Brentwood Estates: A Labor of Love of Melody and Memory

by Amie

Renée Bessette, the President and CEO of Brentwood Estates Ltd., an independent record label out of Providence, Rhode Island, has introduced to the world Rebulithangartheory, The Parcels, The Skywriters, Overflower, Meridian 1520, and Olympic Hopeful, among others, since 1998.

Renée, a friend of mine since the long-past days of Fairport High School’s newspaper, The Lampion, was ahead of her times in the early 1990s when she took over the entertainment and music section with her coverage of alternative and independent music. Her good taste hasn’t changed. Renée proves again, with the releases from Brentwood Estates, that she has her fingers on the pulse of music.

Pouring over her releases, Overflower became an instant favorite--with a moody, ethereal sound like a cross between Yo La Tengo and Joy Division--not to mention that I can’t get The Parcels’ ultra-catchy pop of "Snappy New Haircut" out of my head.

How does she do all that she does? Renée sits down with craftygal to talk about the bands on her label and their music (and her own band, Silver Lake) how she started her label and her responsibilities, her influences, and her thoughts on crafts.

cg: Why did you start Brentwood Estates?

Renée: I started the label because I was around such great music in Providence [Rhode Island] that I wanted to do something with it, help my friends, and get the word out. I'm inspired by the sentiment and work that goes behind writing and performing a really good song that I didn’t want it to sit there, I wanted it to go somewhere.

I also see this as preserving a slice of history, a day, a time, a sound, and a moment, for the years to come. It will not be forgotten. Also, as my friends say, I wanted to prove that there are excellent bands out there that need to be heard. And, to be a cog in the wheel, or rather thorn in the side, of big advertising that has become the zillion-selling record labels.

cg: What are the bands represented on your label, where are they from, and what are their releases?

RB: Rebuilthangartheory - Providence, RI
-- "Jacques Cousteau"/ "Cornerstone" 7" [1998] -- "Rival Of The Cold" CD [2000]

The Parcels- NJ/Philly
-- "Oh, What A Busy Day" +2 7" [1998]
-- "Have A Go With The Parcels" CD [2000]

Meridian 1520 [RIP] - Providence
-- "The Sonorous Envelope"/"Hypercube" 7" [1998]

The Iditarod - Providence
The Eyesores - Providence
-- Split 7" [1999]

Overflower - Providence
-- "Flora and Fauna" CD [1999]

Olympic Hopeful [RIP] - Providence
-- "Lewis & Clark" +2 7" [1998]

The Skywriters [RIP] - Philly
-- Self-titled CD EP [1999]

Forthcoming Releases:

Seeland - Providence/Austin, TX
-- CD [Fall 2001?]

Silver Lake [My band with Tim Ryan] - Providence

--CD [When we get our shit together]

cg: How would you describe the music of the bands on your label?

RB: It's kinda all over the place though the simplest description is "indie rock" -- I know that sounds rather generic because that phrase means different things to different people. Looking at the bands, it ranges from ambient/ethereal (Overflower, Seeland), psych-folk (The Iditarod; someone called The Eyesores "shanty-core"), 60s-style garage pop (The Parcels, The Skywriters), dare I say "synth-pop" (Meridian 1520) and pseudo-jangle melodic rock (Rebuilthangartheory, Olympic Hopeful).

The common denominator is that all bands present their own style of melody and memory. The bands all tell a story within the context of their songs, evoking a time, place, and presence in the mind, not just through the lyrics, but the through the music. I am constantly amazed by what these people create within a span of three minutes or so -- I am constantly astonished by such worldviews and phrasing.

cg: Where did you come up with the name Brentwood Estates?

RB: Brentwood Estates is the name of the plat/neighborhood development where I grew up, located in that burgeoning suburbia of Fairport, NY. I think it has a nice ring, sorta vague with an official presence. It also instills a feeling of family and community, something I wanted to develop with the label. I consider bands on the label part of the family tree, building a history through music and creativity. When I decided on the name and told my parents, they laughed and said, "We thought you hated it here?"

In the beginning, I had a lot of people asking me if it was a reference to O.J. Simpson, as he lived in the Brentwood Section of Los Angeles. The name has no relation to that whatsoever.

Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo [when I gave him a few records at a show they played with Meridian 1520] suggested that I have my own wine. I'm thinking of building a retirement community when the millions start rolling in [laughs].

cg: What were the first steps in starting your own record label? How do you find bands for the label or how do they find you?

RB: I had a lot of friends who either had their own labels or were in bands with records under their belts, so I did my due diligence asking them questions about putting out records. After that, it's a matter of feeling your way around, trial and error of what manufacturers to use or work well, and going from there.

For the most part, the bands that I work with are good friends of mine who are in bands. I'm fortunate to know a lot of creative people who are working hard at their art and I want to support them however I can. I also want a broader audience--people outside the direct scene--to hear the music, so it's my goal to make it available to the outside world.

With a few bands, I either had someone recommend a band to me or saw something totally off the cuff that wowed me, and I approached them out of nowhere. That can have good and bad ramifications. It would be a dream to go up to a band like R.E.M. and say "Want to do a record?" but I don't think it's feasible right now.

