Also this issue:

Smiths and Lessons
How Johnny Marr got here from there -- and ended up singing?
-Nicole Pensiero

Sweet Tooth
-Ainé Ardron-Doley

Brad Mehldau
-A.D. Amorosi

Patti Smith
-Nicole Pensiero

Don Conoscenti
-Nicole Pensiero

HearHere
-Patrick Rapa

DJ Nights
-Sean O'Neal

Beat Box
-Ainé Ardron-Doley

January 16-22, 2003

music

Running' Lapse

Peddle to the metalheads: Jacobson at the Relapse store, Fourth and South.

Relapse Records' Matt Jacobson explains why he chose Philadelphia for Contamination.

by Paul Burress

Like so many music lovers, Matt Jacobson spent his formative years trying to find a way to channel his passion into something creative. After coming to terms with his shortcomings as a musician, he looked for alternate paths. He did a fanzine, printed band T-shirts and even tried (unsuccessfully) to get hired at a record store.

It wasn't until the summer of 1990 that the then 18-year-old Upper Darby kid started Relapse Records and found his niche.

"After a series of seven-inch releases, we signed a few bands to the label including Deceased and Incantation," Jacobson recalls. Somewhere along the way, Relapse lost its hobby status and transformed into something of a multifaceted mom-and-pop empire.

By Jacobson's estimation, among comparable underground metal and rock labels, Relapse is in the top five worldwide in terms of reach and output. "Well, we are a true independent label. We have 22 employees based here," says Jacobson. "We have a unique musical perspective and I think a pretty big influence on the realm of the music scene. We really pride ourselves on being a label for the fans, by the fans."

Because of growing fan interest the label, Relapse diversified into mail order and wholesale, and then opened the Relapse record store at Fourth and South streets, the apple in Jacobson's eye. A true music lover, he jumped at the opportunity to work behind the counter. "It is a way to contribute to the Philly music scene as well as offer a retail option for our dedicated Relapse mail order customers," he says.

Though the label has been home to a diverse group of artists -- including noise-rockers Unsane, math-punks The Dillinger Escape Plan and grindcore metal monsters Agoraphobic Nosebleed -- Relapse is sometimes pigeonholed by its ultra-heavy early output. "In the early days we did start with hardcore and death metal," Jacobson admits, "but we have really grown and expanded well outside of those realms."

Release Entertainment was created to realize Relapse's quest for musical diversity. "Back in the mid-'90s we decided to create this off-shoot to release music outside the realm of metal and underground rock," Jacobson says. "We are into all kinds of music and with Release we have put out many great artists playing music in the ambient, experimental and electronic areas.

"Also, there are a lot of great bands out there, so we look for bands we love that are doing something so well they are the cream of the crop for their sub-genre, and/or are doing something fresh and new -- and hopefully can tour a lot."

The travelling rock show is central to the success of Relapse, and it was just a matter of time before the label got involved with putting on a festival to showcase their ever-evolving roster. Hence this weekend's two-day Contamination Festival in Philadelphia. As Jacobson puts it, "We just wanted to bring together a nice showing of our active bands, and try to create a great show and do it in our hometown. Philly has a great music scene and we want to contribute to that."

Contamination features Relapse's finest, with Neurosis, Mastodon, Cephalic Carnage, Bongzilla and Alabama Thunderpussy on the first night, and The Dillinger Escape Plan, High on Fire, Today Is the Day, Burnt by the Sun and Pig Destroyer on the second (not to mention the screening of Neurosis' new DVD of music videos, A Sun That Never Sets). Jacobson says a multi-camera film crew and a mobile recording studio will be brought in, with a DVD of the event possibly coming out of the festival.

Though the Relapse bands hail from all over, the choice to start and stay in Philadelphia was an easy one for Jacobson. "There is a great music scene here; it's affordable and it is close to everything on the East Coast." He's obviously proud of the music he hears coming out of Philly and its influence. "There are some great bands in this area, more all the time. As a matter of fact, we just signed our first all-Philly act, Dysrhythmia [who will play the second night's after-party at The Balcony]. They are recording their Relapse debut with Steve Albini and I think the band is going to do very well for us."

Sat., Jan. 18, 6 p.m., $17, Neurosis with Mastodon, Cephalic Carnage, Alabama Thunderpussy and Bongzilla; Sun., Jan. 19, 5:30 p.m., $17, Dillinger Escape Plan with High on Fire, Today is the Day, Burnt by the Sun, Pig Destroyer, The Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE.