Q. So, to start at the beginning, what initially prompted you to set up Section 44 & is there any significance in the name (apart from the fact it sounds cool)?

RE:We wanted to produce a tribute to The Fixx and couldn't find a label interested in releasing it. Around the same time, Empire State Human was producing a tribute to Dead or Alive. Pierre Norman (Tristraum) and I decided to just create a label and release them both ourselves. Section 44 takes its name from the US Anti-terrorism act, we liked the name and number combination.

Q. Did you take heart from the number of successful US synthpop labels that were already around? (ADD, Cohaagen, etc). Were there any gaps in the market you thought S44 might be able to make its own?

RE: Section 44 started as a label to release our own material / projects. As we
stumbled our way through the process, we realized that there were other artists either without labels or unhappy with the way they were being managed. We felt there was a need for a label that would combine resources of smaller, unknown bands for maximum buying and promotional efforts. We thought why be just one little band trying to make a difference when we can round-up the troops and have strength in numbers. Our bands are all doing their own thing, but under the collective umbrella of a label that has many benefits.

Q. As you've mentioned, you started off with a couple of tribute releases which was, I guess, a good way to get the label noticed, both among synthpop fans & 80s music lovers. Is this something you intend to do more of in the future or would you rather concentrate on new releases now?

RE: Yes, the label was started by two tribute projects. We're open to future tributes but regular band releases are taking the lead now. We have a full release schedule and we are adding new artists all the time. We're focusing on giving our attention to what bands we have now. We don't want to rush anything and grow too big, too quickly, organic growth has worked so far, so we'll continue down that path.

Q. Similarly, the two 4X4 volumes to date (with four tracks from four artists on one disc) have featured some very talented new bands, not least Modyssey & Rhythmic Symphony on the second volume. This seems to be a popular method of introducing new & lesser-known bands to potential new fans & I guess it's paid dividends for you.

RE: The 4x4 concept was simple: combine resource to promote four bands at once. That way, we minimize production expenditures per band and get the cross-promotional efforts by sharing the responsibility of getting the word out on the streets. A Modyssey fan will pick-up the release because there's no official release on the streets. They'll hear Rhythmic Symphony or one of the two other acts on the disc and maybe hear something they like. It's a great way to expose new bands to the public. We're planning Volume Three now.

Q. So give us a brief rundown of your current roster & what particularly persuaded you that each one was worth signing.

RE:Alphabet Girls, Empire State Human, Cosmicity and Eight to Infinity came to us when we acquired Kiss My Asterix Records last year. I've known Aidan from ESH for some time and have always been a fan so getting ESH was a bonus. Alphabet Girls and ETI are both great new acts, we're producing singles for their albums now. We signed Rhythmic Symphony last month and expect his debut very soon. Tristraum was a natural because both Pierre and I are in the band. I joined Eloquent last year with Steven Cochran so Eloquent and his other band Royal Visionaries came on board from World Synthpop Records.

Q. I thought ESH's "Cycles" was their best release to date, it really showed their songwriting reaching new heights.

RE: Of course. ESH is great. We support their efforts 100% and look forward to another ESH release in the future. We're still busy getting "Cycles" tracks out on compilations. It's a great release. 'Stars Shine Bright' is my favorite track on the album. A great cross-over song for regular dance clubs.

Q.I was pleased when I saw you releasing both a single & album by Provision, a band I've long admired & one that I've always felt should appeal to New Order fans, presumably you share this admiration, right?

RE: We've known Breye and Provision for some time. We met at the first ADD Synthpop festival in 2004. Breye came on board not only as an artist bu towner. His promotional efforts are unmatched. He was the perfect fit for Section 44. Also, Steven from Eloquent joined the label team as well. We now have four people running the label, each doing their own thing. It's working-out great.

Q. Let's talk about your own band Tristraum now. I was impressed by the "Gray" album as it seemed to me you were trying to do something different from most electronic bands. Was this your aim & if so how well do you feel you've achieved it?

RE: Gray presented a varied soundscape, every song has a different tone and feel. We never set-out to do that, it just happened as we recorded the material over two years. We liked the album to stay true to the way each song was originally recorded and we're letting the two singles from the album drive the dance floor with the more expected beats. Tristraum was a great way to learn our equipment, grow as artists and express what happens when three people come together in a studio every other Sunday afternoon. I'm really looking forward to recording material for our second album. We have the chance to get to know one another better through recording and
performing. I know that our second album will be that much better because of
the positive experience and learning we've encountered along the way.

Q. I was particularly impressed with Krystyna's vocals which are definately a cut above most vocalists, adding an additional human element to many of the tracks.

RE: Thanks. She has been described so many ways in so many different arenas. Mostly, she gets an Alison Moyet or Bronski Beat sound-alike review. She has
a very strong voice and a wide range. We've made decisions not to pitch correct certain areas of her performance at times because it changes the rich tone and inflections. She's truly unique in what she does.

Q. It's interesting (or perhaps a shame in a way) that you've got two British bands to your name. I guess they've told you that there are virtually no outlets for synthpop here in the UK.

RE: I was surprised to hear that too. Overall, there isn't a huge market for
synthpop. We'll have to play in the pop music scene then. Eight to Infinity has huge potential and The Alphabet Girls are up there in the electroclash scene. We'll continue to support both bands in any way we can. We're planning singles for both bands this summer which should give both acts a boost on both sides of the pond. We're also entertaining the idea of bringing one or two of our US acts to London for a combined show with ETI and ABG. Maybe ESH too.

Q.As a rule how many hours a day do you put into running S44, any jobs you particularly enjoy, any you don't like but have to put up with?

RE: It all depends. Some days are all day. We have to balance our full-time jobs
while the label gets off the ground. I hate stuffing cds and flyers into padded envelopes. I like release day though. Always a great day to get a shipment of new cds. I think we need an intern! Keeping up with the paperwork is never fun. It was easy when it was just Tristraum but now it's seven fold and then some but, we get it all done at the end of the day. We've split-up duties so it's betterÊ now. Steven programs our radio station, Pierre does shipping, I do art and advertising. Breye is promotion.

Q. I understand that you'll be having a bit of an S44 night in London later his year, as well.

RE: Yes, as mentioned earlier, we're going to set that up soon. Maybe late summer or winter 2006. We'll figure it out and get the details out.

Q. Anything else we can look forward to? What new releases have you got in the pipeline? Anything unexpected you've got in mind?

Rhythmic Symphony's album "The Mechanism Fulfilled" will be out in a few weeks time. We're also working with Synthetik FM to release his album. Expect singles for Eight to Infinity and Alphabet Girls, a new 4x4 and a label compilation titled "Sector One". We're also hard at work on Eloquent's second album and Provision's first single from the new album should be out very soon. Unexpected? Everyday is unexpected around Section 44 so only the future will reveal what's next for us.