds awesome, etcetera, etcetera.Ā BUT I love getting a new tape in the mail and studying the insert while I listen to it.Ā I can see and hear how the label (or artist) put the package together and it becomes very relatable.Ā I collect records and cassettes and listen to both equally as often; I really have no preference of one over the other.Ā Sometimes my collecting habits change, like, I recently went on a 7ā kick, then started working on picking up doom/black metal tapes and from there started buying 12ā LPs of the same genre. Ā I sold some stuff in my collection that I didnāt really listen to anymore so I could buy a 4 piece lot of out of print Ash Borer tapes on eBay.Ā It all comes back to the tangibility of physical formats (tapes especially),Ā the ease of carrying tapes and a walkman in my car, and the excitement of trading with someone who may not have taken the time to find your Bandcamp page to listen to an artist you represent.Ā Itās crucial. Ā Itās a weighted note that says āOh yeah, I need to listen to this band because Iām holding the album in my hand and itās solid and dense and realā.Ā One can argue that CDs are easy to make and trade, but Iāve made DIY CDs in fold over jackets to accompany a tape release.Ā They look nice, sure, but itās just not the same to me.
I totally agree, cassettes are this beautiful brick of art and nostalgiaātape vs. CD is no contest in my book!
We had the honor of printing some Ritual Tapes Tees for Austin Cassette Fest. Tell us about your ACF experience. What was a standout moment for you?
Yeah! Super thankful for that, you really helped me out in a pinch!Ā ACF was a lot of fun.Ā It was great spending the weekend with Graveyard Orbit and helping however I could behind the scenes.Ā I took a half day from work on Friday to drive 6 and a half hours to Austin, helped plan the layout with everyone at MASS Gallery, and finished up a few last minute tapes before the event.Ā
We woke up early the day of the event, set up and before I knew it people were already stopping by to look at my stuff!Ā It was great meeting the label owners in person and Iām pretty sure I left with more than I expected to leave with.
The after party at Cheer Up Charlieās was sick too!Ā Chipper Jones and Basketball Shorts both played awesome sets and the Vegetable Kingdom killed it all day.Ā I got really drunk and spent some quality time with the Pope guys, Paco Tapes, and Randallās friends.Ā Seriously great people everywhere, it was so refreshing.
I think the standout moment for me was when I saw the response to Popeās set during the main event.Ā
Everyone was really into them and they were so solid.Ā It really made me feel like it was worth it to get them to make the trip out.Ā They did me a huge favor by playing. Ā I really wanted to have an artist involved to represent me and I was happy to have them there.
ACF was fucking fantastic, and everyone involved was amazing. Gillian (Sound Dessert) and Randall (Graveyard Orbit) worked hella hard and it paid off. And that line upppā¦the live music was insane! I was definitely one of those people grooving to Popeās set! I grabbed the tape from you like immediately ha, I jam it at least once or twice a week.
While you were in Austin, what would you say was your favorite ATX spot?
I feel like a lot of people would say this, but probably End of an Ear.Ā We donāt have many record stores thatĀ aren'tĀ Cajun or vintage-worship hereĀ in Lafayette.Ā The closest thing is Atomic Pop Shop in Baton Rouge.Ā I dig what theyāre doing over there but theyāre not into the tape thing so no distro options for me currently.
But End of an Earā¦ Thatās the kind of place that Iād love to have near me.Ā They have a diverse selection of records, lots of cassettes to look at, and a bunch of equipment.Ā Itās the perfect size, honestly.Ā Itās small enough to be manageable, but itās big enough to carry almost anything you can think of.Ā Plus they were kind enough to sponsor ACF by donating gift cards to the raffle.
We also ate some killer breakfast tacos from Torchyās.Ā
Torchyās is the shit! But Iāll always be in love with Austin treasure Juan in a Million :D
Tell us about your first live show (as a jammer or as a vending label). What kind of impression did it make on you?
I honestly canāt remember my first live show at a venue as a ācivilianā, so to speak.Ā It might have been Fear Before The March Of Flames when they toured on Art Damage with Circle Takes The Square.Ā I saw Kansas with my friend and his dad a while before that, but to me a concert is different from a show.
