“ FUCK BANKS AND RECORD LABELS " Words : Kate Monahan / Photography : Kenneth Fletcher
William Control . Some may know him as the frontman of the horror punk band , Aiden , but also as the solo artist . As an artist , William Control takes a modern approach to ‘ 80s dark wave , a sound that combines New Order and Frank Sinatra , one Control coins as “ The NeuRomantic Movement .” His solo project , now going on his 5th LP , has created a sound all of its own , much like everything Control does , making waves and taking the music industry to a different level and a new approach .
By that I mean independent . William Francis ( Control ) was tired of being burdened by record labels , costs , losing money to a big industry , and not having the creative freedom to use his material and profit from it as he should . So , after two albums , he started his own label . After years of producing his own music , he was perplexed as to what he could do to get back the rights to his previous William Control albums . He ’ d have to buy the rights . Which sounds easy , but that required a hefty amount of cash , one Control had to save up for . This past April , Control bought the rights to his albums from Victory Records . It was no easy feat , but he did it . Diligence had paid off . When I asked him why , Control explained that he wanted to own the records so that he could re-release the material , put out a box set , release them on vinyl , and not have his work lost to a large label . It was about owning and controlling the music he had made , the music he was passionate about . He got out from underneath the corporate side of the music industry and was now able to create and live off of his art .
Control explains that being in the music industry for 13 years , he has learned a great deal . When starting off as a kid , not knowing what he was signing , not understanding royalties , and just happy to have made it , he was actually getting screwed . While the record company was getting paid for his hard work , he was not . So , many years later , Control had enough and got his music back . Giving him complete creative control and the ability to remaster , re = release and do with his work as he pleased , making a living doing so .
Control stated that he made his band , making music a full time job . And he has proven that it can be done by cutting out the middle man . People may think it can ’ t be done , but it can . It takes fearlessness , tenacity , and follow through . Control said fuck it , he ’ s going to do this , and he did . Producing music in his private studio he built himself , he operates under Control Records outside of Seattle , Washington . Here , he can write , record , and produce his own music without restraint . Control produces his own music videos , albums , and now , merchandise . Another frontier in the business of making music and touring that Control has taken over . For years , Control had his merch , ( t-shirts , et cetera - everything you ’ d buy at show ), made by a merch company . He ’ d send design ideas to them , meanwhile taking orders , then paying the merch company , waiting for the finished product to reach him , and then ship it out to fans . The whole process took five to six weeks and while getting a shirt for six to eight dollars seemed like a deal when flipping it for twenty , the time and process left little profit and gain for the artist . So , like his name , he took control of that aspect as well . First , renting a facility and buying a printing press to make his own merch , to later buying his own commercial property to up the value of his investment and creating Control Merch .
While again this sounds easy , money was involved , and another large sum at that . It took multiple loans and fighting with banks to get his operation up and running . Control explained when you ’ re trying to get a loan or buy a building , especially with how much they ’ ve cracked down on building loans since the housing crisis , going in as an independent artist whose income is variable was mother fucker . He
40 InkSpiredMagazine . com