One of the bands, Rebuilthangartheory, call me their Jewish grandmother-- which is part hysterical, part true. I make a mean matzoh ball soup.

cg: What are your responsibilities?

RB: "I pay the bills." The bands are responsible for the recording, mixing, and mastering of the music, as well as designing the artwork. I'm pretty hands-off when it comes to the creative aspect. It's their baby and there's no need for me to butt in. On a few occasions, I have sat in on recording or mixing (I sit behind the mixing board and say, "that sounds good") and also have worked on the artwork with the bands. Once they hand me over the "final" product, I prepare everything and send it off to the manufacturer, secure distribution. Once manufactured and shipped to me, I do a press/promo mailing to magazines and e-zines for review or interview. I also write the band bios and prepare press clipping kits. I also hire an outside company to handle the radio promotion; depending on the release, they send it to 50-100 college or non-commercial radio stations throughout North America. I also assist the band with things like setting up shows or printing posters or flyers. Essentially, I handle the business aspect of it. I support the bands in whatever means I have at the time, as much as they
put into the whole thing and show interest.

cg: What do you hope to accomplish with your label?

Renee: The ultimate goal is to share music that I love with anyone willing to listen. Sure, it would be ideal if this became a full time job, but I do not see that happening anytime soon. It's a labor of love that I want to continue for a long time.

I've always said that if were to win the lottery, I would buy a warehouse, convert it into a practice space/studio for the bands, and a real office. I'd also get a health insurance plan for all the bands, whoever needs it. I try to take care of the family whatever way I can with what I have. My friends say I want world domination.

RB: By the time I was eight years old, I was enveloped in MTV. I grew up with music videos. At first, being young and knowing nothing, I wanted to be a "rockologist" and comment on music.

In high school, I had a voracious appetite for rock press. I had a subscription to NME, a British weekly, and I’d talk about bands like Ned’s Atomic Dustbin or Pop Will Eat Itself. I was glued to MTV, especially 120 Minutes, which played alternative music videos; I’d tape it every Sunday night and now I have quite an archive of footage. Literally anything and everything I could get my hands on. I wanted to be a rock journalist and usually hogged the entertainment section of The Lampion [Fairport HS newspaper] championing bands like R.E.M., Nirvana, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, and Public Enemy when the kids really were not ready for it, circa 1992-93.

During that time, I worked with a local writer, Dale Davis, who was really the first person who said that it's okay to write about music and truly encouraged me to do what I do now. She's been a mentor to me in that respect and cannot thank her enough.

And, if I remember correctly, I spent time in a band called Killer Eskimos That Eat Kiwi (KETEK), "playing" guitar. [Editor’s note: Amie was the "drummer" for KETEK. See October Travels for further information.] We were supposed to open up for our friend's band, High Voltage Kleenex, at the Concert for the Trees, but we wussed out at the last minute. I don't think the world was ready for our hit song, "Killed by the Headlights of Karl's Car." Though, considering the climate for loud punk "rawk," I still don't think the world is ready for KETEK. Perhaps we should consider a reunion?

KETEK with Renée Bessette third from left, and craftygal's Amie on the far right.

In college, the first thing I did was join the college radio station, WRIU, and was promoted from the on-campus/no-listener AM station to 50-mile radius listening audience of the FM station for over four years. My style changed over the years, with more experience and knowledge under my belt, and apparently I did have a following because, after I ended the show, I had people come up to me at shows remembering my show. I also became friends with some of the older DJs and they introduced me to even more bands, styles, and the scene.

Eventually, I found myself as the music director for the "rock" department, acting as the liaison between the stations and record labels or promoters. I attended a few CMJs and other music conventions and showcases, and became friends with a lot of people in college radio, some I still count on as close friends.

Music is lifeblood. It's a constant that keeps me moving and motivated and circulating. Music is not confined to the traditional "song." It's also the noise that fills our day-to-day lives. The constant drop of rain, the hum of the air conditioner, the click-click of the keyboard, the background conversations in a restaurant or club, the spin of bicycle wheels. Each fills a score with patterns, depths and peaks, tempos, and codas.

cg: What is your favorite type of music? What are your favorite bands/who are your favorite musicians?

RB: Of course, I've been a fan of R.E.M. for quite some time now. I've been re-reading some books on the band, reaffirming their sense of eloquent storytelling and memory that very few people are able to provide. I think if anything related to being creative or making/working with music, I've put them on a pedestal because of their music and what they have been able to accomplish on their own terms. They've left little to compromise and act on their best intentions, a major influence on how I run Brentwood Estates and how I act as a person.

Other bands and artists I adore include:

Patti Smith (I've seen her in one format or another over the past five years and am always brought to my knees by how she "works it," a poetic genius).

Le Mans (A Spanish pop band that mixed 60s Motown groove, intricately picked guitars and 60s California pop).

PJ Harvey (Her style, her grace, and her voice elicit such an unearthly passion).

The Beach Boys (They reintroduced melody and multi-part harmonies to the world).