My first show where I vended as a label was when I was still Haunt Yourself.Ā I had just released āPhantom Feelingsā and printed a few t-shirts and patches with my friend Ryan.Ā I set up at a small table with a poster that my girlfriend Alex painted and sold a few tapes while Shark Bait played.Ā It was really exciting for me even though it was a small scale event.Ā I actually sold a few things and that was more than I really expected.Ā It kind of encouraged me to keep trying to push myself like that and prepared me a little for setting up at Neat and Pope shows now.Ā Of course now I have a larger catalog, more to carry, some vinyl banners, and more experience with PayPal Here!
Iām hoping to set up a few events around Lafayette in the future to vend and get some more local attention for the label/distro.
Yesss I saw that you started a distro alongside the label, tell us a little more about that. What labels/artists are you working with?
For now itās pretty small, definitely not a priority over releases.Ā I kind of use it as a reason to collect and sell things that Iām really into and wish I could have had a hand in putting out, like, an excuse to try to promote things I had nothing to do with.
I donāt do trades very often, I actually prefer people buy wholesale from me if they want to sell my stuff, but I have a pretty solid trade relationship with Grimoire Cassette Cvlture from San Diego.Ā He carries a lot of awesome doom and black metal.Ā Iāve also done a few bulk trades with Cult Culture in the UK, Driftwood Records in the US and, more recently, Community Records based out of New Orleans and few hours from me.
Iāve been picking up more records lately as well so I have a diverse shop.Ā Iām carrying some vinyl releases from Pesanta Urfolk, Howling Mine, Community Records, The Path Less Traveled, and Dais Records.Ā
Iām trying to expand my stock slowly over time in hopes that I can get a few friends together to host a āpop up record storeā here in Lafayette.Ā Basically just set up the front room in someoneās house for an all day event with a bunch of crates of new/used records and tapes of all genres and let people come through and pick stuff up.Ā Maybe barbecue or something, I donāt know.Ā Iād really like to offer something to people here that might be into checking out what independent labels from around the world have to offer and allow that sense of immediacy you get from a brick and mortar record store.Ā It could either be awesome and happen several times a year, or it could totally flop and Iād just have to go back to selling them online, which is no great loss really.
I can't see that idea flopping, that sounds incredible!Ā I'd make the drive to Lafayette to dig through crates, grab new tunes and grub on some barbecue for sure. Seriously, keep me posted on that :)
This oneās fun. What album from your label would you recommend to a guy who just underwent a massive break up?
Warmline for sure.Ā First off, the album title is āSadā.Ā Second, the opening lines and the only lyrics in the first song are āI turned my head for a moment in my life and youāre missing, and now youāre calling out in my dreams.āĀ If thatĀ doesn'tĀ say it all right there then I donāt knowā¦Ā TheĀ tape as a whole is very bleak.Ā Iām the kind of person who copes with sadness by diving in head first.Ā Probably not healthy at all, but when I embrace it with relatable music and reflection it always seems to pass fairly quickly.
āI fear the days to come when Iām all out of everything.ā
Iāve been in talks with Disko Obscura in New Orleans to do more with this album, but this isnāt an official announcement of anything.
I guess on the flip side, if this hypothetical guy just wanted something to cheer him up, he couldnāt go wrong with Neatās EP!Ā Theyāre a group of lo-fi rockers in the vein of Dinosaur Jr and Pavement from Lafayette, LA.Ā Great guys, friends of mine, making solid jams and having a lot of fun doing it.Ā It really shows in their music!
Nice, music for the mourning period and jams to get him back in the game haha. As clichĆ© as it might sound, my go to album is and probably always will be Alanis Morisetteās Jagged Little Pill, ESPECIALLY on cassette. That shit is a straight up rollercoaster of emotion!
Yes!Ā Everything sad is always more sad on cassette.Ā Itās that warmth I guess.Ā It makes me miss things I never knew I had.
Your aesthetic and marque have such a cohesive and distinctly solid look. Itās obscure while maintaining a very imaginative energy. What was your inspiration for Ritual Tapes? Tell us how you came up with the name and brand in general.
Thanks! Cohesiveness and quality of appearance were always goals when I started this and itās great to hear that Iām accomplishing that.Ā I actually prefer to lie just below the radar and avoid seeking out large scale promotion.Ā Had you not approached me with this interview who knows when Iād have gotten around to doing one of these things!Ā But thatās really the point, I want people to see whatĀ I'veĀ got and let word ofĀ mouth take over.Ā Just do my thing and let things come to me to some extent.Ā It also helps me keep all the ātoo much too soonā in check.Ā I canāt expand beyond my means so I have to keep it a slow but solid progression.Ā I do like my image to play a little bit with the inherent obscurity in hopes that people will have a darker feeling of excitement when buying something from me, like theyāre playing around with some black magic I guess.Ā I donāt knowā¦ Iām sure no one feels that way ever, but I like to pretend.Ā I think it would be fun to be spooky.
When I changed names I was really captivated by the growing success of labels like Birdtapes, Orchid Tapes, Purr Taps, etc.Ā Labels with names that were short, to the point, and (to me) impactful.Ā I wanted something that didn't stick me to a specific genre and gave me a lot of creative freedom for logos, designs, and other imagery that would present variety and cohesiveness simultaneously. Ā Ā I played with some ideas but decided on Ritual because I really love the imagery and detail involved with rites and rituals of different religions and cults.Ā Though I donāt actually practicing anything in particular, one may notice that I mostly reference crystal healing with images involving stones and the rituals surrounding them.Ā
The Black Earth compilation released earlier this year was presented in 2 different packages.Ā The deluxe edition basically had everything you would need for smudging and charging your own healing quartz points.Ā It was very simplified and Iām sure laughable to people who actually practice crystal healing, but I tried to be as thorough as I could for cassette tape add-ons.Ā The standard edition includes dried sage broken from a smudging stick, meant to be burned to cleanse crystals or a personal space.
When Lee sent me a flash sheet of logo ideas, I fell in love with the design of two hands holding a prism.Ā So far thatās played very nicely with everything thatās been released since Ritual Tapes was born.Ā Adam Hunt from the band Mourning Cloak made some edits to an old woodcut image that I now affectionately refer to as the āDeath Chaliceā logo.Ā I often use the two designs together on tape inserts.
I think the crystals and tarot cards are a bad ass touch. Youāre seriously taking the concept of branding to a whole new level.
*Whatās your current go to jam? LatelyĀ I'veĀ been obsessed with synthĀ pop and electronic noise.
Thou just released āHeathenā recently and itās fucking phenomenal!Ā It will always amaze me that they started in my home town.Ā Bryan Funck is an incredible lyricist and the whole band writes so well together.Ā Heavy.Ā Doom.Ā Beautiful and terrifying.Ā Like fuck, Iām horrible at this sort of thing, but their whole discography is insane and their albums and tapes always look really good too.Ā Iām going to try to get my hands on a few copies of the āHeathenā LP for the store, but I currently have their 10ā version of āTo The Chaos Wizard Youthā and eventually Iāll have their split 7ā with Hell, āResurrection Bayā.
This week Iāve gotten back into Silversun Pickupsā āPikulā album.
Iām almost always in the mood for Morrissey or Phil Elverum.
Oh man, Morrissey never gets old.
Whatās been one of your favorite live events?
ACF was a lot of fun, but I think the correct answer for this question is the first Ritual Tapes Showcase.Ā It was originally just going to be a show hosted by John, Josh, and Gawby from Ghost Noise to celebrate the label and get some affiliated bands together.Ā It very quickly turned into something I bought plane tickets for.