Sonic Youth (If "Teen Age Riot" is not a call to arms, I do not know what is).

Holiday (Indie band from mid-90s, reminiscent of 60s pop).

The Association (60s pop band).

Small Factory (Providence pop band from the early 90s who wrote the most loveable, catchy, truthful pop songs).

Rebuilthangartheory (The captains of oceanic pop).

The Parcels (Some of the smartest pop songs ever crafted).

I think what brings all of these bands/artists together for me is a combination of their sound and visual presentation, and how that can all affect a crowd or a single person. It's a rather gargantuan prospect that they all convey and I alternate between envy and admiration.

Outside of music, my influences are Andy Warhol, Baron Pierre de Coubertin (creator of the modern Olympic Games), Janeane Garofalo, and Jennifer Saunders (star/creator of "Absolutely Fabulous (AbFab);" I even dressed as Edina from AbFab for Halloween one year).

cg: Which band/musician would you most likely want to get stuck in an elevator with? What would you say?

RB: Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and I'd have the following questions for him: 1. Did you get the records I sent you three years ago? Did you listen to them? What do you think? 2. Can I rub your head?

cg: Would you consider yourself a crafty gal?

Renee: Yes! I think in doing what I do, it's important to think of craft in terms of how you approach any work. So I don't have a budget to make videos, or fly the bands from city to city, or create a health insurance plan for bands on the label, but we work with what we have at hand. If that means having a screenprinting party to make posters or designing really cool flyers for upcoming shows and posting them around town, or preparing a promo mailing, so be it. There is a craft in everything we do, whether we realize it or not.

cg: Are you interested in any other crafts?

RB: I'm an avid cook who doesn't have a frequent audience because I live by myself. Whenever I have a party, I usually whip some new creations, along with some old faves. I usually look online for vegetarian recipes or ideas. Veggies Unite has a great repertoire of tasty treats. I seem to always get a request for my mushroom paté or black bean salsa. And I've been known to barter matzoh ball soup for goods/services. Needless to say, I'm addicted to the Food Network. I love the Naked Chef; Jamie Oliver is a hottie. So is Chef Morimoto from Iron Chef.

I also have a band with my friend Tim Ryan; we're called Silver Lake. We've been together in various forms since 1997 and have played live, in front of more than two people, a total of three times. He plays bass, I play guitar, and we both sing. We describe ourselves as a "cross between Barbara Manning, Bob Mould and Beat Happening" -- though we admittedly barely know how to play our instruments. We haven't played live since 1998 due to scheduling conflicts, geography, and lack of drummer (though I don't think we need a drummer). Once I get back to Providence, we're really going to make something happen. And this time we really mean it. I've been writing on the guitar and I think he'll be wowed by it when I see him.

In the summertime, you can usually find me at the beach on the weekend with my friends. Snag a patch of sand, anchor a blanket into the sand, tan, read, dive in the waves, fly a kite, eat kettle chips, hunt for shells, and play in the sand. Being landlocked in Texas for the past 10 months has been quite prohibitive, so upon my return to Rhode Island, that is a high priority. I have to make up for last summer.

cg: Being interested in media and trends, do you think there is a modern back-to-craft movement happening?

RB: I think there's a significant "mainstream" return to DIY especially with access to Internet and technology becoming friendlier every day. It's easy to build a community that is not defined by geography. Anyone, anywhere, can take part, share information, and learn. If you're online, it's impossible not to locate information on something of interest. The Internet, though designed for national defense, is first and foremost intended for sharing information. We can travel to foreign lands without leaving our seats, and try new flavors
and experiences.

RB: Angel with a devil's tail. She's been able to create an entire sphere of influence with the cooking, decorating, home furnishings/ improvement, and everything else. It's also admirable for her to work with K-mart to bring this to the "people" at a somewhat affordable price. She's made a lot of things accessible that usually are not to the common folks.

With that said, I also think it's a bit dangerous that she's dictating an entire lifestyle to the masses, that she commands such a demigogue-like presence. It's like that parody book, "Is Martha Stuart [sic] Living?" where she stencils her driveway. I heard a few people didn't realize it was a parody and actually stenciled their driveways with pineapples and decorative boarders.

Although, I've had a few friends call me "Martha Stewart" because I tend to lay out a tasty food spread at parties and am chasing people with coasters when they're over. (I detest beverage rings on my coffee table!).

cg: Is there anything that I haven't asked that you would like to add?

RB: I'm a Virgo, single, vegetarian (going on 11 years) and drive a gunmetal gray Saturn. And I'm still waiting for Michael Stipe to call me back.

Olympic Hopeful "Lewis & Clark" +2 7"

The Parcels "Oh, What a Busy Day" +2 7"

Meridian 1520 "The Sonorous Envelope" 7"

The Skywriters s/t CD EP

The Iditarod/The Eyesores split 7"

Overflower "Flora and Fauna" CD

The Parcels "Have a Go With The Parcels" CD

Rebuilthangartheory "Rival of the Cold" CD

Amazon

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Darla Records

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BrentwoodE@aol.com

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