We spent a long weekend in Los Angeles being tourists and spending way too much money.Ā We got to hang out with Ghost Noise and that was amazing.Ā It really felt like I was visiting best friends though I had never met these people in person.Ā I was freaking out at the show because, aside from mailing merch and showing up, I really hadnāt prepared or been very hands on at all, but we got everything sorted.Ā Everyone played great sets and just being able to meet Jenny (Cloud Cover), Chris (Airs), and some other California musiciansā¦ Kevin from Crisis Arm and one of the guys from Wave Temple was crazy.Ā All super great people to be around. It was so surreal.Ā Iām incredibly appreciative of Cloud Cover, Airs, Intimatchine, and Ghost Noise for making the whole thing possible.Ā Iām hoping to see some of them again next year!
Tell us more about vending live, what changes have you made from the first time to the last?
The first time I was really nervous but excited.Ā After that I really donāt think I took it that seriously.Ā Lafayette is open-minded in some ways, but cassette collectors are hard to come by.Ā I might make a few bucks here and there, mostly on cheap CDs and thatās okay.Ā I get to give people stickers and samplers and I get to see a free show and hang with friends.Ā Before ACF I vended at a house show fest in New Orleans and the response was wild.Ā It was likeā¦ Pope, Neat, Donovan Wolfington, Yuppie Teeth, and some others, but people were super into it.Ā It really threw me off because I was kind of in the habit of not getting change because I didnāt expect to sell anything.
I was more prepared for ACF.Ā I invested in grid walls, hung both banners, set up a listening station and had everything set up nice and neat, definitely the most organized Iāve been.Ā I plan on using the grid walls more, but theyāre just difficult to transport unless Iām riding alone.
Los Angeles was pretty bare bones because I didnāt want to carry all kinds of extra stuff on the plane.Ā I laid a few things out on a table and pretty much sold right out of the flat rate boxes I shipped it all in.Ā But from now on, for anything remotely local, Iām going to try to have a nice little eye-catching setup.Ā I have lots of stuff to sell!
Alex is almost always with me at shows and she helps out a lot.Ā Itās not uncommon for a customer to want to talk so while I socialize with those people, she is there to handle the others who just want to exchange money for goods and walk away.Ā Sheāll take over for me when I have to step away for any reason, and she usually makes the signs with prices and descriptions because her handwriting is better than man.Ā Itās great to have that kind of support from her.
RESPECT, haha. I can relate to that question a lot, and honestly your set up at ACF was killer. I'm still evolving as a vendor--visually, production wise--it's seriously a learning process, trial and error, mostly error. Staying organized is tough and when you're traveling states away the process reaches a whole new level of difficulty. And creating a visually striking set up on top of everything is fun but stressful, and can tend to be costly. But it's totally worth it to entice those curious stragglers who just may be your next long time customer, or even someone who will share your brand with someone else. Even with all the craziness and stress I love vending live. Meeting people and seeing their reactions to our stuff never gets old. That being said, whatās your favorite aspect of live selling?
My favorite aspect of live selling is handing off physical goods in person.Ā Itās great to see the band Iām selling for play a great set and have people drop by afterwards to get merch.Ā I also enjoy not having to pack things up to mail.Ā Itās as easy as handing it to them and they have it immediately.Ā No printing labels or going to the post office or running the risk of getting it lost in the mail.Ā Itās just easy.
Live selling also gives me a great opportunity to answer any questions about the label.Ā Someone can approach me and talk to me about what I do and I can engage them openly and honestly about it.Ā They can understand more about me and about Ritual just by speaking to me face to face.Ā I love it!
Youāve recently promoted a 3 cassette album, featuring some kick ass extras including a custom poster and booklet. Tell us more about this epic project!
This project is the official Showcase audio from Ghost Noise, Cloud Cover, and Airs!Ā Each tape has the full set from each band and repeats on the B side.Ā Each tape is pad printed in silver ink on side A and the outside trap art is a Gustave Dore image from The Divine Comedy.Ā I think originally it was supposed to have some crazy extras but because of budget issues itās been scaled back a little bit.Ā Itāll have a print of the show flyer as well as an insert or two with the track list of each tape and a tarot card.Ā Also looking into wrapping each one with black cord with a quartz point hanging from that.Ā I should have the supplies on hand to make that happen.Ā You can hear 2 tracks from each artist here.
Chris Broyles recorded the show and Tom Davis mastered the audio.
Any other project(s) youād like to tell us about? Do you have any future plans youāre excited to unveil?
Right now weāre finishing up the split release of Popeās āKnown Weed Smokerā with Paco Tapes.Ā He has the blanks together and is working on the cases.Ā Iām finishing up the special edition āherbā grinders and wrapping up packaging on those.
Iām also doing the cassette version of Healing Powersā new 7ā from Wolf Town DIY and Get Into It Records in the UK.Ā Those will be up in the store on Tuesday.
Sadly, funds are really tight right now so weāre slowing down exponentially.Ā I made an announcement earlier this week about going on hiatus.Ā Weāre still a functioning label, but we wonāt be able to do any new releases until further notice.Ā Iām hoping for these last few things to do well so I can have the funds to move forward on the Ghost Noise 7ā.Ā Any and all support is greatly appreciated, especially in this current situation.
One thing we had to postpone that Iād really love to do before the end of the year is a release for Loone.Ā Enemies List Home Recordings is doing a vinyl release of āMoon Underwater, Hole In The Iceā and we were discussing the release of the original cabin recordings of the album on cassette.Ā Noelāle, the creative artist and musician behind Loone, sent me ideas of the artwork and Iām incredibly upset that we had to push it back.Ā Itās going to look absolutely amazing when itās finished.Ā We spoke of using poly cassette albums and including inserts, posters, booklets, etc to expand as much as possible on the album art because there is a story to be told there.Ā It would also include a ton of unreleased material and demos.Ā When the time is right and when my finances are back to normal, weāll post a pre-order for that.Ā But for now I have to pay bills.Ā
Listen to the album here.
I know this feel, too well in fact, haha. I recently had to cancel an entire batch of shirts for an unannounced series and had to go back to the drawing board with a event I'd been trying to get going with Sound Dessert. My car decided it needed to take a break from driving, and drained my entire savings/back up RFx fund. Life, am I right? But for real I have no doubt Ritual will gain speed soon, and your friends and fans (including us) will continue to have your back!
Lastly, what advice do you have for someone aspiring to start their own label?
I donāt believe that thereās a single right way or some book of secrets that outlines how to do things.Ā I think that a lot of it is trial and error and finding ways to enhance your products and processes where ever possible.
If you canāt afford to invest in quality equipment or professional duplication, then you should hold off and save up until you can.Ā People who rush into it without the funds to produce decent releases end up perpetuating the idea that DIY has to mean āof lesser qualityā.
Research, research, and more research.Ā Donāt be afraid to ask questions because you can build some valuable relationships by allowing people to give you tips or mentor you.
DONāT HALF-ASS YOUR RELEASES.Ā Youāre putting your mark on this media, so why would you want it to reflect your label negatively?Ā Why would you do that to the band thatās come to you to have their music put to physical format?
PDFs and 300DPI(or higher) are your best friends for printing stuff.Ā Cardstock is nicer than printer paper.
Have fun and be creative.Ā This is your business and youāre ultimately free to run it as you please.Ā Itās a lot more rewarding when you create each project to the best of your abilities.Ā Sometimes it will be hard.Ā You will hit dry spells.Ā It IS a business.Ā But itās an extremely fun business if you have fun with packaging ideas and promotional strategies.
Treat your bands right and youāll end up with some really great friends!
I honestly have no clue if Iām doing any of this right, but people seem to be okay with it so Iāll continue.Ā I hope I can teach somebody at least one thing that helps them better themselves or accomplish some kind of goal as a label.
To jam, shop, chat and stay posted withĀ Ritual Tapes, peep the links below.
Website | Bandcamp | Store | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
A Ritual Tapes Family Photo, X-mas card worthy fuhsho.
Ritual Tapes Product Shots and Photography:Ā Burton Durand
Austin Cassette Fest Photos: Tabby Rodriguez
My Go To Jam from Ritual Tapes:
turnnoffyourmind
theartofmadeline
tangentwithtanner
vaporwave
amandla